So Here I am… having returned from Cebu in the Philippines a few weeks ago after a life changing experience reaching out to the people of Cebu.
The flight over saw us overnighting in Singapore which was a cool experience! The accommodation there was a little old school, but it was still good to be able to get a good nights sleep after our 7 hr flight.
Saturday Afternoon saw us flying into Cebu Airport and jumping in a van and being driven across the city to our accommodation for the first week. This was a cozy house that was part of a compound that was rented out by the Cebu Missionary Foundation. Then once we were sorted at the compound we jumped back into the van and headed back to the airport… or just next to it to be guests at a Christmas party that a big hotel threw for about 75 children from one of the dump sites that the CMF works in. It was a great night for the kids. Being given a full 3 course meal and small presents from “santa”… also being able to see the lighting of the MASSIVE Christmas Tree that the hotel had standing in their foyer. It was a great night for them and it was a huge blessing to be able to witness this first hand.
The next day was Church. It was a huge difference to see a church of about 40 people just praising God with all that they had. Even though I was hot, sweaty and tired from our previous days travel I couldnt help but be drawn into worship… even though I was the one worship leading. After church we did a tour of the dump sites that CMF work in… It was a big eye opener to see the kids from the previous night at the hotel in such poverty stricken conditions. in tattered clothes and some even in none. Also to see the school houses that the CMF helped to build and run a few days a week.One more Church service at night at a different site saw the day through and even saw us riding in the back of a Jeepney, which is the main/normal transport around Cebu.
The week to follow saw us undertaking many a challenging and growing task, from teaching at their schools of excellence to running bible studies for the womens group and even visiting the Cebu Womens prison. We wrapped presents for the Christmas party and also did more mass feedings at the various sites.
On the Friday night we did a mega feeding program. We started at the Cemetery where we did some skits as well, then we went to Pier 4 to dish up more lougow (loo-gow), then we did a crazy drive through feeding through the worst streets of Cebu handing out lougow, bread and mangoes. It was such a great experience to serve the people and seeing the expressions on their faces as we gave them meals was cool!!
on the middle Saturday we had a day off from the mission stuff and went island hopping. Due to the day being so darn cheap we decided to take a bunch of the local youth from the cemetery with us. These guys were the ones who actually help the CMF with a lot of their feeding programs and stuff. Such a great bunch of guys. Although they cant speak heaps of english they still have a great sense of humor. one of the guys taught me how to do back flips into the water… it was great!! though I havent had an opportunity to try again since being back in Australia.
Aside from feeding programs the week ahead mainly had organisation for the Christmas party scheduled. we played a few games of Basketball with the boys and got our butts handed to us… lost us 50c in a wager… 
on the last Wednesday we had the Christmas party. It was HUGE!!!! From all over Cebu came youth to enjoy the party that the CMF had worked sooo hard to organise.
Thursday was a chilled day of recovery! we also had a surprise thankyou party thrown for us by the CMF… it was a cool night of food and fun!
Friday we went home… but not before spending 4 hours walking around singapore airport.
All in all it was an amazing trip. God taught all of us sooo much and threw us sooo far out of our comfort zones it wasnt funny. we managed to hold our emotions together pretty well and watched our tempers after such a lack of sleep.
If I can be bothered I might write more later…
