Past happenings:

Over the past few days, here is a bit of what i've been up to.

- Met Kacey, our sponsor child, and his family.
- Took them to Jollibee's which was disgusting.
- Took them shopping.
- Laughed at how mesmerized Kacey was by the transformer toys.
- Was embarrassed by a shopkeeper who got down on his knee and sung "Nothing on you" By B.O.B. to me.
- Got asked if i was a famous popstar singer.
- Found out that the average person here makes the equivalent of about $200 a month to live on.
- Tried to stay dry-eyed as i watched Kacey get so excited with us there that he couldn't breathe because of his bad asthma.
- Went parading around the streets of Laoag in a "March for Jesus" parade along with 800 kids from all the local churches.
- Sang for the kids in the highschool.
- Watched the kids perform their talents for us in the highschool.
- Cried a lot. But not in a bad way.
- Watched a little girl cry as she said thankyou to us as the sponsors on stage.
- Got numerous gifts, including a handmade purse, a picture drawn for me, a handmade origami flower by a little girl, and two white roses from two other little girls.
- Got bombarded by hundreds of kids as they fought over who would be next to us in the photos.
- Realized again just how much i am smiling.
- Was taken countless photos of by everyone around - ones that i was and also was not aware of.
- Had people stroking my hair, but could not get away since i had four kids on my lap and by my side.
- Went for many walks at night through the streets.
- Held my breath for a lot of those walks.
- Saw so much poverty on the streets.
- Watched as an elderly lady was half naked, half covered in rags, searched through a garbage bag for food.
- Drank lots and lots of iced tea.
- Ate lots and lots of rice.
- Became accustomed to the noodles here.
- Photo bombed.
- Got photo bombed.
- Rode in a horse and cart and nearly died.
- walked through trees adorned with golden fairy lights hanging vertically; it reminds me of a willow tree, or the tree of souls off of the Avatar movie.
- Visited Pastor Marilyn's church.
- Sang at the church.
- Saw where the kids go to learn on Saturdays.
- Looked through the files of Hollie's sponsor child.
- Saw the letters we both sent her in 2008 and nearly cried.
- Ate lunch with them, nearly gagged at the squid.
- Also nearly gagged at the soup - it had a plant in it. With a stem. And leaves. And petals. And a bud. Yeah.
- Got used to not having knives to eat with. It's a fork and a spoon, and that is it.
- marvelled at the fact that Jollibees can call see-through pasta as spaghetti, a ball of rice wrapped to look like a cheeseburger, deep fried chicken bones as meaty, and little squares of questionable brownies as a good meal.
- Fell in love with the food at Chow King.

That's about all so far. I'm back at the hotel now.
Soon we will be driving to the airport to say goodbye to Scott.
Then we are possibly sight-seeing a little bit before we go to the quaint cafe we discovered on our late-night walk last night.
I'm looking forward to the iced tea again.
Tomorrow is our first medical mission trip. Keely, Hollie and I have boxes full of medical supplies in our room, as it is by far the biggest room. Possibly in the whole hotel.
I'll get to blog a bit more later. But in a few days time i possibly won't be able to anymore. I will try.
And if i do, i'll be using more dot points. It's so much easier, and doesn't have to be in order.
I know i miss everyone back home, and i miss fresh air, fresh foods, and my pillow.
But i don't ever want to leave.
If only everyone was here, including my pillow. I would be the happiest person on Earth.

I know now more than ever before, that what i am doing now is what i want to be doing for the rest of my life.

I have found my calling.

First impressions.

My first thoughts as the plane lowered itself into the atmosphere of the Philippines was this: "everything is shiny." the city of Manila was a sparkling city. The lights from the houses and towers and shops etc were all the colours of the rainbow. The runway was lit up in rows and the sun was setting red and golden over the ocean. And even the water was filled with little floating buoys that flickered with lights. The moment I stepped onto Asian ground, I noticed the atmosphere is entirely different to Australia. Everything feels different. The air is moist and heavy with tropical flower scents and everywhere I look there are palm leaves, ferns and hibiscus trees. We were ushered along quickly in the Manila airport because we had under a minute to board our next plane. That plane was a little less comfortable and enjoyable than the previous one, but it only went for an hour or so. Laoag airport was made of bricks and had archways everywhere, making me feel like it was medieval times or something. We crossed the road and passed. A long barb wire fence, to be practically smothered by locals who had come to welcome us. And because of the frangipani aroma filling up my senses, everything was happy and tropical. The air has a different feel here. The city smog hangs low on the ground so I have been inhaling horrible fumes, but I've gotten used to the foggy feeling. Besides, everything else around the city is too intriguing to worry about the fumes. The people here are so polite, and so friendly. Not once have I heard any cussing and swearing, which is so refreshing. As I said in my previous post, I can't stop smiling. When you are around the philippinos. It's all you can do. And especially when they don't speak English - smiling has its own language. There haven't been any mosquito bites. Apparently the chances of getting malaria where we are now is about the same as if I were back in Australia. I love the feeling the streets, as well as the country side. But I am really pining to be out among the churches in the villages, that will be Sunday I think. At 12:30am today we are going to meet our sponsor children I am so keen. We'll be able to take them shopping, give them our gifts, play around with them, meet their families and see their homes.
Having everyone treating me like a celebrity already makes me feel sorry for those who are famous. It is funny seeing everyone waving and going out of their way to be seen by us. But I am no different to them, just a different height and colour. Our compassion helper Nathan is extremely nice. He guides us everywhere, shows where the best sights are and helps with everything. He also has a similar camera to mine so we walk around taking photos of everything together. Sometimes I catch him trying to take a photo of our group or of me taking a photo myself. He is a bit odd like that, but he is wonderful. Especially because we share the same passion for missionary work.

