A Great Song!

This is a song that has been speaking to me a lot lately about becoming a missionary.  

I heard the Lord calling me to go and have chosen to follow where He leads me.  

I'm trusting God's plan because I know that His plan is better than my own!  

Click on this link to listen and view the lyrics:


I Will Follow by Chris Tomlin

And...

I forgot to mention the Festival of Lights!

Warm smiles and frozen feet!

Many people from my church showed up to enjoy a fun parade, impromptu caroling, bus tour of the neighborhood lights, and an awesome party complete with tasty treats and wonderful fellowship!

Christmas Fun!

I love the Christmas season!

Being near family and friends during this festive time is very special, but what I love most is the celebration of the birth of my Savior!

Thank you Jesus for coming to Earth!

Enjoying the annual Victorian Tea with my mom and sister!  My church, River of Life Fellowship sure knows how to throw a party! 

The beautiful table we decorated together this year.  I love seeing the tables every year to see the new and creative ideas!

Bentley begging to go for a walk, I think he missed me being gone!

Hanging out with my pup... he likes to HOG the couch!

Picking out a Christmas tree to cut down and haul home.  

It was freezing this year, but at least it wasn't raining!

Making gingerbread houses has become a tradition for our family... 

the kids love it... and the adults do too!

Intense concentration!

Our cute little gingerbread village!  The kids were pretty independent this year and had some creative designs!

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Amazing Ministries!

There were a wide variety of ministries that I was involved in during my time in Bontoc.  It was fun to have such a variety because I got to experience a lot of new things and grow in some amazing ways!

Sharing at the Moral Recovery Program

It was amazing that we were able to speak with the military and police about moral values!   There is no separation of church and state in the Philippines se we were able to share Biblical truths openly.  

We were also able to speak in the public high school about godly values which was an amazing experience to be sharing God's Word with students.

Making balloon animals for kids in the villages

A place where people make sacrifices

During some of our free hours we would go on prayer walks around the city.  We would talk with and pray for people we would meet along the way and were often invited into homes for some wonderful Filipino hospitality.  We also prayed over areas where pagan rituals happen regularly.

Planting Rice

Muddy work, but Fun!

I got pretty good at planting rice... getting the correct spacing and getting the plants deep enough, but not too deep.  I felt so slow though... the native ladies were so fast - like machines!  It took a while to plant the field, but we got 'er done!

Planting Coffee Trees

Live chickens tied in with the trees for lunch :0)

Planting coffee trees was crazy... we drove 1 1/2 hours to the planting site, planted trees for 1 hour, ate freshly butchered chicken and rice for 2 hours, and then drove another 1 1/2 hours home.  I was surprised that it took 5 hours to do 1 hour of work, but it was fun anyway!

Ministering at the Can-eo Station Church

Praying for Ochawin

 I took a village trip to Can-eo and taught Sunday school to some crazy, but sweet kids!  On that trip we also spent time praying for a woman named Ochawin who had tuberculosis and diabetes.  We witnessed God do a miracle in her heart as she accepted Jesus as her Savior!  It was cool to be there and see how the joy of the Lord came upon her and to hear her testify that she felt "lighter and free!"  Praise the Lord!

Teaching a DTS Class

The Bontoc YWAM base has a program called Student Sponsorship Ministry (SSM) where they house and disciple college students that come from remote villages.  Our team met with these students 2 or 3 times a week to teach, encourage, and pray with them.  It was a real honor to meet with these students, to pour into them and have them also pour into us in return.

Cleaning up trash at the high school

Hanging with April at the SPED center

 Our team spent the morning at a special education school and it was so cool to sing songs with them and make bracelets that tell the gospel story!  The students were so excited to have visitors and to have some fun activities, and I was so blessed by how the kids were receptive and fun to be with!

Playing volleyball  

Heading home one evening we found some girls playing volleyball so naturally we played a while with them and built up a friendship.  Each evening we would stop by and see if the girls were playing.  We caught up with them one other time and were able to pray for them after the game. 

Praying with people after church

 It was cool to minister to people in the Philippines, they are so gracious and humble.  I was so blessed by their tender hearts and willingness to respond to the Spirit!

Taking blood pressure at the health clinic

 On Fridays we would help at the health clinic where we would take blood pressure, do glucose checks, and visit with people.  I really enjoyed meeting people and learning how to do the blood pressure and glucose tests!

