The virus has brought many changes to our lives

What do we know about leaving the Philippines to return to the U.S.? Almost nothing! The restrictions on the Negros Oriental lockdown continue until April 30th. There are no new cases and restrictions seem to be lifting but no official word has come from the government.   It is thought that this island will be opened to normal operation by the weekend and everyone can move about freely. There are some who expect the airport and ferry to remain closed since they do not want anyone entering from Manila or Cebu where there are still active cases of the coronavirus.   That delays our leaving because we have to fly to Manila to get the fight to Japan.  To complicate matters, Japan continues to have cases and they do not have any lockdown restrictions.   However, I found something on the computer today that listed countries that were restricted from having passengers come to their airports and the Philippines was one of them.    We are hoping that we can obtain a certificate from the department of health here in Tanjay City stating that we have been under quarantine for more than 15 days but that may not work since we have to go through Manila to get to Japan as they still have active cases.    We run some risk in the airports, both Manila and Narita, Japan.   It appears we would have to stay one night in Toyoko which puts us at more risk from the hotel staff.   There are too many questions to give any specifics at this time.    We feel we will need to wait another couple of weeks just to see if things settle down more in this country and in the U.S.

According to Ron, once we get back to our RV in Alvin, TX, we will rest from the jetlag and see if we have escaped picking up the virus along the way.   When we can, we will drive to Tallahassee, FL to visit with Ike and Dee Etienne.    Dee has been our volunteer bookkeeper for five years.   She is doing a wonderful job dealing with expense reports from foreign countries using various different money systems and exchange rates.    You could not pay me enough to take her job.   I was a bookkeeper for a coal brokerage company once in Atlanta, GA and when I left there, I never wanted to be a bookkeeper again.   I am not that good with math and balancing much less all the things Dee has to face.

Ron will see if he can get appointments at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL and if so, we will go there next.    He is past due for a yearly check up on his robotic heart valve surgery.   When having an eye check up in Mountain Home, AR this past year, he learned that he has a mole on his eyeball and that eye is giving him a lot of trouble.   He wants to see a specialist at the Mayo Clinic about this eye problem.   Ron has had a lot of pain in one knee for several months.   He would like to find out if a shot of cortisone would relieve some of that pain.    We don't know if the Mayo Clinic will be free enough to book these appointments for him but we will find out soon.

Ron does not expect we will have any opportunities to visit churches this entire year.   Even when churches begin meeting again, social distancing may be practiced or small groups meeting at different times and it would not be an opportune time for us to give reports on the work in Asia.   We also expect many churches will be under budget with people staying home and not giving in the usual manner.   Ron and Jackie are developing methods of doing fundraising on-line with letters, newsletters and mailing out flash drives of the reports.    This will eliminate our traveling in the RV to visit churches.    We hope we can keep the income needed for our operation of the safe houses to care for the girls until the economy improves.

Ron feels that we need to return to Thailand in the fall before the flu and virus season begins.   At our age, we don't know if we would survive such an illness.   If there are vaccines available we will definitely get the flu shot and, hopefully, one for the coronavirus.    He has been promised funding to build a safe house in Northern Thailand.   Ron visited there a year ago and met the Christians.  They have given permission to build a house on the church property and join us in the work of caring for vulnerable girls in their area.  In addition to building that structure, we will make a visit to each of our locations again and not return to the U.S. until the spring of 2021.

With many changes coming this year and next, please keep us in your prayers.   We are not getting any younger and the trips to Asia are difficult.   As soon as I have more information about our return trip to the U.S. expected before the end of May, I will post again.    God bless you all with more freedom to continue life and safety from the virus.