Movie from Missions Conference

MBI hosted their annual missions conference this last week. One of the keynote speakers was from India...his work was in freeing the Dalits (lowest social class in India) from the stigma of their situation. On Thursday night, they showed this film, a secular project, to the attendees and had a discussion afterwards. I didn't get to hear the discussion, but would highly recommend that you take time to watch this documentary. It's a small look into the red light district in Calcutta and what one woman was trying to do. It's 90 minutes long and, I would suggest, is not appropriate for children. Please take time to watch it. There is a 2.20 minute trailer if you'd like to see that first and the link for the actual documentary is below that. Born Into Brothels

Blessings,
Emily

Final Update

It took me forever to figure out how to work my printer and get these letters mailed. Sorry I'm posting this so late. :(

Just another word of thanks...I'm SO grateful for all of you that followed this trip and prayed for me before, while, and after this experience. I learned so much and hope you enjoy the few stories in this letter. I'm always available to share more, so feel free to ask. Coffee and lunch dates are definitely open :)

Blessings to you all.

Moving to memory...

You know how for a while after an experience, you'll use phrases like..."Well while I was in __________..." That's how it's been for the last couple weeks. I think it will be that way for a while. Please forgive me if I overuse my Philippines stories...I am trying to let things process and make a difference in my life. I hope some of the stories are encouraging to you also...





This was one of the hardest scenes for me to understand. This was the son of one of our staff members. He would spend hours at a time alone in the courtyard, rarely wearing clothes and hardly ever with supervision. The difference between our ever-constant child care in the states and the independence in the Philippines startled me. It's hard for me not to call it "neglect." Emily Bill and I had a saying for these kind of moments..."It's not wrong, it's just different." That was a hard one to swallow when it came to seeing these kids.



This girl was one of my best friends. In this picture, she had just gotten a letter and gift (the necklace) from her sponsor. she is sponsored by a girl her age in Germany. It was the most enrapturing thing to look at this girl's face when she opened that letter and read it out loud to us all. This changed my entire perspective of agencies like World Vision and Compassion Child. A child sponsorship program is so drastically different when you are with the kids. They love their sponsors...people they have never met...with such gratitude.



Emily Bill and I enjoyed being tourists when we went out of the village. Usually once a week, we tried to leave the village and go to a mall or a "normal" place where we could feel a little more at home. Starbucks, believe it or not, is very popular in the Philippines. They had at least 4 in one mall! We went there several times. This particular picture was right after Em and I went souvenir shopping (note the button on Em's shirt). She was a rich friend to have. After our many conversations, I remember always feeling so grateful that I had a sister to process situations with and get feedback. Thing I most appreciated about her: the way she prayed.



This video is of 3 of my favorite kids acting silly :) The funny thing is, though they were acting for the camera, this is almost how they were all the time. :) Adorable :)

That's all for now folks :)
Blessings.

Run for the hills!

Actually...just our 4th story room. Today there's a signal 2 typhoon coming! The whole area has canceled school and no one's working! It's the calm before the storm though, because it's a gorgeous day outside! A small cloud cover, a little sunshine, a cool breeze, the coldest it's been yet (like 80 something degrees). Em an I got to our daycare, had our devotion time with the staff, and they told us to go home! :( We're going to have to be creative with what we do with our day now :)

Update: my foot's all healed from that nail. Thank you for the prayers :)

Our classes have been going well. We've had at least one or two sessions for our 2 proverbs and our spanish class. Our first James class will be on Thursday. "Schedule" here in the Philippines is something like water...it flows wherever whenever. We kind of just aim for a day and find a time when everyone's free. A little frustrating, but we were well warned :) Our Spanish class has been a big hit! All our kids (and adults!) were really interested in learning the language. The Philippines was controlled by Spain for a time so many of the words are the same in Spanish and Tagalog or just a little off. For example, Filipinos tell time, days, months, and numbers in Spanish. We're trying to think creatively on how with can incorporate biblical principles and Scripture into our coursework for them. You can pray for some good ideas and if you have any, PLEASE comment or email them to me!

