Monday, January 31, 2011

Heidi writes ...

Well we have just got used to life in Benitez and we moving on again!!!! This week we have completed the healthy eating painting which looks ace if I do say so myself- me and Sarah make an amazing team! Also we have been at the ODC every afternoon working with children, singing and generally having a laugh with them. On Friday we experienced getting lost which was hilarious we didn't panic at all God is so good we had our phone and rung kid and he came to our rescue:) it was an experience lol
On Saturday it was party day!!! Me and Sarah split for the morning... I went to ODC to conduct the song we had taught the children for the January birthday party which was a lot of fun and Sarah stayed at Benitez for the formal birthday presentation of an important sponsor who celebrates with the children every year. We then went to the mall to escape children for the afternoon!!!
Sunday after church we went to a rich part of the city called makarti which is full of designer malls and foreigners so we fit in well- it was nice to have a break from feeling like all eyes are on us, that has been getting me down recently and is why I'm still not 100% comfortable getting around the city but we have lots of lovely concerned people looking after us:)
The coffee shop is great ,amazing food and coffee we are very loyal customers along with a growing number of new people, there's good profit being taken:) also I'm proud to say that mine and sarah's design is hanging outside the store as a massive sign!!! Woop :)

Tomorrow the odc and tunisan kids are involved in a music competition festival type event at the trinity university of Asia which should be lots of fun so please send a cheer for Kanlungan our way- it would be lovely to gain a trophey to add to the collection they have:) then it's off to laguna to work with the girls for two weeks:)
Please pray- that we will settle in again , that our confidence in being independent will grow and that our relationships with staff and young people will continue to develop.
For Ate sol as she has soooooooo much going on at the moment starting new businesses like the cafe and the second hand shop is complex!!! We are having issues with government documents in accepting a shipment of stuff for the shop- It's complicated so please pray that God will have his hand upon it and it will be sorted quickly- also for ksem's grand opening this Saturday- that the business permit will be through in time:)

Many thanks for the constant prayerful love and support. Heidi xxx

Monday, January 24, 2011

Latest News from Sarah

Hi everyone,
Well, where do I start? Can't believe that we've already been in the Malate centre over a week now. After a difficult start, we are definitely settled into life here. I can't get over how much of a family it is here. Just sitting down round the television on friday evening with all the children and staff, whilst braiding the girls hair, was such a special experience. We feel so privileged to have been welcomed into this family; no matter how mad it can be at times haha:) I am really enjoying getting to know all the children, playing with them, doing little bible studies, singing, dancing, reading, crafts; the list is endless.

Heidi mentioned that there was a new little girl that joined on wednesday; I am very pleased to say that she has settled in very quickly. It's so nice to see her playing with the other kids, smiling and giggling.

The coffee shop had it's unofficial opening on Saturday which was very exciting. We spent the morning drinking coffee and eating cake. What an amazing way to spend a day off:) Heidi and I were also involved in the coffee machine training the other day. We drank far too much coffee that day and consequently we were up till 2am haha:) it shows how good the coffee is though!:)

This was our first weekend off and it has been an amazing one. We are so grateful to Kidrick, as he has taken us out to lots of different places. It's been so nice to just wander round shopping malls and just have some time to ourselves. We took him for an 'all you can eat' Filipino food which was an experience:) I'm getting quite brave with what I try! It was lovely to see the sea as well. I forget that we are very close to it. There is still no way that we would be able to get ourselves around the city by ourselves; Kid is a real blessing and a great friend.

Today we had staff devotion, which lasted two hours. It absolutely flew!! It was amazing to worship and have fellowship with all the staff. They are such an inspiration and each one of them shines so brightly here.

We have finally been able to start the wall painting this afternoon. Everyone has been so excited and they all wanted to come and watch. It's really fun but we haven't got that much of it done so far. Hopefully tomorrow we will. They have told us that we have been a real answer to pray as this wall has been prepared to paint on for a long time but they have had nobody to paint it. Heidi and I had only been saying the day before that we wanted to leave something behind:) God is good.

We are taking lots of photographs so can't wait to show you them.

