For Now.

I sat down on Southend beach today and yesterday, and as I looked out to sea, I thought desperately of returning to the Philippines. I miss it so much. I miss the way the kids run up to me for a hug, and how the stars shine brightly in the night sky. I miss the way the sun comes up every morning at 5am, and merges gloriously back into the horizon at 5.30pm. I miss the way the people say good morning. I miss the smiles on the kids faces. I miss the feeling that what I was doing was actually making a difference. That I was part of something so great, so life changing.

And I thought of all the things here in Southend that are simular. Of the things that I'm involved with that maybe don't change lives as dramatically as building someone a house. But of the small things in life that really make a difference in someones life. And I guess, at some point in the future, I will return to the Philippines, and experience life out there once more. But for now, life is here. Home is here. And I have to make the best of that.

Accepting that doesn't make the heart ache any less, or the sinking feeling in my stomach any easier to bear, but it reminds me that life goes on. And life must continue, here and there, as it always has done. And if you see me anytime... I'd appreciate a hug.

Karaoke! Karajokey!

No trip to the Philippines would be complete without having a go at karaoke. When you are wandering in a mall, or in the streets of Manila, it is not uncommon to hear an ethereal sound of voices, from a distance, then, as you approach closer, you often wish you were walking in the opposite direction.

Many filipinos have very beautiful voices. Think Lea Salonga, for one. And our friends Lourdes and Jheneth in particular from Payatas sing beautifully. BUT. It seems to be a rule that those who enjoy karaoke do so because they may well not be allowed near a microphone under any other circusmtances!! There are karaoke bars in malls, and generally you see an enthusiastic singer at the microphone, and many others listening. I am never too sure whether they have nothing better to do or are patiently awaiting their turn, and hoping that if they sat and listened, others will do the same when they step up to the mike.

We were on our way back from Sipalay, and stopped at a roadside restaurant for the CR (essential term for anyone journeying in the Philippines), and sure enough, in a deserted restaurant, was a karaoke machine, and the owner or manager was belting out a song, to no-one in particular. Least said about it, the better, except to say that it was no surprise the restaurant was deserted and that we only stopped for a comfort break, not even a drink....

Still, when in Rome, as they say.... On the Thursday evening, having spent a very satisfying two days at Payatas at the build, we all went out for a meal, including the four young people we had invited back to the accommodation with us, as a treat. And afterwards, seven of us decided that the night was yet young, and we also wanted a beer (!) so we headed for the karaoke bar, perhaps to give the Philippines a taste of its own medicine, or to unleash our vocal talents on an unsuspecting neighbourhood. The bar was not packed. There were the seven of us, about four staff, the owner, as far as I could make out, and a drunk bloke. The beers were ordered, and dutch courage was produced, as one by one, we had our go. Josh first, with his tour de force version of Mustang Sally. I should add that part of the attraction is that these machines score the singer's performance, though I have never quite recovered from the shame of being beaten out of sight by one of Emma's daughters, who sang the same song as me, but out of tune, missing words out, etc, but LOUDLY. There is the key, I think. Because Josh sang it very well, very enthusiastically... But sadly, did not turn the microphone on, so did not register a score. Null points for Great Britain, though not for the first time....

After much persuasion, up I stepped to the mike. I even switched it on.... And sang "Yesterday" by the Beatles, with the distinct advantage that the backing was recognisable, as was my singing. Result, 94, and the machine's reassurance that I am well on my way to being a star.... I could relax now.

Up steps Ami, with Maroon 5's "She will be loved". I am not sure whether the machine got confused by gender issues, as it is a song which should be sung by a boy to a girl, or whether some of the last bit of the song was a bit different from the original which makes it hard to sing along. I am not going to recall her score - truth be told, I can't remember it, but it was lower than mine, haha.

Then Deb. She sang Fairground Attraction's "Perfect". Better known now for its use in a supermarket ad. It was a good effort, enthusiastically received by the "crowd" in the bar, but still not up to Jo's standard. Not quite perfect, according to the machine.

And then, Reg. Selecting that well known karaoke classic, Amazing Grace. Actually, that was one of many christian songs and hymns in the catalogue, reflecting the Philippines strong Christian ethic. Four verses later, delivered in a way which would have made our old choir mistress at church proud of Reg, and he too scored 94. Or was it 92? My desire to win the competition is not that great.... Anyway, a good job...

But we were saving the best till last. The combined forces of the UK and the Philippines. A literally show-stopping duet between Ian and some random Filipino bloke in the bar, who had been very appreciative of our efforts up till then. Sadly for Ian, random Filipino bloke chose the song, and Ian did not know it. Even more sadly, neither did the random filipino bloke. So we were treated to three minutes of karaoke komedy kaos!!! Much to everyone's amusement. Particularly when the bloke decided he really needed to get really close to Ian, to share the microphone. I forget the score, but it really was immaterial. This was one of the funniest moments of the trip. We laughed till tears were streaming down our faces. Maybe we needed the release of laughter, after what we had seen earlier, on Father Paul's tour.

Needless to say, that was an act impossible to follow. So Emma, our last representative, did not get the chance to demonstrate her vocal skills. Was she upset? I think not...

We made our way back to the accommodation, happy that we had shared in one of the Philippines' favourite social activities. And probably performed better than many a hapless British Eurovision entrant. Well, the machine scored us high...

The Payatas Youth Centre Build

After the shopping opportunities of Tuesday, Wednesday saw the team get back to the serious stuff. A build had been "organised" at the Youth Centre in Payatas. I say organised advisedly. Emma had been feeling a bit frustrated by a lack of communication re this part of the trip. Accommodation and drivers were fine, but a day or so before our arrivalin Manila, we really did not know for certain what would be happeneing. Hence the discussions with Father Paul and Mhel on the Tuesday.

This is the Philippines. The fluidity of arrangements is something you just have to get used to. But that is a two sided coin. This is the PHILIPPINES!!! And the flexibility and fluidity is something to be celebrated. I guess it is quite likely that if we were due to attend something or even arrange somethinmg in the UK, and plans did not fall into place, we may be inclined to cancel, or say let's do it some other time. Here, it seems that the willingness and flexibility of people to pull things together at the last minute is a real strength. Certainly, when we turned up at the Youth Centre on the Wednesday morning, there was no shortage of Youth for Christ young people to set to with the landscaping of the slope in front of the centre. There were plants in one of the halls, ready to be put in place once the "beds" had been designed. And later in the day, some materials arrived, to enable some concreting to be done.

