October and November

December is just around the corner. I am amazed to think that I have been living in the Philippines for over 10 months now. As always, so much has happened. October and November were particularly exciting months for me. But before I talk about that, here is a short (4 minute) movie I made last month which gives a bit of an idea of the things I have been up to since arriving here in January. I have had some difficulty uploading videos onto my blog, so you can just follow the link to watch it on YouTube.

http://youtu.be/KwJOL_XwBwU

 

October saw the end of Semester One of the Academic Year 2012-2013. The students had accomplished many things and were looking forward to a well-earned break. However, days before semester’s end, we learned that CHED (the Commission for Higher Education) would be visiting the school in only one week’s time to assess PCL for accreditation. We have been working for more than a year towards accreditation, but there were still many things to prepare. In particular, our library needed to be completely reorganised. Thousands of books needed to be categorised, labelled and arranged. So instead of winding down, the students worked, sometimes through the night and into their vacation time in order to be prepared.

Our PCL Cafe. The boys provided refreshments for the students with enthusiasm and their own special style!

 

Their hard work was worthwhile, CHED were pleased with what they saw at PCL and they approved our school. Praise God!

We did it! Hooray!

 

While the students were busy in the library, I was enjoying my first visit back to Australia. I was so excited to step onto home soil for the first time in 9 months. Earlier in the year, I had prayed about visiting Darwin, as there were cheap flights (keep your eyes open because Jetstar often has $99 flights from Darwin to Manila) and May was school vacation. However, I had no peace about going home and I believe that God was telling me that it was not the right time. This time, however, I truly felt that it was right to pay a quick visit to Darwin. Even as I was trying to get onto my flight, I felt God’s blessing, as He provided perfect answers to unexpected problems as I was leaving immigration.

 When I stepped off the plane at Darwin airport, I cannot describe the feeling that hit me. I was home! I was not a foreigner! Everything was familiar, everyone spoke in English and I was not the odd one out! I immediately felt as if a weight was lifted off my shoulders. During my 10 days in Darwin, I was blessed by Viv Chellew, who provided me with a beautiful room in which to sleep, let me eat anything in the house (I did not choose to eat rice!) and allowed me to use her car. Of course, I was so excited to visit Darwin Baptist Church, and loved sharing briefly with my Darwin church family about my time in the Philippines in the morning service. On the Sunday evening, I had the opportunity to speak for a bit longer in the DBC café as well as answer questions. I was blessed to receive $540 in donations on this night, which I used upon returning to the Philippines to help some students pay for registration, to provide snacks for the opening of a small church and an overnight prayer meeting for another church, for 2 months’ sponsorship for some children on Pangapasan island and to buy resources for the new subjects our school is now required to offer.

During my stay in Darwin, I thoroughly enjoyed visiting Marrara Christian College and the wonderful staff and students I have been blessed to have worked with. I even got to attend the staff dinner! I saw my students from my Palmerston Christian School days have their final Year 12 assembly. I thoroughly enjoyed being with my DBC connect group, who have continued to be so supportive of me.  I was able to attend the Global Leadership Summit, which was amazing and inspiring, and I spent time catching up with dear friends. My time in Darwin was perfect, and I am so thankful to God, as I felt that he was refreshing me spiritually, physically and emotionally.

Unfortunately, most of my photos from my time in Darwin were mysteriously wiped from my camera, but I found this one from the Staff Dinner on Facebook.

Staff Dinner: Our table was French

 

I was so blessed to have my dear sister, Bec, and my gorgeous nephew and niece, Connor and Abbey, visit me in the Philippines. They flew from Perth to Darwin and then we went to Manila together. It was so special to be able to share my Philippines adventure with my family; for them to see the places I stay, meet the people I am close to and see some of the things I do here. Bec, the kids, some friends and I visited a couple of tourist places, joined in with some of the ministries here, visited my Philippines church and spent time on the beautiful Prayer Mountain. They were particularly excited to meet EJ, Pastor Garlan’s nephew. They have been sponsoring this little boy for 18 months, so to spend a day with him at Avilon Zoo was a wonderful experience.

The kids in a tricycle

 

 

Trixie, the Orang-Utan loved to pose for the camera

Connor, Abbey and EJ are now friends :)

On the Prayer Mountain

Fresh Coconut, straight from the tree on the Prayer Mountain

  

But they weren't quite sure about the taste
 

Before coming to the Philippines, Beccy had held a fund-raiser dinner in Perth. The money raised bought a gas cooker and rice cooker, along with some food, for the people who live at the church I sleep in every weekend. We were able to buy some asthma puffers and spacers for some students who were really in need. We gave some money towards a feeding ministry in Caloocan and toward a small school. It was wonderful to be able to give to these causes.

Giving Ella an asthma puffer and spacer

At Pastor Jhun's feeding ministry in Caloocan

Cooking on the new gas cooker bought with Bec's fund-raising money.

Abbey-Lou and a very large bag of rice for the people here

Our first meal cooked on the new gas cooker

Some of the money went to King's Kids School

Now, Semester Two is underway! Students are busy with their studies and also practising for our upcoming concert, “Christ-must” on December 14. Only two weeks to go!

 

Til next time J