Praying for kids at the hospital

 Praying for kids at the hospital wasn't something I was really excited about.  I love kids, but I pretty much hate hospitals... they make me really uncomfortable.  At the hospital I met Camille, a little girl who was so sad.  Over some time I was able to cheer her up and get her to do some high fives!  Because of this positive experience I went again at another time to pray for more kids :0)

Bontoc, Philippines...

As I was getting ready for outreach, I did a little bit of research on the city of Bontoc and found that there wasn't very much information out there about this small mountain city.  It was all kind of a mystery until I arrived and experienced Bontoc for myself.

The city of Bontoc

I found that it is an amazing little place!  I could walk across town in about half and hour and see almost as many animals as people.  For being an animal lover, this was a great thing!  I saw pigs and dogs around every corner and an occasional chicken or carabou (water buffalo).

A Carabou on the Bridge

Little Piggies

A little Chick

There are a couple of different areas in Bontoc.  You have the city center which has the open market, various shops and government buildings.  Then you have the residential areas which are mostly little houses built on the rice terraces of years ago.  These housing areas were my favorite to walk through because the paths were so fun!  Narrow paths, streams, bridges, and stairs would be randomly and frequently mixed with each other to create a maze that meandered through the hills!  I don't think I ever walked the same path twice, but I always found my way home by taking any path heading down the hill.  

City Center

Residential Area

The people of Bontoc amazed me in so many ways!  They were always kind and considerate and their hospitality couldn't be beat!  There are many Filipino people in Bontoc that I miss dearly and hope to see again someday!  

One of the families I hope to see again someday!

Catching Up...

Wowzers!  A lot has happened over the last five months of my life and boy has it been a GREAT thing!  I feel like I've finally come alive and am able to thrive in the life that God has given me!

The first three months of my DTS lecture taught me a lot about the character of God and also my own identity.  I found it amazing how as I learned the truth of God's love and forgiveness, I was able to accept and embrace who God created me to be.  This began a journey of discovering the gifts and talents that I have and finding out how God wants me to use them.

Through my two months of outreach I found that I CAN do anything that God asks me to do!  He has equipped me and anointed me to do His work.  All I have to do is walk in obedience to what God asks me to do and God takes care of the rest.  Sure I made some mistakes and had challenges along the way, but I'm growing and learning through them.  I'm so glad that God doesn't expect perfection from me, He knows that I'm finite and will make mistakes.  He just wants my best :0)

After these five months of discipleship training I sense like I've just begun to unwrap the great things that God has planned for my life.  I feel like I'm supposed to press in for more and also to step out into new areas of leadership.  I believe that YWAM Salem is a great place for me to do this so I'm applying to be on staff in Oregon for the next two years.

To be on staff I would need to raise support for all my living costs and outreach expenses since staff volunteer 100% of their time and are not paid.  I would like to ask you all to pray about partnering financially with me in this next season of my life.

Thank you to all who have helped me on my journey thus far!
~Marie

Life in Bontoc...

Bontoc is an amazing place that is full of new things to experience!  

It has taken me a little while to become familiar with my surroundings and the different way of doing many ordinary tasks.  I am now proficient at bucket baths, doing laundry by hand and taking trikes to and from town.  Trikes are motorcycle taxis that zip back and forth from the city center and where I live.  I will try and post some pictures of one sometime, they tend to be highly decorated... :0)  

My humble home

The home where I am living is built right on the rice terraces and is currently under construction.  It is a cute little place where part of our team lives and where we cook and eat all of our meals.  It is seriously like a game of sardines at every meal with 24+ people spread between 3 small rooms.  One big surprise to me is that I actually have my own room... it is small with a twin size bed and a cabinet for me to store my clothes in.  My first impression reminded me of a jail cell, but it has actually become quite cozy.  

A warrior dance

One of my first activities here in Bontoc was to watch cultural dancing at the Among Festival.  It was really neat to see the different cultural dances and the traditional dress.  The festival was fun and gave me a chance to see a bit of the Filipino culture.  One of the other activities was a welcome dinner from the Bontoc YWAM family where we had a delicious meal and actually got to participate in some of the dances.  It was a fun experience to try some dancing and meet a lot of new people!