All youth builds start with worship. Some singing, some prayers, and a real sense that God was in the midst of us. Some of the songs really made one think. I hope Alison won't mind me mentioning, but there was one particular song which we sang a couple of times which talked about giving our all to God, and we both remarked on the trust and faith people were demonstrating, and the joy, despite having relatively little in material terms.

The work was quite strenuous, though not as technically demanding as at Joyland. The team worked like troopers, shifitng a lot of earth, mixing cement, etc, and Alison, Ami and Ellie in particular have left their white mark on the third hall, having painted the walls with the longest roller pole I have ever seen!!! The second day, the girls and Reg got involved with the planting, and others got involved in laying the path, and it is wonderful to see the effect on the Youth Centre. Two really good days of working with the young people of the area, to help them continue to build a centre for young people to attend, learn at, etc. The hope is that more and more, it will become a place for the youth of the area to attend, get off the streets, put aside their problems with drugs, gang culture, etc, and find new hope. That is why, as a team, we decided late in the trip to donate some of the money raised to fund a sound system to be used atthe Centre, and a basketball net for the court which was started on the Crowe / Chapman, Randall team, back in October last year (it is wonderful to see the progress made, every visit).

More another time. I have got another plane to catch!!!!

Cause Every Song's Got Analyn In

Look down where those battered shoes lay
Ruined remains of a life, now rotting on the rubbish heap
They once ran down muddy paths
In and out of makeshift huts and houses
And now they lay, abandoned.
Tattered and torn.

Look down where that battered dress lay
Ruined remains of a life, now rotting on the rubbish heap
It once danced on a concrete platform
In and out of many laughing children
And now it lays, abandoned.
Tattered and torn.

Look down at where that body lay
Shameless excuse of life, on the rotting rubbish heap
She scavenged this place for something to sell
In and out of toxic rivers
And now she sleeps here, abandoned.
Hope tattered and torn.

Look down at the house where that baby lay
A new life, where poverty reigns
He will live and die in this place
Just like so many before him.
Innocent now, as he lays, new born.
In muddy rags, tattered and torn.

Ami Wager © 10th April 08

Reflections

I find reading Jo’s latest blog very challenging, it takes me back to the first day we were on Negros without any perception of what Joyland was but listening to Rick Sutcliffe preaching about being prepared for the spiritual battle we are in. Three day later, I could equate to exactly where he was coming from and the latest challenge alluded to in Jo’s blog only strengthens my conviction of how important the work of Joyland will be in the future. Please pray for the work there, I believe it can make such a difference.

Having been back in the UK now for a few days, I have had time to reflect and consider the impact of the last two weeks. Having left for the trip deliberately with no pre-conception or expectation, I return encouraged by how the four strands of work that we were involved in all seemed to come together and a clear vision of the future and how this interlinking will continue emerged.

Our objective for this trip was to make a difference, in this respect I believe the object has been fulfilled.

In Dacutan, the money given to the village will enable the sustenance of fishing to be maintained and enhanced, hence nutrition should increase and poverty ultimately decrease in time. The children have had leisure opportunities as a result of the visit.

The work of Joyland has already, and will in the future, relieve the social burden of families in the village and increase the educational opportunities for the children. The enhancement of the facilities there will add to the quality of life of the children.

The work of the Youth Centre in Payatas is growing and aims to change the culture and outlook of youth away from drugs and violence to “hope” through knowledge of Jesus Christ, a faith already displayed in the PYFC members that was very humbling.

There has already been a willingness of Payatas Youth For Christ volunteers to go to Negros and work with the youth of Dacutan, some of the surplus funds from this project will help support them in their work in the short term.

And finally, the ongoing commitment of Gawad Kalinga to improve housing stock in Dacutan and Payatas will all contribute towards making that difference count in the future. Our contribution to a Gawad Kalinga building project in Tatalon was purely manual labour, transporting sand and shale 500m from the road to the construction site, yet the interest and help we witnessed from the community that afternoon is what the charity is all about – I should add that we were also assisted by 20 Payatas YFC members, having worked with us on their own youth centre over the previous two days.

It has challenged me very much to look at how I perceive mission and the importance we collectively place upon it. It is very easy to get carried away with localised projects, but we must remember that as important these are, the wider overseas mission we are called to support is also important, and perhaps the time has come where overseas mission has to take a higher priority in all our church’s outlook.

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve in this way, the video I have posted below hopefully shows the difference our limited and small presence made to the external appearance of the centre, compared to the historic photo above.

Payatas Youth Centre

Something Extra.

Well, I've started the Avenue and the Philippines group on Facebook cause I thought it would be a good way of publicising this even more, plus everyone who joins the group can upload photos, I've put all mine on there of the Joyland kids, adorable. :)


We all came back from this trip with something extra. For some, it was a new found meaning in life, a new love for people living far away, for children, for others, it was new friends and new relationships with old aquaintances. Glen just came back with a hole in his head. (What a day...) Nah. It was seriously awesome.


However, went to the Doc's today, I have a mosquito bite on my leg thats been looking a bit dodgy and my legs been a bit achy these last few days, doctor took one look at it and put me on a course of anti-biotics. Its a bit awkward, going to have to try and keep it dry and remember to take the tablets an hour before I want to eat. Still, would I change anything about the trip? Not for the world.

And onward to Manila

I should have mentioned that whilst most of the team were resting over the middle weekend, at the beach resort in Sipalay, Josh was not with us. He had intrepidly decided to go with a whole crowd of young people from Payatas in Manila, to attend the International Leaders Conference (ILC) in Tagaytay, south of Manila. He is really the best person to describe that, so come on Josh, get typing!!!!!

So he was already in Manila, and we joined him early on Tuesday morning, having spent our final day at Joyland, finishing off the verandahs (well, all but, as we ran out of corrugated iron for the third one). We caught a very early flight (such dedication) so were in Manila early. Still it is which never sleeps, so it was plenty lively enough. We went for breakfast (we even managed to find a Subway outlet, to tmake a few of us feel really at home), and then on to the Mall of Asia, the biggest mall in this area of the world. Plenty of shopping opportunities there, though I had the dubious privilege of watching Anna, Ellie and Chris "performing" on the ice skating rink, much to the amusement of many watching filipinos. The rink bills itself as the place where Olympic dreams are born..... Well, all I can say is that I was not watching three budding champions!!!

