We are here, we are settled!

wYes.. you are seeing this correctly, I am actually doing a blog update!! The flight here was so incredibly long.. but also went wonderfully. All of the kids were absolute rockstars.. all the travel went smoothly, thank you Lord! I felt pretty queasy on the bus ride up from Baguio to Bontoc.. I'm not kidding when I say that not even one kilometer of the road was straight. It was the curviest, bumpiest road I have ever been on! That being said Bella slept the majority of the time and I did as well.. which helped keep the stomach settled. The times I did wake up to take in the scenery I was absolutely stunned.. there is something about the mountains here.. majestic and full of lush greenery. They garden on terraces in this region.. you have to google rice terraces to get an idea of what I am talking about. They are beautiful- and it's so hard to believe they were are created by a shovel and countless hours, days, and months of hard work. Bontoc is surrounded by terraces and mountainside. In the mornings when we walk down to breakfast the clouds hang low into the mountains, the air is fresh, and the sun is gently shining. When I look up from the ground (which I usually keep my eyes on to watch out for sewage holes and water buffalo droppings)  I find myself breathless..and in awe of our God who created such a beautiful place.

The first week our team as a whole had a hard time adjusting.. but we seem to have found our groove now as we begin our different ministries and get over the culture shock. The people here are absolutely beautiful and have this innate joy to them.. it's hard to be grumpy when you have people smiling at you all the time! Bella has adjusted well.. she is  happy and healthy, thank goodness! I wish I had time to write about some more specifics..hopefully at a later time I will be able to do so. If you have any questions or would like to send us a message you can at schiss.trina@gmail.com.
Things we could use prayer for:
-Health- many of the kids have been sick, I have had a cold for several days that I just cannot get rid of, and there has been a tummy bug going around.
-team unity
-for the wonderful family hosting us- The Maxwells- they are full time missionaries here in Bontoc, and they are wonderful!
- for the ministries we will regularly be a part of now: working with government officials in a moral program, kids club, teaching and being a part of DTS schooling for the students here, the health clinic, and possibilities with bar and prison ministries. There is also great opportunity for friendship evangelism here as well.
- for Bella & my mother/daughter relationship.. we have been having a hard time the last few days

I miss home and all of your beautiful faces so much- but am also so grateful to be here. Thank you for your continued support, love, & prayers!

Leaving.. on a jet plane...

Well.. the time has arrived! Wednesday morning at 5:45am we will be leaving YWAM Salem and heading for our final destination of Bontoc, Philippines! This is pretty much the last time I will be able to get on the computer before we leave. My mind cannot wrap around how quickly our lecture phase went by.. it's such a wonderful blur of hardships, growth, community, and learning. I am SO thankful for our time here.. I know we were led by the Holy Spirit to be where we were at the right time.. and I can't imagine what life would look like at this point without this part of the journey completed. I feel like this is so incredibly cliche  because so many others that have been through some type of dts say the same thing but... I am different. I have changed.. there have been a few times where I have been in conversations and stop for a minute to realize that I said something that I would have never said before. My perspective has changed. My passion is deeper. I feel absolutely enamored with my Father God. My primary goal in setting aside this time for Crossroads was to build the foundations of my faith up. To make them strong & unshakeable. And I feel like this is happening, praise God!

This next part of the journey.... is exciting. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a nervous, stressed out ball of anxiety- but for the most part it's all geared towards good things- and as long as I keep mentally reciting Phillippians  4:6 I think I will be OK. I realized that this will be the longest amount of time I have spent away from my family- specifically my parents- and if you know me you know how much I genuinely love my parents & enjoy spending time with them- it's going to be hard not to see their faces for 2 months!

I am excited to transition from  in-reach phase to outreach phase. I am stoked to have the opportunity to minister to others and work with our amazing team. I can't wait to see all of our kids loving on the people of the Philippines.. there is most definitely something special about each child on our team- they all clearly have a unique, God-given anointing upon them.

So.. there it is. We have heard the call and here we go! Please pray for us as we have 31 hours of travel ahead of us: 3 flights, 3 countries, 2 lay-overs, & 2 long bus rides. We are going to need an abundance of grace, patience, energy & love.

Other prayer needs:

- for those on our team who are staying in the states- blessing upon them!
-that we be completely, 100% flexible to God's plan instead of our own
-  homesickness & missing our families-  (Bella won't see her daddy for 2 months!)
- health & safety
- divine appointments throughout the entire trip

I love you all.. thank you again for supporting us on this journey in all the ways you have. I can't wait to catch up when we return!
XOXO
Trina & Bella