Pull outs, hair, balut, and Molocaboc.

1/19/14

Wow!  So a lot has been going on lately.  To start with, I would like to introduce you to my pull-out student, Ronel.  He is learning so fast and is an excellent artist.

Secondly, I got my hair permanently straightened.  Say what!! ;)

Aren't I just so cute?
Yes I am aware I look loopy.

Third big event of the month:  Sir Nathan thought it would be a GREAT gift to surprise me with balut.  At supper time.  Without any warning.  Don't worry folks!  It made it in my mouth, down my throat, then promptly made its presence known again in the kitchen sink.  (He tells me I am his favorite; I am beginning to question that.)

There have been plenty other exciting things that have happened.  Founders day, choir concerts, ACSI Inter-School Rally (basketball, volleyball, pingpong, musical, speech, academic competitions).  (Talk about intense!  I remembered why I LOVE basketball games: the intensity and danger of heart attacks due to stress is so exhilarating!)
But the 4th and most invigorating event that has happened yet was our visit to Molocaboc.

Molocaboc is a very small island that was hit hard by Typhoon Haiyan when it recently swept through the Philippines.  It is a small fishing community of about 59 families.  Many of their homes are without roofs, food can be hard to come by, and they simply do not have the funds to rebuild.  We started off the day by driving out 2 hours then taking a 45 minute boat ride trip to the island from Negros.

Once we arrived, we were fed a wonderful lunch.  Fresh seafood they had harvested the day before.  We had rice, crab, spider conch, clams, oysters, volute shells, seaweed, and some other stuff.

After lunch I began playing with the kids.  They were so sweet!  I spoke to them in English and VERY broken Ilonggo once in a while, and they happily chattered away in Ilonggo.  Even when they knew I didn't understand, they just continued and wore a huge silly grin on their faces.  As far as they were concerned, they were either holding the hand of an American or in an American's arms, so they were instantly popular.  

Our wonderful hostess Maristel. 

Fresh water is not available on the island, so rainwater is collected in large concrete jugs as seen in the back.

Notice the orange in their hair?  That is due to the sunshine and salt water.  Their hair is naturally bleached from being outside. 

The guys enjoying watching a basketball game.  We are quite sure money was riding on it. 

This is one of the communities few bathrooms.  (Or commonly known as a CR.)  Many do not have restrooms in their homes.  This is a very basic but clean CR.  Once inside you will find a floor with a drain; in the corner will be a bucket of water and a kabo.  You simply go on the floor and rinse it down, then wash yourself with the water placed in the corner.  (A kabo is a dipper.)  

We brought enough rice for all 3 communities on the island, a total of about 240 families.  Each one received 2 kilos of rice.  Names were read off a list, and a family member stepped forward to receive their portion.  It was done in a very neat and orderly fashion. 

After the rice was distributed we were given a tour around the village.  We saw some of the damage that had been inflicted by the typhoon, and we saw some of the livestock they keep.  After the tour we said our goodbyes.  On the way back we had to take a small boat out to deeper water because the water by the docks was too shallow for the bigger boat due to the tide going out.  We then got to experience switching boats out in deeper water by simply crossing from one bow to the other; needless to say it was an exciting experience.  (We did not wear any life jackets the whole trip!)  It was a wonderful day.  Despite their current sufferings, they were generous and always smiling.  It was encouraging to laugh and play with the kids, and quite the experience to see how they live.  I am DEFINITELY looking forward to returning.  As soon as possible! 

    

God's chisel

12/19/13

God: When you look in the mirror who do you see?

Man: I see me.

God: Okay. Then I need to keep chiseling away, because ultimately you and others need to see me. Here we go.

-Skit guys (God's chisel)

As a culture, we are constantly told that we need to be ourselves.  "Be yourself! God created you the way you are!"  (Even from those who claim not to believe in a God. Go figure!)  While this is not a bad thing, I have been contemplating this and have decided to completely disagree.  Yes, God created us, and He DOES NOT create junk.  (You are beautiful!!)  When He created us, He created something beautiful.  When He created you, He lovingly knit you together in your mother's womb.  He tenderly breathed life into your body, and then He placed you here on earth.  Male or female. Genesis 1:27: So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.  You have a purpose.   He created you to LOVE Him.  All life has meaning.  Especially yours.  There are SO many people out there that are insecure; me included.  I understand.  I understand what it's like not to want to look in the mirror, or to be self conscious of the way you look, or talk, or your personality.  It's a tough road!  When I look in the mirror, I notice the flaws.  Or what I consider flaws.  My skin is marred, my eyes are too small, I'm fat or too skinny, I'm too short or I am too tall.  When I look in the mirror, I don't notice the fact that I am created AFTER God.  I AM in HIS image.  Ephesians 2:10: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  WHOA!   Back up here!  There is more to us than physical beauty?  YES.  Yes, there is.   Beyond the physical beauty that we put so much stock in, there is an inner beauty, or lack of.   You know what?  I want God to chisel away at all of my flaws.  I want Him to CONSTANTLY be working on me so that when I do look in the mirror of my life, I don't see ME in there anymore.  I don't want to see the selfish, fleshly Sarah in it.  I should no longer see myself, I should see God. When I'm dead and gone, I don't want to be remembered as a "loving mother or wife" or a "good, kind and generous person."   I want to be remembered as someone that God was evidently working through.   So the next time I am told to be myself, or I look in the mirror; I am going to remind myself that I don't want to be myself.  I wan't to be an evident image of God.

"See, long ago he picked up his eternal paint brush, dipped in his glory, placed you in his story and said, they will live for me. And, and, I know it sounds outlandish, but we are not the product of random chances. In fact we are not even the vine; we are actually the branches, in the same way. No, we are not the artist, we are actually the canvas." -Jefferson Bethke 

(Hello to everyone back in the states!)