The Amoeba’s Ugly Cousin Strikes Again!

I’ve had an upset stomach since Thursday and, so I thought it was time to see a doctor and get things sorted. The whole going to the doctor and getting some medicine is not an easy process here. This is the part of the life of a missionary that most people never hear about, but I’ll give you the inside story. First off, a trip has to be made to the lab. It is about 20 minutes away if the traffic isn’t too bad. The tricky part is you have to take the sample to the lab within 30 minutes of collection, other wise it’s no good any you have to throw it out and try again. Thankfully, Chris was able to take it in for me on time.
Next comes the trip to pick up the lab results and see the doctor. I picked up the results, no problem, but then had to wade through both cars and sea of human traffic in an attempt to find a parking space. After about 30 minutes, I thought I’d finally found a good one, sure it was about a 10 minute walk from the doctors’ office, but it was some place to put the car. Therefore, I parked and started trekking up the torn up side walk, grasping my daughters hand a mid a swarm of other people tying not to sprain an ankle as we pick our way through the rubble. Eventually I gave up and joined the other people who opted to doge cars on the busy road. I was feeling rather weak, so I stopped for a Gatorade from 7-11 on the way.
We get to the doctors office building and climb up to the 3rd floor. Thankfully, the wait was not as long as most doctors’ offices are in the States. This was especially good as the building I was waiting in was very stuffy and smelled like leaking gas.
The doctor informed me that I had a blastocystist (at least I think that’s what he called it). He explained it as a bug that burrows into your intestine causing bleeding, diarrhea and other symptoms. It also feeds on iron and folic acid, which would explain why I’ve been so exhausted lately. Because this is the second time I’ve gotten this lovely bug, he recommended that I stick to eating only cooked produce for awhile. He also gave me a prescription for some really nasty medicine, Flagentyl. It does the trick, but you feel really awful while taking it. In fact, I had to get a prescription for anti nausea pills to take with it.
Now that I had a diagnosis and appropriate prescriptions, I was off to the pharmacy. Well, the first pharmacy only had 2 pill for one of the medications I needed. The next pharmacy had my regular heartburn medication, but none of the others. After waiting in line at two pharmacies, and feeling rather sick, I was ready to call in the reinforcements.
So, I headed back to my car, only to discover a parking ticket! I drove home and called Chris in his office to ask him to continue the hunt for my meds. We decided to load up the whole family and drive back into town to look for them. This way, one of us could double park and be on hand to move the car if the cops complained. I didn’t need two tickets in one day!
The near by pharmacy was “out of stock.” The next pharmacy at the hospital had the nausea medicine but said that the manufacturers weren’t supplying the Flagentyl anymore and to call our doctor for a new prescription. So, we called him. He called yet another pharmacy, and they said they had it. Finally, after 4 hours from when I left to go to the doctors and 5 pharmacies later we were home with all the medicine I need.
When retelling this story to my Mom I told her that the next time she was at a drive through Walgreen’s she should thank God for it!
So, how do I cope with all this frustration and with being sick yet again? My answer is worship music. Thinking about how great God is and how important his plans are, puts my small frustrations and problems into perspective. As I listen to words like, “present suffering may pass, Lord your mercy will last, as I open my eyes to the works of your hand. Hope will rise, glory shone, in my life your will be done” on my Hillsongs, "Mighty to Save" CD (thanks to a Christmas gift from a church in Florida) I make it my prayer. After all what’s a little sickness and hassle in the light of eternity?

A preview for the grandparents

Sending mail is a bit tricky from the Philippines. For those of you who just got our newsletter, we mailed it out about a month ago. Some people, like my parents, still haven't gotten it yet. So, when we get the chance we try to send out mail with people who are going back to the States. This week the Cagels are going back for School of Missions, so we are going to send back some pictures on CD for our parents. Still, it so hard for Grandparents who are so far away from their grand kids to wait. So, please allow me do indulge them with some recent cute pictures of their grand kids.

Here are some pictures of the kids at home, including Hudson with his latest fascination, "trash". The other little girl with Wesley and Addie in the picture above is their friend Isabel. Her parents are also on the faculty here.

These next two pictures are from our trip to the beach.

The final two pictures show Wesley playing "Go Fish" in our hotel room in Malaka and Addie at "Edmond's" (her bike) birthday party that Wesley and Addie arranged and invited the family to attend!

We hope these new pictures will tide the grandparents over for another week or two. We love you!

Welcome Student Banquet

This Saturday the whole family attended the President's Welcome banquet. We got to talk with different students and enjoyed a meal together. We also had a good time singing "God is So Good" in the 13 different languages of APTS (French, Thai, Japanese, Indonesian, Fijian, Samoan, Pidgin, Afrikaans, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, Ilocano,& English)! The kids and I (Lindsey) helped out the Thai students as there is only one couple from Thailand represented and Chris and I had learned the song when we ministered in Thailand one summer. The kids had learned the song at Bible club. Check out the picture of us singing bellow and the picture of Wesley and Addie with "Pim" and "Oh" the Thai students.