We had pizza and drinks for about 18 in Shakys, and after more shopping, most of the team were driven top the overnight accommodation for the next four nights in Bulacan, north west of Manila. For most people it was their first full taste of an extended journey through Manila traffic. An experience... Emma, myself and Ellie stayed back for meetings with Father Paul and Mhel, the youth worker, both regarding the build which would be taking place over the next few days and about Heart of the Father issues. That meant we had a very interesting and long journey back to Bulacan by public transport. It is worth describing, another time, perhaps...

Beach Life

It was not all work. Although there were real times of refreshment, even in the midst of the hard work, simply because the people we spent time with were so refreshing and open, we did build in some rela relaxation time as well. Over the Friday to Sunday of the first week, Emma had scheduled in a trip to Sipalay, a beach resort on the western coast of Negros. Lovely beach, warm water, great scenery, good food, a total slow down of pace of life, good diving facilities, which were enjoyed by Deb, Ian, Emma and two of her daughters. A few of the others snorkelled. I had the joy of Ami sharing a starfish with me.... (thanks Ami!!!)

The few pictures below may help to give a flavour.....

Joyland Update

At the risk of making the team jealous, I will give a little update on Joyland.

I have been out to Joyland each day this week, to deliver Emma's Deborah to Tagalog lessons. It has been a joy, to share a bit of normal life with a lot of the kids, just for a few minutes each day, and to see how smoothly it runs, and how happy and content the children are, even without Pastor Rick and Suzet there, as they are taking a well earned break back home in Oz.

You will be happy to know, team, that despite some very high winds this week, and a lot of rain, the structures are looking good and solid.....

Even in Rick and Suzet's absence, the problems continue for Joyland, as this week, they had news that people from the barangay (local community) had been complaining that the children were being used as child labour. All because they do some gardening, and are having the joy of growing their own vegetables. I was there yesterday morning when they were proudly digging up some veggies they had planted themselves!!! Grant and Vanessa communicated with Rick and Suzet by e-mail, and Suzet answered in typically feisty fashion. "Let them come and see what we are doing here. We have nothing to fear. If anyone let these kids down, it was the local council, the local community."

The issue of the child labour has been resolved. The barangay captain came, visited, took photos, and is happy that they are treating the children very well.

When you hear some of the stories of these kids, you realise just what they have been saved from. But also look at their lives now, and see what they are being saved to.... Security, good nutrition, a roof over their heads, education, a future. Life in its fullness. And, of course, love.

On the way there this morning, I passed a funeral cortege. I have no idea how old the dead person was, or how they died. Buit it is quite conceivable that it was a child as young as those at Joyland, either dead through malnutrition or a preventable disease, or an accident on an unlit road at night. I mentioned it to Grant when I got there. And he said that the crazy thing about the criticism they have been receiving is that it is quite likely that some of the kids there now would not have lived to the end of this year, if it had not been for the intervention of Joyland in their lives. Their futures.

Avenue team, you have been a part of that.... And from the sound of things at our discussion on the last evening, we want to be an ongoing part of it. Any support will be welcomed...

Well what can I say !!!

We are all safely back home except for Jo who stayed behind with Emma and the girls. The 2 weeks were quite an experience and the 2 farewell parties at Dacutan & Payatas, plus the farewell at Joyland was quite a tear renching experience for most of us.

Jo has kept you all up to date with the first week, but thought you would like to see a couple of photo's. As most of you know, I am a man of little words so will let some of my photo's do most of the talking.

1st Photo: Gordon and myself after constructing the timber frames worked on the large veranda roof, leaving the others to complete the side roofs. This is the point the Joe and Glen realise that they have run out of corugated tin roof and that the job cannot be completed before we leave.

2nd Photo: is of Rick & Suzet with a look of gratitude for all the work we had done.

3rd Photo: A farewell shot of the team and children at Joyland

It was at this point that the children finally realised that we were not coming back for a long time and did not want to let us go.


The next couple of photo's is of the magnificent view of where we would stay for our weekend break and views of the resort, which is totally different to what we had been acustomed to.





and then the party and meal at Dacutan.

The following were some of the most heart rendering views of the poverty at Payatas, a total difference to the time we had spent on the beach.



Father Pauls Home which he is sharing with another family, need less to say we left in deep thought and prayer that they can overcome these terible conditions and what if anything we could do to help.



I have many more photo's of our trip, too many to show on here, so ask me to see them the next time you see me at church of may be we could organise an evening for all the team to show the photo's they took.

Despadida!!!!

"Despadida" means party. Have you ever felt that you have never really understood the meaning of a word, until you have had a certain experience? After the first Thursday of the team's visit, I do. I have been to parties before, but up until that Thursday night, I don't think I had ever really partied. I think we all experienced an amazing sense of the party spirit on the Thursday evening, when we went to Dacutan, for a celebration of the time we had spent with the children and young people from the village.

Many people come to the Philippines, and get involved in builds or youth work, and we can contribute a fair bit, give of our time, our hearts, our warmth. But in the process, we end up gaining far more than we have given.

The evening celebration at Dacutan will stay with us all. We gathered in front of the SIBOL school, in front of the schoolroom, the floor of which we were meant to have been helping to restore, but that project fell through, as another group will be doing that in due course. We only worked with the children and young people, and yet, we were honoured so much, just because we were there, sharing with them. It is hard to understand perhaps, because none of us would think we did anything special. But for the people in the village, not just the kids but also their parents and families, and others, the simple fact that people from a totally different culture had come there, sharing their lives with them, for even just a couple of days, was so important. It is incredibly humbling...

Our friends Lourdes, Lhen, Rafael and Jeneth from Payatas in Manila are currently working with Emma as mission volunteers, mainly in Dacutan. They had done loads of work with the kids and young people to prepare for the Despadida, as had the techers from the SIBOL school, and the local Handmaids of the Lord. The youngest children greeted us with a song ("Welcome to the family, we're glad that you have come to share our lives with us, as we grow together"), and they moved up the age groups with items, including several dances, and the anthem of Gawad Kalinga (which means to give care). Josh sang one of his own songs, and each of the team were invited to speak. All did so, very movingly, I thought. All shared, in one way or another, what the time with the children and young people had meant to them.

As you know, we had raised funds at a few events, and Dacutan was to be the recipient of some of those funds, in particular the money raised at the gig at the Ship Pub on Easter Saturday. I had the privilege of handing over 25,000 PHP (just over £300) to the Kapitbahayan (community association), which will help to fund five new motors for fishing boats - this is more practical than our original thought of one new fishing boat, as it will keep five boats going. This news was greeted with much joy and appreciation.

