Erickson’s Philippines Updates

As I sit to write about this dream and prayer that God has brought to life I am awed at how God truly does answer the prayers of His children. As most of you know, we went through a miscarriage in February of last year. Since that time, God has really been working in my life. For the 3 years prior to this, I really was in a state of depression. I think in my mind I thought having a baby would make me happy, even though I taught to those around me that God is our source of joy. Through the miscarriage, I realized that it is my relationship with Jesus that will make me smile during the storms in my life. I actually think these past 9 months have been some of the best months of my life. The Lord has encouraged and stretched me in many areas. He has brought back a lot of confidence that I lost over the years. I’m active again – playing sports, running, and even jumping rope. He has put a love for music back into my heart. It feels in some ways that I had put my life on hold for awhile.

About 18 months ago, Mike and I went to an adoption seminar hoping to do a domestic adoption here in the Philippines, but found that we had to live here for 3 years before we could proceed any further. The 3 years ended in August. We really hadn’t thought much about it until a situation arose and someone in the dump site wanted to give up their baby. Unfortunately, that fell through because someone else was already adopting that baby. Because of that, we began to think more about it so we inquired with our social worker. The day he came, he said, “Yes it is possible, and actually there is a little baby girl in the city hospital. Would you like to go see her?” Within the hour we were looking at the little girl that two days later would be in our care. It all happened so fast and without much warning, and then I stopped and realized that the Lord was answering my prayer!

I wanted a little girl and although I would tell God, “Whatever your will is Lord.” – He knew my heart . . .that I wanted a baby girl. Just four days before this happened I received some boxes from my mom and mother-in-law, and inside were baby clothes. I remember looking at them and saying, “God please bring life to these clothes.” You see, God heard the cry of my heart. I still don’t know the road that is ahead of us. It could be a long and hard journey for this adoption to be finalized. There may be choices and sacrifices that we will have to make that will be hard. There is also always the chance that we will not be able to keep this little girl. Maybe our hearts will be broken. But in my heart I know that whatever the outcome, God has answered my prayer.

He has sent to Mike, Josiah, and I, a little girl to love and to be part of our family. He doesn’t promise us how long we have to love, hold, and care for the ones in our lives that we love. We are celebrating this little soul God has entrusted to us. We ask for your prayer and wisdom in the coming months and years as we walk through this next chapter in our lives. Her name is Ellianna Kristine. Ellianna means “my God has answered me,” and Kristine means “Christian” or “anointed.” We chose Kristine after my niece, who is fighting a battle against a severe disease, and needs a lung transplant. My niece’s heart is to be a testimony to the world for Jesus. Our prayer for Ellianna is the same - that she lives her life for Jesus and follows hard after God.

–Andrea

A typical night involves singing action songs, sharing an inspirational or Bible story, giving of bread and juice, prayer, and usually an activity (like the middle picture, when we gave out balloons and then let the kids draw on them…and many of them asked us to sign them). Every time we go out there are 30-40 kids and teenagers who show up for the ministry.

What really inspired me to write this post is the last picture. I was so touched when I was looking through photos and saw this one of Josiah with his arm around one of the girls from the street. Josiah does not usually go out with us, because I usually have to spend most of the time chasing him down or just making sure he is not wondering off with strangers (he is VERY friendly!), but on occasion he does get to enjoy an evening on the streets. As I looked at this picture I realized that to Josiah, there is no difference between any of the kids out there and himself.

As far as he knows they are exactly the same. He doesn’t know that many of them sleep on a cardboard box on the sidewalk at night. He doesn’t know that many of them do not eat three times a day like him…he simply doesn’t know. What he knows is that he gets to go out and “play” with his friends in the town. What he knows is that he can put his arm around the kids, and laugh with them, and sing with them, and be a part of their lives.

Of course, I am not talking about being blind to the hurt and pain that is out there. Josiah is only 2 years old. I am talking about removing the pre-set mentalities that divide “us” and “them” and simply loving people regardless of our differences. Like Paul wrote in 1st Corinthians 9:22:

”To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.”

Being a father has taught me so much, as I am learning that I can gain as much in my relationship with Josiah as he can gain with me. In this lesson I was reminded to come to Christ as a child, seeing other people through the eyes of innocence, and realizing the only boundaries of love are the ones that we put up ourselves.

One thing I absolutely love about my son is that he always loves to help. Almost anything I do …whether carrying laundry, taking out the trash, sweeping the floor, taking the kids to school… he ALWAYS wants to help me. Of course this sometimes can make the process longer, messier, and overall more difficult…but that is part of teaching/learning/discipleship anyways.

Building Orick and Sheila’s new house was no exception. He and Shekinah were watching Roldan, Peter 1, and Peter 2 (in the first picture) working on sifting the bigger rocks out of the sand so the cement worker could do the finish work, and he wanted to help right away. In the second picture, he waits while Peter 2 shovels the sand/rocks into the bucket (he tried to do that himself, but found the shovel to be too heavy). In the third picture, he dumps the sand/rocks onto the screen so Peter 1 and Roldan can sift through it.

The house is almost finished now (with the exception of a few luxury things we could not afford right now…like windows) and it is looking great! I will capture the finished product on film, both inside and out, after it is finished.

As much as possible, the del Montes and FTC chipped in to help with the labor needed for the house. In the second picture, Sheila del Monte, Allan, and Krishelle are painting the steel beams and poles before they get placed in the house. In the third picture, Orick, Sheila, Shylla, Rico, and Shekinah del Monte pose in front of their new “mansion”! We rejoice with them in their blessing, and I will keep you updated with the progress of the house.

Check out a devotional written by Editor Jenn, The Real Jesus.

John Elnor is 9 years old and is from Alaminos (about 20 minutes from San Pablo City). When he first arrived at FTC, upon entering our gate, he screamed and cried, “I don’t like! I don’t like!” (in Tagalog, “Ayoko, Ayoko!”). It took us more than 30 minutes to get him out of the car, and then another hour to calm him down. He was just scared of a new environment with new people, and of course that 6’4” white guy didn’t help his comfort level any!

Now, John has been with us for almost 3 weeks. He loves to play in Josiah’s room (every day), loves playing outside, and has adjusted very well here overall. Our next step is to begin easy schooling with him here at FTC (this involves English, math, and Filipino). Sheila del Monte will handle this first level of teaching. Once he has shown improvement in attitude, character, and learning ability, we will put him online and find a sponsor for him to attend Frontline Christian Academy.

John comes from a difficult life, and we are very excited that he has been delivered from certain poor circumstances, and brought here to us. We know that God has a plan for his life, and we look forward to seeing that plan unfold. Pictured: John and Josiah play in Josiah’s room, John with our boy dorm parents Orick and Sheila del Monte.

Just when it seemed we’d had all the fun we could possibly have for one Sunday, Melissa (a guest from Naperville) felt God speaking to her to get baptized. How exciting to be a part of her life-changing decision! She stood in front of around 300 people and publicly declared her love for Christ, and that she has made the decision herself to be a Christ-follower. As you can see by the pictures, this was a very AWESOME experience, especially since her mom, brother, and sister where there to celebrate it with her. Praise God!