Rice terraces on our hike to church

 Last Sunday I rode on the top of a jeepney (a jeep/bus) to a place called Maligcong.  The view was amazign while we wound up the mountain!  From Maligcong half of our team hiked through the rice terraces to a small village called Fang-oreo.  In the village we did a church service in a tiny church.  I shared my testimony and a couple of my team mates shared the sermon.  It was amazing how welcoming and receptive the people were.  I got a lot of amens and praise the Lords as I shared and I wasn't even nervous because God was totally with me!  After the service we had a time of prayer for some people and that was a powerful time!  Our team was totally blessed when the church served us lunch before we took the hike back to the jeepney.  The food was great, even though I didn't know what some of it was... ;0)

For now this is a little bit of what I've been up to... it has been an amazing time experiencing God's faithfulness and love!  I look forward to sharing more soon.

Love and blessing to you all!
~Marie

September Update!

Hello family and friends,

I am so amazed at how time flies by! The last three months have been a whirlwind of learning and growing where I have been challenged to really seek out the truths I believe. This time has helped me in discovering who I am and God's plan for my life. I still don't know exactly what His plan looks like, but I do know that God's plans are GOOD and that He will not disappoint me.

The next step of my journey will be a looong trip to the Philippines with my DTS team. For the next two months we are going to be ministering in a small mountain city called Bontoc. At this point we are planning to teach Sunday school, do a vacation Bible school, and minister in the streets. I am really excited to share the songs and dramas that our team has been working and also to share my testimony and try some preaching. I'm a little nervous about the preaching, but I know that God will be with me to help me. I'm really excited for the upcoming outreach, to put into practice so many of the things I have been learning. I think that going out and using this new knowledge will really cement these new concepts in my life.

I look forward to many fun and powerful stories to share with you about my experience in the Philippines. The area we are going to may not have the best access to computers or phones, but I will try my best to keep updates coming. If you would like to receive updates while I'm in the Philippines please e-mail me at marieevensen@msn.com and I will add you to my contact list.

Prayer Requests:

• Safe and happy travels (3 flights and 2 bus rides totaling 40+ hours of travel with 10 children!)
• Quick adjustment to the culture of the Philippines
• Great opportunities for ministry
• Unity for our team
• Anointing to share testimonies and preach the Word of God
• Continued good health

Praises:

• Having great health for the last 3 months
• Meeting many great friends here that are a great support
• I will be fully funded with the monthly support coming in October. Yay God!
• The Lord has given me much joy and peace through my experience

Thank you all for your support and prayers as you have walked with me on this journey. I am truly blessed!

Much love,

Marie

Philippines or Bust!

Hello there folks...

It has finally come time for my outreach to the Philippines and I'm so very excited!  My journey will begin in less that 48 hours and I feel ready to roll.  The past few days I've been working on packing and it has been interesting to fit all I will need for two months into a hiking backpack.  Needless to say I am packing light for this trip :0)  

Just a few of my favorite things!

I guess all one really needs is a few changes of clothes, a bedroll, and some snacks.  Good thing I love camping!

Here I am sporting my new look :0)

I think big backpacks are coming back in style.  Everyone around here is wearing them these days!

August Update!

Hello to all who are near and dear to my heart!

It is officially less than a month until I leave for Bontoc, Philippines for my DTS outreach! It looks like our team will be traveling for about 20 hours on the plane and then another 16 hours by bus... boy am I looking forward to traveling for 36 hours straight, and to add to the fun we will have 11 adults and 12 children on this trip... weeeee!

Our team is getting well acquainted as we have just finished our eighth week together. We are now working to prepare testimonies, dramas, and dances to use in ministry with the Filipino people. The excitement is building as we pray for God's will and learn more about the ministry opportunities we will have! I look forward to jumping in with both feet and putting into practice all the things I've been learning in my      studies. God is so faithful and I know he will not disappoint!

The last eight weeks here in Salem have been so amazing! Not the easiest of times, but God is working in me to heal past hurts and to lead me into joy and FREEDOM! Walking in the truth and love of Jesus is amazing and I have a hunger to go even deeper as I continue to press in for more!

I want to thank... thank... THANK you for your prayers and/or financial support! I am doing so well and am so very close to meeting my financial needs! Praise the Lord!

Please pray for:

• The last of my funds to come in.
• Safe travels as we head to the Philippines.
• Health and endurance for me to finish the race well.
• Ministry opportunities that will bring much fruit.
• Unity among our team.

I look forward to sharing more from the Philippines. The communication may be a bit tricky, but I will try my best!

Much Love!

~Marie~

For making donations:

Write a check to Marie Evensen

Send to:

Marie Evensen

4625 Wishkah Rd.

Aberdeen, WA 98520

To reach me in Salem:

Marie Evensen CDTS

7085 Battlecreek Rd. SE

Salem, OR 97317

(360)581-8930 (my cell)

Beautiful Children!

