Ok, I know the title doesn’t rhyme. Let’s just pretend it does, and that it’s super clever. So this last week I have been staying at Z Hostel in Makati, which is still in Metro Manila. There we had our debrief for The Philippines, so the whole squad (about 50 people) was there. We had an awesome time resting and hanging out with each other. We also had time to have one-on-ones with our squad leaders and mentor, as well as have a team debrief time.
It was super awesome to be able to see the whole squad, as well as rest from ministry. The hostel was very different from the one we stayed at in Montenegro, and actually felt a little more like a hotel. The rooms were all air-conditioned, and the beds were super comfortable. We had six guys in our room. There was even electronic key-cards, just like a hotel. There was a café on the bottom floor, and a bar on the rooftop. We spent a lot of time in the café playing cards, as well as time in each other’s rooms watching movies and just hanging out. We also spent a lot of time at a mall close by that was super cool. They had a movie theater, where we went and saw Rogue One the night it came out. The mall also had Starbucks and Chili’s and a bunch of other restaurants.
On the day before we left, about 12 of us went to a place called Masungi Georeserve. It was a reserve that had tons of really cool rock formations. They were jagged, like teeth. There, we got to go to a really cool viewing deck that was basically a net hanging over a peak, and looked like a spiderweb. We also got to climb up and down rope nets. It was awesome. When we got back, we had a Christmas party. We did Secret Santa, and I got a Starbucks gift card (basically the best gift ever). We played cards until late in the night, and it was super fun. Debrief always goes by way to fast.
Now, we are back at the camp that my team has been at for the last month and a half. The guys who were in Tacloban joined us, and will be here until the 26th. From then until the end of January, all the guys will be together at a new ministry site. There, we will be living with teenage boys and ministering to them. I’m excited to be living with just guys for the month of January. All the guys on the squad are awesome, and I’m excited to grow closer to them.
Honestly, it’s hard being away from home at Christmas time. I miss my family, and the snow, and all the things that have come to define Christmas for me. But, I know that God is still good, and I’m blessed to be able to celebrate Christmas with my World Race Family here in The Philippines. I would ask for prayers that we will have a smooth transition to the new ministry site, and that God would use the 10 of us guys to do awesome things there. Thank you so much for your support back home, and Merry Christmas!
