I'm leaving on a jetplane, don't know when I'll be back again

Well technically I am leaving on a bangka (boat). But yes- today we are leaving Stairway after 2 incredible months. I can't believe how fast it went- it seems like just yesterday we were sweltering in the humidity and heat of Puerto Galera because we were not used to the climate. It has been a month since the new batch of kids got here, and after seeing the slideshow that we put together for the kids last night, it is amazing how much they have already changed and grown.

It is hard to leave the kids- especially Lance and Louie, who were our first friends here! It is hard to leave these two boys, who have become to us like our own kids, or at least little brothers to us, with only a goodbye letter, book, combination lock, and an email address to hopefully keep in contact with them.

And the Stairway staff have become like family to us as well.

But the boys will leave Stairway and a new batch of kids will come in. Lance and Louie will grow up. These things end and time continues to pass, like clockwork. I will miss these new friends that I have made, and know that I will always have a home on a small island, in a tiny barangay in the Philippines.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every matter under heaven.
a time to be born, and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
atime to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time for laughter
a time to mourn, and a time to dance
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend
a time to be silent, and a time to speak
Ecclesiastes 3:1-7


plans from now on:
Headed to Manila for 3 days.
7/18: flight to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
7/18-19: overnight train to Singapore- two days there
7/21: overnight train to KL- a few days there
7/25: Carissa's bday- flight to Chiang Mai, Thailand- there for 5 days
7/30: flight to Bangkok, Thailand- there for 1 day
7/31: Flight to Hong Kong- there for a few days
8/4: flight back to New York

we have quite a busy schedule and lots planned for the next two weeks. Please pray for safety as we have a lot of planing and training to do!