Here are some fun pictures of the YWAM kids that I watch every afternoon.

They are so precious and absolutely hilarious!  

The girls love to play with the babies every day!

UNO is the best game!  It is great for crossing language barriers.  Two of the little girls are from Brazil and speak Portuguese, but they really know how to play UNO!










Playdough is always a fun activity that keeps the kids busy.  They especially love making spaghetti with the little noodle maker or dinosaurs that eat each other!

The action figures are a hit with the boys...they rescue people and visit far away galaxies!  And you can never have too many!

I see a lot of funny faces with these silly kids!

There is an awesome playground here for the kids to play on.  The swings are a hit when they are accompanied by under dogs, pigs, cows, horses, and any such animals!

The play house has become the most amazing of fast food restaurants!  You can order pretty much anything, but sometimes the kids decide to be out of some common item like chocolate ice cream.  Who knew that imaginary things could run out?

It has been such a joy to hang out with these amazing kids for the past 4 weeks and I look forward to many more weeks to come!    

   

YWAM Update!

Heading to the Philippines!

Hello to all my wonderful family and friends!

I have safely arrived in Salem, Oregon and made it through the first week and a half with flying colors!  I’m LOVING it here and am already learning so much!  This first week we did a ton of teambuilding activities that were fun and challenging.  The highlight of the team building activities was the “Flying Squirrel.”  Yes, I got to fly about 40 feet in the air while my fellow students held my life in their hands.  It was a great trust building activity and a total thrill!  You can check out my last blog post to see a fun little video of me flying.

I have been totally blessed with a wonderful Crossroads DTS team.  We have 11 adults and 12 kids ranging from 8 months to 13 years old.  The families are from the east coast, mid-west and also all the way from Brazil!  We are working well as a team and I look forward to growing together as we study, live, and serve together. 

I am doing very well with the transition into YWAM and building relationships with my fellow students and staff.  Please pray that there will be a deep trust amongst our team so that we can grow deeper in our friendships and be effective in ministry. 

I will be heading to the Philippines in September for two months of outreach!  This is exciting news and I’m very excited to learn more about the Filipino people and how God wants to use me to minister to them!  

Here are a few areas that I would like you to join with me in prayer:

1.  Relationship building with our DTS team.

·        2.  Energy to play with the kids. (I have a 2 hour work duty every day, where I play with the kids while their parents do other work duties.)

·        3.  Health and safety.

·       4.  Favor in fundraising  (I am currently sitting at about 80% funded, with a little less than $2,000 to go.)

                                                                                               

 If you would like to correspond with me at YWAM my address is:

Marie Evensen CDTS

7085 Battlecreek Rd SE

Salem, OR 97317

For making donations please send a check written out to Marie Evensen to:

Marie Evensen

4625 Wishkah Rd.

Aberdeen, WA 98520

(My mom will deposit the check for me.) J

Thank you to all my family and friends for your support in making this YWAM adventure a reality!  I am truly blessed to have so many amazing people in my life!                                                                                                         

                                                                                     Much love and blessings!

                                                                                     Marie Evensen

Team Building!

Me on the "Flying Squirrel"... so much FUN!

This Crossroads DTS team is AMAZING!  

We have spent the last week doing lots of team-building activities that boggle the mind.  I'm learning lots about the wonderful gifts that each person has to add to the team and how God has totally put the right people together for such a time as THIS!

Settling in at YWAM Salem!

I arrived in Salem, Oregon yesterday and spent the evening unpacking and settling in a bit.  This morning I headed out to church with some of the ladies from the base and topped off the outing with a stop at Target to get a few little odds and ends.  Tomorrow is the first day of classes and I am excited to dive in head first and see what the Lord has for me and also for the rest of the CDTS team!

Here are some views of my room...

I am sharing this lovely room with two other gals, a mother and her 12 year old daughter.  I think God brought me some great roommates.  We visited for a little bit and found that we have horses in common... yay God!  Then we prayed together to kick of our YWAM experience! 

God is so good and knows my every need :0)   

Putting up some pictures of family and friends!

Our little sitting area.

My dresser that pretty much all my clothes fit in.

Our sink and closet.

Here are some places around the YWAM base...

This is the outside of our dorm building.

This is a cute foot bridge that crosses Battle Creek.

This is the Cafe where there is internet and you can get yummy drinks!