Chinese New Year celebrations big here -there is a large Chinese population. We have seen the most amazing lion dancers, beautiful costumes, Chinese writing and lanterns - and that was just at the British School! A group of our children were invited to spend the day there so we went too.
We were guest speakers at the all school assembly and prize-giving the following day and came away with 100,000 pesos and two new child sponsors signed up, plus a parent is paying for a shower room at the school and another is helping us to decorate the 'Rainbow Room' next week - room for counseling traumatized children -to make it less clinical. They are amazing, they feature PCF in every issue of their magazine - trying to attach it to this - we feature on pages 4/5 ish - under Primary News.
(Not working, so you'll have to take my word for it, will show you when we come home!)
(Not working, so you'll have to take my word for it, will show you when we come home!)
Other good news this week:
- Target Philippines have given us $25,000 for books
- Local business given lots of canned food
- One of our creditors has written off the bill
- The new headmaster at the British School has agreed to adopt PCF as their only charity (before they supported a number) so they can focus just on us
- Our wheezy coughs have gone
We really feel there is light at the end of the tunnel, supporters are appearing and things are stabilizing a little. However, a very difficult couple of weeks involving staff issues to overcome which have caused a lot of anxiety.
We do thank the Lord for his faithfulness in all of this.
Some things that have amused us this week:
- Sign outside an apartment building a few miles away, 'Warning - you are now crossing the Philippine Fault Line, please ensure your earthquake preparations are up to date'
- People we have come across this week - Cinderella Balorum (pronounced ballroom), Muttley Yap, Kay Figuracion (an accountant!) and Jesus Christus.
- sign outside the bank 'please turn off your cell phone and deposit your firearms'
- At the petrol station sign saying 'no security cameras' - because there was a guy with a pump action shotgun watching our every move - would you drive off without paying?
Not sure we will ever get used to the amount of guns around - even the guard outside McDonald’s in Manila - would you want to steal a burger?
There is another view of course - as one of the social workers said to me yesterday, " I don't think I'd like to go to the UK, how can you keep safe without any guns".
Prayers please:
- For the HR issues to be resolved amicably
- That the February salaries and bills can all be paid
- For M (one of our 4th graders) who has Dengue fever
- For a containment of the mercury problem - the levels are now increasing around the school
- For the barangay leaders who are giving some awareness training to the dump-site foragers regarding the treatment they should give long life light bulbs (which is where the mercury comes from) - it is a first that something so positive should happen amongst the leaders (like mayors), they command a lot of respect so will be listened to much more than us
- For Stan's meeting with D & L Industries this week - there is a possibility they may fund the teachers salaries for a year.
- For the scary event this month - we have been invited to attend a reception at the British Embassy. The previous ambassador was a great supporter of PCF, this one not interested so far, so this is a very positive step
For a taste of life in Manila - go on You Tube and search for 'British bus driver in Manila', a friend asked if it is accurate - it is!
The girl on the ladder is one of our PCF students going home to live on top of the tombs in Navotas - just reminds us there is still so much to do.
The girl on the ladder is one of our PCF students going home to live on top of the tombs in Navotas - just reminds us there is still so much to do.
Love to everyone
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