Just one more week.
I have only a few minutes for a super-quick update, but time continues to fly by as the last week of my stay in the Philippines draws near.
Things continue to be crazy and awesome as always... staying overnight in different places, often never knowning for how long. We continue to do our presentations, and have even done it for a church group without any of our materials... a difficult, but very do-able feat. Other things of late include a trip to the Mall of Asia (with some ice-skating involved... West Ed is minor compared to this side), and culture dances.
Ah yes, and my foot is much MUCH better.
God bless, and I shall return to the land of the maple leaf soon enough :)
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Beware of the Coral...
Wow. So many days, so many things... so little time.
Our team went to Bohol as planned, and spent just a couple of incredible days relaxing, snorkeling, riding motorbikes, visiting the chocolate hils, (no... not really chocolate...) and viewing some more of the Philippines.
Once we returned we jumped right back into things, presenting at Los Banyos national highschool. Again, the schedule went a little ambiguous, and we actually presented five times instead of four... because we had enough LB peers to attempt our first ever split/simultaneous presentation. We split the entire team of foreigners and pinoys into two and presented for different classrooms... which allowed us to reach more classes than with a smaller team. Everything worked out just fabulously, and another awareness presentation finished with success and student interest.
Then the team did a quick pack up of a few days things and headed to Manila, where we are now. Manila is known as the modern, most "North American" city here, and we are working with and observing Kids in Ministries... which has set up an orphanage, school, and also works with other mission opportunities. We're here for a few days to help out and check out different ministries here in the philippines, and it's quite interesting to see all of them working together.
HOWEVER, I myself am presently on "bed rest", keeping my leg elevated at all times. All I can say is...
beware of the coral.
While snorkeling last Friday, I scraped my foot against coral twice. Other than a little blood and some stinging from the salt water, all was fine, and for a few days I went on as I always would back home after a little scrape.
Let me tell you, it is no longer a little scrape.
Don't worry, I took pictures.
During our LB presentations, we had to wear close toed shoes while in the school. But then it rained (again), and I was walking in wet shoes nearly all day, with the tongue of the shoe rubbing against my foot. When I took it off at the end of the day, it... er... swelled.
Apparently, while a little scrape back home may not do anything, my body is not used to possible infections that I can get here in the Philippines, and so my ankle disappeared under the swelling,and the scrape became a rather "holey" wound.
But once again, don't worry. Not only did I take pictures, but the doctor's not even concerned. I'm on antibiotics, soaking my foot in hot salt water, cleaning with hydrogen peroxide and iodine, keeping it covered from all flies and other curious creatures, and attempting to keep off of my foot. It's about day number four now, but it's definitely looking better, so please PLEASE do not worry... I'm in Good Hands :). Just feel free to pray for a speedy recovery so that I can do more than watch people working from the sidelines.
In only a couple of weeks I'll be back in North America for a whole other pace of life with schedules and everything... I'll keep in touch whenever I can!!
Peace and blessings
Our team went to Bohol as planned, and spent just a couple of incredible days relaxing, snorkeling, riding motorbikes, visiting the chocolate hils, (no... not really chocolate...) and viewing some more of the Philippines.
Once we returned we jumped right back into things, presenting at Los Banyos national highschool. Again, the schedule went a little ambiguous, and we actually presented five times instead of four... because we had enough LB peers to attempt our first ever split/simultaneous presentation. We split the entire team of foreigners and pinoys into two and presented for different classrooms... which allowed us to reach more classes than with a smaller team. Everything worked out just fabulously, and another awareness presentation finished with success and student interest.
Then the team did a quick pack up of a few days things and headed to Manila, where we are now. Manila is known as the modern, most "North American" city here, and we are working with and observing Kids in Ministries... which has set up an orphanage, school, and also works with other mission opportunities. We're here for a few days to help out and check out different ministries here in the philippines, and it's quite interesting to see all of them working together.
HOWEVER, I myself am presently on "bed rest", keeping my leg elevated at all times. All I can say is...
beware of the coral.