Food is great here. LOTS of rice all the time. Even though we're not big fish eaters, Em and I have gotten pretty good at munching down these little salty fried fish that we're served a lot. They're not bad when you get past them looking at you. :) Our staff ladies are EXTREMELY good at making dishes very tasty with not much at all. We're trying to learn all the names of veggies and leaves...it's hard to remember! There are about 6 kinds of bananas!

Pray for energy and creativity. Also continue to pray that we pick up a little more language bits. :)

Love to you all and blessings!

Week 1

*The picture is of the view from our apartment.

Update: June 7th

Dear Friends,

The time has come!!! Tomorrow morning at 8:30am (central), I leave for the Philippines! I'm eager and anxious to see what I'm stepping into, but whatever it is I know God will teach me a great many things and hopefully use me for good. I have many prayer requests to leave you with so I'll list those at the end of this email.

I wanted to let you know a little more of what I'll be doing. In addition to making friends and doing community service type work in the slums, it looks like my ministry partner (Emily Bill) and I will be doing English readings for small groups as well as some 1 on 1 or small group studies of Proverbs. I was trying to study up today on the context and background of Proverbs to get a better feel for teaching it. It looks like I will be learning a lot as I try to teach!

Prayer Requests:

* For safety and stamina as I travel from San Antonio, to Detroit, to Nagoya (Japan), and finally to Manila. It will be over 20 hours of traveling. Pray for a good attitude :)

* For my family. Specifically (1) my sister (Amy) and brother-in-law (Haven) with their not-yet-born baby (Phyra) and (2) my father (Bill) battling with cancer. Pray that God would watch over them and keep them.

* For adaptation. Because I don't know all the details yet, there are many unknowns of being and working in the Philippines. Pray that I'll be flexible and quick to listen and learn.

* For consistency. Pray that I will be faithful in my personal study of God's word and in prayer, that my spiritual life will deepen with this experience and that I will encourage others in that as well.

* For John and Carol Koenke as well as the other SEND staff in Manila and Detroit--that they would be blessed for their welcoming spirits and that God would continue to bless and provide for their ministry.

* For health. That sickness would not hinder our work or friendships, but that we would be full of strength for what God has prepared for us to do.

* For teamwork. Pray that Emily Bill, myself, and whoever we are working with would be amiable and considerate--giving preference to one another and extending patience.

* For fruit. Pray that the seeds of the gospel we plant in our words and actions would take root and produce the fruit of new Christians in our Muslim and non-Muslim circles.

Thank you for your prayers, your love, and your kind notes to me. They mean SO much. Many of you have written words of encouragement and challenge to me as I prepare for this. I am honored to be backed by your faith and honored to carry your name in my representation of the gospel to another part of the world. God be glorified in each of your lives and in mine as we seek to serve Him.

Many blessings.

San Antonio Express News REMADE

Hello,

This is Emily Bruckart reporting from San Antonio Texas, where life is in no slow mode for the Cohoon-Bruckart clan. Here are the latest headlines:

*Oldest Cohoon son (Chad) finds out second child is also a SON. Cohoon name continues to the next generation.

*Bruckart dad successfully endures first round of chemo. A new haircut shows him ready for battle against cancer.

*Baby due June 1st, still in the hopper. Amy waits anxiously for this stubborn youngster to make her debut.

*Youngest Cohoon sister to wed this Saturday.

*Youngest Bruckart (ME!) to leave for Philippines one week from today!

*New wing of the San Antonio Riverwalk opens. Strange art displayed along the walk, but a lovely stroll past flowers and waterfalls.

This has been lightning flash news. Until next time, this is Emily Bruckart. Back to you.

:)

FINISHED!

