I've combined two days here. This brings us to yesterday (saturday). Sunday's update will come tomorrow. I need to get some sleep......
This is the 'Joy in Full' center. This is where we sleep, go to church, eat, and hang out with the people of the community. This basketball court is also a sort of 'town square' where a lot of people gather, wether or not they are playing bball. We have lost and won some basketball games here versus the locals. 
Today we took the kids from the tutorial center and rewarded them with a day at the 'family park'. More on this below. 
On the ride over we get to be creative and get some funky pictures like this one.
Here's Tou and Scooby playing whiffle ball with one of the kids. 
The kid in Dr. Yun has come out many times during this trip. None more so than today at the family park! 
This is the Harners. Rick, Jiji, Josephine and Alicia. Beautiful family that has given their lives for the community here in Nangka. They run the tutorial center three nights a week for kids, they teach at a seminary, teach elemntary school classes, run the youth group at the local church here and individually have helped countless of kids and families with so many of their needs and in sharing their faith and trust in Jesus. We are all in admiration of this family and how much selflessness flows through them. 
We brought some basketballs donated from the Nyack Athletics Department which the kids used to play some basketball on this set up at the family park. 
These are the kinds of courts you find everywhere. Most of them are dirt, some are broken up cement. Kids absolutely LOVE basketball here. 
This is one of my favorite kids I've met. Roldan. You may end up seeing several pictures of him. He's the man! 
This is one of my favorite people I have met. His name is Alfonso. David Jennings met him years ago when Alfonso was still running around drunk and down and out in life. Through several interactions Alfonso came to know the Lord and has since turned his life around in a miraculous way. He now follows David (as he calls Dave Jennings) everywhere, carrying his bag, books, anything. We all love him and he's become part of our team here. 
The kids that Rick and Jiji work with are poor, very poor. Most of them can;t afford the entry to the family park to go play in some swing sets, play on an actual grass field and take a swim in a super nice pool. They also don't have proper swimwear and the rules of this place (to keep the super poor out) are such that these kids could not go in without these bathing suits. So Rick and Jiji through some help from back home in the states have compiled a couple suitcases full of bathing suits of all sizes for the kids to use when they come to family park. Here's Shaquala is helping find the right sizes for the girls to use. 
Some of these kids love to venture out into the deeper end (not too many of them though). Those that do have an absolute blast jumping in and loving the pool! This is Andrew and Abe joining in on the fun!
It's such a joy to see these kids having such a good time doing something that without Rick and Jiji in their life they may never get to do. 
This is Rick and Jiji's youngest Alicia. She's a doll and is always smiling! True Philipino trait!
Another example of how much they love to pose here! 
This is Hannah. A very special girl. She lives in a tiny windowless basement room with her single mom Mary Jane. Under such circumstances Hannah is always smiling, loving life and brings everyone around her such joy! 
The kids get a good meal in the middle of the day, made by people of the community. David Jennings helps in the food line alongside Jiji. 
My man Tou got a nice nap in the middle of the day. 
Part of the fun day Rick makes sure the kids get not only fun and good food but also spiritual food, by telling them how special they are and how much God loves them and has a special plan for each of their lives. We broke the kids into small groups and talked over the story of David and Goliath and overcoming the giants in our lives. 
This is Amanda. A cool canadian girl we met here who is doing a 10 month internship in Cebu. She celebrated her birthday today and she obviously got to bite her cake! Happy Birthday eh! 
Dave being a kid again!
Diana's team won this competition with her group of kids. They cheered her on to the finish! 
The kids had to do cartwheels all the way to a spot and back. First one to finish wins. Hilarious to see! 
Another game where 4 kids have to carry each kid there and back. This is how it's done! 
This is how it's not done! then again Scooby was kind fo heavy! 8 kids are trying! 
My man Roldan got to crowd surf! 
On the way home the kids NEVER stop smiling! They are such joy to your heart!
Andrew shows us how you really ride the jeepnys! 
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