While snorkeling last Friday, I scraped my foot against coral twice. Other than a little blood and some stinging from the salt water, all was fine, and for a few days I went on as I always would back home after a little scrape.
Let me tell you, it is no longer a little scrape.
Don't worry, I took pictures.
During our LB presentations, we had to wear close toed shoes while in the school. But then it rained (again), and I was walking in wet shoes nearly all day, with the tongue of the shoe rubbing against my foot. When I took it off at the end of the day, it... er... swelled.
Apparently, while a little scrape back home may not do anything, my body is not used to possible infections that I can get here in the Philippines, and so my ankle disappeared under the swelling,and the scrape became a rather "holey" wound.
But once again, don't worry. Not only did I take pictures, but the doctor's not even concerned. I'm on antibiotics, soaking my foot in hot salt water, cleaning with hydrogen peroxide and iodine, keeping it covered from all flies and other curious creatures, and attempting to keep off of my foot. It's about day number four now, but it's definitely looking better, so please PLEASE do not worry... I'm in Good Hands :). Just feel free to pray for a speedy recovery so that I can do more than watch people working from the sidelines.
In only a couple of weeks I'll be back in North America for a whole other pace of life with schedules and everything... I'll keep in touch whenever I can!!
Peace and blessings
Monday, July 13, 2009
Takin' her as she comes
Just another day in the Philippines...
After spending Saturday here in the house, it was pretty much glorious to get out on Sunday and meet up with the rest of the SMP team at the Calamba CRC's anniversary service. It was also Pastor Ver's (my host family's) birthday celebration that same day, so Grace was not able to take Karlynn and I to Calamba. The result? An amazing feeling of independance when the two of us took the jeepnie on our own. :)
And today brought us to Los Banyos to practice our HIV presentation with the LB peer educators, after which we visited the Irri (ooooh... go figure, I can't remember exactly how to spell that either), a rice research institute. They have all different kinds of test plots to try and make rice that will yield more and last better in specific climates. They even keep a certain amount of rice stored from countries all over the world. Not only can they study them, but if a drought or something happens in that country, they can send them back their rice. It's actually pretty interesting, and they aim to help with poverty as they improve rice farming. Pretty interesting indeed.
Tonight is supposed be the last night here with our host family. Then first thing tomorrow morning the SMP team will head out to Bohol via plane ride, until Saturday. "Expected" schedule includes snorkeling, chocolate hills, and checking out a childrens program (I think...) Of course, we'll just take each day as she comes...
there isn't any better way
:)
After spending Saturday here in the house, it was pretty much glorious to get out on Sunday and meet up with the rest of the SMP team at the Calamba CRC's anniversary service. It was also Pastor Ver's (my host family's) birthday celebration that same day, so Grace was not able to take Karlynn and I to Calamba. The result? An amazing feeling of independance when the two of us took the jeepnie on our own. :)
And today brought us to Los Banyos to practice our HIV presentation with the LB peer educators, after which we visited the Irri (ooooh... go figure, I can't remember exactly how to spell that either), a rice research institute. They have all different kinds of test plots to try and make rice that will yield more and last better in specific climates. They even keep a certain amount of rice stored from countries all over the world. Not only can they study them, but if a drought or something happens in that country, they can send them back their rice. It's actually pretty interesting, and they aim to help with poverty as they improve rice farming. Pretty interesting indeed.
Tonight is supposed be the last night here with our host family. Then first thing tomorrow morning the SMP team will head out to Bohol via plane ride, until Saturday. "Expected" schedule includes snorkeling, chocolate hills, and checking out a childrens program (I think...) Of course, we'll just take each day as she comes...
there isn't any better way
:)
Friday, July 10, 2009
Since the Days of Bicol
It's another weekend, and the SMP team adventure to the Bicol region is now complete. Did anything interesting happen there, youmay ask? You have no idea...