As of 9:15 this morning, my semester is complete! Praise the Lord...I never thought it'd all get done! Somehow, God gives just enough strength for the tasks He sets before us. Now onto the next thing.

I've been reading in Psalms for my devotions recently. Last night as I was sleepily reading through the chapters, I came across one that was very applicable to me as I go to the Philippines.

Psalm 16: The Hope of the Faithful, and the Messiah's Victory
A Michtam of David.

Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.

O my soul, you have said to the LORD 'You are my Lord,
My goodness is nothing apart from You.'
As for the saints who are on the earth,
'They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.'

Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god;
Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer,
Nor take up their names on my lips.

O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You maintain my lot.
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Yes, I have a good inheritance.

I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel;
My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
I have set the LORD always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.
For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
You will show the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Internship Update #2

Just a quick note to let you know...

I am at $1,142 of raising $4,160!

Keep praying! God is providing!!!

Blessings to you all,
Emily

Summer 2009

Blessings to you all.

Since I've put this link on my missions support letters, I think it's about time I gave a MISSIONS UPDATE (or perhaps just any sort of update). :)

Last summer, I attempted to piece together a trip to fulfill the requirements for my school internship. I tried to go with Every Child Ministries to Ghana to do slave liberation, however, God made it (and continues to make it) abundantly clear to me that it was not His will for that trip to take place.

I'm now a senior at Moody (graduating December 2009) and this is my last summer to do an internship. In truth, I was dreading the process of looking, applying, training, support-raising, and doing an internship again. I felt so embarrassed and upset with the Lord for not doings things MY WAY that I did not begin with an attitude of openness and gratefulness. Both qualities are tremendously important for missions and the Christian life in general.

Let me tell you how God gave constant mercy and grace to me, a sinner with a horridly selfish attitude...

**Without me realizing it, God had used last year's process to train me and show me the responsibilities that needed to be met. I have been more knowledgeable and prepared to step into this experienced because of having tried and failed once already.

**When I had hardly began to look for a new possibility, the doors of ONE agency flew open. The Lord knows how much I love options, but hate decisions. He gave me few options, but only one that obviously fit.

**God is expanding my interests. Though I've always been passionate about ending injustice in terms of slavery and abuse, the last few years of study have intrigued me regarding Muslim culture, religion, and their need for Christ. This opportunity was completely geered toward this aspect in such a way that I can learn by observing and participating in a safe and supervised context.

**One of my greatest fears was that the agency I went with would expect me to do all the inter-cultural work (i.e. visas, plane tickets, contextualizing, understanding the culture and the ministry, etc). SEND International REQUIRES each missionary (short or long term) to go through very detailed training and debriefing for their trips. They desire to provide their members with proper care as their people are experiencing completely different situations that weigh heavily on faith and heart. My time at SEND's training in March was one of the best experiences of my life--studying the Scriptures with other missionaries, receiving help in the media aspects and planning, learning how to support raise and keep donors well-aware of what was going on, and building tremendous friendships.

**I have a very difficult time raising support. I dislike asking others for money. It requires vulnerability and admittance that there is no possible way I can go without the involvement of the church. During training, God impressed on me that I couldn't ask for help because of pride (wanting to do this on my own), and fear (that no one would actually support). After much prayer and convincing by close advisers, I chose to ask for help in my two needs: prayer and finances.

THUS FAR, GOD HAS PROVIDED THROUGH DEAR PEOPLE 5 OF 15 REGULAR PRAYER PARTNERS AND OVER $1,000 OUT OF $4,600!!! WOW. (Keep in mind, letters only went out 2 weeks ago!)

I can't deny His goodness.

For those that have not heard, here are the details of what God has provided for my internship this summer:

Where: Maharlika Village, Metro Manila, Philippines
When: June 8-July 20, 2009
With Whom: SEND International (www.send.org)

More to come later. Thank you for your prayers and your influence on my life.

Peace, blessings, and God's truth be always with you.
Emily