Some pictures of the streets that I took along the way, while seated (: in the jeepney.

This was during Day 3 of the camp, Saturday, the VIP team wanted to go to the city to shop, so we followed along. After the short shopping trip, the team had to go to the plaza where they were going to perform their concert to practice, and it was a good thing they did not take the jeepney 'cos they would have been running out of time if so. As it is, we already extended the shopping trip and they were a lil' late.

Our jeepney broke down along the way to the campsite, but we - the few of us Singaporeans: Unc Bala, Pearl, Unc Teck Tham and Unc Mike together with some of the Filipinos - Tita Lourdes, Tita Esther, Tita An, Ps Elmer, or as Pearl spells his name, Ps ELMA(:, Manong Jong, Manong Je ("Manong" meaning "big brother") and the driver who has a knack for driving extremely fast, enjoyed ourselves in a way during that 35 mins wait.

We came out from the jeepney, I took a couple of pictures, actually Unc Teck Tham was the one who told me to take pictures, he went "Okay, go down la. Take pictures of us being stranded with your phone!" haha, 'cos they knew i was already taking pictures along the way, and since Manong Jong and Je were sitting on the grass, i went to sat there too. I suppose that was where i got the horrid insect bite.

Help, of course came, Unc Bala called Dad and Dad got another jeepney to come fetch us. It was interesting to see how they used normal strings or whatever they could find to tie both jeepneys together. The strings snapped about 2 times i think.. It was a good thing we left the broken down jeepney at a workshop, which thank God, was along the way. I can't imagine seeing the jeepney being dragged along the bumpy road turning into the campsite. It would be horrible.I'd probably be squealing each time the jeepney looked like it was going to fall into the sides of the road.

Anyway, the insect bite i had resulted into this. My feet started swelling a little bit at night. But it got alot worse when i reached Lolo's place on Sunday.

Will upload pictures during the camp and the family pictures another day (:

The trip to Philippines was great! (: Honestly, i enjoyed it more than i did during my Thailand trip. I suppose 'cos I already know most of the people there. And Philippines is home. Just like Singapore is home to me. My roots came from there. Was born and lived there till I was 8. It was nice to be around the cousins, the family, the childhood friends.

Can't wait to go back there, i got to wait till next year maybe, or the year after next.

So, our flight from Spore was at midnight, and since it's budget airlines, the seats are SO not comfortable. I tried sleeping but could never find the perfect comfortable position. Reached Iloilo at about 9am. Did little shopping in the evening before we "retired" to the hotel (bought 2 shades - so cheap! In total i bought 3 shades from there)

The Medical Missions at Maliao was great too. I helped in taking the blood pressures, haha, the kids kept coming to me. The problem was that their arms are too small for the BP cuff, so i could not read their BPs very well.

Maliao is a mountainous area, thus it was nice staying there. It's so hot there in Philippines, since summer is starting, it's nice being up in the mountains 'cos of the breeze. (They don't have winter actually. Pearl asked Mai, a youth, when was the coldest period in Philippines, she'd rather come then, to which Mai replied "the coldest season is when it's raining. Right.)

After we were done with our "duties", we slacked awhile. Till' Gie asked if i wanna join her and Johnny out for a walk. Yea, a walk indeed.

WE CLIMBED A MOUNTAIN! in slippers! haha.

a steep steep steep one at that. (those who went to Maliao in 2002 and climbed that mountain - it's nothing compared to the mountain i climb this time round!! i was struggling and panting, had to stop to rest for awhile in between! This Mai and Noel climbed until so high up la!)

We were walking up a hill when we heard people shouting at us, turned and saw Mai and Noel sitting quite high up a mountain, and since Johnny stays there, he quickly motioned to the 2 of us to climb up since he knows the route.

I stood at the foot for quite some time, telling the two of them "Okay, going up, i don't mind, still can. But how about ccoming back down?! I'm sooo gonna roll down later"

Johnny had to literally carry me up at some parts.. other parts i was crawling, grabbing whatever i can grab to pull myself up. But the view and the wind was great. The five of us sat there for quite some time soaking in the view from where we sat (tho' most of the time i was worrying about going back down)..them talking and crapping in Ilonggo and me trying hard to piece the words together. I forgot to take my hp with me, so couldn't snap any pictures.

