day 10...

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Okay so here we are day 10. And what a crazy week and a half it has been. Just so my posts are not crazy and slightly schizo, I am going to take my Sunday afternoons which is a rest day, to figure out what to say. That whay you all don’t think I’ve gone crazy, like in the last post. Like I said in the last post, if for whatever reason, there is not an update by Sunday night your time, I am more than likely fine. The internet signal is iffy, there are brown outs and maybe a typhoon has rolled our way. I will update on the next available day. Also no kids names nor close-ups of their faces will be posted due to their safety and privacy.

            The kids have stolen my heart and I love them so much already. A handful of the little ones love my dandle earrings, ring and buttons. They will say them all and point or touch each one. The first time one of the little girls saw my hair down she asked me what happened to it. I told her that it was curly. To which she replied, “curly like a snake!”. All I could do was laugh. One of the baby girls love me and she can do no wrong in my eyes. Shes funny though, I can’t feed her or try to put her to bed. Watching the kids eat is the funniest and more entertaining thing. . IF they have soup, they will either pour the soup on their plate or put their rice in it. If they have milk for breakfast they will pour their outmeal in it smush their banana into it. For the pizza, they eat off the all the toppings, then eat the bread. On of the little guys, who has adopted me as a buddy, I fed a lot. He wont let me feed him with a fork. It can only be used to scoop food onto the spoon. The rice can never be eaten alone and it has to be mushed first. Also if they have popcorn with that meal he has to have a piece with every bite. Hahah he’s a funny kid.

            Okay so what has been happening since I got here. They started me off at a rockets pace. The flight was as easy as could be. We flew directly into Manila, which was great and terrible. WE had the latest season of American idol on our flight. They were pretty nice and short too. When we landed in Baolod, about 3/4s of the kids met us there at the airport with signs. I was so overwhelmed by it all. I totally cried. Then before we ate lunch, they sang the welcome to my family and again completely lost it. I’m not exactly sure what happened on Sunday. I was a walking zombie that day. Sooo tired. All I remember was hot, lots of kids and lots of questions.

            Monday was a crazy day. I was still so tired and trying to process what was going on and adjusting. Myself, some of the manag’s and Nanay drove about four hours away to rescue 3 kids. They are the cutest little ones ever. They lived in a dirty, little hut smaller than an American jail cell. It was amazing. They were super quiet till we got into the car and talked up a storm. They are all adjusting pretty well. The baby is eating well but she never has any reaction to anything. She is either sleeping or just sitting there. The other two are fine. A little naughty, but they are learning a new way to live. That day I tried 3 new foods. I’m not sure how to spell them. Putha which is a rice bread  that has been steamed in a banana leaf. It is really good. Then rambuton which is a prickly, red kind of fruit. Instead its white and you just suck on the seed. It was pretty good as well. Then I’ve had a mango thirsty. It was pretty delicious, but my favorite is Buka, a young coconut. For those of you who do not know, a thirsty is a smoothie made delicious with condensed milk and sugar. Such a good treat!!

            Then Tuesday was court day. Had I known that inmates wore yellow, I would have not worn my one yellow shirt I own. So I looked like a fashionable inmate. The court experience was crazy. All the judge’s cases were sitting on a wall and then he had filing cabinets in the back with more files. The rest of the week is pretty benign. I started teaching. By Wednesday our time I will have the class to myself. I’m already up till 10.30 grading homework. By then I can barely function. It has been fun teaching so far and their curriculum makes it super easy to just jump right in. I’m already thinking of activities or worksheets to make it more fun and interactive for the kids. I have 15 kids total. They are a good class for the most part. Some are testing me to see if I am tough or if I will give way. I never realized how hard it is to write on a chalkboard till now. Friday we had a hello goodbye party. Manang Ashley left for home on Saturday morning. It was sad to see her go. It had been such a blessing to be able to talk to her about how she handled all the emotions in the beginning and learning all the quirks of the Rosmarino family and adjusting to it all. She is missed here. Especially at mealtime and doing her water ministry. Then is was a hello to the Martin family who are new Yorkers going home furlough. Jenn, the wife, was also such a blessing to talk to. They have been here for 8 years and she said that there is not a day that goes by that she does not want to go home. It was a relief to know that its okay to still miss home even after a while of being here. She was such an incredible encouragement. I thank God for bringing her and Ashley into my life at the beginning of my stay. They both were a comfort and my the first week easier to cope with.

            I am trhying to adjust and cope as gracefully as possible. The first 3 days were so incredibly difficult. If they had given me the option to go home, I probably would have taken it. I had to focus on not crying so much that the first couple of days are a blur. 10 days in and its easier since I have somewhat of a routine but everyday is still a struggle. I usually have 1 or 2 moments or hours of trying to keep it together. My prayer every morning is just to have the strength to get through the day. I try not to think of the next day or when I’ll see my family, that is far too difficult. But God is good and everytime I’m having my moment, one of the kids run up to me or its rains and I have peace again. I have never been this emotionally bi-polar. Physically my body is having a very difficult time. My feet are so swollen. And whoever said humidity was good for your skin, clearly never lived in a humid climate. Being sweaty and sticky all day is not good. My face has never been this broken out ever. And I have a rash on one arm from the dish soup I think. And all the carbs in their diet is making me stopped up. I’m sure that’s more than you wanted to know.

            Bucket baths, I both love and despise. They make so much sense when you think of water conservation but on a morning where its super windy and pouring, a cold bucket bath is about the most unappealing thing. But there is something so refreshing about it. And the best thing, my kimchee squat will be as pro as sarah’s when I leave.

            Well I think that’s about it for now. I miss you all so incredibly much and love you all! I will upload pictures soon, I promise.

            Thank you to all who have been praying for me and loving me through this. My prayer is to be like Paul in Philippians 4:11 “Not that I speak in regard to need for I learned in whatever state I am, to be content.” And the verse that gets me through the day is 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”.

            And if you all can pray for me. I woke up in the middle of the night with flu symptoms. I can’t keep anything down right now. Please pray that I will get better soon so I can teach again.

Love you all!! Kelsey