New Student Dinner

Last week was orientation week for all the new students. Many of them started to arrive the previous weekend. The first day on campus for many of the new students was a holiday and the cafeteria was closed. So, we decided to invite all the new students over for dinner.

We had 9 students from 6 different countries attend. We enjoyed the opportunity to get to know them. We also helped answer some of their questions and gave them some tips on getting settled in.

This week classes have begun. Chris is teaching Greek I and Hermeneutics. He has a large Hermeneutics class with 20 students. So, he'll be pretty busy this trimester.

Lindsey has been busy home schooling Wesley and running the usual errands. She also helped with the beginning of the year Ladies chapel.

The kids on campus are all getting very excited. Young Kids Bible Club starts up again tonight after our summer break. They will be learning about the story of the woman who anointed Jesus with perfume. It should be a lot of fun!

This weekend is going to be jam packed for us. It is our spiritual emphasis weekend. Please pray that this will be a meaningful time for our students. Lindsey is also helping out with the Welcome banquet on Saturday night.

Malaka Trip

Thank you to everyone who prayed! We were all well enough to travel and enjoyed our week in Malaysia. The week flew by so quickly. We enjoyed getting to visit with some of the other missionaries from South East Asia. Lindsey had the chance to do a little bit of shopping. She got some great deals on clothes for herself and our growing kids. Wesley and Addie had a great time playing with other missionary kids and enjoyed their first ever trip to the zoo. All the kids loved the pool.

Chris was also blessed with the opportunity to witness on the airplane to a Muslim lady who was sitting next to him and Wesley. She was very curious about the good news of Jesus. Chris recommended that she read the book of John when she got home. Please keep her in your prayers. We know that this was a divine appointment. Chris needed to be on that flight.

We also were asked, and would like to ask all of you to pray for God to send out more missionaries to some of the other less reached countries in Asia (like Japan) where there is currently a short supply of missionaries.

One other prayer request, keep praying for our health. Chris, Wesley and I (Lindsey) now have colds. Addie and Hudson both have ear infections. So, we are all sick again!

Upon returning home, we had a renewed energy and excitement for the new school year. Classes start up again next week! In our next blog, I'll write about the dinner we hosted for all the new students.

Prayer Requests

Please keep us in your prayers. Everyone but me (Lindsey) is sick in our family and I am starting to get a scratchy throat. Hudson has an upper respiratory track infection. Chris has an amoeba & an allergic reaction. Addie and Wesley have sore throats and fevers. Half of them are on antibiotics and I'll take Wes and Addie to the MD tomorrow. Pray that we all get well so we can go to our Southeast Asia missionary meeting in Malaysia this weekend. Our time in Malaysia will include an annual business meeting and a time of spiritual renewal for the whole family. Thank you for your prayers!

The Graduates

As promised, here are some of this years graduates and some information on what they plan to do now that they have completed their degrees.

Mayo Reyes was one of Chris' Greek IV students this year. His wife, Rhea also graduated and delivered their second child a week later! While students Mayo and Rhea led the student outreach projects. They plan to continue to do outreach and Evangelism here in the Philippines, their home country.

Pastor Dom was one of Chris' students this year. He lives here in the Philippines and has been a teacher in one of the local Bible colleges. He plans to return to APTS to pursue a Masters in Divinity degree so that he can become a better equipped for teaching

Angela Hughes is from New Zealand. She and her daughter began His Heart Ministries while Angela was a student here at APTS. They are staying here in the Philippines as missionaries and are continuing their ministry to street kids and their families. Each week the Hughes' have a home church and feeding program that they run. His Heart Ministries recently hosted a retreat for the mothers of street children where several of the mother were saved and delivered from depression or illnesses. It is exciting to see one of our graduates involved in such a blossoming ministry.

Agnes has an incredible testimony. While a student in at a secular university she became a member of a gang. She had been running from the call that God had placed on her life as a child. Finally, she came back to God and came to APTS to prepare for ministry. After graduation Agnes will be leaving for Cambodia to serve as a missionary with the Philippines Assembly of God.

Amar and his wife Sarita are from Nepal. They are returning home to have their first child. Amar is hoping to teach at a Bible college in his home town of Kathmandu.

Edgar graduated after the second trimester. He is currently pastoring. He also is a part of the Christian Education team of the Philippines Assemblies of God.

Laurent Tranque and his wife Lydia were two of Chris' students. Laurent just graduated while Lydia has one more trimester before finishing her degree. They plan to help in one of the first Assemblies of God Bible colleges in Vietnam. Look for more about this couple in our upcoming newsletter.

Sam Matia is from Samoa. He was a student in Chris' hermeneutics class. He plans to return to Samoa to train pastors.

Bill Snider is an American missionary with the Assemblies of God. He and his wife, Kim, are the area directors for south-east Asia. Bill plans on using his masters degree in missions as he continues to serve in the Asia pacific media ministry and as an area director.

This student is from Korea and will be joining his father on the mission field in Mongolia.

Ogino is from Japan. He has returned to Japan to pastor.

Daniel and Ora are from Indonesia. Ora was a student in Chris' hermeneutics class. Daniel and Ora will be returning to Indonesia to either pastor and/or teach in a Bible college.