Thank God Johnny knew another route to get down. (: haha, and his a real gentleman, always offering his hand during the difficult parts.

The camp was equally great too.No words can describe the fun I had there. I love the kids. I love dancing with them. I love being around the youth, catching up with some. I love waking up, walking out of my room and being greeted with friendly smiles and a "Goodmorning She!"

I love being with the cousins during the camp. I love the food the cooks made for us. I love playing with all the babies.

I loved the time when the jeepney broke down to and we were stranded on the coastal road back to the campsite. (tho' i think that was the place where i got that nasty insect bite).

I love going back to my Lolo's house. I love the way the younger cousins hug me and stay around me. I love the care and the love the family gave me, especially since my foot was hurting from the sickening insect bite.

I love staying at the slum area Dad usually stays at, 'cos it brings me closer to my friends.

I loved every single minute and moment of the trip.

And i miss everyone there, terribly.

Maliao (day 1 and 2):

(you see the man above in the tree, Winston.. or is it Willson...climbed it to pluck soursops for us =p)

Medical Missions:

the cute lil' baby who's mum was doing her checkup

Dad said he was calling us for a long time to join the team in this picture. But Auntie Pegs and Pearlyn were resting talking to the youth, and i was up in the mountain soaking in the view.

I'll continue uploading the rest of the pictures another day.

Oh, and i grew darker.

And for more of our day to day basis of information/posts on the trip and if you want to know how "we lived our lives very simply in Philippines".. refer to Pearlyn's blog (:

She has all the details - the funny ones too that i can't stop laughing about.

Like the people there calling my dad and spelling his name as "KA-LIP" instead of "CALEB". (: haha.

Philippines this saturday! (:
Plan for my 10 glorious days there.

day1 Sunday-Arrival, off to the campsite (Salem Sanctuary) for daddy to "scan" the place..

day2 Monday- Go up to Maliao to prepare for the medical mission. Apparently we're gonna walk for about 2 hours. Go up to houses and asking them to come for the free medical check-up.

day3 Tuesday- Medical Missions. Apparently i'm gonna help take the blood pressures, pulses and temperatures while Auntie Peggy and Pearl help at the reception (i'd want to join them instead.. 'cos im a lazy girl). Back to the city.

day4 Wednesday- Meeting with teachers from the City Church. Shopping (maybe) while waiting for the rest of the team to arrive to Philippines. Proceed to campsite, Salem Sanctuary.

day5 Thursday- Arrival of campers from the various churches, start of the combined Summer Camp 2008.

day6 Friday- Camp.

day7 Saturday- Camp.

day8 Sunday- Camp (last day). Someone will pick me up and then i'll go to Lolo's (grandpa) house!!!! =D

day9 Monday- Lolo's house.

day10 Tuesday- Dad will come pick me up and then leave for the city.

day11 Wednesday- Flight back to Singapore.

I'm ultra happy and excited, can you tell???!!!!! (: (: (:

And this Pearlyn Seng who's gonna be my bunkmate for most of the trip. We saw a picture of our room in the campsite on Sunday and she immediately booked her bed!
Nevermind that, as long as she kept the reason to herself. She went on saying why she didn't want my bed. Because of the mirror hanging beside it, LIZARDS likes hiding behind the mirrors! Haha, thank you Pearlyn Seng, now im not gonna sleep in peace.
I'm moving my bed next to yours! i don't care!!

Thailand trip pictures. (photo diary no.1)

To appease certain people, i shall upload the very little photos that i have of my Thailand trip. Dad saved most of the pictures in his lappy during the trip, so i'm now waiting for Dad to transfer all the photos from his lappy to the comp, and waiting for best friend who's still in chiangmai enjoying herself to send me her pics too, then i'll upload the rest (:

Above is nana teaching the kids to brush their teeth. Those yellow thing on the girl's face, (yes, the person pictured beside nana is a girl, i was fooled myself too, throughout the whole demo, i was referring to her as a "he",oh my, how embarrasing) people in Maesot puts that special kind of powder on their faces. It signifies beauty to them. So young or old, male or female, when you walk down the streets, yellowed powdered faces are a common sight.

