You're the God of this city...

You're the God of this city, You're the king of these people
You're the Lord of this nation, You are
You're the light in the darkness, You're the hope to the hopeless
You're the peace to the restless, You are
   There is no one like our God
   There is no one like You God...
      Greater things have yet to come
      Greater things are still to be done in this city
      Greater things have yet to come
      And greater things are still to be done here.....


This song has been stuck in my head ALL DAY, and all I can think about is those kids and the people I see on the streets when I go to and from school everyday. I really wish that I could do something to help them, and it breaks my heart that I can't. I know that the most I can do is love them with all my heart, and that's what I'm trying to do. It's been so great getting to know my teacher, and I know that I'll be able to keep in contact with her after I leave Manila. I'm also completely in love with all of my students; I put pictures of them on my facebook today! I'm kind of struggling at the end of the day though. After lunch, I'm only at school for half an hour, and for that 30 minutes that I'm there is when the kids have English with a different teacher. Teacher Ruth (my teacher) stays in the room, but the other teacher "teaches" during that time. It's really hard for me because the other teacher is super young (she's only 21 - you only have to go to college for a year and a half to become a teacher here), and doesn't acknowledge my presence when I'm in the room. So when I come back from lunch, I sit in the back of the room for half an hour and do absolutely nothing. So that's quite the struggle...but once the children are dismissed and I'm waiting for the other 2 girls that I walk home from school with, I get to talk to the kids in my class, and they are all incredible. I'm definitely going to miss them a TON when we have to leave next week. :/  Today after school, I went with a couple girls down to a convenience store, which was only a 5 minute trike ride away. Walking out of the convenience store, I saw Teacher Ruth! It was so great to see her, especially because she was so excited to see me. :) I think we've officially hit the point in the trip where it's going to be IMPOSSIBLE to leave this place.

After we got back from the convenience store, 2 of the boys from yesterday came running up to Jillian and I as we were walking back, and again attached themselves onto us. We dropped our stuff off in our house, and we went outside "for just a few minutes." An hour later, we were still outside playing with the kids when we realized it was time for dinner. Only a few of the boys from yesterday came to play with us, but that's all we needed. Adrian, Rosalino, and Daniel (my 3 favorite boys) were all there and were all hanging all over me and a few of the other girls. Adrian would NOT let go of me. He would go away from me to look at something, and then look around to find me, get a HUGE smile on his face, and take a running leap into my arms. The whole time we were outside, he was either standing next to me holding my hand, sitting on my lap, on my back, or cuddling in my arms. I absolutely ADORE these kids, and it's going to be so hard to leave them. I definitely feel a calling towards these kids, but I don't know what to do about it. It's always hard to tell that if this "calling" that I feel is just because I'm here in the moment with these kids right now, and that once I get home I'll feel it less. So that's something that you can be praying for...that God can just show me what he wants me to do with this new found passion that I have for these street kids and orphans.

We only have 10 more days here, and I can hardly believe that the trip is already half over. I'm still really homesick and wanting to come home, but once I start playing with those kids or spending time in my class, I never want to leave. It's definitely going to be extremely bittersweet to leave, and I'm just bracing myself for that.

Love and miss you all so much, and I appreciate your prayers!!

-Kristen-

"So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26-28)