School's out for the SUMMER...

For most everyone the end of the school year is a crazy time with graduations and tying up loose ends before summer. Here at the New Faith Family Children’s Home we are no different. The minute graduation ceremonies were over we busily packed 34 kids to head down to summer camp in Malaybalay!!!! The kids have been craving for this for months now and the time has finally arrived. 34 kids, 10 staff, most of the Long family, and a small team from Faith Academy headed out early in the morning to fly down to the southern island of Mindanao and visit our sister children’s home here in the country. City kids meet country kids! For the older kids in the home this was their second time to be able to go to Malaybalay for summer this time we brought all the older and younger kids (not including the babies). For many it was their first airplane ride, which is always a fun experience to be a part of. Since arriving the kids have played and run around to their heart’s content. For all the little kids this is their paradise; a huge outdoor playground of dirt, fields, rivers, and space space space to run on and play games! It has been wonderful watching their spirits come alive when they can truly rest from school and the life of the city and the home. Was it stressful getting them ready? YES! Did people think we were crazy to bring this many kids down here? OF COURSE!!! But to see their faces now makes all the stress and work worth it. All the gracious amounts of donations given in order to make this kind of experience happen for these 34 little lives fill all of our hearts with joy. We will be down here until March 31st. You can continue to pray for continued safety and health of the kids and staff. This year for the devotions for the kids we are focusing on the fruits of the spirit. This month it is JOY and that is definitely what it has been so far!

Rachel and DJ