orangel
A little piece of home in the Philippines....
The last 3 weeks have been totally awesome as I have had the privilege of introducing one of my longest friends to my life here in the Philippines! It’s been like having a little piece of home here with me and I’m not just referring to the tins of Heinz baked beans and Cadbury chocolate she brought with her Mmmmm. Kirsten was with me for just under 3 weeks and fully got involved in all of the activities and events here at the academy.
She also got to meet all of the significant and awesome people who are such a big part of my life and an inspiration to me! Although having pictures and videos to send home it can never accurately portray just what life is really really like, day in and day out. Kirsten came to quickly see that no 2 days are ever the same and things can change at very short notice and life at CGA never stops! I feel incredibly blessed by Kirsten’s visit firstly, that she would take the time and expense to come all this way to see me and secondly, I watched as she was pushed far beyond her comfort zone and did things I never imagined she would. I am certain this trip has encouraged her faith and trust in God amongst many other things......but......that is her story to tell and so I shall leave it to her.........keep your eyes peeled for her blog!!!
Kirsten was thrown straight into all activities the minute she stepped off the plane as we were all in full flow planning and preparing for City Gates Academy annual Family Day. Family Day is a day of celebration where all the parents and children from the academy are divided into different teams to compete in games, cheering and a range of other tasks and challenges for the top prize. This year for the first time the youth club from City Gates also came as a team. Many of our children attending the youth club have absent parents either working abroad or working as street vendors having little time to join with their children for events such as family day. As City Gates really is one big family the youth stood with them as aunts and uncles and it was so great to have them there to up the competition!! Some of the tasks included ‘the tallest tower’ and a photo scavenger hunt! Competition was fierce and all wanted to win the top prize. What a fantastic day and congratulations to the white team for 1st place! As if that wasn’t enough there was one more special event performed by none other than the City Gates Academy staff. A very funny, impromptu dragon dance led by Pastor Glenn! Certainly was a lot of fun and I am sure made a lot of other people laugh. There was even video evidence check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPdYNyeggR8&feature=youtu.be courtesy of Pastor Glenn see if you can spot the two very white legs of Kirsten and I! Needless to say a great day was had by all!
I am keeping my blog short this week as so much is happening in preparation for the end of term! Following the success of our Christmas programme the mall requested us to return for our recognition and graduation day. So we are busy practising and madly preparing costumes and props! It really is great for the academy that we are being noticed now in the wider community. Not only did they request us to return but we are been given the prime location, at the heart of the mall during peak time. No other school has ever been granted permission to perform there so it is yet another great achievement for City Gates Academy! This year our theme is “Reach for the stars”. As we take time to celebrate the great success of another year at City Gates Academy we will be taking the opportunity to remind and encourage the children that they have the potential to ‘reach the stars’ to achieve their hopes, dreams and ambitions and be successful in the future. In a world that would look down on their situation and say “you cannot achieve” we know that Our God is more than able and I just love the verses in Ephesians 3:2-21 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen. I hope that you will join my prayer for these little ones; that they will have dreams and ambitions and believe that He that is in them is greater and can help them achieve more than they could imagine and ‘reach for the stars!’ Amen
After having missed out on one party there was no way I was going to miss out on any more! Valentine’s day is a big deal here in the Philippines, although it certainly feels less commercial. The whole month of February is known as love month and usually events are planned to coincide with this theme. It is not just for those with partners but a celebration of love for each other so often many schools hold their family days in February. As a church there were at least 3 parties organised for February. Having missed the first one, singles night for the youth, I was invited to join the couples’ night! Nothing to do with me offering to make the cake I’m sure!!! Ha ha. It was a great night, celebrating with many couples who have committed themselves to one another. One couple were celebrating 51 years of marriage whilst we also had some of the couples that were recently married at our CGA mass wedding, celebrating their 1 month anniversary! It was great once again to see church members and parents from CGA coming together and building friendships. We enjoyed some great food, great music and danced the night away thanks to our resident DJ Pastor Glenn!!!!! After 1 week in bed and isolation it was so good to be free and I certainly wasn’t shy when it came to the dancing! City Gates Church certainly know how to party and have a great time.
No one at City Gates is ever left out and last Sunday afternoon (February 26) the children from Sunday School also had their own Heart’s Day Party led by a fantastic team, Teachers Mae and Majal and the City Gates Youth. The children were so excited and many of them arrived an hour before just so that they did not miss. Since arriving I have got to know quite a few of the children attending the children’s Sunday School and Youth club. There is a little group of children aged between 9-11 who I often see near our local shop. They come from the most deprived background and the oldest one is no longer attending school as they cannot afford the books she needs. Often she misses youth club feeding on a Saturday morning because she is needed to sell sweets and cigarettes under the bridge near to City Gates. I always take time to talk to her when I see her and recently on Sunday mornings she has been coming to stand beside me and hold my hand during worship. It made me wonder, “how often does someone hold you hand and give you a hug?” we all need to feel closeness to another human no matter what age we are! 
This Sunday she came really early to the party, in fact I think she even stayed after the morning service. She wanted to make sure she looked her best, she asked to have a shower and then asked me to help her fix her hair. She desperately wanted to have straight hair. So, of course I have strengtheners here, how could I refuse! It was my pleasure and she looked beautiful (see picture). In the end I ended up straightening 5 children’s hair in total....I think word spread very quick! The party was fantastic even the adults enjoyed the afternoon with lots of games, food and as is becoming very customary here at City Gates....dancing!!! To finish off the evening all the teachers and volunteers headed to our favourite local place to eat (mostly because only place in Cogeo and it has unlimited rice refill....bonus!) and enjoy spending time with each other. I have said it before and I will continue to say it; I am so impressed by the commitment of City Gates youth they are a complete credit to their church, their willingness to serve and be involved in the activities at the church is incredible and I admire them greatly.
