Superman

A bunch of bleary eyed individuals piled into the van this morning at 6am and began what turned out to be my favorite day of the trip. We drove to Laguna, which is about 2 hours away from Makati City, where we are staying. As we neared our arrival, a very pale Josh asked for us to pull over because he wasn't feeling very well. Sadly, he was sick, possibly due to the Filipino-Mexican meal from last night. We let him recuperate at Jollibee, which is the Asian equivalent of McDonalds. I felt slightly sick myself, as I witnessed individuals around me chowing down on rice, eggs, and hotdogs at 7:30 in the morning.

Josh was a trooper and quickly got a smile on his face, so we headed to the Rose of Sharon Boarding School, where we were warmly greeted and ushered into a big, open room, filled with the most precious children you've ever seen. I instantly fell in love with a little girl sitting in the front row - she was just the sweetest thing I'd ever seen. The kids performed two songs for us - one was about how God is their Superman, and it was adorable. I tried to get as much on my camera as possible, because I never want to forget these touching moments. Two kids gave their testimonies afterwards, then Josh prayed over the group. One little boy was eager to get into his prayer position, and luckily, I snapped a shot of him. It's definitely one of my favorite pictures from the trip. 

After doing a tour of the facility, we headed to another school for young boys, where we learned about the different classes and programs offered. The kids all flock to Rob due to his height - it's quite endearing. Josh, Tim and Rob played some basketball with the guys - the Filipinos are obsessed with this sport. I had no idea before arriving here.

Around lunchtime, we said goodbye to our new friends and got in the van, en route for a very serene lunch spot which had little floating islands with tables. The food was sort of like a buffet/tapas style, and I had some delicious steamed eggplant and the tastiest mango fruit drink. I must have eaten 6 mangos since arriving just a few days ago - they are so fresh here. Ruth (from CCT) joined us for the meal. She is such a talkative person, and the best part is that we all hang onto every word she says since she is so full of wisdom. Her prayer at the end of the meal was incredible - I wish I was half as eloquent and passionate as her. 

The next car journey was up to the top of the volcanic mountains of Tagatay. I fell fast asleep during the ride, which was much needed after a numerous nights of little sleep. I woke up when we arrived, and I was instantly taken aback by the splendor of the new CCT training facility. The views were magnificent, and the buildings were equally impressive. The facility will host a variety of events, including the CCT wedding that is being hosted in November. We left after a 30-45 minute tour, then stopped briefly to take pictures at the top of the mountain. The scenery of this country is so diverse and is definitely not lacking in beauty.

Back at the apartment, some hit the sauna, then we freshened up and went to dinner around 9pm at the huge shopping area nearby. After browsing multiple menus, we ended up at Mr. Jones, which was a great choice. After a good discussion on financial giving over the meal, we split ways, with Tim, Pip, and myself choosing to try the local froyo at Qoola. I got dulce de leche, white chocolate macadamia nut and mountain blackberry - the combination sounds bizarre, but it was delicious. We wandered back home, showered, and are headed to bed - today has been exhausting. 
Tomorrow is our last day of planned activities, and I want to be well rested so that I can make the most out of the experience. 


With love and hugs from Manila,
Ailee

Gate 57

My alarm went off at 6:50, and I jumped out of bed, eager to get started on my first full day in Manila. We left the apartment at 8am, heading to the Kaibigan Community Center to meet some Center for Community Transformation (CCT) leaders. We started the trip with a look at the center's water bottling program, then moved to the main building where we joined in at the end of discipleship. We listened to some of the individuals' testimonies, which were incredibly moving (God is so good). 


Afterwards, we watched a CCT video, then met a male whose story was featured in the documentary. We ended the visit with a look at the food preparation, then jumped in the van to deliver the lunches. We drove for about 10 minutes, then arrived in a park where a group of "street-dwellers" were gathered, ready to hear the word of God. The sermon was preached in Tagalog, with some verses spoken in English. The meals were then handed out afterwards, and the people were so joyous to be given food. 

With the storm about to break, our group headed to a restaurant nearby called "The Pancake House," which made Georgie's eyes light up (she loves pancakes). After lunch, we drove to a slum in an area called Parola, where we got out and adventured through the tiny, crowded walkways to a CCT center. We went through Gate 57, which was one of many dark entrances, filled with little stores and people everywhere. The children flocked to us, intrigued by our cameras. We got lots of photos of the sweet, innocence youth - who really moved me. I love kids, and it's so heartbreaking to see them living in such poverty.  

Our final stop for the day was another CCT center, which had a small church area with chairs set up. On our tour, Josh took notice of a kid playing badminton outside and ran out to join. Tim was up next, and I think the local children loved the interaction - although I'm sure Tim and Josh enjoyed it more. 

We headed back to the apartment for a rest and an opportunity to freshen up. What an incredible day so far. God is opening up my eyes to poverty I've never seen before. These people have such little, but they love the Lord so much. I cannot wait to learn more.