We were able to come back to the computer lab for a brief moment while we're waiting for lunch, so I just wanted to apologize because my last blog is not cohesive or eloquent in the least and I feel like I'm usually pretty good at that. I feel like I'm all over the place emotionally, spiritually, and otherwise since I've been here. I wish I could share more details now, but cannot wait until I get back so I really can talk in depth about this experience. :)
-Danielle
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Day 4
Hello all!
Wow. God is working in huge ways in the Philippines. I only have like 5 minutes to write this entire post, but we have been kept extremely busy. We have also experienced so very much in the short time that we've been here and I think we all have kind of heavy hearts at the moment.
Visiting the orphanage a few times has been amazing. Those kids are just soo yearning for love and want to hold our hands and hug us and play with us for hours and hours. It took a good 20 minutes to say goodbye this morning.
The people at the compound we are staying at are the most welcoming I have ever experienced. I feel like I have already known most of them for years instead of just days. The showers are brisk, but refreshing. We wake up with devotionals and they're wonderful. The food has all been very delicious as well.
Yesterday...oh wait, two days ago (we have nooo sense of time while we're here--no watches or anything. people just tell us we're leaving and we end up where we stop.) we visited a jail here in San Pablo. I don't even know where to begin. There were 15-20 men per cell. We prayed with them and talked with them. They were so kind to us...and then you remembered it was a jail. It was really hard to hear some of their stories and see them reaching out and wanting so much love as well.
This week at FCA-the school here- it is sportsfest, so yesterday we each wore a colored shirt that matched one of the teams and acted as coaches for the races they did, tug of war, and flying ball. Then we as the visitors played against the high schoolers in volleyball. This was sooo much fun!!
Yesterday we walked through a barroqua (sp?) which is a neighborhood here. It was amazing to be immersed in this culture and really walking through their lives. They live sooo very differently and think so differently than we do in America and it really is eye-opening. I hope to bring this mindset back to the United States and let this serve as a movement in my life, as Casey and I talked about, instead of just an experience cemented in time.
I have been extremely homesick because we don't have access to phones or computers often. I have never really felt homesick before, but I definitely have in the past few days.
Everyone here comments on how tall I am, and I mean everyone!! They ask how tall I am and gawk at me and things. Its pretty amusing. But then they ask if I have a boyfriend and I say oh yes, and its wonderful because hes 6'4" and they gawk some more :)
Other things we do here are Life Groups. This is when we gather with a group of people and sing worship songs, discuss our faith, etc. This is Frontlines way of bringing people to their faith and it is wonderful. People just will lay it all on the table and open themselves up and its really inspiring.
We did go tour San Pablo 2 days ago and rode these tricycle things around one of the 7 lakes. It is absolutely beautiful here. The mountains are incredible. Pretty much got gawked at in the market, but havnt seen any other Americans the whole time, so that's probably a big part of it.
Alright, that is about 1/26th of everything I wanted to say. Make sure you read our group blog too so you can see what other perspectives of our trip are.
I miss and love you all. Please keep those prayers coming. I know that every member of the group is feeling this trip in big ways, the people working for Frontline would love your prayers, and of course those they are helping.
Much love,
Danielle
Wow. God is working in huge ways in the Philippines. I only have like 5 minutes to write this entire post, but we have been kept extremely busy. We have also experienced so very much in the short time that we've been here and I think we all have kind of heavy hearts at the moment.
Visiting the orphanage a few times has been amazing. Those kids are just soo yearning for love and want to hold our hands and hug us and play with us for hours and hours. It took a good 20 minutes to say goodbye this morning.
The people at the compound we are staying at are the most welcoming I have ever experienced. I feel like I have already known most of them for years instead of just days. The showers are brisk, but refreshing. We wake up with devotionals and they're wonderful. The food has all been very delicious as well.
Yesterday...oh wait, two days ago (we have nooo sense of time while we're here--no watches or anything. people just tell us we're leaving and we end up where we stop.) we visited a jail here in San Pablo. I don't even know where to begin. There were 15-20 men per cell. We prayed with them and talked with them. They were so kind to us...and then you remembered it was a jail. It was really hard to hear some of their stories and see them reaching out and wanting so much love as well.
