I got to go where?!

Hong Kong, folks. 

I got to go to Hong Kong. 

It was a once in a lifetime trip that I will never forget and am so thankful for!

Here's how we got there...

David and I decided before we left for the Philippines that we wanted to take a little vacay somewhere on the other side of the world since it would be a lot cheaper/easier to go while we were over there, instead of in America. 

We started researching destinations...Australia- so wonderful, but a little bit pricey for our budget, Tokyo- Even more pricey..., Singapore- pretty awesome, but not what we were looking for, Hong Kong- cheapest flight, world city, disneyland...perfect.

So, we used our vacation fund to plan the most wonderful trip!

We took about a thousand pictures (you think I'm kidding...), but I only posted 20 of them...give me a break...it was hard to narrow them down!

After landing in the Hong Kong airport

Victoria's Peak. This is located on one of the highest mountains in Hong Kong. There are restaurants, shops, and great views!

At the top of the peak.

Eating at a local hole-in-the-wall chinese restaurant at Stanley Market. You know it's good when you are the only tourists there!

 Fish Balls!

 Braving the crowds and the ever-persistent vendors at the famous Ladies' Market. They sell everything from knock-off designer bags to fake iphones and beats headphones. Seriously.

The Hong Kong skyline. Wow. 

 Visiting Big Buddah.

It was so huge! These pictures don't do it justice. 

Eating at our favorite place...Cafe de Coral. It's a popular Hong Kong fast food restaurant where you can order boxes of raw meat and cook it right at your table. Why doesn't America have something like this? Oh yea, it's called "The Melting Pot," but instead of fast food prices...they charge you a million dollars. Lame.

Of course we went to Disneyland. 

It was so wonderful. 

Sleeping Beauty's Castle

 

The day we went to Disneyland was the grand opening of their new park "Toy Story Land." It was actually pretty awesome. AND we were in the second group of people to ride the new RC Racer ride. Legit. 

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Also, everything was already decorated for Christmas. It was beautiful. Although, it was hard to get in the Christmas spirit when it was 78 degrees outside. 

 

 

 

David and I have officially been bitten by the travel bug...and not just any travel bug...the international travel bug. Pray for us...and our budget.

Giving Goats

The first week we arrived in the Philippines, we sat down with Elmer (the president of the Philippine branch of Give a Goat) and set some goals for our time here.

We discussed places we wanted to visit, farms we wanted to see, people we wanted to meet, and goals for the mission work we wanted to accomplish. 

We came up with several goals for our trip, but the one thing we wanted to see completed during our stay was to give goats to the people in the firework village in Babag.

I am so excited and grateful to say that we were able to meet that goal!

God really opened up our hearts to the people of Babag and we wanted nothing more than to help them in whatever way we could. 

The best way to implement the goat program into a new village is to give goats to one family who will serve as a model. Once the people see how the goats have been able to help that model family, then they may want to be a part of the program too. 

So, Elmer introduced us to Mary Ann and her family and we all decided that they would be the perfect family to model the goat program in the firework village. 

We bought supplies to build a goat house, helped put it together, bought two goats from a local man, and gave them to Mary Ann and her family. 

This hasn't been a fast process...we have been working on it since we arrived, but it has been so wonderful to be a part of this project and see it completed during our time here.

Here is a video that showcases the whole process of our experience giving goats...it's kind of long, so forgive me!

Happy 24th!

I'm a little behind on my blogging because we've been traveling a lot recently, but I'm gonna try to catch up because a lot of great things have happened!

So on 11/11/11 my husband turned 24. Yea, his birthday was on 11/11/11. He's so cool.

What's even cooler is that we got to spend his birthday at the beach, eating goat, with about 30 of our Filipino friends. How great is that?

"Happy Birthday to You!"

One of these things is not like the other....

The birthday boy!

 

Opening his birthday cake

Goat meat stew! Made from a goat they killed that morning. So delicious!

It was a fantastic day and definitely a birthday to be remembered. We are so blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful, loving people here!

Bohol

This week we got to travel with a few Give a Goat workers to the island of Bohol. Bohol is a small island in the Philippines next to the island we are staying on and it is BREATHTAKING. 

I mean seriously, God is everywhere you look. There are gorgeous hills, trees, animals, and flowers covering the entire island. 

I have never seen anything like it!

On the boat headed to Bohol

Visiting one of the goat raisers farms

Precious child taking care of the goats

I just can't get over how cute baby goats are!

Buying a goat from a family to give to another family

This a village where we are trying to implement the goat program

I finally got to see a tarsier! They are one of the smallest primates alive, but they are endangered. The photo makes it look bigger than it actually is. They are about the size of your fist and you can barely see them because they curl up and just look like knots on the tree. 

I got to hold one!

 

Visiting an overlook mountain at sunset. 

Oh, just sittin' with a python. 

Monkey!

 Just call me the snake charmer.

The wonderful family we stayed with during our time there. 

Getting Into You

So, tonight I was uploading pictures on to my computer and decided to bust out some tunes. 

I shuffled around for a bit until I landed on the song "Getting Into You" by Relient K. 

Almost started full out bawling in the middle of this Filipino Starbucks. 

I have not really seriously listened to Relient K since like freshman year of college. I never stopped liking them...I guess I just kind of grew out of them and onto other musicians. 

But, this song hit me like a ton of bricks. I was astounded. 

Yes, I know, Relient K is a peppy punk band that plays catchy songs with 3 chord progressions, but I suddenly realized how much of an impact this band has had on me and my spiritual walk.

I started remembering nights when I would sit in my room and just let their words speak to God for me. Not to mention if I was ever in a bad mood, "Pressing On" could always turn it around. 

I am so thankful for the countless hours of my teenage years I spent with headphones plugged in, praising God while rocking out to "High of 75" and "Be My Escape."

It's amazing how music speaks to the soul. 

Yes, even Relient K.

Picture Update

Anniversary dinner at the Compostela church

                                                              

Buying supplies to make the first goat house in Babag

After paying for the supplies

Bamboo

Loading up the bamboo to take to the village

At the goat market buying goats

Loading up the goats in the truck

Helping build Mary Ann's goat house

Mary Ann working hard!

It's lookin good!

Us with Mary Ann

Almost finished...just needs doors and a little more work on the roof!

And me with my new favorite drink...peppermint mocha cream frappuccino. Mmmmm.

I'll be home for Christmas!!

That's right folks! David and I will be back in America on Dec. 6th!

There are several reasons we are coming home a little early...

1.) We want to be home for Christmas. My family that I don't get to see very often will be in Oklahoma this year and we want to be able to spend some time with them.

2.) We will have achieved all of the mission goals that we set for our trip by the end of this month and feel like we could do more good back in the states raising money for the people and projects here. 

3.) David's grandfather has cancer and is in poor health and we want to be able to spend as much time with him as possible. 

4.) We feel this is where God is leading us. 

We talked and prayed about this for a while and finally decided that coming home early was the best decision for everyone. We let our families know about a week about a week and a half ago and they were just a little excited about us being home for the holidays. 

We have gotten to do and see so much this past month and a half. This trip has opened our eyes and hearts to so many things and we are so grateful to be where we are. I can't even imagine what God has in store for us these last 6 six weeks in the Philippines!