in Mati

We've been in Mati since Friday afternoon, and the whole time we've been here, we've been showered with so many blessings. We're staying in the house Raul grew up in, in the back of a Castrol oil store that his family has been renting out for many years. Raul and I stay in the back of the house. His mom, brother, and a cousin who helps with house domestics also live there. During our stay so far, we've been blessed by a sister in the church who has a car and has been chaffeuring us around the town to take care of anything that we need to take care of. I really praise Him for her.
On Saturday we visited some people from the church, 5 homes in all, with food or fresh fruit (we even ate papaya that we watched him pick from the tree in his own lot) at all the stops. It was nice to really get a taste of the culture, how warm and hospitable they are.
Sunday morning, we had the chance to share at JJBC, Raul's home church. I sang, he shared, I shared a tiny bit, then we both sang. After the service, we had a lunch fellowship of lechon...roasted pig. I have a photo of the whole pig laying out on a table right before he was chopped up :) Then as it turned out we had the same thing that night at a birthday dinner for a little boy in the fellowship. 2 pigs in one day :)
That night for the evening service, I spoke, giving my testimony and sharing about His plans for our lives....that they don't always follow our plans, as we discover a lot :) It was a blessing to share with everyone. Then Raul sang "Still" after I finished.

Yesterday I got my first real taste of the islands as we spent the afternoon at the beach resorts in Mati. We went to one that had little cottage/huts along the sandy shore. Raul and I took a walk...which proved to be difficult when the coast slopes and your feet sink into the sand as you walk :) But we took some fun photos...his cousin helped us with that. Then back at the cottage, we had lunch that his mom had prepared, more lechon and other Filipino dishes, as well as fresh mango and pomelo. I can never get enough of all the fresh fruits here :) Even bananas are better... I'm not sure how they're different or why, but they're smaller and denser I guess. So good. And pomelos are also smaller and have a pink meat, instead of the yellow/clear I'm used to in China. I'll miss the fruits :)
After lunch, we attempted to go swimming along the coast, but the waves were huge and I had a hard time keeping my balance...thus taking a couple little chunks out of my hand as I tried to gain my balance on the slippery rocks at the bottom. Bad idea. So now I'm bandaged up and just feeling stupid :p But the water was so nice and warm...and absolutely beautiful.
We packed up and went to another beach resort, Raul swam some more, and we just enjoyed the scenery. I felt a bit like a dork remarking at how beautiful it all is...they see this every day. But coming from flat inlands of the US, I don't see mountains and gorgeous beaches all the time :)
It was great day, with me making spaghetti for his family for dinner last night. Tonight...meatloaf in the toaster oven we borrowed from Tess, the sister at the church.
We'll be in Mati til Saturday when we go back to Davao for 2 more days, then we'll get on a boat, Super Ferry, to Manila for 3 days...flying back to Nanjing on the 8th, my dad's birthday. And just in time to miss Chinese new year :)
We love you all....Be blessed.