These couple weeks have been both peaceful and packed with things to do. Our typical weeks start off with breakfast at 7 and then we have construction, feeding, and bible studies. For the feedings, our hosts prepare a large batch of food that we take to schools or just to the slums and give out twice a day. When we go to the schools, we also get an opportunity to play and bond with the children. It fills my heart every time I see them laughing and smiling. Construction consist of helping around the house with any fixing up they need. Bible studies are usually with kids/teens but there is also one for women on Tuesday and Thursdays. Although it may sound like a lot, we do get a lot of down time to ourselves. We get to walk to the beach and play with the local girls who have become our best friends! Honestly, they’re the sweetest girls who want to hear our stories and want to be heard in return. They teach us words in Tagalog and show us around and just play and laugh with us. Being here in the Philippines and working alongside K.I.M is a blessing! And I’m sure you’re all wondering, “Stacy, are there any lizards?” Yes! Lots of them too. Just to clarify, I have no AC but I do have a bed to sleep in and a shower and a toilet and I see lizards in all of these areas! I go to sleep and there’s a lizard in the corner. We go to eat in the dining room, there’s a lizard there too. Go take a shower, there’s another lizard! Lizards are everywhere and I don’t even know how I’m surviving. The first night I had to go to sleep with a lizard in the room, I cried under the covers. Today however, I really broke down. I went into the room to get something out of my bag, and there was a lizard right next to it. No big deal, I threw my stuff on my bed and left hoping the lizard would leave by the time I got back later. I came back, and the lizard was by my shoes that I needed to get. Then I started thinking about how many lizards are most likely in my big pack that I have stored in the closet and I started crying. Not just because of the lizard but because I missed my brother. Yeah he may get on my nerves and I argue with him a lot, but he’s also the one who takes the lizards out for me and comes and helps me when I’m in need. This was the first time I didn’t have him around to come save me. I missed my brother for the first time being away and it was over a lizard. I sat there crying not knowing what to do till one of my teammates came and helped me get my shoes but the lizard was still in the room. Later at night, the hosts’ son, Kurt, came and saved the day! He took the lizard out for me without hesitation. I told him he reminded me of my brother. That to me was God telling me it’s going to be okay. Even though I don’t have my brother around with me or the rest of my family and friends, God is always going to send me someone to make me feel less lonely without them here. And I know He will continue to send me another Diego to keep me alive from all the lizards. So thanks God for always looking out for me.
