Slice of life....

Hello all!

            Its that time of the week again. When I sit in the office and try to figure out what to write about. Thankfully, I have ideas! Haha

            School is still fun and wonderful! June 12^th was the Philippine’s Independence Day. My class celebrated by making flags! Here’s a little lesson for you all. The three stars on the flag represent the three major land masses in the Philippines: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Then the eight rays of the sun stand for the eight provinces who started the rebellion against the Spanish, I believe. Oddly enough, the Philippines have two independence days. The Spanish gave them their independence in the late 1800s but it wasn’t until the 1960s did the United States give up their claim on the Philippines. Officially, we celebrate the day the Spanish gave up their claim. There is a little lesson for you all. Other than that, school is plugging along. The second graders are still getting a feel for the lifepacs and me. It is a lot more reading than what they were doing in first grade, but they are adjusting well. I, too, am adjusting well. It is a bit harder with more students this year, but by God’s grace, He will supply me with everything I need.

            No more bats. I’m sure the boys are disappointed but the girls are happy. Hehe

            The fun thing of this past week was a day trip to Iloilo, the island above us. It is our regional head for all things official. A few of the manangs had to renew their licenses and manang Laura had to do visa things. I was just along for the ride and have fun. Boy did we all have a fun day! To get to Iloilo, we have to take an hour long boat ride. I always get sea sick and lately have been getting carsick. I was pretty worried I would get really seasick. With lots of prayers and medicine in my belly, we got on the boat. Thank the Lord, I wasn’t sick at all! Such a wonderful relief! Well, when we got to the island, we split up so everything would go faster. By 11ish, we were all done and could goof off. We headed over to the local mall for some window shopping, school shopping and eating, which we all do very well. I had real pizza with REAL cheese for the first time since I left! Can you tell I was a little excited?? Haha Goodness it was so incredibly tasty! We ate to our hearts content.

            The theme of the day was squished cars. Haha the first of the day was a smaller than normal tricecad. Being that manang Laura and I are giants in the Philippines, we had to crunch to fit. On a bright note, the bumps in the road that would have thrown out an average size Filipino were not an issue for us. We laughed the entire way to the immigration office at the looks we got from people on the road. Then later in the day, we had to take two taxis. Both of which we had to squish four people in the back seat. I don’t understand. Only one person can sit in the front passenger seat yet we can stuff as many people as we want in the back. That doesn’t seem to make sense. Both times, I ended up sitting on manang Laura. Go figure, the two giants double up. Haha

            On a whole, the day was plain good fun with a few of the manangs and Nanay. Heaps and heaps of laughs, food was happily consumed and windows were shopped!

            Friday was also my nine-month anniversary of living here in the Philippines. It comes with mixed emotions. These last 9 months have been the hardest nine months of my life. (I know, not saying much when I’m only 22.) I have been changed from the inside, out. My faith has blossomed and consumes my whole being. Through these months, God took who I was, stripped me bare and slowly rebuilt me. The process is not complete, nor will it end when my year is up. But I am so thankful for all my hard moments, heart aches, sleepless nights, discomforts; for through them God revealed his faithfulness and love for me. He has given me a new heart. And that is why this anniversary is hard. Knowing that soon I will be on my way home. Leaving this home that I have come to love.

            If you could please pray that I stay in the moment, drinking in every second I have here. Also that I have peace with the decisions I have to make in the coming months.


            Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there! Specially happy fathers day to my good ol' dad! You have worked hard and faithfully for my whole life to provide for us. Thank you for your diligence, your faithfulness, your ample love and your sacrifices. God has blessed me by giving me you as a dad!

God Bless, thankfully, Kelsey Ball

“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:14-19