Hello All, I trust you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with delicious food, family and thankfulness. This past week has been crazy busy! I wanted to have a thankful post last week, but I forgot till last minute so this will be my thankful post. As well as keeping you updated on this past.
So here goes this past week. Monday was normal enough, taught, skyped with my family and played with all the little ones J Tuesday is where the crazy fun started. A few of us went out to breakfast after a blood test for Nanay to Bobs, which has the best fruit punch. After killing a few hours there in fellowship, we needed to go to the mall for a few odds and ends. We figured we would be back home in time for lunch. Before we even knew it, it was 3p and with afternoon we made it home just in time for dinner. But we had a fun day, ended up accomplishing more than we even thought we would. Wednesday might be my most fun day to date. Yes bold statement but it was exciting an full. For our manita (secret santa) shopping, each manang gets two days off to go shopping. My shopping partner is manang Khenna. We are so alike and yet so different that there aren’t many dull moments. She is funny/serious and I’m goofy, we make quite a pair. We got to take the jeepnee’s to down town! And a tryci-cab. We literally tramped around the whole city of Bacolod. Before we even started we had to exchange some of my money and drop off a case file both of which were not by each other nor by where we needed to go shopping. We started off at an American mall. After being repeatedly shocked by the prices, we went downtown to central market. I love central market! There is nothing pretty about it. It’s dirty, grimy smelly; it’s the trenches. But the shop owners had a humble pride. Yes they didn’t have the fancy window cases or air-conditioning of the mall, but what they did have they were going to make it nice and respectful. It was fun going from stand to stand. Trying to find the treasure in all the stacks of clothes. The prices were much better as well. Central market itself is crowded, dirty, slightly dangerous (you don’t take your hand off your purse) but again it’s a place where you are able to see get a glimpse of the Philippino culture without the pretense of the nice mall. Its real and its down and dirty. I really enjoyed seeing that side of the culture since I hadn’t yet.
For lunch, we ate at Inasal, a philippino fast food place. It is mostly chicken and rice. It was delicious! They bring you all the rice you can eat. You just have to signal a guy and he comes over with a bucket and slaps a ball of rice on your plate. Its fabulous. About a month ago we were blessed by Tom shoes for the kids. Everyone loves them! While we were shopping, we found a place that sold them! I have no clue if they are real or just really good knock offs, but they were cheap, really cheap. I bought a pair for myself and my manita. All the kids love them! They love it since I match them now J
I also made a delicious discovery! Bacolod has a large Chinese population, so we have random Chinese food throughout the city. I found Shu poa (spelling?) or boa’s (again spelling?) refer to picture below. I loved them as a kid but hadn’t had one in years!! They were so delicious!! Part of me was scared that I would get sick since it was just a random store, but it was worth it. And I didn’t get sick! By the time we got back home, we were laden down with bags and food. Since I like to try food, we got a few more small snacks. The last jeepne we took home, I didn’t think the two of us would fit in it. It was packed! But we managed to squeeze in plus four more that hopped on after us. It was ridiculous how stuffed we were.
That brings us to Thursday. Our Thanksgiving day. It started out normal enough. I taught the first half of the day then after lunch, I was asked to help them go shopping for Christmas presents. Stores here wont hold merchandise for you longer than a few hours. And let me tell you, shopping for a family this large is crazy but methodical. They had called around and found what they needed at about 7 different stores. So those of us that went, were paired off and given tasks to complete. It was sort of like getting a mission and doing our best to complete it. Would the stores still have what we wanted? Did they have enough? Would we make it back to the meeting point on time? Yes to all the above. It wasn’t that suspenseful, but it was fun! Like most things here, it took us longer to get everything done that we needed to get done and didn’t get back till after dinner. Which was fine since, Nanay and Tatay had decided to celebrate Thanksgiving on Sunday.
By Friday, I was beat. Thank goodness it was a pretty normal day. School was frantic day, trying to get everyone caught up since I hadn’t taught most of the week. From now till Christmas break, it will be getting them caught up and finish the section, so we can start fresh in January.