After the formal bit, the party really started. There on the sand, in front of the school, the music was cranked up, the dancing started, the food was shared, and the place that Dacutan held in the team's heart grew even larger. It was an amazing evening. All the team got up and danced. It was impossible not to. Some very interesting dance moves were unveiled, some more by luck than by judgment. There were impromptu story telling sessions, loads of "Pictyooor" requests, and a level of happiness and joy was evident which quite frankly puts us in our western comfort zones to shame... These families have so little, yet they have something very precious too. Presents were given, shell necklaces as keepsakes to the team. One of the fishermen gave me his wristband, and although it is uncomfortably small for me, it is something I will really treasure.

Eventually, we had to leave. We had an escort back to the van, along the beach and through the village, by cellphone light. No street lamps here. That was one of many difficult goodbyes which the team experienced. But maybe the difficulty of the goodbyes is a measure of just how memorable the day had been...

Some further updates on the first week

Well, I know that the team is back in the UK now, and I hope they will use the blog to download some of their thoughts on the fortnight in the Philippines. And some people reading this may even have begun to hear some stories, straight from the horses' mouths, so to speak. But I thought that, given a bit of a lull today, I would post some updates on what we actually did, then leave team members to add their thoughts.... (he says, elliptically).

The team did a major amount of work on the varandahs at Joyland over the Monday to Wednesday, so we felt everyone needed a break from that. Gordon and Reg in particular had toiled like Trojans under the sun, so we packed them off on a jaunt to Silay, known locally as the Paris of Negros. No Champs Elysee or towers there, though some of the driving reminds me a lot of driving round Paris. But there were plenty of old buildings to prove of interest, and from what we hear, some of the locals enjoyed getting an eyeful of two white guys, taking photos and enjoying life in a filipino provincial town. Reg's photos are particularly good, so grab a look sometime. You may even get a tale or two of some friends he made!

I went out to Joyland to pick up the older kids, who then joined about 50 kids aged between 9 and 13 at the swimming pool on Emma's subdivision. It was great seeing the joy on their faces, and their enjoyment of swimming in a pool. We had taken a lot of these kids to a pool back in October on the Crowe / Chapman / Randall team, so we were pretty sure they would enjoy the experience. But it may well have been a first for some of the Joyland kids.

That is Joey in the pink rubber ring, posing for the photo. The first day we went to Joyland, Joey sat on his own, crying. By the next day, he was everyone's friend, posing for loads of pictures, and the swimming did him a power of good too. A few weeks ago, he was quite literally living on the streets of Silay .. Vanessa, the social worker at Joyland, showed me his spot the other day. He is still sad sometimes at night, as he is the only one of the 15 kids living there who does not have a sibling living there, but his life is so different now, so much better. I have a real soft spot for Joey... He so much exemplifies what CAN be done for children and young people here, as long as people care enough.

Around lunchtime, there was a change of shift at the pool. The younger Dacutan kids went back to the village, the Joyland kids were delivered back home, Reg and Gordon were collected from their wanderings, and the older young people (aged 14 to around 18) replaced the younger Dacutan kids. Again, much enjoyment, though a lot more posing and performing to impress from this bunch..... Teenagers, the world over, perhaps.... But again, still, great gratitude for the outing...

But I think all of the team would say that what little we gave to them, we received so much back in return, later that evening.....

A few pictures from Joyland

Hi all

Here are a few pictures of work the team did on the verandahs at Joyland (ie we built these!!), and a group picture of the wonderful kids who live there.

Jo

Muicha Kang Itlog! (Jo...)

So we've been here a whole week now, and so much has happened that it will be a little hard to write it all in one blog! I am sure you are all desperate to hear all the details of 'when I was in the Philippines' but you shall have to wait another week!

Highlights have definately been playing with the kids at Joyland, each of them has a special character and dynamic that adds to the group experience, and even the ones that were shy and unwilling to join in last Sunday got a fair few piggy backs when we were there yesterday! I had the added pleasure of hearing them all sing 'Happy Birthday' last Monday in the classroom (I was the cause of many a classroom disturbance...) and using my skills of making 'Star bucks' out of cardboard, which are actually origami boxes....

The swimming parties and the McDonalds trip with the kids from Dacutan was also heartmelting. The kids are so happy to limpit themselves to you whilst swimming, even if you can bearly keep your own head above the water! Visiting the village on Thursday night and sharing festivities with the locals was also a major :D in all of our weeks - its amazing how well some of the members of the team can move on the dancefloor... We also had the chance to hang out with the Payatas volunteers over the last week and get them to teach us some Elongo and Tagalog, useful words I tell you, useful phrases. I am sure Jo will be most appreciative of my new ability to insult him in two languages... ;)

Jo and Emma have been great transporting us around and they had a well deserved rest at the weekend when we went to a Diving Resort in Sipilay, (South West Negros) It was great to experience a different side to Filipino life, relaxing on the beach, listening to music and drinking Ice drinks... a different experience indeed!

Saying goodbye to the Joyland kids was heartbreaking yesterday, Manang Ami was asked many a time if she would be back Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday... unfortunately the answer was a no. But when pressed for an answer I had to say, 'Fibe hundred sleeps...' The look on Resthor's face will stay with me...

Still, a new week is ahead, and a new adventure. Manila has the pleasure of our presence for the next week, and then life continues, a little differently than before. I have changed, in proportions that blogs cannot record. But you will see, next time we meet. Until then my friends.

God Bless.
xxx

Stage 1 complete - On to stage 2

It's Tuesday and we're passing through Manila on our way to our next base outside the city. Yesterday we finally finished the verandas at Joyland. Needless to say like all building projects it overran and had the usually problems of the wrong size materials and sufferred other minor practical difficulties - nevertheless, we still managed to complete 2 structures along the sides of the buildings and the shell and roof of the extension on the back. Joyland is an amazing project and we all look forward to sharing more on our return.

In Dacutan, we were (fortunately) unable to do any work, I say fortunately as it involved breaking up a cracked concrete floor with only hand tools. Although part had sunk, the rest looked remarkably firm and not something that could have been done in the two days, instead we were able to redeploy the time to Joyland as mentioned above. Anyway, the Chinese who built the school room and youth centre in the first place are to return to fix it.

So on to Payatas and a landscaping project in the youth centre, and all that it may bring. It has been great so far using time and effort to help make a difference with the work here - more will follow in due course I'm sure.

Glen

Dacutan outings

So, last time I wrote, some of the guys were finishing off the verandahs at Joyland (check out the photo I have added to the earlier post), on the Wednesday, which left the women in the team, and Chris, Jo and Josh to go with a group of 30 or so 3 to 6 year olds from Dacutan, the local fishing village we are supporting, to MacDonalds.

