This week in the Philippines!

Hello everyone! It is a beautiful day in San Pablo City. It is rainy so it is not as hot now. This week has been busy but good. We are now teaching school everyday. We all teach 2 or 3 classes and aid in a classroom when we are not teaching. I aid in the 2nd grade classroom and teach high school speech 2 hours each week, high school Christian ed for 1 hour each week and 2nd grade Christian ed for 3 hours each week. We also have church services a few times a week, time for tudoring and lots of time for play.

The church, school, orphanage, and house are all connected around a center area that is used as a basketball court. The church is located on the 4th floor of one of the buildings. I think it is really cool that their church is on the 4th floor because it is one of the tallest building in the area. On friday nights when we gather for prayer service the sounds of the praise band ring out over the whole city. Talk about a light shining down on the whole city. However my favorite part of the service is when Ron Ron, RJ and Joseph got up in the middle of service and started playing air guitar, drums and singing. Those boys are so funny and are going to good musicians someday!

On Sunday afternoons we go to house churches in the surrounding areas. Last week Chelsea, Levi and I went to one in a town called Conception. As we were leaving Open Door I was asked to lead the adult bible study. I was terrified and completely unprepared but God was able to help me through it and we had a great bible study. On of the youth explained everything in tagalog for me and the one of the natives responded and shared a testimony.

The longer I am here the more I am learning about the kids and getting to know them. They are all different and special in there own ways. I feel like some days are spent playing thumb war over and over again but it is good. Here they play basketball like they play baseball in the Sandlot. The game never really ends or begins, it just keeps going. Everyone can play and it is never about who wins or loses just about playing the game. We were able to celebrate one birthday this week and will celebrate another on July first. Joy turned 14 and Joseph is turning 12!

I have so many things I wish I could share and will do so when I can or when I get home. In the beginning of July we will have a three day vacation so I may be able to update more then as well. Please keep us in your prayers! We have come into an amazing church family and God is doing many great things here.

Good bye!

Brittany