Lorega: a beautiful day.

Sometimes in life there are those moments were afterwards you look back and think, "did that really happen?" Yesterday I experienced one of those moments. We went to Lorega early in the morning, and as we were entering the outskirts, we stopped under some huge spreading trees to ask God to show us where he wanted us to go. As we were praying, some of our little friends ran over to us and we began to play with them. Amber played pogs with some of the little boys. Amberly and I played with Rea and Andrea some of our special little friends. As we began to play with the girls, we noticed that the ground was strewn with beautiful, pure white flowers that had fallen from the trees. Their smell is one of the most fragrant I have ever smelled, and it was so strange to be picking these stunning blossoms up from among the garbage and the graves. We spent a long time making little florrettes and bouquets from the blossoms. Then the kids started climbing the trees, so we went up with them too. In between the high buildings of the city, you can see beautiful green mountains from that high up. It was very calm and serene under the huge spreading branches with these beautiful children. I found myself marvelling at the beauty of God's creation; the view, the flowers, the children. And then I remembered I was in a cemetary in one of the busiest cities in the Philippines. It is a testament to God's goodness that he can bring such beauty to such a place as this.

We also went to visit Louis. Louis is 21, and is autistic. His parents are loving, but have to keep him in a cage so he doesn't wander off and get hurt. He sits in his cage on top of a tombstone all day by himself on a little couch, and yet whenever we go by, he is so smiley and happy to see us. When we went by him yesterday, we brought him a bouquet of flowers, and he was so happy with them. Then we asked his mother if we could visit him. He was absolutely thrilled to have mga basita (visitors)! He ushered us in to his little sanctuary and we chatted with him for a while. He can't actually talk, so I guess it was more us chatting, but he seemed to be happy with that. He showed us the picture of his Lola (grandmother), which he was quite proud of (I'm not sure if he was proud of the picture, or his grandmother). Kids clung to the chicken wire all around his cage while we visited him, and as we left, some came in to see him. How we wish they will keep visiting him, and realize what a great friend he is!

We went to visit Ate Glee and get halo halo again. I found one little girl, Nicole, who I had been worried about because she had not been to Compassion for a while. It was great to see her and let her know I had been thinking about her.

It is such a joy and a priveledge to be in this place with these wonderful people. We are so grateful to God for this opportunity and for these friends and so blessed to know this really is where we are supposed to be.

Love,

Amberkay