We've arrived and it's been a bit tough

Here we are. . . in Singapore. . .sweating, tired,

It’s been just over five weeks since we arrived in Asia and the transition period has most definitely being an adjustment! Strangely enough with four of us this time living overseas, it’s not just four times the amount of adjustments but instead, at least it seems, endless! Despite the ongoing process we've been anxious to blog, especially due to our desire to share how faithful our Father has been and is! Surprisingly enough (or maybe not so surprising due to who we serve?) what we thought we would be doing in Singapore is quite a bit different than what has evolved!

Two weeks before we left the states, we were blessed to find an organization willing to hiring one of us- Danielle. This was going to supply us with the necessary financial requirements for the appropriate visa needed for our family to remain in Singapore longer than a social visit. We left for our 24 hour flight arrived late in the evening and arose the next day for our first day of orientation at Focus Singapore. After a few minutes we learned that Danielle would be trained in the position they hoped for her to help with in the future (i.e., working with children that have special needs and the families of these children). The training for her position will be taking place soon, but apart from that they said, “we believe you need to spend time with your children, help them acclimate, and anything you can help us with before June, we'll just count as a bonus. . . we want to allow you as much time to adjust as you need.”

We were grateful and then they quickly proceeded to ask Tim if he would like to go “full-time” with the organization. . . Talk about the need for "quick processing"! In other words, Tim has gone full-time with an organization we never dreamed we would ever work with but it seems to be a place that we believe Tim will eventually find an enjoyable job assignment.

Tim is working with Focus on the Family Singapore. Yes, I know many of my close friends probably just found their bottom jaw drop open due to, well many reasons. . . :-) However, what attracted us to Focus Singapore (this is a Tim & D abbreviation) were three major issues. . . First, Focus on the Family USA did not come here and establish this organization, but it was begun by Singaporeans. Second, we are the first “official” foreigners that they have hired which puts us in a beautifully creative young intercultural team setting. Thirdly, unlike Focus USA which gears 80-90% of their material as “church resources”, 90% of what Focus Singapore does is for “the community at large”.
Many know that this is where our hearts beat... being a part of transforming communities by being in community, working with the community, and living life in community while doing our best to “help point beyond ourselves to a place of healing”. That is, to ultimately be a part of our Father’s transformative power in creative ways. Focus is a part of what He is doing here in extremely creative ways . . . but not without oppression. . .

For now, that’s all. We will write more and more soon about what’s happened and what’s happening. Our days are most definitely an evolution of His creative genius and we are marveling and how our Father keeps taking care of us from; providing the necessary visa for Tim, an apartment before we arrived with 1 months free rent, a free crib, free kitchen stuff, free fridge & oven, free bag of diapers, free meals, free kids stuff, and much more personal things like some immediate friends, a great team to work with at Focus, some encouraging “uncles and aunties” here on assignment from the states, and even some "Hong Bao" (red packets filled with money gifts given to children & single adults during Chinese New Years)- Natalie and Jeremiah received over $30Sing a piece!!

We could go on and on, but that’s all Danielle will let Tim write for now… But don’t forget to come check us out at
http://whetpebbles.blogspot.com & http://xanga.com/tdwhetstone

Talk with you later and much sooner than 5 weeks because we should have our Internet up and running within the next four days . . . and Tim is looking forward to his next blog being TOTALLY VIDEO including the monkeys that live in the JUNGLE behind our apartment!!