Magandang Hapon!

Magandand Hapon! That means good afternoon in Tagalog. The literal translation is "beautiful afternoon" which I think is amazing! Doesn't that sound so cool?! So this trip has been great so far. The orientation in and of itself was intense. We went through intense security training which I will hopefully not have to use, learned how to bathe out of a bucket, wash clothes out of a bucket, use a squatty-potty, and learn how to kill a chicken, clean it, then cook it. That was really hard. I never thought that that would be a hard task but after picking a chicken and looking into his eyes and hearing his cries for help it was hard. I almost thought I was going to become a vegetarian, but I got guts and finally just picked up the ax and... well you know... Eating it was almost harder than the actual killing. It did not taste very good, but I think thats because I knew what it took to get the food on the table. I have no trouble eating chicken now as long as I don't kill it :)
I learned so much from the missionaries at training. They have really taught me a lot about the Christian walk and what Gods desire for our lives is. They prepared us so well for the task that God has before us.
So now, I am sitting in the living room of the pastor and his wife which is in the same courtyard of the church and orphanage. The children are playing outside and my team members are napping after a morning filled with walking around the city and passing out tracks to everyone we came in contact with and waiting their turn for the internet. For that reason, I will try not to take long. I am so happy here, even though it is hot and I stick and smell so bad right now. I am happy because I know I am doing what the Lord has asked me to do and there is no greater feeling than knowing that you are in the will of the Lord.
I have not said a lot about the children and the orphanage, but it is Open Door Christian Orphanage in San Pablo, Philippines. The Pastors wife runs the orphanage and the academy. The children here are not orphans in the sense that they are fatherless, but their families cannot support them so they bring them here to get an education and the proper nutrition they need. A lot of them come from broken and abusive families yet they are so happy and full of life. They love to play all day! Like literally from 7am-9pm. But they are such a joy to play with :) I love them so much already and I've only just met them. They are eager to teach us tagalog and I have really learned more tagalog in the couple days I've been here than I did at training.
I can't wait to see what God has in store! Its been great so far and I can't wait to see what happens after building great relationships with the people here. Please continue to pray earnestly without ceasing. God can do such great things through prayer and we can do nothing for Him without it. Until next time!

-grace