the philippines point-blank

We arrived in Salvador yesterday afternoon. We were all a little apprehensive of staying in the slums. We didn't really know what our time working with the urban poor would look like - where we would be staying, what we would be doing, who we would bew meeting, how clean would it be? I can't say that all of our fears have been put to rest, but at least for myself, there is a lot more peace inside. My initial impression was that we would be living in something that resembles more of a garbage dump than anything else. Though the houses are small cinderblock buildings with simple corrugated tin roofs, they are on the most part clean and relativly cozy. Learning the bathroom had been a new experience for all of us. No toilet paper, and pouring buckets of water down the bowl to flush. They also have windows that, if you were a small filippino it would be the perfect height to not be seen, but as tall Canadians, we can be clearly seen. I can get used to this part... but the cockroach that I saw running accross the floor last night is still haunting me. There are no windows and the roof doesn't close properly, so bugs are free to come and go as they please. And we awoke (very early) in the morning to the constant sound of roosters. Animals like cats, dogs, hens, ducks, and roosters wander freely through the streets. The area looks like we are living in the jungle, huge palm trees and banana trees everywhere, and everything is so green. It is very humid, and on the most part, smells beautifully tropical.
We met up with some of the youth last night. That was very encouraging. Some of the girls sang a song for us (Hosanna bu Hillsong), and they did such a beautiful job. A lot of them speak english very well, too, so I think we will have the opportunity to build some great relationships with them this week. Coming from San Jose, where the english was minimal and the talent was only so-so, I was expecting to come to the slums and find that they would be behind those in the city we hsad just come from. But I have been blown away with the skills that these kids posess. They are so well educated, and it makes me so sad to think that, because they come from the slums, many of them stand very little chance to make it out. We also heard some of their testimonies, and it was so encouraging to listen to them talk about how they came to know Jesus, and what great joy and faith they have, even though they have so little. They are excited to know Jesus, and they have been showing that love and joy to us this past day and a half.
We helped them build a missionary guest house today. We tied rebar together for the foundation. It won't be completed for aniother year still, but they kept telling us that, when we come back next year, that is the house that we can stay in. It seems so odd that they would want us to come back. I feel like more of a burden to them than anything, taking over their small homes (Crystelle and I got to sleep on the only bed in the house, while the kids slept at the neighbors and our host sept on a small thin mattress on the floor). But they are so excited to have us here, and even though we are being streched out of our comfort zones in our stay, I feel so blessed to be able to be here. They treat us like royalty. We are always the ones to eat first, we are never allowed to help with dinner prep ir dishes. They would give anything to make us comfortable. It is taking some time to get used to. I can't say that I really like the special treatment just because I am white. I am on this trip so that I could serve the filippino people, yet I feel like they are doing far more for me than I could ever do for them
Continued prayer would be appreciated. We don't quite understand the culture, and it is taking some time to understand the acceptable things and unacceptable things. And this place is outside of our comfort zones. Pray that we won't let our discomfort get in the way of our ministry. Thank you so much for all of your prayers so far!
Decia