We were dropped off in the village, and for some of the team, they got their first view up close and personal of some of the conditions in which the poorest of the poor are living in this country. We actually ended up walking through the village and back to the road, to join the kids on the bus. We were accompanied by the teachers from the village school and some of the Payatas Mission Volunteers, plus members of a formidable group called the Handmaids of the Lord. Mostly former teachers, and single ladies, through whatever life event, who are great at organising events, and more noticeably, the children!!!! The kids were excited but pretty overwhelmed by the experience at first. We take trips to a fast food restaurant for granted. For some of these children, it may have been their first time out of the village. Certainly, from the looks on some of the faces, it was the first time they had driven past Robinsons, the big shopping mall on the main street to MacDonalds. We were joined by the seven children of similar age from Joyland, and even though we had spent a few days with them, they too seemed a bit overwhlemed by the experience.

Mcdo's had laid on the food, paid for by Heart of the Father, and a compere for the morning, and whilst she was bright and chirpy and welcoming, it was clear she did not have a clue regarding the circumstances from which these kids had come. They had several games and races, and a dancing competition, which proved that even at the age of six, some of these kids have a natural rhythm that we can only dream about!!! That point was to be well and truly emphasised the following day.

One noticeable thing is that a lot of the children ate their fries and drank their drink, but kept their burger to take home for brothers and sisters who could not come... We also noticed that they were dressed in what looked like not only their best clothes, but possibly even new clothes, and Deb in particular commented that it may have been that other kids in the families may not have been able to come, as they could not afford new clothes for all, so maybe that was why the burgers remained uneaten... We only hoped that the families had not gone without in order to enable their kids to take advantage of this "free" outing.... After the meal and games, there was some time in McDo's play area (there is no truth in the rumour that some of the kids could not play on the slide, as some of the adults went down it and got stuck!!!), and then, the coach picked us all up to take us over the road to the swings and slides at the local park. The kids warmed to this, and it was all pretty exuberant, with only one injury.... But what was sad was that there were other young kids there who seemed to be living in the park, and almost seemed even poorer than the ones we were helping...

After what seemed all too short a time, the bus came to pick the kids up, and off they went back to their everyday lives. The Joyland kids stayed on for a while, and we then had the joy of taking them back, and seeing the hard work of Gordon, Reg, Ian and Glen, plus Rafael, the other Payatas Mission Volunteer, at Joyland. The verandahs were almost finished, and it was clear that the work was much appreciated by Rick and Suzet....

There was very much a sense of a job well done, by the end of that particular day, but more joy was to follow on the Thursday....


Jo

Update from the Far Flung Ones

Well, we have not been very good at keeping our avid readers up to date, have we? All kinds of reasons for that. Internet coverage at Emma’s house has been very intermittent; we have not been near or by an internet cafe very often; and we have been so busy, doing the stuff we came out here to do....

So, this is a bit of a progress report. The team arrived safely from the UK on Saturday evening (29th March), dropped their stuff off at the accommodation and freshened up, then got their first taste of native fare, with a trip to the Bacolod Chicken House, for chicken and rice, then a touch of Bacolod cafe society, with pudding and coffee at Cafe Bob’s. A gentle enough introduction..

Sunday, after breakfast, we went to Promise City Church, the local church Emma attends. Rick, the pastor (a straight talking Aussie) and Suzet, his Filipino wife, also run Joyland, a children’s home in Silay, which currently houses 15 kids, but educates an additional three more, with plans for more to join in due course. More about that later. Church was good, with some great worship led by a pretty awesome band, and a typically straight to the point (though very funny) sermon from Rick, about fighting the fight of faith. That was quite an apt reminder, that when we are engaged in the Christian life, really engaged in it, and not just playing at it, we are likely to go through tough times, encounter opposition, have to fight our way through. The events immediately leading up to the team’s visit, with the fire at Emma’s house, was a reminder that things do not always go according to plan, In a way, it seemed like the worst preparation, but it could have been so much worse, and God’s hand in limiting the damage to property, and also to preventing the potential damage to Emma and her girls, was evident. Some of us found ourselves thinking that it would be a pretty good mission trip, if that was the level of opposition...

After lunch on Sunday, we went out to Joyland, to the children’s home, and the team got their first introduction to the 15 wonderful children, aged between 2 and 12, who live there. 6 of them moved there just before Christmas, and the remaining 9 towards the end of January. These kids were living in the worst extremes of poverty, and were extremely shy and pretty shell-shocked, just a few months ago. Now, the majority of them are really beginning to feel at home in the safe environment at Joyland. Rick and Suzet have a great team around them, and the kids really know they are loved and cared for. And on Sunday afternoon, they had a whole load of extra titos and titas (Uncles and aunts) looking after them. It was a lovely couple of hours, getting to know the kids a bit, getting them used to us..... A few of the guys (Gordon, Reg, Glen) who were clearly identified as the brains of the building outfit from Avenue, surveyed the building works required, and came up with a plan to construct the three verandahs which we had been tasked to provide. The others built something different. Friendships, relationships, which are so important out here. The building guys found that a good few necessary tools were not available, but the others only really needed to use two main tools, which we had in ready supply.... A big smile, and a loving heart.... Both were really easy to use, being with the kids made it impossible not to respond with love, and smiles and laughter.

It was dark by the time we left, and we went back to Cafe Bob’s for a snack and coffee, before the hard work of the next few days began.

Monday, after breakfast, we travelled out to Joyland, together with four volunteers from the Payatas area of Manila, who are over in Negros, working with Emma amongst the young people at Dacutan. The guys were engaged in either grunt work (digging holes, shifting wood, mixing cement, etc) or skilled labour (constructing the verandahs round the school room and one of the dorms); Ami, Alison and Deb were included in the classroom activities, reading to the kids, practicing conversational English, etc; and the Payatas volunteers were set to cooking, etc. Round about 3.30, school finished, and that was the cue for a lot of play time, to take over from the the work, for most of the team. Tuesday saw us do more of the same, and although we had some frustrations, including having to move some of the holes dug, in order to align the verandahs differently, and also obtain different corrugated iron sheets for the verandahs to match the existing roof, we got over these, and the English mentality coped pretty well with the Filipino way of life, pretty well, when all was said and done. Things are very different here!!!!

