I recently turned 38!

I have never been afraid of growing old. In fact, the older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve looked forward to growing older!

When I was in my early 20s, I remember an elder telling me that their 30s were their favorite decade of life. It was so inspiring for me to hear an older person express such joy in reaching an age I thought was so old!

I decided then and there that I would carry the same attitude. I would embrace each year and decade of my life and I would enjoy growing older. I actually think that possessing this attitude has kept me young! People are constantly surprised when I tell them how old I am. And consequently, I have always been proud of my age, and I have no problem sharing my age or being asked how old I am.

I feel as young as ever! Ever since I turned 30, I actually feel like life is just starting and it can only get better from here. I very much look forward to turning 40, 50, 60 and so on. I am not afraid to grow old! Why should I be afraid? Why shouldn’t I embrace life, and why can’t life be great at every age?

I like what Jesus said in John 10:10, “I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).” (AMPC)

I choose to live the abundant life that Jesus has offered me.

My 30s have been my favorite decade of life so far! Upon reaching my 30s, I realized that I cared far less about what people think and I am the most honest, genuine, secure and confident I have ever been. It has been in my 30s when I accomplished some huge milestones in my life. I became debt-free. I overcame a life-long battle with depression. I moved to Africa. I discovered my dream job (something I am good at and something I truly love doing) in being a missionary and a youth leader in Botswana. I got into gear with taking care of my health through diet and exercise – I think I am more fit now than I was at 18!

I just wanted to let the world know that I am 38 and FEELING GREAT!!!

Celebrating my 38th birthday with my youth

Happy birthday to me!

I now consider myself to be tri-cultural. My parents are from the Philippines. I was born and grew up in America. And for the past seven years I have been a missionary and resident of Botswana. I am a Filipino-American-African. And I am very proud of each of my cultures.

I love being Filipino. Filipinos are hard working, creative and ingenious. We love to laugh and have the ability to find joy and humor even in the face of great adversity. Our families are usually big, and family is very important to us. My favorite Filipino foods to eat are lumpia shanghai (deep fried roll with minced beef, diced vegetables, spices), sisig (minced pork dish) and chicken adobo (chicken boiled in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic). And you’re not eating a proper Filipino meal unless it comes with a healthy serving of rice! Consequently, if you’re ever invited to a Filipino party, make sure to go because the food will be amazing, you’ll never be more full in your life and the host will even send you home with enough food to last you for the next week! Filipino generosity and hospitality is something else.

I love being American. I am a first generation American and I feel so blessed and privileged to have grown up in such a blessed nation. My parents immigrated to the US so they could give my sister and me a better life and future than they had growing up, and for that I am deeply grateful. I was born and grew up in San Diego, California. In my opinion, it is definitely one of America’s finest cities. San Diego has the BEST weather, and I loved growing up near the beach and around a culturally diverse community. America is not perfect, but it is still undoubtedly an incredibly blessed nation. America is rich in freedoms, rights, resources and opportunities. I think I appreciate it more so now that I’ve lived in a third world country. Americans also have an amazing work ethic – we are not afraid of hard work and we take pride in working hard. The American spirit also embodies generosity and selflessness. We love to give to good causes and serve and better the lives of others. I also love how Americans can come together and offer help and support when tragedy strikes, in spite of differences of opinions or beliefs. I am very proud to be an American. My favorite American foods to eat are In-N-Out Burger (best fast food burger joint in California), carne asada fries (french fries topped with guacamole, sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa, marinated meat – local Mexican dish in San Diego/Southern California), and Chipotle (delicious, overpriced burrito joint).

I love being a Motswana (term for people of Botswana, singular) – well, unofficially, but the culture resonates with me and Botswana has become such a big part of my life, that I now consider myself one. I have done a lot of international travel in my life, and Botswana is the only country that I have been to where so much importance is placed on greeting others. Batswana (people of Botswana, plural) are very friendly. You must greet everyone you see and ask them how they are, whether you know them or not. In Botswana, the greeting is supreme and paramount. Failure to greet someone is absolute rudeness. You must greet and ask how someone is doing before you carry on any conversation with them – be it in a taxi, on the street, in a shop, at the bank, etc. And there are so many ways to greet in Setswana (main language of Botswana). Setswana is not a language with an extensive vocabulary, but it sure does have a myriad of ways to greet people. There are formal/reverent greetings, casual/slang greetings, morning greetings, afternoon/evening greetings, ways to greet one person, ways to greet a group of people, ways to greet certain genders, age groups – I am still learning new and different ways to greet people. The importance of greetings speaks to how much the culture in Botswana values the person rather than what the person can do for you. This practice of greeting greatly contrasts what I am used to, but it has taught me to pause and be more mindful of being genuine in my care and respect for others. Though Botswana is still young and developing, the country has great potential. They are the world’s top producer of diamonds. They are the most peaceful nation in Africa, never ever having war fought on their soil. They have one of the fastest growing economies in the world. It is one of the best tourist destinations in the world for seeing wildlife, possessing the largest elephant population in the world. Botswana is truly a remarkable place. My favorite foods to eat in Botswana and Southern Africa are biltong (for my American friends, it’s like beef jerky, but way better!), seswaa (pounded/shredded meat seasoned with salt), Nando’s (restaurant chain that serves Portuguese-style chicken with their famous peri-peri sauce), morogo (cooked collared greens) and pap (boiled ground maize).