This week at FCA-the school here- it is sportsfest, so yesterday we each wore a colored shirt that matched one of the teams and acted as coaches for the races they did, tug of war, and flying ball. Then we as the visitors played against the high schoolers in volleyball. This was sooo much fun!!
Yesterday we walked through a barroqua (sp?) which is a neighborhood here. It was amazing to be immersed in this culture and really walking through their lives. They live sooo very differently and think so differently than we do in America and it really is eye-opening. I hope to bring this mindset back to the United States and let this serve as a movement in my life, as Casey and I talked about, instead of just an experience cemented in time.
I have been extremely homesick because we don't have access to phones or computers often. I have never really felt homesick before, but I definitely have in the past few days.
Everyone here comments on how tall I am, and I mean everyone!! They ask how tall I am and gawk at me and things. Its pretty amusing. But then they ask if I have a boyfriend and I say oh yes, and its wonderful because hes 6'4" and they gawk some more :)
Other things we do here are Life Groups. This is when we gather with a group of people and sing worship songs, discuss our faith, etc. This is Frontlines way of bringing people to their faith and it is wonderful. People just will lay it all on the table and open themselves up and its really inspiring.
We did go tour San Pablo 2 days ago and rode these tricycle things around one of the 7 lakes. It is absolutely beautiful here. The mountains are incredible. Pretty much got gawked at in the market, but havnt seen any other Americans the whole time, so that's probably a big part of it.
Alright, that is about 1/26th of everything I wanted to say. Make sure you read our group blog too so you can see what other perspectives of our trip are.
I miss and love you all. Please keep those prayers coming. I know that every member of the group is feeling this trip in big ways, the people working for Frontline would love your prayers, and of course those they are helping.
Much love,
Danielle
Monday, November 26, 2007
First Day
Hey everyone!
Well, I'm here safe and sound. What an adventure it was though, that's for sure. We traveled for literally over 24 hours. The first plane ride was 13 hours. I tried to sleep, but couldn't much, so I knitted and read and watched tv and listened to music. About 1/2 way through I was really getting ansy, but overall it wasn't too bad. Kinda more of a blur than anything else.
We had a 3 our layover in Tokyo, so, yay, I've been to the Japan, even if it was just the airport. We were alldead tired because it was about 1 am American time, and so decided we wanted to sleep a little bit. When we laid down in a corner, though, we seriously had people staring and laughing at us. I guess it's not normal to lay down in an airport in japan like I think it would be in America. Anyways, the next flight we rode on a HUGE plane. It had two levels and was 10 seats across! I had a whole row to myself, as I believe all of us did, so I laid down and slept for almost the entire flight. We were delayed for about 40 minutes and taxied on the runway during that time, but honestly I'm not sure why because they were speaking in Japanese.
Everything through customs went smoothly, we all got our bags, and found the people from Frontline easily, so overall travels were awesome. After getting into Manila we had about a 2 hours ride to San Pablo, so by the time we got to where we'll be staying for the next two weeks, it was like 11am American time. I was pretty distraugt because the phone they had told us to use didn't work so I couldn't call home. The ride from the airport to San Pablo, as well as getting there, really kind of unnerved me. It was definitely just a big culture shock.
We have quaint but wonderful accomadations. There are 2 hut-like things, one for each pair of two girls. The boys are staying in a room attached to the office. Casey and I are in one, Marquita and Lindsey are in another. In each one is a desk, buck beds, a closet, and a bench. The bathrooms and showers are in their own little building also on the compound. There are about 30 other people, all part of Frontline, living there as well.
Today we had orienation, where they told us about what we'd be doing. We also visited the orphanage and school, which we're at right now. The children are all soo wonderful and we actually get to go back to the orphanage later to play, which is fantastic. We will be doing devotionals in the morning every day, be visiting the school, helping with chores around the compound, visiting the jail with their jail ministry, and playing with the kids at the orphanage.