Due to some problems with the iron roofing sheets, we could not finish the job on the Tuesday as planned, but the building work some of the team were due to do on Wednesday and Thursday in Dacutan was not possible, due to a change of plan, by the local Gawad Kalinga community, so that proved beneficial, as it meant that the team could be split, with those who were more skilled in building being released to continue with the work at Joyland, and the others to concentrate on the kids activities.... More about that in another blog...

Suffice to say that the ability to be flexible and go with the flow is very necessary, and here it gave us the chance to finish what we started, to the great joy of the people at Joyland. We still have a couple of hours more work to do there, but we will finish that on Monday. At the same time, some wonderful relationships have been built with the children and staff there, who desperately needed some encouragement after the news that almost all of the kids were suffering from Tuberculosis, which will be very costly to treat. Some good news has come since, but the arrival of the UK team could not have come at a better time, to encourage Rick and Suzet, and it is great to see how the body of Christ can work together, across international boundaries, across cultures, etc. Faith in action.... God’s kingdom, coming, here on earth, in this part of the Philippines.

Enough for now...

Love Jo and the rest of the team

Hi from Doha!!!!

Hi all.

Jo here, posting from the internet room in the Silver Privilege Club lounge, at Doha Airport, at about 7 am local time (4 am back in the UK, midday in the Philippines). These frequent trips to the Philippines have many advantages, obviously, but the frequent flying and the associated benefits of that are not inconsiderable.

I was absolutely knackered leading up to the flight. As is usual, I tried to cram far too much in, before I left, but Ian and I had a good drive to Heathrow, and it took just a few minutes to check in... Qatar are brilliant!!!! Not only do they really look after you on the flights, but the check-in staff did not bat an eyeleid when they weighed my baggage, and the suitcase containing all the books for Joyland weighed 35 kilos alone!!!!! That is my total luggage allowance as a frequent flyer.... Luckily, I travel light, as I leave so much at Emma's, so my bag only weighed 12 kgs, and we did some shifting around, so it all balanced out.... [It remains to be seen how Cebu Pacific react. I have had no e-mail from them. Please pray for a helpful reaction, when I arrive at their terminal with 47 kilos of luggage (I am allowed only 20!!!!)]

Then into the United Airlines lounge for about 2 and a bit hours of rest and final calls home, then to the gate.... I love Qatar again. They voluntarily upgraded me to Business Class, so I had comfy seat, posh nosh, etc, on the first flight, which was smooth and no problem. I have said a few thank you's to God for the journey so far, which is helping to remove some of the stresses built up by the busyness of the time before departure....

I have a fairly long wait here before my flight on to Manila, but that is no real problem, with free food and drink on tap, and shower facilities, etc....

Much as I appreciate all of this, it is a weird way of preparing though for some of the sights and experiences we will come across in the Philippines. But we will be sharing ourselves, sharing our love for God, sharing our love for the people of this country, and the experiences of travel so far have served to renew me, just a bit, have given me the chance to rest more than I was expecting.

I wish my fellow soon to be far flung travellers a safe journey. It is going to be good!!!!

God bless, all.

Love Jo

(PS - see you soon, Em!)

My first ever blog!!

Hello!
I have just read everyones contribution to this so far & am impressed.
I have been looking forward to this trip ever since I commited to go.
I went to Delhi last summer with the BMS on a church team & the experience changed my outlook on life. It also 'grew' my faith more than I imagined could happen. So I know that things will change for me again, particularly as Glen & Chris are coming too. (I wish Laura was coming but university commitments are important to her at present. Another time maybe.) This time on my return I'll be able to share with people about experiences more easily because it will be shared with family members.
I know God has some new things for me to learn whilst we're away.
This morning I woke early with a great anxiety which I couldn't explain & have not had before. After praying about it the feeling lifted & now I feel a great peace. I can't say what that was about, but I am thankful to God for answered prayer.
Looking forward to seeing you all on Friday.

Three Days That Changed The World.

So its only three days till we set off on our adventure. (Most) bags have been packed, Jo is off this afternoon, final preparations have been set in motion, money has been raised, and emotions are running high. This is an adventure that will challenge us, upset us, and will leave us unable to ever be the same people again. There will be times of excitement, times of anticipation and of course, times of exhaustion; this is not a holiday. Its a chance to change lives, for the better. To have an impact on the world, on the individual worlds of individual people that we will meet and work with. A chance to take Christ to people who don't know where their next meal will come from, or what challenges the next day will bring. And most of all, it will be the chance to experience Christ in a new place, to experience the God that is present amongst suffering and pain, amongst poverty and hunger, and that mourns for those that the world has turned its back against.

Please continue to pray for us all, as we go. There will be lots to do, lots of people to meet, to help and to be helped by. I have no doubt there will be situations when it seems like we are not making a difference, times when we just won't know what to say (well, excluding Jo in that one... ) But there will also many times of sharing, and seeing some fruit of past efforts and work, and continued efforts and work, and moments of complete happiness in the faces of those who notice our love.

This story will continue... so keep watching. And learn with us as we grow, and as we change. Don't be afraid to ask questions, to experience some of that with us. Sometimes we will be ready to share, and sometimes not quite so. But we will work through that, as it comes. As each challenge rises and falls, as the sun dawns and sets. Tomorrow is a new day. The world is changing.

Update on Fund-raising

Hi to anyone who is checking in to this blog...

Well, it is Easter Monday, and all of our fund-raising activities are over.... It has been pretty successful, really.

The team of 10 have all paid for their trip expenses, including flights and living expenses, but on top of that, a trust associated with our church has contributed £1000 to cover the work we will be doing in Manila and Negros.

Furthermore, we have held a number of fund-raising activities, starting with the filipino meal held in December in the garden (yes, really!!!) of one of the team members - thanks Gordon and Irene for your hard work and generosity in this. Heart of the Father has just sent the £540 raised from that event to Puso Ng Ama, Heart of the Father's partner organisation in the Philippines, as part of a larger donation towards ongoing works at the Youth and Study Centre in Payatas.

A table sale at a coffee morning held at Debbie's work place raised £130. A gig at The Ship Pub in Leigh raised £170, on a very cold Easter Saturday evening, and we are really grateful for all the hard work of team members Debbie, Ian and Josh Chapman (who also opened the gig really well with a set of songs), Dane from Deb's workplace (who sang an interesting and entertaining set of songs with a roots reggae beat), and the 17 year old Sheila Lord, who wowed the crowd with her mature set of songs on acoustic guitar, accompanied by Ryan on keyboards. Sheila is half filipino, which added a lovely touch to the evening, especially as her filipino mum was in the audience....

