Transported Back

It is 90 degrees right now with a heat index of 100 since the dew point is 78!!  I am having major flashbacks.

1974- 76
The Philippine Islands

Every day the climate was the same...hot and humid.  During typhoon season we would see a change-heavy rain was added to the mix.  Monsoons, heat, and humidity.

There were people like our friends George and Helen who loved the climate, even opting to stay an extra year.   Since they retired in South Carolina I am thinking they never got over their love for heat and humidity.  It is beyond our understanding.

I have a blogger friend, Pia, who was born, raised, and still lives in The Philippines.  She is a sweet young woman and reminds me of why we liked the Philippines so much.  The people.  I apologize, Pia, but the climate?  Not for me!!

I remember getting off the plane our first day and feeling engulfed by the heavy air making it hard to breathe.  Over the weeks we adjusted to the climate as much as we could..........but it was more a matter of tolerating than embracing.  Joel lost 20lb while we were there and we all were challenged by rashes and boils.  Not fun.  I think it is our Minnesota blood :)......

So this morning when we headed out for a walk at 8 am and came home drenched in sweat I was transported back to those two years overseas that changed our lives f.o.r.e.v.e.r.  There was nothing familiar when our feet hit the ground that July day in 1974.  We walked into a place where everything was new to us..............and God rocked our world. 

Two of our children are from the Philippines and joined our family while we were living there.  Thank you God!  I plan to write more about that in Memorial Box Monday's post.  We became involved in an Interdenominational Church on Base, a Christian serviceman's club off base, and I was part of a group of around 40-50 women who gathered together for fellowship and prayer every week.  I experienced healing prayer for the first time there.  Nearly 40 years later I still miss that group of women and have never found anyone like them since. 

Living in a foreign country with Marshall Law was an adventure in many ways, but mostly it was a time to learn to trust God on a day to day basis.  We lived off base for over a year, in a home with bars on our windows, a cement wall surrounding us, and a hired security guard to watch the area.  No phone and a husband that worked many nights forecasting weather at the base kept me on alert. 

Even though there were some challenging circumstances we encountered, we have many more great memories of going to barrios where our maid's family ( all military personal hired local Filipinos for house and yard work) or friends families lived, attending a wedding and baptism of our friends Ampharo and Pepito, and spending time in Taiwan, Baguio, Corregador Island,  and Manila.  We had great military friends we joined for holidays, etc.  I believe we were more changed by those two years in our life than any other in our 45 years of marriage. God rocked our world and we became not only blessed, but better people for it.

Yes, the weather was not the only thing that was difficult for us to adjust to, but the benefits of living in The Philippines far outweighed the challenges.  Even if on a day like today I find myself complaining about the heat and humidity and those many days of it so long ago, I am also giving thanks for all God had planned for us there....and thinking it may be time God rocked our world once again. Maybe there are a few adventures left for these oldsters, but without the heat and humidity?  Just saying...........