A few weeks ago, we were blessed by hundreds of books from a missionary couple. On Saturday we took on the task of putting them away. I am still tired and sore from that. We took down all the pictures and knick-knacks in the library to put up all the books. We had close to 600 books to put away. Then we realized we just couldn’t unload a box and shove it on the shelf, they needed to be organized first. So we unloaded all the boxes and had books everywhere. Then we realized we needed to take the books off the shelves and organize those too. The boys couldn’t get to their room, we had so many piles of books in their walkway. Once everything was out and organized and we were thoroughly covered in sweat and dust, we started the task of putting the books away. Most of the books are heavy readers and text books. All of our arms and legs are so tired from carrying them too and fro. By the end of the day, I was ready to pass out on my bed! But now that we have all the books away, all the kids can use them and don’t have to read the same stories they have been reading all year!
Sunday, Thanksgiving Philippino style, was fun! It was a normal Sunday, church and nap. Then we had fun games for the kids. And egg race, guessing games. My personal favorite was when one was blind folded and had to feed another kid a banana. Haha so funny!! I helped in the kitchen since their was more food than normal to prepare. Instead of turkey we had chicken lechon, a philippino party food. It was like any normal thanksgiving, we went around saying what we are thankful for. Amazingly, we took less time than a Vinck circle. I was amazed at that! We all ate far too much food. We had “pumpkin” and apple “pie”. It was all delicious!! It was a great Thanksgiving for me. And as God is always faithful, I wasn’t sad to not be home. He gave me the peace to be here mentally and emotionally and enjoy thanksgiving with my new family. There were a bunch of kids that this was their first thanksgiving and seeing how much they loved it and how they were thankful for their new family, brought me to tears. I grew up where a loving family and enough food was a given. For some of these kids, when they say that is what they are thankful for, they really truly mean it. Until now, they didn’t know what it was like to have loving families or full bellies. I was humbled by their conviction of thankfulness.
This brings me to my thankful part. Sorry if it rambles, I’m typing it down as it comes to me. First and foremost, as cliché as it sounds, I am thankful for a future hope that salvation brings. Understanding that this isn’t it, and living accordingly. I am thankful God opened up all the doors for me to come to the Philippines and live with the Rosmarinos! It has been an amazing two months and I’m eager to see what God will do in the rest of my time here.
I am so incredibly thankful to my family. They have been nothing but supportive in my serving for a year. Having them behind me, makes everyday easier.
I am also so thankful for all my friends and family friends who have supported me in this. The prayers, emails and cards remind me that I am not alone. That God has provided me with an amazing support team.
I am thankful for the Rosmarino’s putting up with me and all my goofiness. For making me feel at home and apart of the family. For never feeling like a visitor.
I am so so so thankful for all the kids and their love. On the days where you are so tired you think you will drop or are just grumpy, their smiles, love and laughs kick you right out of your funky mood. All it takes is one hug and my heart is melted.
I am so THANKFUL that God provides for everything in the little or the big. For answered prayer. For giving me the strength and grace to get through those early days. And now for giving me a love for the Rosmarinos that is greater than my missing home. Thankful that He cares enough to stretch Sunday school snacks. Thankful He knows my needs and desires far before I do. Thankful that He gives abundantly in what we need.
Thankful for the laughter, smiles and hugs.
Thankful for all the relationships I am forming with both the kids and the ladies here. Thankful for sweet fellowship.
Thankful for the cool breeze on a stifling hot day. Thankful for the rain and the relief it brings. And for the sound it makes on the tin roof as it lulls me to sleep at night.
Thankful for the sunny days so the kids can play and the laundry dries.
Thankful for the manangs that wash all the clothes by hand. Thankful for all the manangs who cook for hours so we can have food.
Thankful for the early morning hours with beautiful sunrises and crisp air.
Thankful that bucket bathes now seem normal. I even forget that things like showers or warm water exist.
Lastly I am thankful for the incredible love from everyone back at home and from everyone here. It makes my for easy days filled with smiles. It makes a year feel like a short amount of time. It has created two homes for me. One here in the Philippines and one back in the states.
I love you all! And I am sooo THANKFUL to everyone who has been supportive.
Till next time and God bless,
Kelsey
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