So I have written as much as I can think of right now, sorry about the lack of paragraphs and probably good grammar. It is hard to blog on an iPod.
Oh yeah, tomorrow we are doing a 'March For Jesus' parade with the whole city, where we will be parading the streets of laoag with thousands of philippinos who are eager to praise God. I know it will be life- changing.

Where to Begin?

So i know i haven't yet blogged apart from this one, and it will have to be short, i have less than ten minutes until the internet timer runs out.
But what can i say about the Philippines?
I don't know where to start.
The moment i walked off the plane and stepped onto the ground of Laoag city i pretty much fell in love.
The air is heavy and tropical, and when you're not in the city streets surrounded by the insanity that is the traffic, the air is fresh.
We were greeted outside the airport by a large crowd of Philippinos who had come out of curiosity.
A young girl came bouncing up to me and put a lei of fresh frangipani flowers around my neck as a welcome gift.
We were taken to the Renzo hotel in a van, where the seats are lined along the side of the vehicle with no seatbelts, and the bumpy road creates an allmost rollercoaster feel.
So far we haven't done much, we have been around the streets and market places, and just recently came back from a pizza restaurant, filled with waterfalls, rainforesty plants and little huts where we ate. It was beyond beautiful.
Plus, our meals of 6 pieces of pizza and an iced tea (the iced tea here is the best in human existence) Only cost about 150 pesos which is under $5.
Tomorrow we will get a sleep in finally, and after our free time and our personal hour-long massages, we are visiting the sponsor children.
I can't wait to see them.
The rest of the time will involve a lot of medical missions, trips to the churches and compassion programs, etc etc.
If i get a chance to blog again, i'll write more about the real things i love about this place.
I have noticed, my cheeks are constantly aching. I just keep smiling. And it's all genuine happiness too, everything and everyone is and are beautiful and kind.
Hopefully i'll write more later.

New Adventure Arises.

So tomorrow i will be off to embark on a new, wild adventure.
I will be going with a few people from my church on a medical missions trip to the Philippines.
I will be in Laoag for 13 days, visiting the local churches and be there to serve, help, encourage, anything the people need us for.
Some days will be medical trips, visiting sponsor children, church visits, different workshops, helping with children, adults, leaders, etc.
This will test me in many more ways than one. I know it will change me permanently, and i want it to. I will be exposed to many things i would never see here in Australia, and things i have yet to even consider, I'm sure.
But it is my heart, to help these people. I discovered my passion for Missionary work at the beginning of 2010.
And this is my first real opportunity.
I can't wait.
I will try to blog at night, hopefully every night if i can manage. It will be very demanding and draining so i am unsure.
If i don't post, then i am hopefully still breathing and upright.
Tomorrow i will be on the train to Melbourne, and staying there overnight so i can be at the Tullamarine airport at an early hour.
From there we will be flying to Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. After an hour or so of waiting in the airport, i will then be transferring flights to Laoag, at the top of the Philippines.
That is the happenings for my next two days. Come Thursday, well, i honestly don't know what it will be like.
But i don't need to know everything. It is good not expect things.
SO yes. Hopefully i will keep you posted, Mr. Blog. Maybe.
If not, have a good two weeks.
God Bless.

I sometimes think i would prefer to be brunette.
I'm sure people would take me more seriously if i was.
My whole life would probably be altered, purely by hair colour.
Ridiculous.
People subconsciously change their thoughts on people depending on the hair colour. What they prefer, what they are used to, what they wish they had.
And it ends up affecting how we see each other.
Some even seem to have some constant competition between whether blonde or brunette is better.
Once again, Ridiculous.
Not being prejudiced, I am being honest.
But if i were a brunette...

The Butterfly Effect.

In 1963, Edward Lorenz presented a hypothesis to the New York Academy of Science. His theory, states simply, was that:

"A butterfly could flap its wings and set molecules of air in motion, which would move other molecules of air, in turn moving more molecules of air - eventually capable of starting a hurricane on the other side of the planet."

Lorenz and his ideas were literally laughed out of the conference. What he had proposed was ridiculous. It was preposterous, but fascinating nonetheless to everyone who had heard his claim.
Therefore, because of the idea's charm and intrigue, the so-called "butterfly effect" became a staple of science fiction, remaining for decades a combination of myth and legend spread only by comic books and bad movies.

So imagine the scientific community's shock and surprise when, more than thirty years after the possibility was introduced, physics professors working from colleges and universities worldwide came to the conclusion that the butterfly effect was authentic, accurate and viable.

Soon after, it was accorded the status of a "law". Now known as The Law of Sensitive Dependence Upon Initial Conditions, this principle has proven to be a force encompassing more than mere butterfly wings.

Science has shown the butterfly effect to engage with the first movement of any form of matter - including people.

Everything you do matters.

Every move you make.

Every action you take, matters.

Not just to you,

Or your family,

Or your business,

Or hometown.

Everything you do matters

To all of us

Forever.

There are generations yet unborn whose very lives will be shifted and shaped by the moves you make and the actions you take today. And tomorrow. And the next day. And the next.

EVERY SINGLE THING YOU DO MATTERS.

You have been created as one of a kind.

On the planet Earth, there has never been one like you ... and there never will be again.

Your spirit, your thoughts and feelings, your ability to reason and act all exist in no one else.

The rarities that make you special are no mere accident or quirk of fate.

You have been created in order that you might make a difference.

You have within you the power to change the world.

By your hand, millions- billions- of lives will be altered, caught up in a chain of events begun by you this day.

The very beating of your heart has meaning and purpose.
Your actions have value far greater than silver or gold

So what you do with your life today...

Matters forever.