Saying Goodbye

It has been an eventful and productive couple of months. Summer vacation has brought many great teams and individuals across our path. I can remember being kicked out of the YMC at the beginning of my stay here so that we could accommodate 70 students and teachers from Seoul Foreign School. Since then we’ve welcomed guests and volunteers from California, U.K., Korea, Colorado, Australia, Kansas and many places in-between.

Yesterday, I had to say goodbye to a very special team of 5 girls from Tennessee and Mississippi. Kimi, Rebecca, Jessica, Laine, and Amanda (aka the Nannies) who spent 2 months taking care of babies day and night. They also became very involved in the community helping with feeding programs, holding youth nights at the JCCV, and having Bible studies along the street that they did their daily runs. If any one word can describe that team it is "selfless". They jumped into life in Cainta full force and kept gaining speed the whole time. It’s hard to see them go, but their service here will not be soon forgotten.

I can hardly believe that my final week is here. After 12 weeks of life in the Philippines I can’t imagine being anywhere but here. But alas I will be embarking for the States on Friday whether I want to or not. I’d also like to copy those 5 girls and not slow down during my last week here. We didn’t have school today so instead I put on my work clothes and passed buckets of concrete for a couple hours.

This morning, many of the volunteers staying at the YMC got up and went to work. The weather looked promising and we had a floor of cement to pour, so everyone found their spot in line and passed buckets. More than 30 people helped pour cement from 7 am until 1 pm. A job that Jeff predicted would take 10 hours only took 6 because of all the willing workers here!!

I have 3 more days of teaching left with the kids at Cuatro Christian School, and then they will have to adjust to a new math teacher. Hopefully that transition will happen smoothly. I know for sure that a part of me will stay here when I leave. It’s funny how a place can capture your heart, and this place certainly has. As long as God doesn’t have other plans for me, I’ll be back here (soon, I hope!). Until then I guess this is goodbye K.I.M. I have been so blessed serving with you.

Amber