Please pray that we continue to have the strength and energy we need as we are quite tired already. Also that God will use us in whatever he wants. Plus for the coffee shop, that the finishing touches can be completed quickly and that the business permit will come though very soon so it can open officially.

Thank you for your continued support.

Lots of love Sarah xx

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Latest News from Heidi & Sarah

Hey everyone!
So we have moved into the Malate centre which to be honest is proving to be even more challenging than expected, mainly because we feel bad just playing with the kids all the time while others stress around us, but i realise that that's what volunteers do so we should enjoy it and embrace the madness!!! We do have things planned to do though, we are doing a healthy eating painting on the dining room wall which will be a constant reminder of our visit which will be nice:) then in the mornings we do a bible study and some singing with the older kids while Joanne teaches the little ones, then after lunch it's off to the open day centre which I love!!! It's amazing there, the kids are wonderful and we are making some lovely relationships with them, yesterday after treating their head lice and singing some hillsong kids classics, kid (one of the social workers who is a huge support and good friend to us) took us to where the kids live near the red light district and behind the mall, it was good to see where they were coming from but hard to see at the same time:s.
Today we headed to immigration to sort out our visas as they run out this weekend, it was a nice break from the routine and we had a lovely time getting to know wilma over starbucks while they worked out whether we were on the blacklist or not- we are not lol so bad news we have to stay,sorry guys!!!
Today it has rained... Alot which we have loved, the sound of it on the windows has been very comforting, but I can't help wondering what pouring rain means for thousands living in the slums tonight sleeping in mud:( but what we found amusing was when we arrived with kid from the odc at Malate soaking wet, the staff insisted that we must get dry or risk a deathly fever- they really don't get that we are British and getting wet from rain is a daily occurrence! So we are dry and well now and are praying for what tomorrow will bring!!!

Please remember us in prayer-
We are majorly struggling to be understood even by staff which is hard.
For the coffee shop as it gets nearer to opening- the dedication on Saturday was beautiful, prayerful and moving.
For a new girl who has moved into the Malate today- she is 6 and very overwhelmed by the whole thing- pray that she settles in and is able to rest:)

Love and thanks. Heidi xxxxxx.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Happy 23rd Anniversary Kanlungan

Hi everyone, it's Sarah.

Thank you so much for all your thoughts and prayers, they are very much appreciated.

We've had a lovely day today taking 170 kids swimming. I have to admit I thought it was going to be a bit of a nightmare; but it was amazing! Everyone has had so much fun. The resort was absolutely perfect; and because we went on a friday, we were practically the only ones there. It was just fantastic to see the smiles on the children's faces; it will be the first time that some of them have been swimming.

I have to say that I have got quite sunburnt today, so having loads of kids climbing all over me was rather painful haha:) but I'll live.

Today we have also celebrated the 23rd anniversary of Kanlungan. It has been so nice that the two have coincided as we were able to have a devotion and celebration all together. I just find it so tearjerking every time I see the children worshiping and praising God. Despite all that they have been through, they are so reliant on God, it's so inspiring!

This evening we took all the staff out for a meal to a Japanese restaurant where one of the boys in Kanlungan works as the chef. We have had a lovely time and has been a wonderful opportunity to get to know the staff even more and also to thank them for their continuous hard work and dedication.

I literally can't believe how quickly these past two weeks have gone. Heidi and I will be very sad to see Mary, Mela, Jess and Alec leave tomorrow, but we are very excited (and a little nervous) about moving into the Malate centre and actually getting stuck in now. We would really appreciate your prayers as we move in tomorrow and that we will quickly settle in and find our places and where we fit there.

It means so much to know that you are all supporting us and keeping us in your prayers. I really feel that this is where God wants us right now and I am very excited to see what he has in store for us.

