I don't have many pictures from my time in the Philippines.
Time, Washington state mold and many moves caused most to be lost or ruined.
I will tell you why I became involved with this group.
I was stationed in the Philippines at Clark Air Base, in the Air Force.
It was about Feb/Mar 1989.
I had just gotten married the previous August, but my ex-husband was stationed in New York and I had to remain overseas.
A friend named Max (the smiley face to the right of me in the pic) invited me to come to a new church off base that was there to minister to G.I.s I'd never seen him so excited and so I decided to check it out. The preacher was different than some of the charismatic churches I had visited back in New Jersey and definitely the opposite end of the spectrum to the churches of my upbringing, which was Catholic.
I found many things about the experience intriguing. I went back.
Having been brought up in a very verbally and physically abusive home---with zero hugs, kisses and "I love you's", I was usually drawn to anyone who showed me the slightest amount of care.
One night I was very sick in my barracks. While lying in my bed in the dark, I was startled awake by a heavy pounding at my door. It was Max. He yelled through the door for me to get dressed and come downstairs because the Ashmores were there to visit. I believe another friend, who was also a new attendee, drove them all on base to visit me.
When I came down, Helen and James Ashmore approached me with genuine looks of concern on their faces. So much so that now, as a 60-year old, I still remember it. I was 26 at the time. (60-26=34 years). They wanted to see how I was (of course they were following up on a new person, but this went beyond that) and that was all. I told them I was very sick and then Helen handed me a homemade brownie wrapped up very neatly in foil with a little handle for carrying. There could have been nothing in the foil....just the foil wrap and I would have been as touched as I was knowing there was a homemade brownie inside.
I went back to my room, and I cried myself to sleep. I was so moved by the whole event. Who were these people?
I remember this fondly because I refuse to change my memories to fit my irritation with this group. I lost many friends and special people in my life...all whom I brought to church and most were one-by-one removed from my circle of friends. Not by choice. They didn't want to be around me anymore. A pattern began to develop and I wasn't especially happy with it.
In May/June of 1989, I was sent to Thailand for almost two months on deployment. Though the Ashmores tried to push me to see if I could avoid going so I could stay back. (and I know why they suggested this too) I wanted to go to Thailand and there was no way for me to avoid it anyway, as I had already traded places with my coworker who wanted to go to South Korea instead of Thailand. His filipina wife wanted him to buy cheap Korean stuff and haul it back home. I will never in my life understand that. I was like.... "Dude! Thailand! How many people do you know who've gone to Thailand for two months for the Cobra Gold exercise?" And he just shrugged
Everyone went to South Korea for the Team Spirit exercise. Hey, it all worked out in my favor. I made friends and memories as I traveled around Thailand on my days off and I also worked with my Thai counterparts along with the Navy Seals, and Army Rangers. For crying out loud, the Prince of the country had uniforms made for all of us....I mean, it was an amazing time.
When I returned, I recall being annoyed about several things. One was the fact that I had stopped going out to an orphanage off base filled with tiny filipino kids whom I loved and cherished and adored. I stopped because it was preached that the poor we always have with us. I needed to be about god's business. I obeyed.
I am happy to say that since getting out of NTCC, I have reconnected with many of the kids from that orphanage on Facebook who are now grown and have their own children...several married and now live in the states. A few died on the streets of Angeles City. Those kids didn't understand why I left so suddenly. What a Christian testimony I presented to them, right?
Could I have kept going? I suppose, but I did get the idea it would be displeasing to god. It seemed he needed my money and service more than they did. I can't even begin to explain the experiences I had with them and how deeply I loved them, and how sorely I missed them and how much I grieved over them. That is a negative memory against the good ones I'm sharing.
(some of the kids during my last visit when they were planting seeds to extend their food supply source)
Once I was back from Thailand, I came out to the Servicemen's Home off base during my lunch breaks from work when I could. I recall one very touching time which allayed some of my concerns about this church. I usually parked my car at the front gate and walked to the servicemen's home so it wouldn't get stolen, even though it eventually did. As I approached the screen door this one day, I held my hand back a moment before knocking. It was clear they didn't know I was there. As you see from the picture of the inside of the home in that first picture, there really wasn't much furniture. A table and chairs in the area just off the kitchen and a wicker couch (not big or comfortable) in the living area with maybe one or two other pieces.
These folks never threw off any hint of people who were after my steady paycheck.
It was ungodly hot, especially in the the summer, which is when this was. A fan was absolutely useless and I know this from living off base myself. It was easy to have people envision a hot eternity in hell when they were being preached to in the Philippines. That is a visual that wasn't lost on anyone. If it wasn't for the beautiful people and gorgeous scenery (away from Angeles City) I'm not sure why that place exists.
Where was I? Oh yeah, I walked up to the door. There was no air conditioning---and did I mention it was hot? James could barely fit curled up on the poor excuse for a couch studying and making notes. Helen might have been ironing or performing some sort of domestic goddess duty.
As soon as I knocked, they both jumped up and ushered me in. I felt like someone special. They paid attention. They seemed honestly happy I'd surprised them with a visit. They sat me down at the table and Helen ran in the kitchen and made a bowl of ramen. A favorite of military members the world over.
We sat and ate and talked and before I knew it...my time was up and I had to get back.
Why do I still remember that day in such vivid detail?
They made me feel like I was worthy of love and attention and care and a bowl of ramen from their cupboards. Even though I'm quite sure they'd say that everything they had in there was for me, and for all of us who visited-- it still meant a lot to me.
That was the beginning. I was able to overlook a lot because at the time I loved god and the bible and his people....the Ashmores and Mick and Max.
We were away from home and everyone we knew and loved and though we all had friends on and off base, this was a unique situation.
So, in looking back over my time in NTCC, I was content to overlook a lot because the love I felt blinded me. In the months and years to come, I witnessed a lot of goofy crap from this crowd, but the foundation of love blinding all reason came into play for sure. It took a long time for my sight to be restored.
To be continued.......
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