I got to thinking about cultures because we recently held a ladies meeting where we got a chance to celebrate the diverse cultures within our church. It was an awesome meeting and I loved hearing about other cultures, and learning how to embrace cultures that are different from our own. It really was such a beautiful time together. Each group also prepared a dish from their country/culture, so after the meeting, we enjoyed tasting foods from around the world! I think it is a good and important thing to celebrate and appreciate who you are and where you are from, and likewise, to honor and celebrate the culture of others. (Below, some photos of some of the cultures represented in our church.)

Zimbabwe

Herero Tribe (Botswana)

Me representing the Philippines with my “Filipino” sisters :)

Kenya

Kalanga Tribe (Botswana)

Zambia

Babirwa/Batswapong Tribe (Botswana)

Nigeria

I ended 2018 with a very deep sense of gratitude. A thought that constantly crossed my mind was, “I am so incredibly blessed!” Gratitude is a wonderful attitude to possess. It automatically puts you in a good mood and it’s impossible to possess gratitude without also possessing joy! I finished 2018 full of so much gratefulness and joy! I have so much to be grateful for as I reflect on what God has done in my life and ministry this past year. Here’s just some of the amazing things I thank God for in 2018:

I had an amazing time connecting with my support base in the US in January & February! Every church I visited seriously made me feel like a rockstar! I left each church with a full heart, overwhelmed with gratitude for their amazing support and encouragement. These are the kind of supporters that every missionary wants to partner with and I felt more empowered to do what God has called me to do. I was also very impressed with how many of you were willing to try a mophane worm!

Some brave kiddos from Lord of Harvest Church in Los Angeles, CA snacking on mophane worms!

I thank God for being able to celebrate two important milestones last year: (1) In May, our church, Light of the World Church, celebrated its 25th anniversary, which we commemorated by hosting a special conference. It was such a blessing to hear so many wonderful testimonies of how people came to know the Lord through our church. I am honored and privileged to be a part of a ministry that has had, and continues to have, a longstanding impact in this nation. (2) The 28th of July marked my 6th year of having moved to Botswana. What a journey it has been! It has not been without its challenges, but it has been the happiest 6 years of my life! Life can’t get more FULL when you are living out God’s good, pleasing and perfect will.

My fav photo of 2018 – having fun with my youth on our mission trip in South Africa!

I thank God for wisdom, direction and growth in our youth ministry last year. The highlight of last year was definitely our mission trip to Johannesburg, South Africa. It was the first mission trip for our youth, and for most of them, their first time to travel outside of Botswana. It was an incredible experience, and this definitely won’t be our last mission trip! I believe that each of us came back a different person – more confident in allowing God to use us and more conscious of the ways He wants to use us. Some photos from the trip below!

School Ministry

Hospital Ministry

Homeless Outreach

Our team with our hosts in township of Soweto

I thank God for so much progress on our church building. There was so much eagerness and motivation from our church last year to give towards our building project. The completion of this building will mean so much in expanding the reach and effectiveness of our ministry. We are also so excited to have planted two new churches last year – one in Botswana’s capital city of Gaborone and another in Ndola, Zambia! Some photos below!

Church building progress

Light of the World Church in Ndola, Zambia

Light of the World Church in Gaborone, Botswana

I am so grateful for God’s amazing provision this past year! After moving into my own place the end of 2016, I had been hand washing my laundry and desperately wanted a washing machine, but I was able to finally get one in May! I’ve also been able to acquire more furniture for my home – two sofas, a desk and a bed for my guest room. My laptop of almost 10 years was sorely due for a replacement, and I was able to purchase a new one in October! My car had been giving me issues since the end of 2017, but before the end of 2018, I was able to purchase another car (pic below), and I sold my previous car shortly after the start of the new year! Thank you to those who specifically gave to help meet these needs!