Even though the month of February had gone we still had one more party to go! Each year CGA hold a special lunch of appreciation for those parents who have shown commitment over and above what has been required. Each of the parents are required to work 12 hours per month (equivalent to 30 minutes a day) in exchange for their children’s education. However, we have a group of parents who are so diligent and committed to City Gates that they often put in more hours than required. For many of our them City Gates has become a second home as they experience friendship and belonging as well as being able to enjoy the open space and beautiful grounds. 
The party was a thank you and recognition for their hard work this academic year. We enjoyed a delicious lunch and had great fun singing along to karaoke – even Kirsten joined in with a song!!! For around £10 we were able to hire our own Karaoke machine for a whole 24 hours. It is one of their favourite things to do and of course as you probably have guessed already not only was there singing but also..........you got it, dancing!!!!
He certainly had exciting things ready for me! I was so pleased to be well again as I would not have wanted to miss the City Gates Academy school trip for anything! On Friday the whole of City Gates Academy including the parents went to the zoo and park. There were over 100 of us in total and it was my first experience leading a school trip in a foreign country. For all those teachers out there you will know what was going through my mind! For all you non-teachers out there the misconception is that it is an easy day off as not having to teach but by the time you get home you feel as though you have been teaching for 5 days!!! You spend the whole day counting heads, checking children, always thinking one step ahead.....but there is no way I would want to miss it. It is one of the days as a teacher you most look forward in the school calendar as you watch the children doing something they ordinarily would not have the chance or opportunity to do and how much more so for the children of City Gates Academy.
Following on from the zoo we went to Luneta park to have our picnic. Temperatures by this point were rising to nearly 36 degrees so we quickly sought the sanctuary of the shade. It was such a beautiful location. Water fountains in the background, beautiful trees and the tranquillity you only get from being nature.......well........almost! With 60 children and parents it wasn’t quite so tranquil but we did enjoy a great laugh together with lots of banter as they mocked me for bringing my egg sandwiches! I think they all thought I was crazy as they kept offering me rice “Teacher Lynette you must eat rice, you will be hungry later!” I really enjoyed the picnic as it was yet again another opportunity for me to get alongside the parents and interact. It was also a chance for me to share with them a bit of my personal testimony and story as to why I was here in the Philippines.
In the past few months I have really felt the parents acceptance and they are more willing now to engage in conversation and open up to me. A big part of that has been down to the improvement in my Tagalog but also as the parents have taken time to get to know me through the phonics classes, other events here at the school I think they have realised I am not so scary after all! It was great to get the opportunity to be able to tell them how much I know God loves me but more importantly how much he loves them too. That it’s not always easy to step out in faith but that I know because of His promise He will provide everything I need.
We finished off the day with a traditional group photo involving all the children, parents and staff. A great reminder of what an awesome school trip we had. Then it was time for home! As is customary for any school trip, especially those I am on, the journey home is not a time for sleeping but singing! I’m not so sure the children were that impressed but the parents certainly enjoyed themselves as we sang some of the songs we sing here at the academy. Yet again City Gates Academy never fails to disappoint and I know that the children will never forget their first trip to the zoo, I know I certainly will treasure the memory forever!
As you see I have certainly made up for the time I spent in isolation! It has been a great week and as I write I am already looking forward to this week. Not only is my longest friend Kirsten coming to visit but we have another party for the parents who have been so committed here at City Gates Academy and our family day is on Saturday. As I said at the beginning, I am so thankful God has completely healed my body and given me energy to help me not just run but soar! I pray for you my wonderful friends and family that you too can learn to soar! Sending lots of love and blessings, Lynette x
I’m not sure how I managed to volunteer myself for so many roles....especially the 8 wedding cakes! Trying to ice in temperatures of over 30 degrees was no easy feat as no sooner had I taken the icing out of the fridge that it started to melt! Nevertheless I persevered and although not perfect I know that all the couples appreciated them! All those times helping Mum with cakes actually came in useful.....God is so amazing, He provided me with the training and skills years before so that when the time was right I could use them to be a blessing to others! Incredible!
The day itself was totally awesome! The Christmas play went without a hitch, in fact it was perfect! All remembered lines, dance steps and despite never having practised at the venue the children were completely un phased! It was more the teachers, staff and parents who were experiencing the nerves....but there was no need it was spectacular! 
This year we decided it would be great to have one big joint party, a perfect opportunity for the church and academy to come together make friends and continue to develop community. It started with a concert
After food came games and dancing! City Gates has been so blessed this year with many donations that are always given to those who need. With great giveaways the games were taken very seriously and there was such a wonderful atmosphere! 
Christmas day itself was spent with around 25 others, mostly missionaries also serving here in the Philippines. We had a great time of fellowship, playing games and eating turkey and Christmas pudding (thanks to Mum!) outside in the sunshine! Not a present opened yet I can honestly say it was one of the best Christmases ever as we gathered together as one big family in Christ to celebrate the greatest gift ever, the true meaning of Christmas.....JESUS!
