God said, “You’re going to the Philippines” (June 2006)

And I said, “What? What was that?!? The Philippines? Where is the Philippines? Wait… NOW? Right now?”

Each time the words came out of my mouth (“maybe I’ll go the the Philippines”), I wondered why the heck I just said that. God had put this on my mind so heavily that I didn’t even think the words before they were coming out of my mouth. I thought my plans to be a missionary were off in the future, sometime when I was supposedly better prepared and ready. But, God’s timing is higher than ours, and there was no question that if I wanted to follow His will then I would soon be living on the other side of the world.

It has now been two years since the Lord called me to the Philippines. Right now I am in the states for a while. I am at the end of some r&r, and about to get back on the road to visit partners in the ministry of CH. I can not possibly re-trace all that I have been through in these past two years, but I will try and highlight some major things as I also tell you about life back in the states. For me, down to earth honesty is what works best, and since we all know that God does not choose perfect people for His purpose, I anticipate this will be as much about imperfections and learning as anything else. I am encouraged when we study the people who God chose in the Bible, and in my opinion he chooses them (me) because they (I) know full well that what they (I) do is not by their (my) own abilities. It is so evident that God is in control.

New Years 2008... a little history

While I was figuring out where to begin this new blog I remembered an old post of mine that I wrote this past new years. It is old, but I want to share this because it touches on some things that a new missionary faces in the first year or so, it reflects back to New years 07 even.

As I now read this post 7 months later I see how things drastically change in my life still. This post was just a brief recall of the beginning to it all...

New years 08 DB blog: Well, it’s now 2008 and looking back on this past year of my life I am overwhelmed at all the ways the Lord has blessed me and used this year to form me. I spent only 3 short months of this past year in America. As I remember new years 2006/2007 in the Philippines last year, I can see myself as the same old Mallary in many ways, but in others ways I see a different person. Last year I was a person figuring out a job, a life, a calling, and a personal ministry. I was adapting still to living abroad and I can remember learning new things daily about the Filipino people I was living my life with. I remember making a conscious effort to be seen as an equal here, rather than an “Americana”. Looking back it was a whirlwind of a new life set in front of me that I started off seeing with blind eyes. Over the past year my eyes opened to the rest of the world and to America. I remember during this past year I could not look at a map of the world the same anymore. I wondered why America was so blessed and as I looked at the rest of the map and wondered about each individual life of the people there. The compassion that I thought I had before was still in me, only a thousand times over. Half way through this past year I was confronted with guilt and shame regarding my place in this world. I wondered why I have been given everything I had. I figured out how to be comfortable in my lot, even as I was surrounded by people who were not as fortunate as me in many ways. I learned a new sense of self confidence that in my eyes could only be had after feeling the shame of my self for having what others don’t have. To deserve something, anything, will never be the same in my eyes. Either I have not “deserved” my fortunate life, or everyone else in the third world countries “deserve” way more in life than they have gotten. In the year 2007 I have been able to become close to so many amazing people. These friends are some of the most accepting and caring people of my life. As I journeyed through friendships with them I was touched by many things, and also frustrated with many things. I had to confront the image that Filipinos held Americans to and I doubted many things because of my skin color. But through it all I hope to have evaluated it all enough to take the best parts of friendship I had known my life in America and insert the good qualities from here. Because of 2007 I now know the feeling of being a minority. I know the feeling of being loved or being hated just because of my skin. I’m sure I can give the survivors on fear factor a pretty good run for the million now! I have missed my friends, my family, food, a home of my own, snow, and holidays. I have also learned so much about love here. The word love, although its pronounced and spelled the same, does not always have the same meaning here. I have learned how a Filipino loves… “I love you no matter what you are” is a great saying that I hope never leaves me. God has been quite amazing in my life in so many ways, but His hand in allowing me to learn so much from this culture and the mission He has given me is crazy! This 2008 when I look back at the last year I see a year full of joy, struggles, and change. 2007 is in no doubt a life changing year for me. I will always remember this year and my experiences, knowledge, stupidity…. On and on it goes.

CH pic

group photo taken this past May at CH
some kids and staff

Introduction

Hi friends!

This Blog: this is a casual place where i hope to keep up with my friends, family, co-workers, and Christians' Haven supporters. in the future i will write about some informational stuff regarding CH, stories of our kids and our ministries, and also let you journey with me through my life on the mission field... from the ups and downs, through the odd, hard, amazing, weird, sad, and funny, to the many ways God works in my life!!

About me: my name is Mallary Jamison, i am a nurse and missionary in the Philippines for almost 2 years now. God called me to missions when i became a Christian in high school and I held onto that call as I fulfilled my BSN at Milligan College. God then surprised me by bringing me across the world right out of college! i feel called to a personal mission in life as a Christian nurse who serves others through love and compassion in order to bring physical help and spiritual filling to people in need... all to glorify God!

About Christians' Haven: CH is a ministry to street kids and orphans in the Philippines. We bring kids off the streets by their own will, into Christian residential care. Here the kids are taken care of and sent through school, as they also learn to serve others in their own ministries. It is truly a disciple making kind of place. I serve as the nurse and medical liaison to CH. We are located in northern Mindanao. to check out more visit www.christians-haven.org.

So, check back in as I post some stuff and work up to a frequently updated blog!!