Symanzik Family Update

11 years ago I blogged about Easter....Easter Sunday 2007 Easter Sunday. Our first one in the Philippines. I awaken with a strong case of homesickness for my family church in Michigan. I missing hearing Carolyn and Pam play beautiful resurrection music on the organ and piano. I am missing hearing the choir sing and seeing all the Easter lillies. I'm missing hugs from my many friends . I miss Margie's smile. These are the thoughts that fill my mind as we prepare to go to Easter Service. The service here was three hours and ten minutes long in Tagalog. I prayed and asked God to speak to me even though I couldn't understand most of what was said. And He did! The Pastor read 1 Corinthians 15 in English and suddenly verse 3 jumped out at me - “For I declare to you as of FIRST IMPORTANCE what I also received...” First importance – yes, that is what it's all about. As I look around at all my Filipino brothers and sisters in Christ, I am reminded of the “first importance” of delivering the Word of God to the unreached people groups of Indonesia and SouthEast Asia. How can they enjoy sweet fellowship and communion with Christ if they never hear that “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures...”(1 Cor. 15:3-5) They need those scriptures in their own heart language.

So though this Easter found me extremely homesick and frustrated with language barriers, the English that came through was God's gift to me.

Sailing through eleven years, many changes have occurred. Each of us has blossomed in various ways,

like petals on a flower reaching for the SON, growing more and more into His likeness....always an ongoing task.

This Easter I journaled, "HE IS RISEN, HE IS RISEN, INDEED!!! In the states, before we came here, this holiday for me entailed purchasing new clothing for each of my kids, my husband, and myself, fancy Easter baskets filled with candies, food, clothing,...busyness and money expenditures... but here Easter has boiled down to its essential - worshipping Christ. Oh, I still give my kids candy - this year its in colourful paper cups - but the busyness and consumerism of a USA Easter - the grandeous pomp of parading well-honed kids to churches brimming with lillies, women garnered in frivolous hats, cinnamon rolls, hams, showmanship but no depth, has been stripped away - - the essential of Easter is worshipping the risen Christ and Him alone. It's not the glitz and glamour. It's the the GLORY of Christ - of Him Risen from the dead - Christ alone - Glorify Him alone!"

The first step in obtaining James' immigration visa has been approved! We are so thankful!

Now, we are waiting for the embassy to let us know when our appointment is. There is another application to be filed as well. But this first step was the biggest hurdle!

Pray for us as we continue in this process. Not only for the immigration visa, but for all of us as we transition from this country we've lived in for 11 years and love to the USA.

I really enjoy reading articles posted on "The Culture Blend" website. I recently shared two of those articles on my facebook page and was surprised by the number of shares and likes generated by doing that.

We all transition. Whether we live "monoculturally" - in one country; or live between cultures as missionaries, overseas workers, etc. Life is continual change which requires continual transitions, internally and externally.

Below are the two article links. I hope you take time to read them!

http://www.thecultureblend.com/the-transition-that-never-ends-the-ongoing-cycle-of-expat-stayers-goers-and-newbies/

http://www.thecultureblend.com/leaving-well-10-tips-for-repatriating-with-dignity/

I would love to wax eloquent in blogging like some of my favourite sights do....

yet at times I feel like "why reinvent the wheel"? Why try to reiterate what has been stated so well.

So, I'd like to direct you to a few sights I really enjoy - that speak to what life can be like on the mission field, the joys and challenges, the transitions and tears, hopes and fears, burnout,

disillusionment, hope, and constant growing in Christ. It is a paradox. A mix of many odd things but all pointing to the glory of Christ.

When I eat halo-halo I think about how the Christian life, like the concoction of seemingly incompatible items all melds together into an almagoamation of wonderful sweetness....which leads me to think on how the ups and downs, hard times and good times, "mountain top" and valley low experiences all lead to our growing in Christ as we seek Him first.

Just sharing a few thoughts that spin like a web in my mind. Hope you enjoy visiting these sights - -

https://velvetashes.com/

https://paracletos.org/blog/

http://www.alifeoverseas.com/

JUST FYI - Halo-Halo is make from shaved ice, condensed milk, and lots of sweet toppings like jellies, beans, corn, candied fruit, fresh fruit, ube ice cream, and even sometimes pieces of leche flan (Filipino sweet custard).

Halo-Halo – the Tagalog word which means “mix-mix”

School continues well for Ben and James here id Davao. James is enjoying after-school soccer.....

Ben enjoys basketball....... (he's #12 on the FIA team)....

I've enjoyed helping load backpacks with school supplies for kids affected by flooding in local areas......

I also enjoy teaching Bible and English.....

Kurt is enjoying his computer programming work as well.....

Just a quick update!!!