My new ride!

For Christmas, my parents gifted me with a plane ticket to visit my favorite uncle, aunt and cousin in Singapore! This was definitely one of the best Christmas gifts I’ve ever received! I hadn’t seen these relatives in over 10 years, so we were so happy to see each other! I had been feeling homesick towards the end of last year, so it was so wonderful to be with family over the holidays.

My Uncle Pete, Auntie Lala and cousin Ian welcoming me at the airport!

May I take this time to say THANK YOU to all of my supporters for another year of amazing support! Please know that you have absolutely played a part in everything God has done through my ministry in Botswana, through your encouragement, your prayers and your financial gifts. Please know that the investment of your time and money has been sown in good ground and only heaven will reveal the impact of the support you have given. I truly cannot thank you enough, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

WAYS YOU CAN PRAY FOR ME IN 2019:

• Pray for wisdom, direction, favor for my ministry in 2019 as I walk out in new roles and responsibilities. Besides helping to lead the youth ministry at our main church branch in Francistown, I will also be helping to establish and oversee the youth ministries at all our branch churches. This will include monthly visits to our 4 branches in Botswana (Matshelagabedi, Tati Siding, Selebi-Phikwe, Gaborone) and our branch in Ndola, Zambia. I’m very excited about connecting with all of the youth within our entire ministry!
• My residence permit is due to expire again this September. Please pray as I apply for renewal this year that it is a smooth process and I have divine, supernatural favor to have my renewal application approved.

CARE PACKAGE INFO:

Some of you have asked if you can send me a care package and what kind of things you can send. Of course I would love to receive care packages, and thank you to those of you who have offered! Here is a list of items I would love to receive in a care package:

• Pens & journals/notebooks (I journal almost daily and do lots of writing.)
• Books or digital books, as I have a Kindle (devotionals, personal/spiritual growth, ministry, leadership, any good recreational reading recommendations)
• Dental floss
• Movies (DVDs or digital)
• Girl Scout Cookies
• Kettle Chips
• Personal handwritten cards, notes, letters

If you plan to send a care package, please get in touch with me first so I can give you more info on the best way to send me a care package.

I think the only thing that I love more than being a missionary is being a missionary who gets to lead a mission trip. It was such a privilege and a dream come true for me to be able to take a group of my youth on a mission trip to Johannesburg, South Africa this past July.

Going on mission trips have changed my life. They gave me exposure, giving me an awareness of needs around the world, which in turn birthed and fueled in me a desire to give of myself to others. On top of that, mission trips were ultimately what inspired me to become a full-time missionary. My prayer for my youth as we embarked on this trip was that they would have a similar, if not greater, experience like I had.

Here are some highlights of what we got up to while we were in Joburg:

Bus Ride: Our team of eight gearing up for our 11-hour bus ride from Francistown to Joburg! It was a LONG trip, but these guys were absolute troopers!

Northcliff Hill: We visited Northcliff Hill which afforded us an amazing view of the city of Joburg. While there, we spent some time in worship and in prayer for the city. Joburg is the largest city in South Africa and the second largest city in Africa. Roughly 5000 people move to Joburg every week and it is home to an extremely ethnically diverse population. You can literally meet people from all over the world in Joburg, so I think it was really cool that we got to play a small part (one week) in sharing God’s love to the world, in one city.

Alhambra Theatre: We spent Nelson Mandela Day (July 18) helping to clean up and restore an old theater in the inner city. The Alhambra Theatre is now being used as a youth community center for the arts. Nelson Mandela Day is a day in which everyone is encouraged to give 67 minutes of their time to voluntary service to honor the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela in doing good for others.

Inside Alhambra Theatre

Front of Alhambra Theatre

School Ministry: One of my youth, Nyax, sharing his testimony at a local high school. Nyax is usually shy about public speaking, so I was very proud of him! Mission trips push us out of our comfort zone!

Tembisa Hospital: We visited the children’s burn unit of a hospital in the township of Tembisa. It is always heartbreaking to see a child sick or injured, but we were grateful to the hospital staff for allowing us to visit and pray for the children and even their parents.

Tembisa Hospital: We brought markers and coloring books so we could color with the kids. We also sang to them and just did our best to bring some joy into their day. It was wonderful to get a smile or a laugh out of them. We cherished our time with these precious kids!

