So as you know I went to the Philippines we stayed in two majoy cities Mindanao and Manilla (well 3 hours out from there in a place called Olongapo.) The last 2 and half weeks of being in the Phillippines and then back to Singapore went by oh so fast. We were doing a variety of things in Olongapo like a prayer walk, teaching the children, teens and disiciples at the YWAM base, park evangelism in which I got to pray for a guy who had one blind eye, i didn't see a miracle but I'm believing that God will heal him. The guy just came up to me pointing at me to pray for him. God is amazing and he is forever good to us when we are walking in his way. For our last bible study we took the girls out to a place called Chow King a Chinese fast food place we shared about how it is important to make wise choices for ourselves; we did this by sharing testimonies of how when we chose to do what God wanted us to do, it would turn out right. We then had some girls from the base share there testimonies of how they were once bar girls (prostitiutes) and how they made the choice to come out of it to commit to the base and finding a better life. I'm not sure what they said because they were speaking Tagalo but it was powerful. We had 9 of the 11 girls come back to the base with us to check it out to see what they do and how the base will provide for their family as well. (Check out there websites to see what they do. http://ywamolongapo.com/) God I thank you for that base and all its minstry it does for you serving your daughters. We left the base on the Monday morning at about 9:30am we traveled all day basically we didn't reach Davao our next destination until 6 or so at night then the accomodation we were going to stay at was not acceptable so we stayed at a Pastors house; gone out to dinner before finding the accomodation made the day very long day . The boys arrived the next day from Cebu an Island in the middle of the Philippines in which there are around 7107 in total. We went shopping that day and left for Singapore the next day in which it was another day of traveling and waiting, you have fun times traveling for about a week especially if your tired too. We arrived in Singapore and had debrief and did more shopping at an awesome street market called Bugis. (if you are ever in Singapore I would totally recommend visiting it.) Then came the 10 hour flight back home on the Friday, we arrived back into New Zealand about 10am. I didn't get any sleep on the plane and then trying to be good and fight jet lag didn't go to bed till 9:30ish that night so I had been up for more than 24 hours with out much sleep. God is faithful with our attempts at seeking him out even if our physical bodies aren't functioning properly. Throughout this time God has been teaching me about my identity in him and how I must seek approval from him alone; he was amazing while in the Philippines once when I was teaching at a seminar/mini DTS everyone told me that I had done a really good job but i still didn't feel that I had not until I asked God if I had done a good job did I feel any peace and reassurance. I spoke in a couple of places about how through intimacy with God we gain identity and we need to search out his word about what he says about us so we know the truth and it will set us free. So that when the devil tries to lie to us about who we are, we will know that it is a lie and rebuke it and replace it with the truth. This whole DTS has been a time of renewing my mind and clearly seeing the foundations that have built my values and faith in God. Before I came on DTS I had asked God to renew, refresh, refine and replace me and through this God has given me identity, intimacy and inspiration. Also he has given me peace of mind and heart, progress in my walk with him, a passion to seek his face on my knees and a place to come before him. If you haven't seen the R. I. P. letter words i have use it represents RIP which is Rest in Peace, so I was dying to myself in this season of my life but also reaping everlasting gifts. My mum's initals are R.I.P and mine are R.E.A.P it might be a conensidance or just something silly I've made up but I feel that God has taken me from being a child of my parents to an eternal child of God. The wisdom I have gained by studying God's word has given me such joy and devotion to seeking God out. I am now back at home in Paraparaumu just taking some time off of the busyness of travel to seek God out as to what he wants me to do. I know I have plans of moving back up to Tauranga and finding a job but God's hand willl guide me. Before I left to go on outreach I asked God what he wanted me to do after this concecrated season in the picture I saw me sitting at his feet teaching me about his word. If you look at Mary of Bethany this is what she was doing when her sister Martha complained to Jesus that Mary wasn't doing anything to help. And what did Jesus say "she has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10vs.41) So I feel that I will be entering a time of devotion to sitting at Jesus' feet listening to his voice. I am hoping to do an internship at the House of Prayer in Tauranga next year in April but God is sovereign and his plans are better than my own. So keep me in your prayers as to the calling that God has on my life and what is the next step for me. To God be the Glory many blessings Renee