In short form, we
- had the Delica van, our mode of transportation, break down numerous times throughout the trip. Even the loss of AC on a 10 hour trip is as bad as a broken battery
- got caught in the middle of a thunderstorm while walking up a mountain... and with the jungle-like setting, pouring rain, deafening thunder, and water surging down the muddy mountainside path, it was pretty much a "movie moment"... that was appreciated much more once we were dry.
- saw an endless amount of breath-taking views of Mayon, a perfect cone-shaped volcano. Particularily during a night thunderstorm (it's rainy-typhoon season here, you know), the lightening would outline Mayon, and you could see a light red glow from the lava at the top.... absolutely amazing.
- visited the church ruins of Cagsawa, where the local people fled during the eruption of Mayon about 1814, but became trapped inside.
- visited a black sand beach for a Sunday picnic
- climbed a small mountain portraying 7 stations during the last days of Christ's life before crucifixion... and some people even picked some pineapples from a field on top.
- went for a caribau ride - which, by the way, is not the same as the caribou
- got covered in mud while planting some rice.... hopefully all without ruining the farmer's field
- ate some of the smallest edible fish in the world from Lake Buhi - Sinarapan/tabios
- went fishing by boat in Lake Buhi for some Tilapia fish (spelling unsure... again) and took some amazing photos of the lake and mountains before sunset
- made several more HIV/AIDs presentations for churches, pastors, youth, and another highschool.
- met up with some youth from Britain who were working with street children in the city of Legaspi
- spent some time with a tribal community, meeting them and hearing how they live. They are Chrisitians, making their life by tenant farming some of the most beautiful land I have ever seen. Their rice fields, surrounded by a background of mountains, buko and banana trees, are made as layered landscape for ease in irrigation, and I doubt I will ever see such a view like that again. It was, in short, INCREDIBLE!
- were spoiled with hotels that had AC and hot water for showers... except for the one without water, and the other with... cockroaches, very big cockroaches...
Unfortunately, I got a bad cold during the trip and lost my voice for a day or so, but as was well as we experienced and saw so many amazing things, particularily with the tribal community, and the ways of farming here in the Philippines. It was like God was just displaying his awesomeness left and right at every turn. There was even one day where we found ourselves with an empty morning, free of schedule. Once we realised this the previous day, we showed up at a national highschool, explained who we were and asked if we could make a presentation. Immediately, the prinicipal agreed and arranged for us the next morning at 8:30 am. Not only was it incredible that they were willing to take us in on short notice, but we were given two senior classes, and we presented to 140 kids at once. Normally, we have from 30-50 students! During one part of the presentation, the students break into 5 different groups for different stations, making nearly 30 students per station! PLUS it began to rain (again!), and with the schools set up as they are, with open windows and small rooms, many stations were outside under a covering, and we had to huddle together as close as possible for everyone to hear us. It was definitely a challenging but interesitng experience for the SMP team... not to mention that we only had 1 Tagalog-speaking peer educator with us to Bicol.
And now, here I am again, back in the province of Laguna at my host family's house. Today there were plans for a practice in Los Banyos to prepare for presentation in LB national highschool on Monday.... 4 presentations in one day. However... H1N1 continues to be a problem here, and as of now, the school will be closed on Monday because of the worry about H1N1. Not only does this cause another (as per usual) expected wrinkle in the schedule, but we can only pray that once the school does open, they will actually allow foreigners to come into the school at all.
Currently, the plan is to have a practice for LB on Monday, and on Tuesday, the SMP team will be heading on "vacation" to Bohol with Ate Gladys (our missionary) and her family. What happens after that is yet another adventure waiting to come.
Over one month into my stay here in Philippines, many questions remained unanswered, and I am prepared for them to remain so, even perhaps once I have returned back to Canada. But the incredible thing is, whether planting rice, climbing mountains, checking for cockroaches,or taking in the view, God never ceases to amaze and display just how AWESOME He is.
Is that not sweet, or what?
That's what I thought.
