1. Morning: visited a youth center that serves as a community rehab effort for boys (or at least this particular program we visited was all male): unwanted "stranded," delinquent/deviant, disabled boys and men. Most boys were ages 12-19.
We greeted one another with a name game in which we also detailed our age and favorite food. This was enlightening, as we learned some interesting Filipino dishes (such as: dinuguan- cooked pig's blood, balut- fermented partially-grown chicken eggs, isaw- fried chicken intestines, and fried fat treats derived from pig, cow, and various other animals). Most of the kids specified Jollibee's or "Chicken Joy" as their faves, which was great because that transitioned well into the meal we brought them; classic American fried chicken with a side of spaghetti and meat...somethings. (Needless to say I did not partake). But the kids loved it!
After sharing a meal, we taught some hand motions and words to a song. Being teenage boys, I was surprised to see they actually participated, let alone enjoyed themselves! I should mention most of these kids understood 0-very little English, so our Filipino youth-helper friends from our I Care sister-church interpreted back and forth.
Bethany and Elijah shared their testimonies, and the kids responded after listening respectfully, making comments like "You have big height" (to Elijah), and asking questions such as (to Bethany), "How is your skin so fair, like Snow White?!" Also to Elijah were more sobering questions: "We're your parents there for you as you grew up?" and "Whatever happens, will you still have God?"
Then Bethany and I got out the pointe shoes, and the boys went coocoo! Expect ally the younger ones, but even the teens were entranced by the toe shoes. Some boys put on our ballet flat-slippers while others watched on as Bethany and I put on our shoes before dancing. Aside from the movement of our dancing, the rest of the room became motionless, the boys watching us in awe. When we finished dancing, they could not get enough, and continued asking questions about our shoes, wanting us to dance with them, and more, more, more! They even asked to keep the CD of music tracks we had been using for the program, and the older boys were dancing away to it as we left!
Lastly, we played the game "Fruit Basket Upset" before saying goodbye for the day, promising to return tomorrow. They clung to us, not wanting to let us go out the front door of the gated enclosure.
2. Lunch: meals around here are beginning to share a similar trait: non-vegetarian. Even the potato salad had meat in it!!!
3. Prep work: included shopping for supplies, collecting supplies (rocks from around the neighborhood, to locals' amusement/befuddlement), planning and organizing materials for the bible school program at the orphanage, writing puppet skit scripts, and finishing bookmark crafts. (Forgot to put the mustard seeds in this first batch of laminated masterpieces the girls had made on the first night. Whoops!)
4. Bible School program at the girls orphanage: so many things. I'll have to detail later.
- fabulous little girls; respect, excitement, love, energy
- great youth leadership
- puppet skit collaboration with Pastor Bob as an awesome Goliath
- song and dance!
- Beth and I danced
- craft of painting "faith" rocks
- memory Bible verse activity
- Relationships. Smiles. Love.
The drive back to the hotel was a time in which many laughs and much joy was shared between our team and the I Care youth and our pastors.
5. Finally, back in our hotel rooms, we spent about two hours prepping supplies and materials for tomorrow, our last day in Olongapo. It will be another busy and jam-packed one! We really had a great time as a team tonight; whether it was slap-happy giddiness from exhaustion, or what... We truly bonded and made some great memories over puppets, Faith Bracelets, and parchment paper.
Lots of friends are uploading media on social networks, so I'll sort through my camera roll and post my faves when I next get the chance. Sleep calls, though my body protests. The wheezing and heaviness in my chest persist, despite the fact that the mucous and confessions have lifted from my head, for the most part. I can't get comfy when I can't breathe, and coughing hurts my throat, too!
No comments:
Post a Comment