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May 24th, 2009

5/24/2009

3 Comments

 

The Story Of Us.

Picture

It's hard to find the distinct starting point of a story like ours, for like most, it begins with the weaving together of choices and paths, but more than anything, the sense of humor, and perfect plotting of a master storyteller.

I, Leah, am a fan of outlandish stories ...  It was about December of 2005 when I came to a crux in my life, and being frustrated with my lack of imaginative flair for writing my own story, there decided to put down the pen.  I dropped it if I recall...and surrendered the rest of my life to be a story conceived, imagined, plotted, and planned by my God.  He tells a pretty good story, I might add. He picked up the pen where I left it, and began with His God-imagination to write with no boundaries but His own.  

I had come to the Philippines six months before, for the clinical practicum of my Midwifery schooling. I had known that God had called me to come and love these broken and poor women in the slums of Manila,  and was excited to get started.

The second week of my stay, however, I contracted typhoid fever, and proceeded to lose 23 pounds of weight, and my pride.

I was exhausted, vomiting constantly, upset with myself for not serving God good enough, and longing for something familiar, but as I was encouraged to go home and recover, I heard God distinctly speak:  I could go home if I chose, but He was not done with me in this land.

I stayed.  My parents and sister decided that if I would not come home, they would come see me, and take me out of the smog of Manila and let me rest for a week.

In January they came, and my heart was loved, my body nurtured back to health. We decided to go to a quiet beach where I could breathe clean air and sleep. We  traveled to Puerto Galera and for the first time in a year I listened to the sound of silence and breathed deeply of beautifully pollutant-free air, and the glorious smell of the salty sea.

Our first day on the beach, my sister and I sat in a Henna tattoo parlor, and fielded question after question as to why we were here.  In the corner sat a quiet man. He watched us and didn't speak. He listened to us say that I was a midwife, my sister a nurse, and that I lived in Manila, giving free prenatal care to poor women.

He looked at me and finally spoke,  "Why would you come to my land and do what you're doing for no money at all?"

I looked up and responded from my heart,  "Because I love Jesus and He loves the poor and broken people, and has told me to come and serve them."

His brow furrowed. He looked a little skeptical.

The next day he sat with my father, who asked him in Botteicher- point-blank manner, "So, Francis, do you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior?"  He sat in silence and played the words over and over again.

That day, God spoke to my heart. "I have huge plans for this man's life, but He must know me first. Pray him into the Kingdom."

I returned to Manila and asked my friends to pray. I knew if was not a matter of "if" he came to know Jesus personally, but "when."  Day in and day out, he was heavy on my heart. God would awaken me in the night, nearly every night, calling me to intercede, to battle in the spiritual realm over the heart of this amazing man.  I would be moved to tears, seeing only a piece of how passionately God was loving and pursuing this heart. Wow.  I could not even imagine how great His plans were... this one must be pretty special.

 Francis began coming to the church I attended in Manila, and made it his own. He connected with the pastors and began searching out the truth for himself.  He was beginning to taste a passion and life that religion never held, and  was being drawn into a kingdom that would turn him upside down.

After nearly four months, Jesus broke through every wall around his heart and brought him to His knees. He asked Jesus to transform him, and He did.

I watched him be baptized on his thirty-fifth birthday -- Easter Sunday.  From that day forward, God began molding and shaping this one into a full-blown God-chaser, a passionate worshiper, a lover of truth.

Skip ahead to three years later: I had decided to be single and was yearning to be in the developing world where the need was greatest-- serving God, and loving people.

In October of 2008 I brought a group of six people to the Philippines, and Francis joined with us to bring medicine and Jesus to hurting people.  A week and a half into our three-week trip, God opened my heart and spoke that this man in front of me, this amazing friend, this doctor who fixes broken bodies and embodies compassion: this was my husband.  This was the land  I was called to and this is the one with whom I could serve much better than I could serve alone.  That very night, that crazy guy asked me to marry him.  Even thought I had just received the memo from God, I was still a wee bit startled.... nevertheless, the rest is history, and the two of us crazy passionate Jesus-followers are embarking on our journey together.

Not much is certain in this life, only that God will go with us, lead the way if we let Him, and that He is always, ALWAYS good.

We are stepping out on the water, trusting Him to hold us up. We are  presently running two clinics in Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. Both clinics have a birth center that focuses on the poor, tribal and Muslim women,  and provides free care for them, one of these clinics is in the center of the red-light district  where we hope to develop a refuge for women, helping them to escape prostitution and find freedom and healing.

Most of all, our goal is to  walk in obedience and listen to the storyline being written for us... in it is life.  Our utmost desire is to bring glory,  honor and worship to our God and have Him use us up until He's done with us.

That's the story for now...
Stay tuned.
 



3 Comments
Natalie
9/13/2009 04:18:33 am

I will be the first to comment!!!
This is the most beautiful story I ever did hear and witness! It inspires me to press on and to have hope and faith, that God is the best author of our lives! I love you two crazy Jesus followers!!!!

Reply
Lena
11/16/2009 05:58:05 am

Hey you two,

I have this crazy memory of a few of us girls and Francis having supper in the Philippines (I don't remember when and where) during our midwifery training, and while we were eating, I got a sudden glimpse, I believe it was from God, and in that moment it was as if I could feel Francis' love for Leah so much that it hurt. I'm excited about your story and so thankful that God has put you two together.

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Jeane link
7/7/2010 11:27:45 am

Oh. My. Word.
This needs to be a movie...

...or perhaps a book.

Or maybe neither. In any case, I came across your blog today and am completely mesmerized and refreshed to hear another sister speak of the UNIQUENESS of the ADVENTURE of following Jesus alone. LOVE it!!!

How I got to your blog? I went on your sister's Facebook page, to show my husband who it is I am visiting on Friday and found your blog on it. My dear friend, and second cousin, Krista (Sangry)Hubbard, introduced me to your sister, Cara, on FB due to our similar situations as far as number of children and twins to cap it off...and we have developed an online friendship, and in two days I actually get to throw my arms around her and meet her and those precious kiddos of hers. Cannot. Wait!

I must acknowledge the homegoing of your dear mom, who I have heard was such a beautiful, accepting person. I am simply so sorry. There is nothing fair about losing a parent so young. I cannot imagine.

Thank you, again, for sharing your story. I will be back again and again to read snippets as I have time. I already feel encouraged to know of you through this medium, as it seems there are so many dull, lifeless Christian women who are living half of what I am sure Christ intended them to be...mainly because they're too busy following the protocol that's expected of them by their families or churches...and squelch the spontanauty (i CANNOT spell this time of night. working with few brain cells at this point)that is living day by day following the sometimes mysterious, sometimes scary, sometime exhilerating path that He loves to take His children down. Your story is of one who has left everything to follow, and it is marvelous!

Take heart, and keep on walking...
PS. And not to further cast myself in a 'stalker' light, but I was looking at Cara's vacation pictures, and I would like to come right out and say that it is entirely NOT fair that one person could look so darn (insert the real "D" word I was going to use here if you aren't offended.) smashing in a maternity bathing suit. It's just simply not right. :)

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