The car wash this morning raised a further £225, and again, grateful thanks to the hardy bunch of volunteers who donated their sweat equity, to work on some really filthy cars (the owners will know which ones we mean!!!!) The worst of the cold weather held off, and we had fun doing it too. It reminded me a lot of the atmosphere on a team build on a GK site.... Fun and hard work, combined, in a good cause....

There have been a number of other donations and gifts, totalling £325, so we will be taking £850 out to the Philippines on Friday, which has more than met our target of being able to pay for a fishing boat for the village at Dacutan in Negros. Once we get there, the team will consult with Emma and local people, to decide what other projects to spend the balance of the money on.

Hence, overall, this trip has generated £2390 for the work in the Philippines, and hopefully, interest is still growing. To anyone and everyone who has supported the work so far, thanks very much. To anyone who has been inspired to give, then please contact us on our return, or by e-mail to JoCrowe.HeartoftheFather@blueyonder.co.uk

Thanks all, and we will try to keep you posted.

Love and God bless.

Jo

Partners

One of the fantastic things about going to, and working in, the Philippines is the way you find that partnerships spring up. One person talks to another, finds out that they are interested in the same issues, and then a conversation of real passion and mutual excitement begins. And out of those conversations come nation changing ideas, sometimes.... Admittedly, often, one family at a time, or one community at a time, but nation-changing, nonetheless.

As a team, we want to take out one extra suitcase, full of books and equipment, which we can give to the various projects where we will be working. For example, a whole load of books for Joyland.... Last time I travelled out in January, I took one suitcase, but mainly filled with books for the children's home, as I have so many clothes over there already. My suitcase wieghed 29 kgs, which was fine with Qatar Airlines, as I am a frequent flyer, but I had to pay a small extra baggage allowance with Philippines Airlines. They were very kind, gave me a concession, because I explained that the vast majority of the case contained items I was giving away to a charity. PAL were indeed my pal.... When I travelled with a team from my church to Romania last September, with British Airways, they also allowed us to take an extra suitcase full of gifts for an orphanage, free of charge. Good for BA too....

This time, I have approached Malaysia Airlines, with whom the team are travelling, regarding taking an extra suitcase. No way, was their answer.... And in fact, they wanted to charge £36 for every extra kg over weight... No help from MA there!!!!

I can carry up to 35 kgs with Qatar Airlines, due to my frequent flyer status. So, despite the risk to the length of my arms, I am quite willing to do it... Ian is driving me to the airport too, which will help. That gets me as far as Manila. But then, I am flying on to Negros, with Cebu Pacific. I fly with them very regularly. They are usually my "airline of choice" for internal flights in the Philippines. They are friendly, reasonably priced, usually on time, have a good safety record, and as an extra bonus, they play games during the flight!!!

So, last Monday, I sent their Customer Services an e-mail, asking whether they could let me carry the extra suitcase, and take up to 35 kgs in total... So that they can help us help some of the poorest of the poor in their country. No reply... I have sent two subsequent e-mails, but still no reply... I have now asked that the matter be passed on to Mr Lance Gokongwei, their Chief Executive Officer.... I have even suggested that they might like to feature a story about our trip in Smile Magazine, their in-flight magazine.... I will be happy to post the results of my enquiry here.

So come on, Cebu Pacific. Help us help the people of the Philippines....

Jo

Fund-raising

We have held a number of fund-raising activities, and arrangements have already been made for money from a Filipino meal held at Gordon and Irene Lovell’s house in December to be sent over by Heart of the Father. Debbie Chapman hosted a coffee morning at her work place, and the team arranged a gig at The Ship Pub on 22nd March, at which Josh and several of his friends played.

There is one last chance to contribute to funds for the work to be done out in the Philippines. On Monday 24th March, from 9.30 to 11.30 am, we are holding a car wash in the car park of Avenue Baptist Church, and refreshments will also be available in the Primary Hall. If you intend to go out for the day, but want your car all sparkly and clean, whilst you sit in a traffic jam, so fellow motorists can admire your shiny motor, or just feel you owe it to your car to give it a wash, perhaps for the first time since last September, when we did a car wash to raise funds for the Romania trip, then come along…

We have been raising money to buy a boat for the fishing village at Dacutan. Sometimes, boats get irreparably damaged in bad weather and that drastically affects a family’s livelihood. We are trying to support this village, having developed an affinity with it on the trip made by the Crowe and Chapman families back in October 2007, although Emma’s association with the village goes back several years, and I have visited several times since last February. So, if you can’t make the car wash, but still wish to contribute in some small way, then please either see me or another member of the team, before we fly. All contributions will be gratefully received.

Jo

Prayer Requests

Please pray for safe journeying for all concerned, both in getting there and during the fortnight, and for health for all, in what is a very different climate and conditions. Also, that we will all gel well as a team, and work together well, as well as with the Filipino people we meet. Pray that our work will be effective, and that we will achieve all that we set out to do, and cope with any flexibility and change which occurs (quite likely, in the Philippines). And that further bridges of friendship and fellowship are built between the people of Avenue Baptist Church and people in a totally different culture. And finally, that we will take Christ with us, that He will be in the midst of us, and that we will meet Him anew in the situations we encounter, in the challenges we face, and in the people we meet and work with.

Itinerary

Our itinerary is as follows:

Day & Date: Team Activity (Overnight)
Sat 29 March: Arrival in Manila/Negros (Eroreco, Negros)
Sun 30 March: Rest, Relax, Church (Eroreco, Negros)
Mon 31 March: Joyland (Eroreco, Negros)
Tues 1 April: Joyland (Eroreco, Negros)
Wed 2 April: Joyland/Dacutan (Eroreco, Negros)
Thurs 3 April: Dacutan (Eroreco, Negros)
Fri 4 April: Travel to Sipalay, Rest and Relax (Sipalay, Negros)
Sat 5 April: Sipalay – Rest and Relax (Sipalay, Negros)
Sun 6 April: Sipalay, then travel back to Bacolod (Eroreco, Negros)
Mon 7 April: Negros (Eroreco, Negros)
Tues 8 April: Travel to Manila, Mall of Asia (Bulacan nr Manila)
Wed 9 April: Payatas Build (Bulacan nr Manila)
Thurs 10 April: Payatas Build (Bulacan nr Manila)
Fri 11 April: Payatas/Tatalon Visit/build/Visit GK Sites (Bulacan nr Manila)
Sat 12 April: Visit Tagaytay (early departure) (Tagaytay nr Manila)
Sun 13 April: Departure from Manila, 4.45 pm (N/a)

The following background information will help to inform you about what we are doing:

