Mindoro

Hey!
I just got back from Mindoro - a small island off of Luzon. Now i've been to 9 islands in the Philippines! 9 of 7,100 - haha, i still have a ways to go :) We worked with tribal kids at the Wesleyan Church there. I didn't get a count but i'd imagine there were between 30 & 50 kids. They were much more behaved than the kids in Manila - more like kids in Cebu. They climbed all over me and loved to have their pic taken (and of course wanted to see if afterwards!). I would've went through a whole memory card if they let me. The kids there are much darker there, almost black, their hair is lighter from sun exposure, but its like an afro (or birds nest as MJ said). They were also much shorter than other Filipinos - if you can imagine. Their tribe started with an M - maybe i'll remember later. It was just Joel, MJ, Joel Serna, and I. MJ and I led songs and games; Joel and MJ did one story each.

It was super hot there so we sent the kids home at noon for lunch and told them to come back at 4. I laid down on the bamboo benches with MJ while the boys went for lunch supplies. We both fell asleep. The breeze felt so good - i awake later to biting ants and fell asleep. Later i woke up again to the snoring Joels, haha. Lunch was sketchy and Joel didn't trust it for me (afraid of a revolution in my stomach, haha) so i gorged myself on PB&J after the family left. It started pouring down rain. We were fearful bc the roads were mud - but it let up 2 hours later. Joel & Joel played basketball in it like little kids - haha. They giggled and laughed - it was fun to watch.

We were going to stay there for 3 days but ended up leaving early. We were going to stay with families in their homes but Joel didn't like the sleeping conditions - he is very protective of me :) The food was also sketchy and our PB&J supply may not last. The water wasn't filtered either. We thought about going to a different location but the NPA (new people's army) was moving around so we decided it was best to just go. It was such a long trip there so it was hard to imagine leaving already... not to mention the fact that I loved the kids and wished i had more time with them. Their life was so simple; i felt very blessed. We left Manila at midnight the night before, got on a boat at 3, landed on the island at 6:30, and still had a 2 hr drive to the village. We had to do it all over again - we left there around 8 and got back to Manila at 3:30 this morning. I slept in the car and on the boat (while Joels snapping my pic, :( haha) but Joel still let me sleep till 10 this morning - isnt he the best, haha :)

These girls are so pretty!

This picture is typical of these boys. They were always off in their own world,

and never paid attention to anyone else!

This boy is Mark John Paul He got his puzzle put together way faster than anyone else His sister is blind and he was amazing with her

I loved loving on these kids!

Joel getting in on some puzzle action

Hanging out and having a great time

I'm the only whitey! :)

Coloring the pic of David & Goliath

That's all for now. Tomorrow we're hoping to get into Onesimus with Simon (with "servants" in the squatter's village). Its a shelter area for street kids - to provide some housing, food, baths, and some school prep/tutoring. We may take 2 kids there from the squatter's village who live in a bad situation - an alcoholic father. Then on Saturday i'm going with Aldean and his classmate Jarrett to other ministry opportunities. It should be great! Pray that both these opportunities work out and become amazing experiences!