Hello everybody! Sorry for the delay! We have not had internet for the past several days! So much has been going on and so much traveling that it has been hard to obtain internet! There is just so much to say, but just so little time and space. What I do feel like writing about is not what I have done these past few days, but how this place has truly touched me.
The 19 people that have also shared this experience with me have touchd me. We are all so different and somehow it works! We have all cried, laughed, and worked our butts off together! I am so proud to call these people my friends and classmates. To have watched them challenge themselves and use everything they have learned in the classroom and bring it all into real life challenging situations is just amazing!
I am learning a lot about myself and culture throughout this trip! It just amazes me how everyone here is so generous!! I am not kidding I feel like Queen Elizabeth with how they treat us! Always being called ma'am, waving to us whereever we go, having food served to us whereever we go, and asking to take pictures with us! Seeing how they live with so little, but at the end of the day they are happy because they have hope and most importantly love for one another.
After we performed assessments on our families, I gave our donations to them. I watched their eyes in amazement because they had no idea! They kept hugging and kissing me! Telling me I was there guardian angel and all for what? Some old tshirts I thought were outdated and other supplies! I broke down crying because I never felt so good before in my life! As we were leaving the family ran towards the bus to say goodbye to me! I knew right then and there I have a purpose in life and that is to help people!
I live my life loving every aspect of life and what is given to me and they are no different! I always imagined the perfect life having the perfect husband, the perfect house, job, kids, and etc. However, perfect I learned from being here is living my life with the people I love and love me in return. Life is too short to waste on the trivial things. I just want to live my life doing what I love and sharing every moment with the people I most cherish.
This experience is the greatest gift anyone has ever given me because (I am sure I can speak for the rest of my team as well) we all have grown up and learned a lot about ourselves and other people as well.
I have never been more inspired to give back to others and hopefully teach my children to be more open minded, cultured, and giving to others who are in need. It truly is a beautiful thing to give someone hope again whether it be giving them donations, medical care,food, building them a home, or sending their children to school.
My birthday is almost over in the Philippines, but continues in the US. I could not have asked for a better birthday present!
To my family and friends I miss you guys dearly and sorry I have not responded to your emails! Internet here is very hard to obtain! However, I will try my best answering you guys! I love you and miss you guys very much! I wish I could share this experience with each and every one of you!
Tomorrow, is a 2 day medical and surgical mission! I will be in the surgical mission, whereas Aileen will be in the medical mission. Then, we switch off Tuesday! I cannot wait to tell you all about that! I am posting some pictures of what we have done thus far because I am sure some of you may be curious! Love you all and good night!!
Danielle
