7/19 - Back to the BOOST!!

***Before I start blogging about this trip, I just want to say that more than what I did or accomplished, this trip was about God, and what He did, accomplished, and taught me. I think this was my 'Faith Walk' for the Summer - one big test. I learned more about the Filipino Culture on this Outreach, than I could ever learn in the City in 3 months... You will read the line: 'God taught me this....." a lot... Enjoy!***

I never got to bed last night (again :D)...between work, blogging, and packing. I did get a 1/2 hour nap though. At 1:30 am, I finished talking to my mom and the rest of the family. This was the first time we've had the chance to talk for so long and so deep...what a blessing!!!  Afterwards, I went over to the Clinic to check on my patient (my 3rd handle and first Lalaki/Boy!!). I actually didn't start packing until around 2:30am, which meant that I had to sneak around my room, gathering what I wanted to bring, and then bring it out into the hallway to pack!! That was a fun memory....

At 6:30am, Sylvette and I took a Taxi to the Bus Terminal. Claire, another fil-wife came with us to see us off, only to take a jeepney back home immediately!! That was really sweet of her. The bus left at 7:30am, and we both settled down to a good, long nap.

Entering Butuan- Diosdado Macapagal Bridge

The Mighty Agusan River-3rd longest in the Philippines

Entering Butuan City

Though I have been the only American in the midst of Filipinos before, this was a much different experience. Imagine being on a bus of 40+ people, and being the ONLY white person and a female! Since Sylvette gets carsick sometimes, we were also in the VERY front, which increases it. It was pretty funny to see and hear the reactions of the Pinoys:

At one stop, they were all busily trying to sell their wares to the people on our bus, when someone espied Sylvette and me (who were sitting at the front, where everyone can see us the whole entire trip). All of a sudden, there was a buzz of them talking, staring, pointing, and saying excitedly, "Look~ Americana! Gwapa!", etc. It was pretty funny, because they were so busy talking about this rare event, that they totally forgot to sell their goods until we pulled out!!! What a way to put them out of business!! lol :)

 Of course, on our first outreach to Tagpopo-ot, we were called 'Snow White", which was actually quite hysterical: imagine one guy yelling out, "Snow White...this and that", and pretty soon, it spreads and other people are calling you that too!!!

A Pinoy sowing Rice in a Rice Field

Funny, because by the end of the Bus Trip, I seriously forgot that I looked any different from anyone else, and when people would stare, I actually thought "Why are they staring at me?" and then I'd remember..."Oh...I'm white..." (Talk about backwards!!)

While on the Jeepney---going to MJ Santos or "The BOOST"---I was called "Hey Joe!" for the first time. That was exciting....I guess I'm actually an Americana now!! Of course, the correct reply is to shout "Hey Phil!!" :D

This little girl was SO precious!!! A little princess.

Her mommy was probably 8 months pregnant, and Sylvette and I were just itching to get our hands on her and do a prenatal...we almost asked too!! :)

Guess what was written in the Jeepney Station??? How cool is that???

Sylvette figuring out plans at the Station...

Okay, back to my day: Once we arrived in Butuan, we walked to the store across the street to pick up some food items, and who did we meet there?? Bong's older brother-Renel and Dariel (a Nehemiah translator)!!! After chatting for a few minutes, we traded goods, and then continued shopping, while they headed for the BOOST.

Lanzones Orchard on our way to the BOOST

We took a Jeepney to the Boost a little later, after waiting at the Jeepney Terminal for about 45 minutes. As usual, everyone was so helpful (I wonder why??)...sometimes a little too helpful... Funny, because the Jeepney Assistant wasn't going to allow us to ride on the top of the Jeep, because 'we were girls', which was ridiculous, since girls ride up top all the time. So Sylvette simply told him, that we were just here less than 2 weeks ago, and rode up there... Needless to say, we rode up there. :)

THE BOOST:

BOOST Girl's Dorm House, also the BOOST Coffee Headquarters, where Casey and Judith run their many businesses. (Can't see it, but the Marsh is behind the house and up the hill, is where they keep goats and rabbits, and is the BOOST Guy's Staff Dorm)

The Office and 'official' guys dorm

The 'Meeting Place', Hammock Hangar, and Church Area

Clinic and 'Official' Girls Dorm

Once we got to the BOOST, we were met by the BOOST Staff, the Water Filter Team, and 3 Filipino visitors who had come to learn about the water filter installation for a few days. It was so much fun to be with them all again.

It is much different-being the ONLY Americana for miles around. When there were 3-5 of us, it was okay to walk from different parts of the boost by yourself, and though we were watched over, there was more lee-way.  Coming back as the only American/White Girl for miles around though, I was very protected and watched over for the first part of the trip (laxed a little more at the end), which in some ways was a little irksome, but on the other hand, I understand the possible dangers, and inheriting body guards/brothers is not a bad thing, especially when you miss your brothers as much as I do!!

For all of you who have been concerned my 'lack of homesickness', just a clarification, I miss my family, but there is a difference between 'missing people' and being 'homesick'....homesick I haven't been... There IS a difference... LOL ;)

I ate dinner across the marsh at one of the Staff Quarters, with Sylvette and 8 other Filipinos (I was the only white person). This was only the beginning of a thorough immersion into the Pinoy culture, and though I have always thought myself as a 'flexible' person, I am learning an entirely new spectrum of it:

What do you do, when you are the only white person among 8 Filipinos at a dinner table of Filipino food (which I happen to thrive on), and they are all speaking Cebuano? Do you pretend to understand everything they're saying (when you only understand a little), and laugh at the 'jokes', or do you sit quietly and eat your food, or what? What about when they ask you to 'talk', or start a topic? What are you supposed to say? What is graciousness here? In this situation, there were many facets that I didn't know about, until afterwards, which made it...interesting: the biggest one of which was that there were 3 people at the table who hardly spoke Visayan but another dialect, and next to no English.

In this situation, I believe God was showing me that to be a missionary in the Philippines (or anywhere), I'm going to need to learn to be adaptable and flexible in each and every situation. I'm going to have to learn how to think on my feet (which is not a strong point for me) and respond correctly to situations, that I don't know anything about, and have no idea what the 'culturally-correct' response is...when those around me are relying on me to respond appropriately. THAT'S HARD!!!!

After washing dishes and visiting, Sylvette and I went down to the lower portion of the BOOST (across the road) and spent some time with the Filter Team, which was a blast, before heading back up to BOOST Staff Dorm where we spent the night.

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:

- All of the above. ;p

- Always have an open and teachable spirit.

- Though I may not know the answers, God is there teaching me.

- Filipinos are often 'shy' about telling you things....you have to ask them, but when they share, wow is it helpful!!!

- God is teaching me a lot--having no will of my own, and it is good. I need it.