So, because of limited internet access, you can see that I’m posting multiple blogs at once. To keep from being a blog hog, here’s one with a few short thoughts, some serious, some silly, and none related to each other…
My least favorite shift is helping with the toddlers, and my most favorite shift is helping with the older girls. Not that the toddlers aren’t cute, and they’re very happy to play with all of us, and it’s a privilege to get to be with their sweet hearts… but… Lord have mercy! I know what my natural skill set is, that’s for sure. Let’s see what happens as the year goes on!
“Malaybalay Madness” would be a great video game involving driving through the streets of Malaybalay. The setting would look like this: the roads are constantly under construction with giant potholes everywhere. Also, when you are approaching construction areas, there might be 1 or 2 signs indicating that you need to slow down and drive around the workers/construction vehicles, but, it’s not necessarily so. The road is two lanes wide, but, if you’re really adamant about passing and your aim is good enough, you can probably fit three cars across. (It’s always worth trying, and, if needed, you can slam on your brakes in the last second.) Additionally, when you pass, you must beep your horn as you accelerate so the car that you’re passing can slow down, assisting you in avoiding the pending head-on collision. Throw into the mix stray dogs and roosters, puddles of questionable depth, motorcycles, and randomly stopping multi-cabs, and you’ve got yourself one awesome game!
For the record, I always, somehow, feel safe as we ride around. It’s just way more exciting than back home. =)
We visited the kids’ school the other morning for a performance they were putting on. They had been practicing their cheers and dances all week, and were really excited when we got there. I almost cried. I know from my job at home what it’s like for kids who are disappointed when their parents can’t come to something at school, and the reality that the kids here don’t have ANY parents to ever come support them at school really hit me. They were so proud to have us there- even though they’ve only known us for a week and they know that we’ll be leaving soon enough. I’m thankful that we could bless them by being there, and yet… I don’t have the answers, only questions and a simple faith that God knows what he’s doing. Because I certainly don’t, and without hoping in God’s plans, I’ve got nothing left to hold on to here. And this is just the beginning…
Sometimes, when the humidity is just right, my typically wavy hair dries extremely curly. The kids don’t seem to understand this. “Who curled your hair?” Nobody. “Why is it curly?” Because God made it that way. “But why?” Because that’s how God wanted it. “Why?” Ummm… note to self, pull hair back before working with the kids.
Cold Shower & Coke Count: 10 & 3
