Mon, Tues, & Wed...I've got a bit to catch up on!!!!

Hi there,
sorry I have got a bit behind...finally have some time to catch this up whle the others are playing cards!!

MONDAY

So monday was our last full day at Tawangmangu. Liz G spoke in the morning to the bible college students (in their lessons) about small groups - esp our life group structure and the background to setting all that up. Went really well and the students had a lot of questions which was great.

We saw the muppet house where they make muppets that they sell for fundraising and Merridee sewed some of the clothes for them hehe :)
After lunch Carol took us down to the markets which was pretty fun. Lots of kids you could tell they were daring each other to talk to us, and then they would get all brave and say something to us in English (like "good morning") and then they'd all giggle together! Pretty funny. Then they took us for a drive up the mountain above the bible college where there are great views and a lot of really fancy holiday houses so that was pretty interesting to see.

Later in the afternoon we had a lovely chat with Carol, sitting round the table drinking coffee and eating jaffas...really nice fellowship time with her. She has sooo many interesting stories!! What an incredible woman.

Can't remember what we did that night...probably ate more lol and then went to bed as we had an early flight out.

TUESDAY

Fera, Stefanie, and Lely came to see us off at the airport, then we flew back to Singapore, arrived in about lunch time I think. REALLY lovely hotel this time. Spent the afternoon shopping or swimming (fantastic weather) and then washed up, dressed up, and went out for dinner. First time on this whole trip we didn't need an early night cos we had a cruisy morning ahead of us!

WEDNESDAY

VERY relaxed morning...went out for breakfast and then spent some time worshiping and praying for each other in one of the hotel rooms. Had to go to airport at 12ish.
Arrived in Manila at 5.45 I think it was, and met by Sherwin and Jemima from International Needs (Jemima is Pastor Nestor and Beth's daughter) and Rebecca who is an Australian girl who has been with them for 15 months so far, as a volunteer, setting up preschools in different areas around Marikina, primarily for sponsored children and wee kids whose families cannot afford to send them to another preschool.
The trip from the airport to the IN base took 3 hours!!!! Crazy traffic. I think they expected it to take an hour or so. So didn't get in till almost 9 I think. Met Pastor Nestor and Beth who are REALLY lovely, and talked with them about our programme for the next few days we are here.

On Thursday we started into our real work here, so I will start a new post!!
Kirsten :)