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

Let me preface this post by letting everyone know just how much Josiah loves it here. The Philippines are his home, after all he was born here! When we arrived back home to the Philippines in January at 3am, I can still remember Josiah running in one of the dorms laughing and playing. He was SO happy to be back with his 30+ “brothers and sisters” (counting the FTC and staff kids).

On the flip side of that, he also had a very rough first week. It seemed that so many things kept happening to him. He was clumsy, and kept tripping on small rocks and getting cut up by metal (first picture), as well as getting bit by an ant next to his right eye, causing 2 days of swelling (second picture). For the first week his schedule was thrown off, and he kept waking up at 3am, then staying awake until late morning.

Right now, however, Josiah is over the jet lag, and is well adjusted back to normal life. He enjoys being a kid, and playing with other kids (almost all day every day!). He likes to meet new people and talk to them, unless there’s a lot of attention on him at once; then he gets shy. In the third picture, Josiah is playing with Marco and Shekinah (both staff kids).

In August of 2007, Andrea, Josiah and I returned to the States for three months. We had just finished a one year stay here in the Philippines, and felt God tugging on our hearts to return for an even longer commitment. Our purpose for going home was two-fold. First, we wanted to see our family and friends and introduce them to our son, Josiah Michael. Second, we needed to raise money to return here for at least another two years.

The first two months of being at home were great for seeing everyone, but our finances seemed to be decreasing rather than increasing. We spoke at several churches and shared our vision with friends and family…but still we did not have enough money to buy plane tickets, not to mention what we needed for our monthly support after arriving in the Philippines. At the end of October/beginning of November we felt that we needed to return. So by “faith” we purchased our tickets and put them on our credit card.

As soon as we did, we began getting phone calls and e-mails from people who wanted to let us know they planned on supporting us when we went back. We also had a $1,000 donation from one family. We still did not have enough to pay for the plane tickets or the supplies we bought to send over, but we knew in our hearts that God would provide. Toward the end of December, I started thinking about the bill coming up for these things and wondering how we would meet our budget for January.

I can still remember waking up on January first and reading a text on my phone from my mom. It said something like “I put January’s budget in your account today”. At the end of December, we received a donation that covered what we still needed for the bills we had, gave us our January budget, and even left us with some in the bank.

My point is this: God is faithful. If you follow the call He has on your life and are faithful with His instructions, He will provide. I have discovered that many times He will provide from where we least expect it. Andrea, Josiah and I are happy to be serving the Lord in the Philippines, and we know that this is still just the beginning of what He has for us.

January 2005

Andrea and I met Jeff and Rowena Pessina on a Sunday night after they spoke at Calvary Lighthouse Church in Rochell, Illinois.  Jeff was talking with other people when we initially met them so we mostly spoke with Rowena, a.k.a “Winnie”.  Winnie told us right away we needed to “come over”, and that she “has been praying for God to send young couples to the ministry”. 

Summer 2005

Andrea and I went to the Philippines for six weeks.  We loved getting to know the people, the kids and the ministry of the Frontline.

August  2006

After one year of raising funds through garage sales, auctions, side jobs and with support from friends and family, Andrea and I returned to the Philippines.  This time Andrea was six months pregnant.  The first three months we learned a lot about trusting in God and understanding that His plans are not always the easiest, but that sometimes we go through personal hardships to help us grow. 

November 14, 2006

Josiah Michael Davis Erickson was born in the San Pablo Doctor’s Hospital.  What a joy the next nine months were.  Serving God in the Philippines and enjoying the privilege of raising our son right where God placed us. 

August 2007

We returned to the States where Josiah met many family members for the first time.

November 2007

Andrea, Josiah and I returned to the Philippines to further serve with Philippine Frontline Ministries.  We live on-site with Face The Children (orphanage/refuge center that has the vision of being a boarding school for the “abused, abandoned and seriously neglected”).  Andrea heads up the school for the FTC, while I am the Music Director at Frontline Worship Center.  We both are in charge of several administrative duties for FTC.  We are very happy to be serving God and the people of the Philippines.