from tagaytay city

it's sunday morning in the philippines, saturday evening in california.

i'm here! survived the flights (weren't nearly as bad as a 17 hour flight sounds) and was thrilled to find that person holding the sign with my name after customs and immigration and traveling more than 20 hours. then found a tyndale editor i know (it just so "happened" he came in on the LA flight that arrived at the same time), so we shared the taxi up from manila to tagaytay city. what a relief that was, and what an experience driving on up. i love driving, like a bit of a thrill, but i'd never ever drive here. i don't believe drivers or pedestrians follow any rules. at stoplights, vendors wander through the traffic with things for sale, also children come and tap at the windows asking for money (that was heartbreaking, a boy about nine stayed at my window saying, "Mama, please Mama." The taxi driver said sternly, "Never open the windows" but it was hard not to, very hard.) we were in the midst of mass traffic, horns honking, these chrome covered vehicles (a cross between a jeep and VW bus perhaps) that are a form of public transportation (i wanna ride in one), you can see the people from the open door in back. the drivers take great pride in decorating the entire thing -- called a jeepney (sp?).

the filippino people have been extremely friendly and kind. a couple on the plane wanted to adopt me, i think. the elderly woman kept telling me how to carry my purse, that i should carry my money in my bra and such. she's say, "come now, follow me." later when she found out how old i was, she chuckled and said she thought i was young and single. i loved her all the more.

it's a different world here, fascinating really, but completely different. more on that later. it's a tropical climate and landscape even up here at the top of this mountain. it smells of rich soil, flowers, a musty kind of mix between salt and mold perhaps, i guess "rich" would be the word. i hear tropical birds, motorcycles and rumbling car engines from the road outside the conference center, dogs barking, laughter, and from inside the internet cafe here, american music (oldies to current hits - maroon 5 is playing right now).

a few stories so far, and the conference only officially starts today.
--met a woman from cameroon who is a high school and college professor who writes nonfiction for families.

--russian man told about the struggle out of communism. many interesting stories.

==heard about bible smuggling into china, and the christians battle in the middle east.

that's just a small start. i've met people from indonesia, cambodia, india, greece, portugal, costa rica, russia, ghana, england, thailand, vietnam, and some places i'd never heard of before.

we have no idea in the states, none. it's pretty sobering and brings renewed gratitude for the simplest of freedoms.

okay, my morning funny:
roosters -- whichever local rooster spots the first drop of light in the morning sky gets to start the competition. i'm telling you, there must be hundreds who follow that first voice and it's serious business crowing the sun on up. i was already awake with the time change adjustment, and had to laugh at this. in the background it becomes a soft hum of poultry cries, then you hear the more distinct ones. dogs start joining in, then some early basketball players started out to the court. it was nice to hear their laughter and voices though of course i cannot understand them. but then again, you sort of can.

and hair -- it's curly here. my hair is like, oh yeah, we like this humidity. i don't hardly recognize it.

okay, i'm raking up the minutes here. it's 30 pesos every half hour, and as of yet, i have no idea what that means. it's under a dollar though.

thanks for those who've been praying. i've felt extraordinary peace and joy since stepping off the plane. i miss home, appreciate home more than ever, and hope that a little of what i pass on to the conferees here will help as they return to their various locales and work on christian writing and publishing for their cultures. they've already given me more than I can return however.

my love to each of you still in yesterday, i'm in your tomorrow.