SPOTLIGHT ON MISSIONS: Stan & Donna Scroggins • The Philippines

Filipinos love New Year’s Eve. New Year celebrations are a bigger deal than Christmas. There are numerous fascinating customs and superstitions that people adhere to. Filipino traditions are unique, and everyone observes them religiously on New Year’s Day. Filipinos are very Animistic in their culture, so a lot of their traditions have evolved from their past animistic practices. Being an Asian Pacific nation causes Filipinos to be heavily influenced by Chinese culture. Here are a few New Year traditions practiced by Filipinos:

• Round-shaped fruits — Eating grapes or little round fruits is a Hispanic ritual that dates back to the Spanish colonial era. Twelve round grapes or other round fruits must be on the dining table by midnight. Each individual must eat all 12 grapes, and take a bite out of each of the others.

• Loud noises — On the big day, Filipinos aim to be as loud as possible. This practice is based on the notion that people’s loud noises will chase away the bad spirits.

• Wearing polka dots designed clothes — Wearing polka dots is said to bring good luck. Filipinos believe that round items bring good luck. The more round you have on the more luck you get.

• Jump as high as you can — Every kid (even adult) jumps wildly when the clock strikes midnight. Jumping is said to make you grow taller, according to folklore.

• Sticky Rice — Filipinos value family, so they do everything they can to strengthen those ties. It is customary to consume sticky rice foods during the New Year, such as bibingka, a savory rice cake and biko, a sweet rice cake. It’s meant to bring good fortune as well as bringing you all together — the sticky, glutinous rice makes good luck stick to you all year long.

From Stan — Happy 2023! It has been a busy two weeks since school has been out. In just a few days we will start the Spring Semester of 2023. We’ve experienced lots of growing pains with the addition of all the Darlene Carey Academy activities on our campus. This month CHED (Philippine College Accreditation Organization) will visit our campus for our second evaluation. Donna and I and all the staff have been working on updating our curriculum syllabi to meet the new standards.

Please pray for our dear friend John Page, former BMAA missionary to Cambodia. John’s son, Tre passed away on Dec. 23 from a heart attack. Tre’s wife died in 2019 from COVID. They leave behind three young children. John has flown back to Texas to be with his family.

From Donna — What can I say! After 13 years of marriage and four years of adoption hurdles, our daughter Kelsey and her husband Josh welcomed a little precious bundle to our family. Our whole family is over the moon in love with our newest addition — Emmaline Louise Blackman. She was born Nov. 19 and weighed 7 lbs. 7 oz. Josh and Kelsey are making great parents and Kelsey facetimes us during the early morning feedings since it is early afternoon here. It is so much fun to watch Emmylou grow and connect with her this way until we get home in April and the first place we land is Columbia, Missouri to get our hands on this gift from God.

When Diane Lee returned to the Philippines back in September, she hurt her back and has been in pain ever since. She is now back in the States undergoing tests to determine what needs to be done. Please add her to your prayer list and Doug while she is away.

Church Visits — Because of flooding, we were not able to attend the Ata Tribe Baptist Church organization and ordination of the new pastor, Joel Francisco. We were also taking apples to around 280 children. (They have never tasted apples.) This is a work of Doug and Diane Lee, who have been working with the Ata tribe for several years.

— Donna: +63 908-894-6724/Stan: +63 908-894-6723. You can also contact us through email and Facebook Messenger: Donna, gojvcrusaders@msn.com/Stan, stanmusical@icloud.com. Stay up to date with the Scroggins and their work in the Philippines by visiting their website and checking out their blog — thescroggins.com. You can also partner with Stan and Donna by giving through your local church or the BMA Missions website.