Choir Session
Today Mariana and I went to teach Guinobatan East Elementary School's choir. We started off the session doing various warmups. Although it was difficult to teach the warmups, Mariana thought of an idea. She asked them to sing after we sang once. Thereafter, we taught them two songs; Song of Mary and We Will Rise Again. The children were fast learners! They were also really cooperative and willing to learn :) When we had difficult notes to sing, they tried their best to hit them and learnt from their mistakes and improved upon them. When they had finished learning the songs, we all sang the songs together and it touched our hearts. It sounded like a choir of angels. We will remember this experience forever. God truly inspired and reminded us that children are a gift from him. - Maria Chuah
Samaritans + Guys in Kings:
Today we went to Camalig North. The campus was super duper huge! Like yesterday, we taught the Grade Fives and started off with Captain's Ball, Soccer and Sock Thief. After that, due to the hot sun, we decided to return them to their respective classes and have lessons with them, playing games like hangman, charades, origami, action songs and trying but failing at teaching them Math. The children were all extremely enthusiastic and were rushing to answer the questions. We found it quite interesting that when we asked if they understood what we had just taught they would smile, nod and chorus yes when they in fact had no idea what we just said. At 2 o'clock, we met outdoors to play games again. We played Jacob's Ladder, Splat, Dog and Bone, and LAO YING ZHUA XIAO JI (REFUSE TO TRANSLATE). When it was time to leave, we took pictures with all of us saying "ah ah siol", complete with hand and head actions. Then the children rushed to get their notebooks and pens to get our autographs (we each signed at least 50) and some of us were even asked to sign shirts, hands and cheeks! We were all really sad to leave (even though we were dead tired) and we crashed out in the bus. - MaryAnne Quek
Maccabees + Girls in Kings:
Today we went to Quirangay Elementary School :D When we reached the area, we had to walk to the school as There was no way to drive into the mission area. It was a little tiring as we had to carry boxes of water for our consumption. Fortunately we had help to carry our cans of paint that we bought this morning. We were split into 2 groups: 1 group had to do painting while the other group had to teach a class of 45 Grade 5 kids. Keefe, Jane and Kirsten were in charge of taking care of the young kids, while the rest, including Patrick, Vanessa Goh, Rachel, Patricia, Ann-Marie, Beverly and Chadwyn were in charge of painting. Teresa and Edward from Maccabees were down with fever and unfortunately were not able to join us. :(
Teaching group:
We started the day by playing some games with the kids including Duck Duck Goose, and Monkey. Then we had a short break, after which we taught the kids how to make their own bookmarks. We told the kids to write a simple message to their best friend or anybody close to them. However, the kids were so in love with Jane, many of them gave their bookmarks to her!!! They wrote things that touched her so deeply, and it was a wonderful experience for her. After lunch, we told them to draw what Jesus means to them. We had very interesting responses. Some said that Jesus was like their house, keeping them safe and protected. Some also said that God was like a volcano, almighty and powerful!We then taught them a little bit of math and sang some songs, before calling it a day. It was an amazing experience for us. We were really surprised at how hospitable the kids were. They kept writing "Thank you visitors" on the blackboard for us and we thought they were really sweet. Even though they were really shy, they showed their appreciation by listening to what we have to share and taking part whole-heartedly in our activities. The smiles on their faces gave us a warm and fuzzy feeling that we will never forget. We were really happy that we were able to bring joy and smiles to the little kids of Quiranay Elementary School. :D - Keefe Oei
Painting group:
We started by coating the walls with the base white paint, we had to scrape things off the wall to make it smooth enough to be painted on. Our lead artist, VANESSA GOH, found that the windows were bigger than she expected so we had to change some of the plans. Once we had settled the designs the real painting began as we mixed the toners with the white base to get a sky blue. I felt full of energy as it was my first day of mission work as I was sick since Friday. We then painted in shifts so that some of us could go and enjoy lunch while Jane and Keefe kept the children busy. Lunch was a home cooked 3 dish meal that replenished our energy and made us ready for the rest of the day. After lunch we continued to paint and there was not much problems. The children were really helpful as they used their break to help us paint. I was touched as we were supposed to be helping them but we still needed some help from them. As the final brush was swept across our well painted wall, the children were dismissed from their daily lessons and they performed a dance to welcome us for all our trouble. I felt that all the effort was worth while as we watched them dance happily. At the end of the day we received souvenirs from them as we sadly climbed back onto the bus, our tiredness catching up to us as we drove home. - Patrick Kok
Day 6 Post No. 3: Some Advance Party Pictures from Day 1-3
After collecting our luggage, we had a quick photo op just outside the arrival hall where our 17-seater coaster was waiting to take us to Guinobatan.
The following picture shows that the Advance Party has full of untapped talents.
On the bus during our trip to Tagaytay on Saturday.
More pictures next time!
Day 6 Post No. 2: Arising from too much waiting
Everyday during the mission trip, a fair amount of time is spent on waiting. Advance Party waited ror Main Body on Day 2. Main Body waited it out in Manila on Day 2 before catching a flight to Legazpi on Day 3. Transport arrangements had been characterised by extensive waiting, Waiting for the bus, waiting for everyone to come down for breakfast, waiting for the food to arrive, etc etc.
Today I heard you all waited for the bus again.
Indeed, waiting has been given a bad rap. No one likes to wait and it appears to be an annoyance. This is why very few people understand it. In the Bible the word most often translated “wait” in the sense of waiting on the Lord is the Hebrew qavah. Qavah means (1) “to bind together like a twisted rope” (2) “look patiently,” and (3) “hope, expect, look eagerly.”
According to the Hebrew definition, waiting is like wound up strands of rope. Those strands are patience and hope. Waiting must have the elements of patience and hope otherwise the integrity of it's meaning is compromised and the experience is invalidated.
Patience is the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like. It is the willingness to suppress restlessness when confronted with delay.
Galatians 5:22 says that one of the nine fruits of the Spirit is "long suffering" and the Greek translation defines it as patience. Ever wonder why God takes so long to come through for you? It is because patience can only be developed during long and excruciating periods of delay. (James 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work...)
I realize that this is easier said than done and for most of us it is outright impossible. But don't worry, patience cries out for resting in him so that he may help carry the load. (Psalms 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him; Mat 11:29-30 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.)
In summary, patience must be coupled with hope for the waiting experience to be valid and qualified. Waiting brings us full circle into the arms of God because it means that we must rest in him to obtain patience to wait and we must trust in him to obtain the hope to wait.
Be patient and don't quit. Have hope and don't doubt. The wait will eventually get you out.
Missing you all,
Uncle Al
Fair weather forecast for Bicol today, with cloudy skies in the afternoon with scattered showers but clearing up at night at most areas, allowing the youths a view of the full moon against the background of a million stars.
- Today: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. High 84F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
- Tonight: Scattered thunderstorms. Low 76F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
03) Maria Chuah and Mariana Chong will be detached from their SAMARITAN group today to begin their music ministry at Guinobatan East. They will teach the school choir to sing "We will Rise Again"- a powerful song of hope and faith, and "Hail Mary". The choir will sing the songs during their school Christmas concert sometime this week.
(04) Cecilia Wang, Patrick Kok and Kevan Mark Gan have recovered from their medical condition and will participate in today's activities. All are rejoining their respective groups today. While Cecilia will join the Quirangay trek, Patrick and Kevan will have indoor duties - teaching. Theresa Leong and Edward Lo are having slight fever (37.6 celsius). Both will be well-looked after by the tender hands of Auntie Lucy Goh.
From Mission HQ, Al signing off.
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