WWW in Manila - Seohyun

This trip was my first service trip and I would like to say that it was really good. We did many things during these weeks and especially playing with the kids are very impactful. Even though our team did hard constructions, I think the thing that will last in my memory for the most time is playing with the kids. The kids at KIM, street kids, and the kids at feeding, they were all sweet and so friendly. I went to feeding one time, as a small group, and it was really fun, but because I did not go there frequently, I do not have many memories. However, I played a lot with the kids at the street, and at the KIM. I do not like swimming that much, but when I was swimming with the street kids, I was so engaged playing with them, and I was so happy when the kids were laughing because of me. I feel so sad that I can't remember their names a lot, but if I have another opportunity, I would really love to come back again. And also, I will really miss the kids at the KIM. On the last day's concluding devotion, I got a letter from a little boy named Danile, and at that moment, I was so touched because I didn't really expected that. So I wrote another letter to him and I'm going to write some post cards when I get back to Singapore!

A Very Wet Day (A little paragraph by Veena)

Today was a wet day. The entire Manila team got physically soaked and emotionally drenched. Let me explain.
In the morning, we drove to Tent City. The drive could have been half an hour or it could have been two (I can't estimate). As soon as we got there we were surrounded by dozens upon dozens of excited little children with a common goal: to get balloon animals. We immediately got to work. Some of us played with the children while others pumped balloons and twisted them into life. Everyone was covered in the salty liquid most commonly known as sweat. After this wonderful chaos of a morning, we made our way to the highlight of the day: the waterfall. The water was breathtaking and the bonding we all had was as well. Almost everybody jumped into the turquoise water. I could have sworn I felt like I was turning into a mermaid. When it was over, I felt satisfied and emotionally invigorated. I really needed this for what was to come. The final liquid that wet us were tears. Some of us cried at the children's home and some, like me, cried as the team was sharing about their experience. Throughout the trip there was a lot of water. From the tears of the little children and the chlorine water of the swimming pool to the sweat that danced down our back and the spilt Mountain Dew on the cement ground. Being wet can make you cold, warm, refreshed, or sad. Today was a wet day. I believe it was the best day yet.

Angel Chen _(: 3 J < ) _

Well I have too much stuff to say but I don't think I can write that down because I am not a literature person, so I gonna try to use my ways to write my feelings down as AWESOME as impossible.

Hey guys I have to say that this is really CRAZY! You will enjoy it! You will have to sweat a lot, laboring under the hot sun,hammering big nails out of woods, or waving your shovels digging out whole bunch of dirty stuff, that was really mad! (Smiling like a bad guy) But also, you will have chance to playing with kids who are very very poor, sharing your happy time with them, get to know more really cool people in this trip.

When people are in Singapore or any other places which gives they shelter, they feels like the world is definitely good, they can not realize that there are so many people suffering in the world. Even sometimes they saw news about that, they probably thinks "Yea~So?What is that about me?That is not my business~~~" or like "Oh yea,they are so poor,but I can not help they~" This idea is SO WRONG when they are out of the comfortable place. They are going to get to know more about the world god had made, and they will notice how much they owe their god because they are just having nice times hanging out with their friends when there are uncountable people suffering uncomfortable stuff that maybe they could not even image! Only when they are out of the shelter, got the same feeling of them, notice what UNCOMFORTABLE really means, them they can realize that "Oh Yes I am being so loved!". But the point I want to say that is not how this STUPID IDEA is, but is trying to help people in need is very very very AWESOME! They gonna feel uncomfortable when they are laboring, but the pain in hearts hurts most, shouting out loudly inside your soul "Hey I really feels uncomfortable for I can not help them more!" YES!That is it! The strong desire of WE REALLY WANT TO HELP OTHERS!This is the point! These desire is so strong that only when you are laboring suffering outside like crazily, you can feel a bit comfortable.

......Sorry for being to emotional. _(: 3 J < ) _

I mean...It is very very very very cool to get out of the small world people had been through before and understood how silly they were and tried to be smart by helping others which God wants!

Yea anyways,this WWW trip to Manila is truly AWESOME, we met new people here, and help people here, understood more about our school mates and teachers etc. These is too cool! I have too much things to say but I think is better for me to not to write too much. Join us and you will feel you are awesome than ever before!

Thank you for reading my crazy non-sense talking. _ ( : 3 J < ) _

Manila Post- Angel R

Hi people! Tonight is the last night we are in Manila. I'm very sad that we have to go, I feel like I want to stay longer. One memory that will always stick with me is the children's laughter when I played with them (Especially in the sports fest). I met a lot of kids who I will remember my whole lifetime, and memories that I will always remember. All of the activities were awesome, and I felt like we've bonded as a community and as a family. I really liked the river because everyone was working together as a group and cheering one another. A lot of my friends and I almost have no intention of going back home. I really feel that all of us are close friends now, and what I'm afraid of the most is that when we go back, none of us will feel this way anymore. However, I know that it won't happen because of our bond as a family. I really want to come back next year, and the next year after that and all of the years, actually I want to relive all of these memories. If I had the chance to go back in time and relive anyone of my days, it would be one of these days because this trip was just that awesome. I'm really happy I went to Manila, and I hope I really did make an impact on this community.

Last night in Manila - Yujin

After we went to the waterfall, we had some free time. Team Manila all went to the children's home for devotions and final goodbyes to the children. After the devotion, Ms. Bandy gave us some free time to say goodbye, hug them, or anything you wanted to do for the children. So I, Yujin, took one girl who was super close with me and started to cry outside. Jessica, the girl, made me calm down and told me to stop crying. So I stopped crying and started to take selfies with her and others. I kept chasing Rozert who is super duper cute boy who loves me, but he kept ran away from me. Finally, he hugged me and took a picture with me. I tried not to cry, but then everyone was crying so right after I left children's home, my tears started to come out. Almost everyone including me was crying during the whole last meeting. We had time to talk about the week, but because I cried so much I could not think of anything except for missing the children. Aaron's parents bought us pizza so we enjoyed it then we all packed up and went to sleep for last day in Manila.

Yujin with a kid from the community

Manila Thursday second to last day- Patrick

So on the second to last day here after having a awesome week we continued to have yet another awesome day. We started out the day with going to a feeding at tent city and played with the amazing kids that lived there. I myself had an awesome time just playing frisbee with the kids and making ballon for the kids even though they were slightly impatient but I still had an awesome time with the kids. After that we went to Daranak Falls where we swam for about a couple hours and had a great sack lunch and then a two hour bus ride back to K.I.M. And for dinner we had a huge pig that was cut up and it tasted delicious.

New Friends, Better Memories (Tristen)

Hi :3 Going on this trip I admit, I was a little disappointed that my original trip [Shalom] was cancelled. But I could not have been more wrong. This Week Without Walls was honestly one of the most enjoyable and impactful service trips I have underwent in my life. I've made so many new friends, both from ICS and the children here in Manila, and I really feel like we have helped the community. From painting murals, to picking trash out of a river, to just getting to spend time with the kids here has been an awesome experience. I got to listen to wonderful sermons, heartfelt testimonies, and the things I've experienced and learned here I am certain will stay with me for the rest of my life. It was an absolute joy to be able to give back to people who really aren't well off, and in return made me realise how lucky I am to have the things I've been given. One of my favourite memories was going on a feeding, which is basically driving to an impoverished part of Manila and giving out free food to people who lacked it. We got to play with their kids, give out food, and all in all just connect with the community. If you have the chance next year I highly recommend going to Manila, I can promise you won't regret it \;w;/