Day 5

Hello everyone! This is Group 1, which includes Jetson, Amy, Sam, Joe, Cameron, Tat and Mr Bent, reporting on our Day 4 progress. In the afternoon, around 5 o’clock, we headed down to the Children’s Home where we had some fun and games. There were games of soccer, basketball, children getting pushed around in cars and playing on the playground.

We went back to the Ministry Centre just before 6, prepared for dinner. Dinner consisted of rice, spaghetti and stroganoff, with desert which was a slice of cake. At about 7 o’clock, we went back to the Children’s Home and delivered our devotions. That night’s story was about Daniel in the lion’s den. “Good old Daniel,” “Lord I lift your Name on high” and “Hosanna” were songs sung with the kids. All the kids contributed in roaring like lions!

We ended the devotion session by reading books to them and putting them to bed, and then we left for our night activity. A surprise was presented to us when we got back to the Ministry Centre. We found several trikes (motorbikes which include a side carriage) in the front of the Ministry Centre. We had to get into groups of five or six to travel with, and we proceeded to Ortigas Avenue, which is one of the main roads, and we got dropped off at Jollibee. From there, we began our walk to the supermarket, and we were given a specific amount of money to spend on food as a treat for the day. Most groups spent it on chocolate, ice-cream, chips, Coke and lollies.We walked back to Jollibee and hitched a ride on some trikes again back to the Ministry. Whilst consuming our sugar-filled junk, we had devotions, during which Jamie Mellor delivered his testimony to an enticed crowd of sugar-hyped teenagers. His testimony was a really touching story of how he found his faith and it reached many of us. Lights out was at 10, however, there were a few that broke curfew.

We woke up with a struggle for a 7am wake call. Waking up was a lot more tough due to yesterdays tiring activity. Breakfast included toast, boiled eggs, fruit and a yummy cinnamon slice. Our first session was Cleaning where we washed all the dishes and cleaned several bathrooms, plus scraping cement and paint off the railings outside the school library. We then had our break and were served “Filipino Cement” (a sticky rice slice with a chocolate layer on top). The reason for its name is because of its ability to clog the human pipes.

We then went to the library and contributed in reading with two groups of kids. The first was an older group, and the differences in our education systems is easily recognisable as we compared what we were have experienced here to ours in Australia. The second group was much younger and just started to learn to read. We continued with lunch which was rice and tomato and chicken soup.

After lunch, we went to the Children’s Home which was very quiet because most of the children were at school or asleep. Several woke up and helped us put their Christmas Tree up and decorate their doors with wreaths. We went back to the Ministry Centre for afternoon tea, and as we were leaving, some already came back from school. Afternoon tea was an entire tray of cinnamon biscuits (AMAZING!).

Answer questions.

Cameron = Balut tastes a lot like a normal egg and doesn’t really taste bad, but the thing that made everyone throw it up, is when you bite the beak and get bits of feathers stuck in their teeth and throat.

Joe = the balut was slimy on the outside so it just slipped on in, and it had lots of crunchy bits in it which we knew were the bones, beak and feet.

Snake = the snake belongs to Kyle Long, one of the sons of the owners of the Ministry Centre we are staying at, and we see him feed it and bath it. When Kyle was playing with it yesterday, the snake got aggressive and it bit him on the arm, so he got lots of photos and pried it off with a stick.

Shout outs:

Joey-  hey fam, miss you J x

Amy bowen – hey mum and dad, and the rest of you, missing you all especially pippa! having fun working and playing with the children, they’re all so gorgeous and so fun.
see you in a week and a bit, xxxx

Tat – hey mum, dad and everyone else. Missing you all heaps and can’t wait to see yous! Having loads of fun and i really enjoy working! See you soon xxxx

Sam C – Hey Mum, Matt, Dad, Tom&Aims&Sol, Al&Isaac, Ben&Bek&Baby and anyone else who gets to read this J Having the best time ever over here and loving simply being here, in this atmosphere and around these awesome people. Feels like each day im not only walking side by side with God but with life friends. Mum, rest assured the food has been very good and home-like (although kinda craving some steak and chips). Loving the structured days, the physical challenges and the impact we are having. Made a ton of fantastic new friends both within the group and getting to know the kids at the school and childrens home. Just about to start showers before dinner. Better not hold the line up typing anymore. Loving and missing you immensely! P.s. Pretty much capsized in our canoe yesterday, it was quite epic, then actually stood under the thunder of a massive waterfall. Life is good J Bye!

Jetson- Hey dad, Zion, Indi and Pepper, it was so good to hear from you, thankyou for writing. In answer to your question dad, no, I did not eat the egg, but I did decide to be brave and try some rubbery chicken-tasting item on a stick... turns out it was chicken gizzard. Eeeew.
So yeah, all else is good over here, I’m having an incredible time, and can’t wait to see you lot again. Seeya. Xoxox

Mr Bent – having a great time. The Armadale team have been really friendly and welcoming to an older outsider - the respect lasted at least half a day! It’s a few years since I’ve been crawled over by excitable babies , but it’s all coming back to me now. (The babies are at the children’s home and doesn’t refer to the ACC students) Miss you heaps Caroline, Sandy and Harriet xxxx, Oh, and also the SCEA staff (sort of). J