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Tracking the Trek 2005 Trekkin in 2005"I don’t understand how two worlds can coexist within a mile of each other like Antique Row and the liquor store in
"We’ll be asking these questions for a long time, struggling to bring together the images and memories, both joyful and painful, from Manila and allowing God to meld them into something new in us as we continue our lives in the States."
Our jounal writer, Eugenia Chung, was sick for the last part of the project. Here are her delayed entries. At Home in the Philippines (07/26) "... Maybe God also brought me here to instill a value in me for family, something I’m used to being independent from, and don’t appreciate enough." Questions and Answers (07/30) "God loves it when we struggle with him. It only brings us to a place where we seek his true character. Struggling is good. God isn’t afraid of our doubts." Dear Mom, Please Come Back (07/31) "Jaja and Toto have no idea their mom was supposed to come. I’ve never even met the woman, but I feel so hurt. How can she not come see her children?" Money Money Money (08/02) "In the states, money replaces love. Too many parents send support checks instead of visits. The Filipinos have an abundance of love. Jesus was right: Blessed are the poor. They value things worth valuing." How to be Joyful (08/05) "We spent a month with orphans, street children, prostitutes, and lepers. And in doing so, we learned to find joy in the tiniest things. I’m being repetitive, but I’ve really never seen such genuine joy." Rich American Girl (08/10) "I’m not disgusted by money. I’m just overwhelmed at how blessed I am. There are people who would sell themselves to have the life I have. It’s easy to ignore others’ need especially when you don’t consider yourself well off either. “I have needs, too” becomes a fast justification." August 18: Sick Hearts (Cairo-Sudanese) "Scripture says hope deferred makes the heart sick. My refugee brothers and sisters from Southern Sudan have sick hearts. My heart grows sick knowing that I am leaving my Sudanese friends when hope seems so far for them." more ... August 17: It is Possible (Cairo-Mokattam)
"Being sick has been hard because it seems so purposeless: we didn’t come here to be sick, we came to experience God working in Manila - and how can we do that while stuck in bed? It’s been hard to see how God is working in our weaknesses." more ...
"It’s really hard to know that in just a couple of weeks we’ll be back to our lives of luxury, but these kids will still be barefoot, still breathing this polluted air, and their legs will only become more scarred, and they may never know life any other way." more ... August 12: Leaving them in their trash (Cairo-Mokattam)
August 11: He Will Never Leave (Cairo-Mokattam) "After working in this class for only a few days I came to the harsh realization that sorting garbage is the best future these [disabled] kids could hope for." more ...
"He wants me to just let go of my own ambitions, my own desires, wants, and dreams. To possibly forget about going to medical school. Helping the sick is my passion, but there’s an even bigger thing I should be passionate about." more ... August 9: God's Deep Love (Cairo-Mokattam)
"Many times we are quite overwhelmed by the complexity of poverty, injustice, corruption, etc. Here in the Philippines, we have to surrender this struggle to continually acknowledge that God is still sovereign in this place." more ...
"How do we possibly develop quick bonds of trust that the interviewees may share with us strangers such personal issues? How do we communicate with those who speak Arabic?" more ...
"I am amazed and shocked by their blessing and faith. These people who have been abandoned by their government and by most long-term volunteers. I cannot understand why God would seem so far from His people. I can’t understand why they live in such conditions ..." more ...
"Many of Ashkelon’s children are mentally or physically handicapped. The children are mostly kept indoors, physical and mental retardation being linked to shame and disgrace. " more ...
"Ultimately we have no control over our lives ... Can we predict the civil wars in Sudan, the civil strife in Egypt, the fall and rise of economies and government? What makes us think that we can predict our own plans and futures?" more ...
July 23-24: Pictures from Manila!
The Manila teams have been sending pictures - see the photo galleries: Manila A - Manila B  July 22: Flies make their home (Manila A)
"They cannot travel home because their homes have been destroyed and they cannot call Egypt home because they are unwelcome here. I have no words for this feeling; this feeling of confusion, and of abandonment. I have no words." more ...
"Will we praise God for our lives and livelihood as much as the Sudanese? Will we be as hospitable and honest as they are? I am shamed by their joy." more ... "We are not Beautiful" "This woman was telling me that we looked more beautiful than she ever would. We fit the manufactured ideal of femininity. Is this is why the young girls stare at us? Do they think we were unapproachably beautiful because of our blue eyes? If so, how did they think of themselves? " more ... Female Bonding (Cairo-Sudanese) "I wonder if Christ ever felt impatient like we do or if our impatience is part of our American culture, or even a product of our distance from God. The limitations of our abilities, our language skills, and our understanding seem overwhelming." more ...
 July 16: Why Am I Here? (Manila A)
"This morning we met the family who live under our stairs. We ate our lunch there and Mina served us tea with sugar. She was so hospitable, and gave us so much of her time. We set up both dinner and tea for tomorrow. Perhaps we can get to know her story." more ...
Loving Gong (Bangkok)
July 8: Bangkok Photo Gallery
Pictures are in! See the Bangkok Photo Gallery!
Celebration and Sadness (Mexico City) "Living here has helped me understand intractable poverty among all of the celebration. Although a family may have a television, DVD player, stereo and plenty of food, there is no conceivable way for the children to continue their education." more...
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Long-Term Questions
August 29: New Journals from Manila
"Our friends have a passion to see Egypt become a Christian light in the darkness of the Middle East. The thing we’ve caught from them is a belief that that’s possible." 
August 16: 
August 15: 
August 8: 
August 5: 
August 4: 
August 3: 
August 2: 
July 29: 
"I might not have all the money in the world, but I have access to God’s love, and the authority to spread it where he takes me. I’ve never taken love that seriously before. I expected to learn about poverty. But I’m grateful God’s teaching me to love." 
"God asked me, “Do you trust that I have good things for you, and that I’m bigger and in control with or without doctors and the best medical hospitals?” Most of the time, I fought to try to say “yes” to that question." 
"Those who were hurt were not joked about but were helped to shore and later marked with bravery by the others. It was in those moments that their true character shone through for all to see" 
"There is so much to process now that we’re back in the U.S. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the emotions, jet lag, culture shock and thoughts about the future." 
Between Brutal and Blissful
July 15: 
"I have been overwhelmed with both sadness and joy in the past six weeks. I felt completely helpless around poor and handicapped children who don’t know when they will eat again. I didn’t give any money to the street girl playing her accordion on the metro" 
Game of Millimeters
July 12: 
"I was a bit discouraged as I left the service and walked past the host of fine cars, standing in stark contrast to the poverty of the slum they had to drive through to get here." 
July 7: 
