Day 2 - Monday, October 13th

Today the group split in a few directions to accomplish various tasks.

Brigitte, Carylyn, Annette and Kevin headed to the Divisoria to purchase supplies for VBS and block party activities, a chaotic market where you can get many things cheap if you are willing to brave a maze of claustrophobic aisles and potential pick-pockets, haggle and do constant exchange rate calculations. When you're done, it is a slow ride back through exhaust filled traffic. Through this chaos we found time for conversation about the spiritual, the trivial and the comical. And Annette got to experience full cultural immersion in the non-stop commotion that is Manila.

Dave, Nellie, Cindy, Brooke and Mack worked in the Children's home -- the sheer quantity of babies in the nursery has gotten quite large, and a few hours of baby-care was as exhausting as it sounds. It has been a great thing to see the older kids in the Children's home step in to help though - and a testament to the way they are being raised by DJ and Rachel and the other full-time staffers of the home. Dave and Mack worked on the Manger Scene that will be further decorated by the kids in the home and then moved on to scraping paint in the former dining area of the Children's home to prepare that room for repurposing.

We returned to share stories of the day and begin to set a more concrete schedule for the rest of the trip. We will try to publish that schedule shortly so you have an idea of what is coming up for us.