Joyland is a Children's Home and School, near the hills of Silay, run by the pastor of Emma’s church and his wife, Rick and Suzet Sutcliffe. Joyland opened its doors to children in December 2007 and is already home to 20 children. Work on the premises is still ongoing and our contribution will be to pay for and build verandahs at the side and back of the school room. This gives the children a covered out-door play area in rain/bad weather. Approximate cost will be £350. The Joyland website (still under development) is at: http://www.www-joyland.org/

Dacutan is a Gawad Kalinga (GK) village by the shore line in Silay, Negros. About 20 of the houses were built by a Heart of the Father (HOF) team in 2004, which began our involvement in that place. Emma is helping to organise and run youth activities in the village, which has a high incidence of school drop outs. All families are dependent on fishing for a living and average family income is just £20 per month. This is below subsistence levels. It is important that we encourage education for all ages in the village, but the floor of one classroom has cracked due to subsidence of the sandy base. By repairing the floor we can accommodate another classroom for skills training. We are hoping that we can organise the older youth to come and help us build - there is no efficient means of transporting materials into the village, so manpower will be essential. Our plan is that half the team can choose to take the smaller children out of the village entirely on each morning. Then we can relax with the older youth in a swimming pool later on. The younger children (SIBOL) have never been taken on an outing before, so a trip to McDonalds is a first for them! The cost of these activities is around £40 per outing and we are still trying to source funds for the building materials from GK. You can see some of my pictures of the party we ran in Dacutan last October at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jocrowe/sets/72157602892572054/ and other pictures of Dacutan at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jocrowe/sets/72157602249111173/

Payatas is the area surrounding the main dumpsite in north Manila. We will be working alongside the young people there to continue working on the Youth Centre funded through HOF by the Spring Harvest Youth Offering in 2005. At present we anticipate that the main project will be landscaping the grounds, but there will be plenty of opportunities for relational activities with the young people there. We will try to build in some flexibility at this point for the team to decide what they would like to do - i.e., take some youth to Yellow Cab Pizza/Swimming/activities in Bulacan. Cost will depend on our final project budget (as yet to be decided - most other activities can be financed from money already paid in for team costs and previously pledged, but obviously the more money raised the more we can afford to do). You can see some of my pictures of Payatas at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jocrowe/sets/72157602245908812/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/jocrowe/sets/72157604020324471/ and the Youth Centre at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jocrowe/sets/72157600401816229/

Hope that helps to give a flavour of what the trip will entail.

Jo

Not Quite A Far Flung Traveller... Yet...

Hello! Least experienced traveller here! So the countdown is down to single figures now - just over 9 days before we travel. Am I excited? YES!!! Am I scared? YES! But do I know that our God is an awesome Provider and Protector? Absolutely!

I know that God is going to do some awesome things on this trip, both in our hearts, as volunteers, missionaries, far flung travellers, and in the hearts of the dear people who are going to accept and welcome us, teach us new things, share with us in the experiences we are going to experience. Am I looking forward to this trip? More than anything ever before. To be given the chance to do this, to have this experience, time to love, time to grow and time to learn from the people I will meet, is a great gift from God, and I cannot wait.

I definately have the smiles on this week. :D

Health Warning

This is not to make you worry, but I'm adding this as I'm researching about Tuberculosis.

On Tuesday I took about 20 children from Joyland and Dacutan to the health clinic, as we are trying to set up medical records for them so that we can monitor their health. Today we have had the results back for the TB tests and many are positive. This is not actually surprising as many of the kids at Joyland have lost parents to this disease - but what is surprising us is the fact that TB is now endemic here - and many of the people we work with in the villages are carrying it. I've just discovered that a teacher friend of mine has tested positive as well, which has really saddened me.

Please, please, please ensure that you have had your BCG vaccinations (and if you are not sure, get a HEAF test to find out). You will be exposed to tuberculosis when you are here. It's normally not a problem for healthy adults, and is fairly easily treatable with antibiotics - if medicine is available, which it is not for so many people in the Philippines. The BCG will give you an immunity so that you don't need to worry about picking up such an infectious disease - that way you'll be able to simply enjoy these children.

Thank you!!

And here, on the other side of the world .....

... plans and preparations are fully underway for your arrival.

We are busy adding detail to the itinerary.... Ian will be pleased to know that on Monday April 1, we will have a date with the 'Handmaids of the Lord' - dinner at my house, with some of the older single ladies of the community. They are real characters....

I've also been working out if we'll want a jeepney or two minivans whilst in Manila and friends in Bulacan province have been working out costings for our accommodation and food there (which reminds me, I need to email our itinerary and needs). People are getting excited. When teams come it means extra work for a lot of people (drivers, cooks and housekeepers) and the team funds provide much needed income for many, as well as the opportunity to get close to foreigners. Far from being disgruntled about the extra work, they are delighted that we would bother to come so far to the Philippines and will really want to engage. Nothing will be too much trouble!

I'm excited, too. Your arrival means that very disadvantaged children in Joyland Children's Home will get new covered play areas; children in Dacutan, an obscure fishing village, will be treated to McDonalds and Swimming and will begin to feel special, as if someone sees them and actually cares about the way they live. Youth in Payatas will be able to interact with you, sing, dance and build together, learning as they go as we build on a partnership that is now 5 years old. In Payatas, so many promises are made and broken, as politicians try to gain votes - these kids have seldom seen a work that keeps on growing and developing over years. Your presence alone means so much to them - and I can guarantee that they will come to mean a lot to you as well. It is very hard to forget their faces, their stories.

Thank you for your participation in this. I will look forward to meeting you at the new Bacolod/Silay airport on the 29th....

Emma (aka Green Frog).

The clock is ticking down....

So, the clock is ticking down....

Flights are booked. The team leaves in just over three weeks time.... March 28th is flight day. Flying to Manila, via Kuala Lumpur, on Malaysia Airlines, then to Negros Occidental via Philippine Airlines.

Arms are jabbed..... the team are inoculated against a few things.... How are the arms, Ami?

Bags are probably not quite being packed yet, but suitcase contents are probably being planned.... (Well, not by me, I usually pack the night before I fly!!!!)

Itinerary is being finalised, to sort out in which places and with which people we will be working.

And the team are gradually getting excited about the trip....

And well they might, as it will be a really good time away. Challenging, encouraging, heart warming.... and life-changing....

The far flung travellers - Alison, Glen, Chris, Debbie, Ian, Josh, Ami, Gordon, Reg and Jo - are about to depart soon.... ready to share, to give, to learn.....