Homeless Outreach: We partnered with a local ministry in doing an outreach to the homeless in the nearby city of Pretoria. We were able to bless many with blankets, toiletries and food.

Homeless Outreach: We also prayed with people and just took time to listen to their stories and chat with them.

Exploring Joburg: We also took some time to explore such a cool city! We enjoyed taking the red bus tour through the main points of the city.

Exploring Joburg: Checking out the views from the top of the Carlton Centre, the tallest building in Africa.

Our visit to the township of Soweto

My favorite pic I took with my youth girls when we visited Soweto Towers

I am a firm believer that everyone should go on a mission trip at least once in their life. There is something so positively transformative that occurs when you make a conscious choice to spend yourself on others for a concentrated period of time. I find that you are often humbly surprised at how much you are changed for the better when you purpose to be a part of something that isn’t about you at all. I am grateful to God for this opportunity in which I hopefully was able to pass on a legacy of love and passion for missions and giving to my youth.

“It is more blessed (makes one happier and more to be envied) to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35b, AMPC)

This month I celebrated my six year anniversary of having moved to Botswana. God has blessed my life with so much happiness since I made the choice to give of my life and serve here.

This journal entry from my first month in Botswana expresses so well just how happy living a life of giving has made me:

August 13, 2012

It’s been quite sometime since I’ve felt this happy. I’ve walked through many different types of seasons over the years as I’ve entered adulthood, and this season seems like a time to laugh, a time to smile, a time to learn and grow, a time of abundance, and a time for greatness. I look forward to each day, no matter how mundane. Everything isn’t perfect by any means, but it feels perfect in the sense that I’m content to know that I am in God’s perfect will. I’m grateful. I don’t deserve to feel like this, but I do. I feel full. My life feels full. I feel so fortunate – so blessed – for this special season of my life. I don’t want to take it for granted. I want to have the right attitude. I appreciate this time. I want to drink it all in. I don’t want to miss anything.

One of my favorite photos I’ve taken in Botswana – when my youth threw me a surprise party for my 33rd birthday. I am still this happy about being a missionary in Botswana!

Recently a good friend of mine paid me one of the highest compliments I have ever received. This friend told me, “Mel, you are such a legend!” And they didn’t just tell me this once, but twice – in one week! Needless to say, it made me feel awesome. I mean, really awesome.

My friend paid me this very kind compliment in response to a situation I had helped him out with, but I hardly think the assistance I offered warranted me earning such a title…as legend.

When I think of the word legend, two things come to mind. Firstly, I think of The Legend of Zelda (obviously). Secondly, I think of who a legend is. A legend is someone who is known for having left a legacy; a legacy being something of great value or significance that is passed down from one person or generation to the next, that continues and does not die and is not forgotten.

Am I truly such a person? Am I a legend? Have I passed on something of great value or significance to others that will continue to carry on and be passed down long after I am gone? I certainly hope so. Honestly speaking, legendary habits do not come naturally to me, but I believe with God’s help, they can be cultivated. I absolutely want to leave a legacy, as a missionary in Botswana, and especially, to the youth in our church.

As a hopeful legend, what legacy do I want to impart to my youth? The thing that has been on my heart for several months now is to pass on a legacy of my love and passion for missions. I love everything about missions. It is a big and obvious reason why I chose to become a full-time missionary myself. I’ve been on several short-term mission trips, and each one was incredibly life-changing and impactful. I returned home from each of those trips a different person – a better person. It still awes me to this day how much the people I came to serve and minister to ended up being more of a blessing to me than I felt I was to them. I came back from each trip with a broader worldview and a keen consciousness of wanting to be less selfish and more selfless. Besides legendary habits, compassion is also something that does not come naturally for me; but going on a mission trip, or investing or participating in furthering mission work in some way, shape or form, has helped me to develop a heart of compassion for others.

I want my youth to experience this, too, which is why from July 16-23, 2018, I will be taking our youth on their very first mission trip to Johannesburg, South Africa. Many of my youth have never even been outside of Botswana. I believe in my youth. I know that God can and will use them to be a blessing. I look forward to giving them this opportunity to be challenged and encouraged to give of themselves to others. I believe this trip will be life-changing, impactful and compassion-cultivating, just like past mission trips have been for me.

As I endeavor to leave a legacy, I pray that I am also inspiring my youth to become legends themselves, who hopefully will become even more legendary than me.

Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in knowing how you can pray for us and support us as we prepare for this upcoming mission trip to Joburg.