In short form, we
- had the Delica van, our mode of transportation, break down numerous times throughout the trip. Even the loss of AC on a 10 hour trip is as bad as a broken battery
- got caught in the middle of a thunderstorm while walking up a mountain... and with the jungle-like setting, pouring rain, deafening thunder, and water surging down the muddy mountainside path, it was pretty much a "movie moment"... that was appreciated much more once we were dry.
- saw an endless amount of breath-taking views of Mayon, a perfect cone-shaped volcano. Particularily during a night thunderstorm (it's rainy-typhoon season here, you know), the lightening would outline Mayon, and you could see a light red glow from the lava at the top.... absolutely amazing.
- visited the church ruins of Cagsawa, where the local people fled during the eruption of Mayon about 1814, but became trapped inside.
- visited a black sand beach for a Sunday picnic
- climbed a small mountain portraying 7 stations during the last days of Christ's life before crucifixion... and some people even picked some pineapples from a field on top.
- went for a caribau ride - which, by the way, is not the same as the caribou
- got covered in mud while planting some rice.... hopefully all without ruining the farmer's field
- ate some of the smallest edible fish in the world from Lake Buhi - Sinarapan/tabios
- went fishing by boat in Lake Buhi for some Tilapia fish (spelling unsure... again) and took some amazing photos of the lake and mountains before sunset
- made several more HIV/AIDs presentations for churches, pastors, youth, and another highschool.
- met up with some youth from Britain who were working with street children in the city of Legaspi
- spent some time with a tribal community, meeting them and hearing how they live. They are Chrisitians, making their life by tenant farming some of the most beautiful land I have ever seen. Their rice fields, surrounded by a background of mountains, buko and banana trees, are made as layered landscape for ease in irrigation, and I doubt I will ever see such a view like that again. It was, in short, INCREDIBLE!
- were spoiled with hotels that had AC and hot water for showers... except for the one without water, and the other with... cockroaches, very big cockroaches...
Unfortunately, I got a bad cold during the trip and lost my voice for a day or so, but as was well as we experienced and saw so many amazing things, particularily with the tribal community, and the ways of farming here in the Philippines. It was like God was just displaying his awesomeness left and right at every turn. There was even one day where we found ourselves with an empty morning, free of schedule. Once we realised this the previous day, we showed up at a national highschool, explained who we were and asked if we could make a presentation. Immediately, the prinicipal agreed and arranged for us the next morning at 8:30 am. Not only was it incredible that they were willing to take us in on short notice, but we were given two senior classes, and we presented to 140 kids at once. Normally, we have from 30-50 students! During one part of the presentation, the students break into 5 different groups for different stations, making nearly 30 students per station! PLUS it began to rain (again!), and with the schools set up as they are, with open windows and small rooms, many stations were outside under a covering, and we had to huddle together as close as possible for everyone to hear us. It was definitely a challenging but interesitng experience for the SMP team... not to mention that we only had 1 Tagalog-speaking peer educator with us to Bicol.
And now, here I am again, back in the province of Laguna at my host family's house. Today there were plans for a practice in Los Banyos to prepare for presentation in LB national highschool on Monday.... 4 presentations in one day. However... H1N1 continues to be a problem here, and as of now, the school will be closed on Monday because of the worry about H1N1. Not only does this cause another (as per usual) expected wrinkle in the schedule, but we can only pray that once the school does open, they will actually allow foreigners to come into the school at all.
Currently, the plan is to have a practice for LB on Monday, and on Tuesday, the SMP team will be heading on "vacation" to Bohol with Ate Gladys (our missionary) and her family. What happens after that is yet another adventure waiting to come.
Over one month into my stay here in Philippines, many questions remained unanswered, and I am prepared for them to remain so, even perhaps once I have returned back to Canada. But the incredible thing is, whether planting rice, climbing mountains, checking for cockroaches,or taking in the view, God never ceases to amaze and display just how AWESOME He is.
Is that not sweet, or what?
That's what I thought.
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