God bless
Sarah xxxx

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

More from Manila:-)

Hi everyone, just thought I would let you know how its going so far. Today I went with Sol to buy the coffee cups, saucers, plates and cutlery for "K sem" coffee shop!! It was great fun bartering at the wholesale market. Everything is nearly ready and there is great excitement here about the opening. All they need now is lots of customers so please pray for them after all their hard work to get it started.
Each time I come here I am struck by something new, although I have always known the staff work hard, this visit I have been aware of the extent of Sol and her team's dedication and commitment to the children, each child so loved and cared for. I just love hanging around the Malate centre playing with the children. We are really looking forward to taking everyone swimming on Friday. At the beginning of the week Jess was telling some of the more lively children at Malate they had to be good for four more sleeps !! It appears to be working:-).
We were in the malate centre last night joining the children with their evening devotions this normally reduces me to tears and last night was no exception!(Please pray for Micheal who has broken his coller bone and may need an operation to pin it.)
Tomorrow we go to Tunasan and Laguna (where Heidi and Sarah will spend the second month of their placement.) so it will be good for them to see the other centre. They are both doing really well and the children are loving all the extra attention.
Thats all for now God bless
Mary xx
psalm121

Monday, January 10, 2011

Welcome to the Philippines!!!!!!!

Hey everyone- I finally have chance to sit and actually write a blog:)

So we tearfully left our family at Heathrow on Tuesday morning and started our epic journey to Manila. The flight was somewhat horrific in length, although I must say the airline is amazing and we went on the biggest airplane I've ever seen, somewhat 500 people on board!! after 13 hours of films and general boredem, we arrived in Singapore and took our last flight which was about 31/2 hours. It was lovely to be greeted by familiar faces in the airport and we spent the afternoon dozing before getting straight in with the children singing the holy washing machine at the malate centre.
Since then we have visited smokey mountain, which was incredible, so heart wrenching, It was surreal I felt as though i was walking round in a documentary not actually there. we went round giving sweets to the children and chatting to the families as they made charcoal (my clothes still smell even now:P). I was really glad that we got to spend a few hours there as apposed to a quick stop visit:) we also visited the Mall of Asia which was huuuuge and still very much in the Christmas spirit! then on Friday we split into 2 groups, Mary and Mela went to the ODC for half a day and the rest of us went to the malate, where we helped out in the kids classes, reading to them and helping them to write their names, which was lovely. Then in the afternoon we went to the ODC, which I loved! although they did keep trying to make me sing:P the kids were amazing, so loving and willing to chat to us, I was asked by teacher Bing, to teach one little girl how to read and speak the alphabet, so I was really pleased when about 30 mins later she was singing the alphabet song to me and able to recognize all the letters:)

On saturday morning we got up at 4am to go to Subic, a Holiday resort just outside Manila to visit Mela's family and enjoy the beach. It was a lovely weekend and we were spoiled no end by Mela's sisters, going on Jungle walks and swimming in the sea. And finally today we have been joining in with the staff devotions at the Malate centre which was a really blessing, their sense of worship and fellowship is so faithful, and then with the children this evening, we were very touched by the children as they prayed and sung desperately to God.

Please pray....
For the coffee shop as it gets near to finishing- me and Sarah will be very involved as it opens
For me and Sarah as we move into the Malate centre this weekend, that we will continue to settle in and get used to all the crazy traffic, rice and heat.
For Mary, Mela, Jess and Alec as they travel home on saturday, me and Sarah are really praising God for them as they have been such a blessing to us this week:)

All for now, speak soon. much love, Heidi xxxxxxxxxxxx

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Hi everyone, well its great to be back in the Sunshine!! It feels like we have never been away. We picked Heidi and Sarah from the airport today it was great to see them both now our team is complete:-). Yesterday we visited the new ODC (open day centre) it is so much bigger and brighter than the old one and is really busy there were around 50 street children enjoying a craft session. Then we went to the coffee shop which is nearly finished it looks amazing I can't believe what they have done it such a short space of time. Sol and her team are really excited about this new venture for kanlungan. Today we went to look at coffee machines and learnt alot about what makes a good cup of coffee. Mela fell in love with the man who owns the coffee machines he is said to be the 'Einstein of coffee' Mela said she really likes coffee too!! anyway speak to you all soon. The children were asking where ice cream man. So Jess and Alec have taken on the role until you come again Malcolm.
Anyway must go now speak soon
God Bless Mary and Mela XX