Magandang Gensan-translation: Welcome to General Santos island. What a cool first month to start out the World Race. We’re working with an organization called International Care Ministries, which is already way established here, with really inspiring pastors, and just all around awesome people. The organization gives communities who are the poorest of the poor this certain worm that helps grow crops and they provide feeding programs, education, values by training local pastors so that the community kind of transforms itself.
We’re visiting these families, praying with them, hanging out with them, helping feed them, and talking about what they need- we’re high fiving the crap outta every Filipino kid in sight, and we’re singing a lot (Journey is weirdly popular here) We also made it in time for the only tuna festival in the world, which is complete with a large lady dancing competition-Mrs. Tuna was dubbed last night…yes please.
More shocking than the fact that my fingernails are so dirty that I am no longer tempted to bite, is the generosity of the people, joy, smiles, welcome-ness ,hospitality, etc- it’s amazing, and so different than what I thought-it’s been such a humbling few days. I am overwhelmed by the kindness- challenged by the willingness to give and by the happiness in their lives despite insanely unfair and awful circumstances. It’s beautiful here.
Tomorrow we’ll being working on the farm here that needs a lot of help because the coordinator recently quit and the place could use some upkeep, so we’re excited to get the chance to serve in whatever way we can and work hard this month because we’ve already been given so much and have been blessed by the people we’ve gotten to be around.
