United Nations Day

For everyone who follows my blog every week I apologize for not being able to post last week. This week has been extremely busy and hectic. We have had so much going on and I have been so busy with school and activities. Last Wednesday we had our United Nations day at the school. It is the biggest celebration of the year and the school and the students go all out for it. Each class takes a country or continent and they spend the month learning about them. On United Nations day we have the whole school go in a parade around the streets of Boracay. Me and another teacher carried the flags in the front of the parade right behind the drummers. We had a whole band of drummers leading the parade and we were right behind them. My ears have never hurt so bad I think in my entire life. The flags definitely weren't light either, but it was still fun to be part of the parade. It's probably about a mile of walking in the parade and we end up at the church. Each class then performs their dance for the country they are representing. It is an awesome performance and the dances are so amazing for all of the classes. The craziest part of the whole thing is the costumes that the kids come up with. It is a huge huge celebration and the parents go all out for it. Some of the kids costumes were just unbelievable. I was really puzzled by it before because I was wondering how they were affording these costumes but apparently the parents usually make them all themselves. I asked one of the Filipino teachers how much most of the costumes cost people and most of them were about $3. So that was surprising because some of their costumes were insane. Here are some pictures of the whole thing from the parade to the performances. I really wish I could figure out how to post my videos on here so you could see my kids' awesome dances.

This is Nickel, Evita, Shane, and Michael all dressed up before the parade.

The parade heading out of the school.

Some of team Indonesia.

Angel and Marc Angelo from my 2nd grade class representing Thailand.

Karryl Angel went a little extreme on her costume, definitely the biggest costume in the school. Also ni the picture Ralph Jay, Rjon, and Heshen.

Team New Zealand.

Team Ethiopia.

Team South America.

Joe Cedrick, Hazel, and my partner teacher Hya.

Team South America

James showing off his suit.

Team Ethiopia

Representing North America and the US, even if he might have taped his flag on upside down.

Team Australia representing the Aboriginal flag.

Team Hawaii.

Me and Russ carrying the flags right behind the band. This was at the end of the parade after about a mile of carrying those flags and losing the hearing in our ears, which would explain why we don't look too thrilled.

Finally at the church, the kids were exhausted which actually wasn't that bad of a thing because they were sitting still and being quiet for the performances.

Jared and Marc Angelo.

Rjon, Heshen, and Karryl Angel

John Lester and Hazel

Evita, Nickel, Toby, and Reynald

Nickel, James, and Michael

Shane and Evita

Nicole, Nickel, James, and Kimberly

Joe Cedrick, Mikaella, and Jules

Team Japan about to perform.

My 2nd graders about to perform.

Team South America ready to perform.

My fifth graders ready to waltz.

Hazel

Kristian

The next pictures are from my Cagban feeding site. I've actually taken a new role at the site which I think will be a lot of fun. There are a lot of middle school or high school aged kids who are around the feeding sites who don't participate because they are "too cool" and basically it's just viewed as something for kids and then for the adults to have Bible study afterwards. But we really wanted to reach out to the teens because they just aren't being reached. So while the Bible lessons and coloring and singing is going on with the kids I've started going and talking to the teens that are around. They're English isn't great but the best way to communicate in life is through sports. They have a basketball hoop in the village so I brought a basketball and we played and talked a little bit. I think I have an awesome opportunity to befriend them and slowly start working in more and more outreach to them so that it's not just basketball but that they are starting to hear some of the message that we are bringing. It's something that just isn't being done for their age and so it's just going to take a while and I'm going to have to ease into it but I'm excited to be able to work with them.

On Friday we had our Fun Friday for October and it was a great success again. I was solely in charge of the whole thing this time which was one of the many reasons I was so busy this week but it was fun and it was good to be able organize and put something together and have it turn out so well. We went down to the jungle barn again and had perfect weather this time which was really nice. We started with a mini PE lesson of stretches and exercises and a run down the beach, followed by a few fun games and relays that they played and competed in. We then split the boys and girls up and we had the Red Cross there to give the kids some lessons, while the other group played soccer. Afterwards we let the kids swim and play in the water which was nice because we didn't have nice enough water to really do that last time but it was perfect this week. The kids had a blast and everyone was safe which was also key.

Nicole and Shane

Toby doing his best Baywatch impersonation.

Michael giving it a shot too

Shane, Kimberly, and Evita

I'm sorry for the delay this week. Lack of time and lack of wifi have been making it tough. Thank you for your continued support and for all of the prayer that goes out for me and for what I'm doing.
Some prayer requests:
Please pray for good weather the next 2 days. We have our end of the semester testing and then a week off. There is a big storm that's supposed to hit and if we have to cancel school it will make it really hard on the kids to have to wait until we come back to school to finish their tests after we just reviewed for them. These tests are really important for the school and we really need the kids to be able to do their best on them.
Please pray for our kids that they would put in the time to study and that they would be able to remember the information they learned. Pray that they would be able to concentrate on the tests and not be too anxious or too stressed to be able to do well.
Please pray for my living situation. There is another missionary here who I am looking to move in with and we are looking for a house. He works with a group called Younglife and is trying to be able to start the program up here on Boracay. We are looking for a house that has a big living room to be able to have high schoolers over. Younglife is an outreach for high schoolers and we want to be able to start some programs with them and the first step is getting to know them and getting them to come over and hang out. We are looking at a couple places that might work out really nice but there are just some minor details we are trying to figure out and we are also trying to find a place we can still afford. I really think this is an amazing opportunity to outreach to the teens here that just don't get reached out to much and I'm excited to see what happens with it. But first we need to find a house.

The biggest reason I felt like this is where God wanted me to go is that there are so many things to do here. I felt like there were so many opportunites for me here, and I am now starting to see them really come out. I am so blessed to be here and to be given so many ways to impact everyone around me. I think God is starting to do so many different things with me and there honestly isn't a better feeling in the world than that. I am so excited for everything that's going on and I have been absolutely exhausted and so jam packed with things at times but yet so happy with everything I'm able to do. I came here to work and that's what I am able to do. It's almost 3 in the morning here as I'm finishing this up so I can finally get it out to you, and this has been a normal night a lot of the time, but God has constantly given me the energy I need to get through the day. If there is one gift God has given me it's the ability to not sleep and I've been able to use that gift often.

Just because I like to end with funny stories I'll share a couple. Yesterday in my 5th grade class we were reviewing for the tests and we were going over writing letters. We were going through the parts and we got to the end and I asked what do we put next at the very end of the letter. I was looking for an answer something like "sincerely" or "your signature" or something like that. One of my students raised there hand and was so eager to answer. I called on them and they said loudly and proudly "amen". Everyone in the class started laughing (with the student) as well as my partner teacher and I. It was just one of those great moments that brightens your day.
Today as I was with my 2nd graders at lunch some of the kids came up to me tattleing on Kristian for not washing his hands. I told him he needed to go wash his hands, and he told me he didn't want to wash his hands. Just some background, Kristian is a great kid and isn't responding out of rebellion or disrespect, but is just being honest. So I told him he couldn't eat his lunch until he washed his hands. So he let out a sigh and as he started to walk out says to me "yes, mother". I started cracking up. It totally wasn't a disrespectful response or anything, I was just so surprised he would say something like that. It definitely made my day. Kids are always making me laugh with some of the things they say. I really wish I were able to remember all of them.