Ceeelebrate good times, come on!

Since my last post we have had a lot of celebrating to do! We've had many birthdays (including my teammate Brenana!), karaoke with many priests and the Bishop, end of the school year, graduation, senior trip, church staff party/birthday party, and just a lot of fun with our friends. These last couple of weeks have been very blessed!!

                                      Snack break on the side of the road waiting on the ferry.

                               Singing karaoke with the priests and the bishop! Go Breana!

                                         Father Joe singing "Killing Me Softly" with Breana

                                                    Thank God one of us can sing!

                              Singing happy birthday to Revise! One of the first friends we made here.

                                      Some really awesome people that we love so much!

                                        Pinning on the ribbon of one of our honor students

                           Ate (ah-tay meaning big sister) Alex is so proud! And so very large!!

                                  The rebuilding of a house that was destroyed in a house fire.

                                                   The rice fields by our balay (house).

                               Looking at the fish growing in the fish ponds built by the Church.

Father showing us the water source up the mountain

Graduation dayyy!! 

This is our family. 

Teacher picture

All of our friends woke us up at 4:00 am to sing Breana a candlelit happy birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Birthday pancakes with the neighborhood kids

Loading up the Jeepnie for their Senior Trip!

Having the time of my life on the back!

before...

and after!

Before I pushed him in.. jk.

                                                                SO MUCH JOYYY

                                                            The gang all loaded up!

                                                     Just another night at our house!

                           The guys dancing and washing our dishes for us, they're my favorite.

The group again, makes my heart happy :) 

Fun dayyyy

Heyy mom! That's Camiguin behind me.

                                                                 Love and miss you!

                                     

They say a picture says a thousand words

                                                         Kindergarden graduation... so cute!

                                                        Father Joe with the graduates

                                   Bishop of Malaybalay, Father Joe, and my awesome team!

                                              In Malaybalay for the Benediction mission trip

                                                                 Desert day waterfall

                                                                   Just hangin out!

                                                                         Team pic

                                                                       Frolicking

                                                              On the boat again

                                                               A more pleasant one

                                                    Our BFF fixing our ceiling for us

                                       Preaching the Gospel.. just kidding, playing Simon Says

                                             A spot down the street from our house!

                  So this was taken after a long day, but this goes to show how short I am on this island

                                                               Community dinner

                                                                 Cooking squid!

                       "The cross before me, the world behind me" giving a teaching earlier that day

                                              Hanging out with the neighborhood kids

                                                   Being me at the Jail in Malaybalay

The little things

Growing up my mom made me and my sisters go with her to the Stations of the Cross every Friday during Lent. I can remember (and I’m sure my mother can testify) that I never wanted to go, but she made us go anyway. Years later I never would have thought I would be attending the same Stations of the Cross on the other side of the world in a different language and at 4:30AM. When my alarm went off at 4:00 this morning I was not very excited about getting out of bed and in my head I pitched a fit, just like I did when I was a child. It sounds ridiculous but just to make myself get out of bed I had to offer up my “sacrifice” to a loved one in need of a conversion (that would be really sweet Jesus if You would just go ahead and convert her now!). After asking for grace and having an attitude of gratitude I, along with the rest of my team, walked in the dark and the rain to the church. Even though it was said in Visayan, all the motions were the same and I felt like I was back at home with my family. Thank you Jesus for giving me such a holy mother and calling me to the other side of the world to realize it and appreciate her more. Love you Mom!!

                                      

P.S.- If you’re reading this please take a few seconds to pray for the conversion of my loved one.  

Pictures from the last month!

I know, it's been a while. Sorry Mom! Here are some pictures of the last month on mission!

Motorella! 

                                                  Fake driving the motorcycle..

                                                 Selfie with the best driver out there!

                                                              Jumping for joy!

                                                     Swimming with the teens

                                                        Giving a talk at the retreat

                                                              Senior retreat.

Decided to put on a skirt for the Juniors 

                                                              Junior retreat!

                                                 I always find the cutest babies :)

                                                     Children at a nearby chapel.

                                                       Selfie with Father Joe!

                                                                In the ocean!

these kids showed up on our porch while we were eating dinner to dance for us, they were awesome!

                                                                   Group pic

                                                        At the beach again!

                                                                       ...

                                      Playing on the street with the neighborhood kids.

                                                        Washing E.V.s hair

                                                    Visiting the Malaybalay jail

                                     this is Roxanne- I will tell you more about her later!