The goody bags we gave them at the end of our presentation. The four of us (Dad, Uncle Raj, Nana and I) sat on the veranda at the guesthouse packing them.. felt like factory workers. Dad and Uncle Raj will pack the stuff, i'll fold the towels, cut the ribbons and Nana ties the plastic at the end with the ribbons.

Things inside the goody bag: a facetowel, toothbrush and toothpaste, soap, a sachet of shampoo and a little snack.

I couldn't help but think as i was packing it, that we were sending them off to bathe straight after the presentation. The kids were so happy with it though. (:

The kindergarden grades. Watching the movie "Around the world in 80 days", sure most didn't understand, but Jacky Chan's antics were good enough to make the whole hall roar with laughter!

Nana with the cute young boys. The young ones became so restless during the "boring" parts of the movie. Moving around, fidgeting, talking, laughing or fighting with each other.

I like the boy in the darker shade of blue, his got such nice deep dimples, and the boy at the corner (far right). So adorable.

The bridge between Thailand and Myanmmar. The "ocean" seperating it is so small.. it was more like a river! The gap between the two countries is nearer than the gap between Msia and Spore.

Dear Tourists! Always remember to press cutely for the cameras!!! (CutePress)

The streets of Maesot. The market is just a short distance away from the guesthouse. (okay, not that short laa)

We made friends with the waitresses working in this INDIAN restaurant! YES! there's a INDIAN RESTAURANT in Maesot! And its sooooooo cheap! OHMYGOSH!

This shows the result of not saying "ONE, TWO, THREE" when taking a picture. My dad's super funny. He went "okay, turn!!! take a picture!!" , we turned and posed for awhile, didn't see any flash coming, but nevermind, still continue to pose...then he said "I took it already lah!" Yea..Look at what he took! (:

These guys actually came up to my dad and asked him to take their photo!

The little orphaned boy with the cute voice who sat opposite me during the bus trip back to Chiangmai (we heard later on from another passenger that's his orphaned and that the lady whome we all thought was his mum because of the way she cared for him, was bringing him to an orhanage in Chiangmai. She already had three kids of her own, and she treated this boy like one of them, give him food, clean him up, smile and reassure him)

He kept vomitting alot, so the "mummy-for-the-bus-trip" placed the plastic bag like that 'cos he didn't know or keep forgetting to vomit into the bag! Haha, now we know what to do with our young kids with a bad case of motion sickness next time!

The long trip (6 hours bus journey) back to Chiangmai.

More photos to come soon! (:

Super Strong God
Hillsong

Sometimes I wonder what life really means
Then I see Jesus within You and me
Your gift to us, Lord, none can compare
Living for Jesus,
His praise I declare

Creation shouts of You...

Super Strong God
You loved me
Super Strong God
You made everything, so beautiful!

Super Strong God....

First heard this song at Aunt Peggy's house while preparing for the Philippines trip. Heard the Hillsong Kids version. Such a hair-raising song..
Listening to this song, its a reminder of how much we need God.
Looking at how the world is right now.. the more we know and realize how much we, how much I need God.

How many times have i pushed You away Lord
Living for my own selfish needs and desires
Wanting to live my life my own way
Forgetting that the very essence of all of my life
Is yours and because of You
The reason that i breathe, that i wake each day
Your gift of life to me
How many times Oh Lord
Have i lifted my voice to You
Singing of how much i needed You, how much I loved You
And yet the very next day i sin
How many times Oh Lord
I've told You that i want to be used
That i long to hear You, to feel You
And the very next day i refuse to spend my quiet time, alone for You
How many times have tears rolled down my face
I cry, wanting to be changed
And the very next day i hurt You again
Yet, Oh Lord
When i needed You the most
You were there
Your invisible presence, gently embracing me
Such peace within my heart and soul
When i hurted Lord
You sent people to comfort and pray for me
Without me needing to tell them
Without me needing to say anything
When my heart was broken
You gave me the strength to pick myself up
All this are evidences
That You are indeed real, and that You love me
How unworthy I am
Still You chose me, still You love me
My super strong God
how beautiful
Oh how beautiful You are