Today has been so very fun. The kids are amazzzinggg. It will take some getting used to with the different lifestyle, smells, heat, food, etc.
I have been thinking about my family and friends alot. I hope everyone is well. While today has just been a peak into what we'll be doing, I'm very exciting to see what the next 12 days hold.
Please keep the prayers coming :)
Much love,
Danielle
Oh, yes, and the typhoon completely changed direction and is headed north, totally away from us. :) God is good.
Well, I'm here safe and sound. What an adventure it was though, that's for sure. We traveled for literally over 24 hours. The first plane ride was 13 hours. I tried to sleep, but couldn't much, so I knitted and read and watched tv and listened to music. About 1/2 way through I was really getting ansy, but overall it wasn't too bad. Kinda more of a blur than anything else.
We had a 3 our layover in Tokyo, so, yay, I've been to the Japan, even if it was just the airport. We were alldead tired because it was about 1 am American time, and so decided we wanted to sleep a little bit. When we laid down in a corner, though, we seriously had people staring and laughing at us. I guess it's not normal to lay down in an airport in japan like I think it would be in America. Anyways, the next flight we rode on a HUGE plane. It had two levels and was 10 seats across! I had a whole row to myself, as I believe all of us did, so I laid down and slept for almost the entire flight. We were delayed for about 40 minutes and taxied on the runway during that time, but honestly I'm not sure why because they were speaking in Japanese.
Everything through customs went smoothly, we all got our bags, and found the people from Frontline easily, so overall travels were awesome. After getting into Manila we had about a 2 hours ride to San Pablo, so by the time we got to where we'll be staying for the next two weeks, it was like 11am American time. I was pretty distraugt because the phone they had told us to use didn't work so I couldn't call home. The ride from the airport to San Pablo, as well as getting there, really kind of unnerved me. It was definitely just a big culture shock.
We have quaint but wonderful accomadations. There are 2 hut-like things, one for each pair of two girls. The boys are staying in a room attached to the office. Casey and I are in one, Marquita and Lindsey are in another. In each one is a desk, buck beds, a closet, and a bench. The bathrooms and showers are in their own little building also on the compound. There are about 30 other people, all part of Frontline, living there as well.
Today we had orienation, where they told us about what we'd be doing. We also visited the orphanage and school, which we're at right now. The children are all soo wonderful and we actually get to go back to the orphanage later to play, which is fantastic. We will be doing devotionals in the morning every day, be visiting the school, helping with chores around the compound, visiting the jail with their jail ministry, and playing with the kids at the orphanage.
Today has been so very fun. The kids are amazzzinggg. It will take some getting used to with the different lifestyle, smells, heat, food, etc.
I have been thinking about my family and friends alot. I hope everyone is well. While today has just been a peak into what we'll be doing, I'm very exciting to see what the next 12 days hold.
Please keep the prayers coming :)
Much love,
Danielle
Oh, yes, and the typhoon completely changed direction and is headed north, totally away from us. :) God is good.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
First post before we're off...
I'm hoping to be able to blog while I'm over in the Philippines so that everyone is able to get a peek at what we're doing and what's going on over there :)
We leave in 3 days and I'm getting more and more excited every second.
On Saturday we're going to meet at the airport around 8am. Our plane takes off around 11:00 and then we'll be traveling for a good 20 hours. Woah. I've definitely never traveled for that long. I'll let you know how it goes!
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I'm looking forward to being with family and enjoying really good food!
I ask for your prayers as we make this incredible journey to the Philippines!
-Danielle
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
We leave in 3 days and I'm getting more and more excited every second.
On Saturday we're going to meet at the airport around 8am. Our plane takes off around 11:00 and then we'll be traveling for a good 20 hours. Woah. I've definitely never traveled for that long. I'll let you know how it goes!
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I'm looking forward to being with family and enjoying really good food!
I ask for your prayers as we make this incredible journey to the Philippines!
-Danielle
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
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