All SAS 8th grade students are required to do a mission activity and write about their experience. The school offers a couple of trips that kids can go on instead of doing something locally in Singapore. The girls wanted to go to the Philippines and work with Gawad Kalinga, an organization that has built over 100 communities to help provide a home for families living in the slums or on the streets in the Philippines.
I decided to sign up as a chaperone, I've always wanted to go to the Philippines- really to visit the beach resorts, but who can be choosy when an opportunity arises.
Upon arriving in the Manila we headed on a 2 hour bus ride to the community we would be helping in. This community started being built in 2012, so many of the residents have arrived within the last 2 years. Below are some photos of Day 1.
This is the community gathering area. We did crafts, and ate lunch made by the residents here each day.
Jen, Katie, and a couple friends with a super friendly little boy.
Many of the kids knew very little English. They spoke the local language of Tagalog. As mission workers come to their village they learn some English but many kids only knew what's your name and how old are you. This posed a little bit of difficulty, but it was amazing to see how just demonstrating or "doing" is easy to follow now matter what language you speak.
Day 2 the real work beings--
Katie painting the walls of a future pre-school and gathering center.
Jen shoveling broken concrete to level this area for a flat pathway.
Lunchtime- fried whole fish- you pick heads or tails.
Katie and her friend Sonia passing gravel along the gravel movement line. Manpower is plentiful, machinery is not.
A little easier work- painting a mural- Jen happy to not be in the gravel/digging area.
A little free time- Katie giving a Filipino girl a lift.
Katie working with kids to paint designs on new t-shirts
Our entire group of SAS students painting with the village children. You can see the housing area in the background.
A little story time. This little boy was thrilled to have so much attention.
At the end of Day 2 we were quite exhausted but after a quick clean up at our hotel we walked across the street to a mall for dinner. Our group had arranged to eat at a Filipino restaurant so we could try the local meals. As we approached the outdoor mall, like so many in California, it was like we were taken back to America. There was a Cold Stone Creamery, Jamba Juice, Pinkberry, and a PF Chengs. We couldn't believe how many western places were here- it was heavenly (Singapore has some western affiliated places, but not to the extent of the Philippines). Personally, after being sad we didn't get to eat at PF Chengs, I had to make a stop at Jamba Juice- I hadn't had a smoothie from them since 2010!
Day 3 Work continues at the site as we wrap up painting the mural and leveling the ground and spreading the gravel down.
More gravel laying!
And finishing that mural.
Lunchtime-Today was Chinese New Year so our group had splurged and ordered a roast pig to be served along with the locally provided meal.
Post lunch the kids joined together for fun and games. All sorts of relay races were enjoyed by Americans and the Filipino kids
Our SAS kids in front of their finished mural.
All the women chaperone-- the 4 men were of trying to repair a tractor that had been donated to the community by another organization.
Day 4 we headed into the old town of Manila for a bike ride and lunch before heading to the airport.
The bike frames were made by an established GK community, made from bamboo and random tires and chains.
Stopping to check out some gardens in town.
Following the bike tour we stopped in this huge Catholic church in Manila.
Overall the trip was a wonderful experience, well organized, and the GK organization seems to be really making a difference in the Philippines. These kids are given an amazing opportunity that would never exist without corporations, schools, and individuals donating money and manpower to provide homes and safe communities for them.
