Symanzik Family Update

Rachel and Maricel

Pray for Rachel to get well soon, wisdom for the doctors, financial provisions for Maricel to cover the hospital and medicine costs, and peace for Maricel and Rachel.

Rachel is Maricel's two-year old daughter. She was admitted to a local hospital last night with a high fever that isn't going down (104f/40c), vomiting, and diarrhea. We are still waiting to hear a diagnosis.

Maricel is a single mom who is going to school for computer programming and works part-time for us to help support her daughter and herself. She is a blessing.

Salamat Kaayo! (Many Thanks)!

Hi,

Just wanted you all to know I am very busy these days. I go to Resources for the Blind two times a week for occupational therapy. I am learning how to feel around for things, feed myself, sit up on my own, keep my balance, and exercising to walk.
I also have physical therapy three times a week. "Teacher Liziel" (that's what I call her) comes to our house to work with me. Sometimes I cry because she makes me work my muscles and I get tired. But my Mom says I'm sitting up more and more like a big boy. Teacher Liziel thinks I may walk in the next 6 months, too!

At RFB with Lola Arlene and Kuya Ben

Practicing walking with Teacher Anna at RFB

Learning to take my shoes off with Teachers Daisy and Anna

Sitting in a box playing with balls. It's fun to feel around for the balls.

One day I will have to learn braille. Kuya Ben is standing
by the big braille alphabet at RFB.

This is Bear. My Mom likes to throw a random picture of our
cute dog in once in a while. All I know is that he feels BIG

Here I am working with Teacher Liziel at home. My Mom
will have to take more pics to show you more because I
can 'climb a mountain' and 'walk' to the table for snacks.

Thanks for all your prayers for me!

Love, Jerard

Veronica Coombs, Nate Becker, Heather Sawdon, Joy Manda,
Rachel Stevenson, Kurt Symanzik

There are many people serving here in Davao who are graduates of Taylor University in Upland, Indiana. Kurt is one of those graduates.
Recently, some of them got together and took a picture! They plan to send it to Taylor for their alumni news publication.

Any more Taylor Alumni wanting to come this way? (or any other college alum)? The needs are great!

Matthew 9:35 - 38 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to
send out workers into his harvest field."

Well, it's hard to corner Mikayla to help me post a blog about her OE trip so I'll go ahead and share a few pics with you from her time in Subic....................

The group being silly in the airport There were actually about 45 middle schoolers from Faith in Davao meeting up with a hundred or so middle schoolers from Faith in Manila and Bagabag.
They were divided into squads from each school group. Mikayla's squad was called "The Krazy Koalas".

Group Praise and Worship Time

Mikayla on the ropes course

Mikayla doing the trust fall

Playing with a bamboo curly-q

Shaving bamboo to use as a fire starter

Getting ready to eat a bat The bats are tiny and live in bamboo. Their guide showed them how to catch and cook the bats.

Mikayla and her friend Krysten don't look to sure about this....
The guide taught them how to cook rice in bamboo. Mikayla said it was the best rice she'd ever had. They also made their own spoon and cup out of bamboo.

"Ok........here we go.........."

"Ahhhh.............it's tolerable we think....maybe....."

"We survived!!!! It's ok but won't become a daily fare!!!

Mikayla really enjoyed her OE trip and is a bit sad this is her last one as a Middle schooler. But the High School goes on OE also!!!

Mikayla at home showing us her bamboo cup and spoon.

The Faith Academy Middle School recently went on a week-long trip to Subic Bay near Manila. One of the days was spent in jungle survival training. Mikayla says the water from the water vine was the "yummiest water I've ever had! It had a whole bunch of nutrients in it from the water vine, and vitamins and was very pure and clear and refreshing. It gave us new strength because of the nutrients in it."

More pictures to come soon (like the next day or two or three!)
She even ate a bat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!