When I was 8 years old, I came to my Daddio with lots of questions and after he explained everything about how we all sin, but Jesus came and lived a perfect life and gave his life on the cross to pay for our sin, so that we can have a forever relationship with God, and showed me many bible verses, I accepted Christ as my Savior and LORD. When I was 13, I felt God calling me to my first mission trip to Venezuela. At the age of 14, I was on my way home from my 2nd trip to Venezuela, when I knew the LORD was calling me to a life of missions, that one day he would call me to full-time missions. Over the years, I've thought and dreamed...where will it be? Where will God send me?
Manila, Philippines was the farthest place from my mind. I never had a specific image or place, for a time I assumed it would be Venezuela, since that was all that I knew. Growing up in the country, I definately didn't expect to eventually be living in a HUGE city...
But, here I am years later after that plane ride at the age of 14, and now my prayers and wonderings are finally answered. Quezon City, Manila, Philippines is it. I have prayed through every step regarding the Philippines, since I first knew God was planning something, when I first started looking at possible International Mission Board (IMB) projects. I felt the LORD's confirmation as soon as I started praying. God has been so gracious and so faithful to answer my continual prayer of LORD, please just continue to confirm this in me. Please reconfirm this plan. LORD, it's not that I'm hesitant to do Your will, but I want to be totally sure that it is from You and not of my own wanting. I keep praying this prayer...and you'd think eventually I would just... stop. But I don't... even as He is continuing to confirm His decision.
So, as of now, I will be returning to the Philippines mid-October. For how long?? (As the question always goes) ... let's just say this... I currently have no return date in mind. Of course I would like to come back to the USA and visit my dear family and friends as God permits, but I don't have any intention of living in the USA until God intervenes and changes my direction again... which could easily be in a couple years, and if that would be His plan.. then I will go where He calls.
For those of you that know me or regularly check my blog for updates and are constantly in prayer on my behalf, I thank you so much! The LORD has truly blessed me beyond reason with the enormous amount of encouragement I've recieved. I believe more now than ever in the power of prayer to our Sovereign LORD, and I know that the LORD heard your prayers and there were many times that the LORD came to my rescue and turned circumstances around so quickly it nearly made me dizzy just watching Him work.
As excited as I am to be taking this step in my life, there are certainly some aspects to this decision that are heartbreaking to me and my family; but it is in those moments when we will be forced to our knees, in those moments when the LORD WILL BE our Comforter, our Strong Tower. He is always faithful, even when we have our days of doubt, HE WILL be with us; even on the days it seems all we want to do is cry, HE WILL be with us; even on the days where it seems our world is falling apart around us; HE WILL BE WITH US...and for that and in the midst of all situations, we will worship Him and trust in His Sovereign wisdom and plan.
~ To God Be the Glory!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Hmm... that's odd..
Hey ya'll.. Sorry about the inconvenience.. but apparently the music player on my blog is experiencing some technical difficulties. My first song is supposed to be "Set the World on Fire" by Britt Nicole, but something entirely different has been playing lately.. so I'm not exactly sure what is going on... but I'm hoping it gets straightened out soon! Thanks!
Rammy!
So, I'm State-side now, and while its been wonderful, oh so wonderful to be spending time with my Momma, Daddio, Bub, 2 best friends, and all my other wonderful friends and family... I can't help but miss the kids at GH. I miss the monsters running around like...well ... montsters. I miss the big kids acting crazy. I miss walking into the nursery seeing all those precious babies. I miss my toddlers and all of their crazy silliness and seeing them making their precious funny faces! But even from this side of the world, I thought I would still update my blog and continue the series of letting everyone get to know some of the kids I worked with everyday.
Today is ... RAMMY!!!
Today is ... RAMMY!!!
Rammy has been at GH for a couple years now, I first met this precious little boy in June 2009, on my first trip to the Philippines. When I first met him, Rammy didn't speak, didn't walk, and didn't really like interacting with the other kids that much at all..
but today Rammy is turning into a different child. He walks around... wobbly still... but he's walking everywhere, curious as any 3 year old and is playing more and more with the other kids! Rammy does have some mental delays, he has been diagnosed with cerebral palsey.
Rammy is such a sweetheart ( I know I say that about all of my toddlers,... but they all really are... I highly doubt sweeter kids exist anywhere else.... hehe!) Rammy is becoming so increasingly affectionate and is starting to 'jibber-jabber' more and more...which I love to listen to. He has a certain doll that he loves to carry around and care for and will often bring the doll to me so that I can 'baby-sit' while he goes and plays with other toys... so precious!!
As precious as he is today, its hard to believe his heartbreaking past... you see, Rammy was born 'different'. So, for that reason, he was unwanted here, abandoned at birth left in the hospital under the care of doctors and nurses that likewise didn't want to take care of an 'unwanted child'. Then... GH took over. At GH he recieved love, care and attention. The caregivers have really tried to work with Rammy to get him walking, and interacting with the other kids and if the pics above don't show you how happy of a boy he is now then the pic below surely will! I am constantly amazed at the backgrounds of some of these children and how cruel people can be... and I know...that is why the LORD has placed that specific calling upon my life, the same calling that was/is on Ate C's heart when she rescued Rammy, along with the nearly 40 other children at GH. The passionate heart for the abandoned, the neglected, the abused... for the orphan, for the heart of God.
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Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for Rammy and for saving his precious life, when so many people around him gave up on his life so early on! I thank You for keeping him and sustaining him, now and especially during those first months in the hospital, when no one else cared, You cared for Him, You were his Comfort and Protector. I thank You for Gentle Hands, for Ate C's heart of compassion for Rammy and the many other little ones that You, and You alone, have placed at Gentle Hands! I pray that You would continue to watch over this little one and I pray for his future Forever Family! I pray that You would join them together and that Rammy would know the love that You have for him and how You provided for him! I thank You LORD again.. I thank You for his life!
~ To God Be the Glory!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
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Saturday, August 7, 2010
Wow What a Week...Shewwee!
So... this post is going to be slightly different than those of mine in the past...I'm going to update everyone using the facebook conversation between me and my sweet Momma!! I had so much to tell her about and update everyone about... that I just haven't found the energy to tell anyone else... I've simply copied and pasted this conversation in about 4 different emails and now to my blog. Enjoy reading about my crazy hectic week.. and I must say that this isn't even all of it, there were some happenings that I'm just not at liberty to share, but here are the details that I'm able to share.. Enjoy.. I hope you get a few laughs out of them..I did. (It gets to the point you either laugh or cry... I choose laugh ... most days.)
B - Hey momma!
M - hey sweetie!!!
how are you?
B -I'm good.. grinning from ear to ear cuz the first thing i see as soon as i open facebook is your status at the very top
heheB
:D
M - hahah...that's what I"m doing right now, too!!! as soon as i heard the 'pop' and saw your name !!! and, too, while i was posting my status!!! :)
B - oh my momma... it has been a crazy past 2 days...
hang on.. let me read 2 emails and then i'll start the whole story
or stories
lol
M - ok
B - ok so...
M - ok...
i'm listening!!!
B - lets go back to monday... i spent the whole day preparing for L (a girl who is coming to work at GH for several months) to get here... well.. we go to the airport... and we show up early... flight gets in at 10:10, and we get there like before 9... so we wait... and then it gets to 10 and we go to the place where the ppl come out.. and we wait... and wait ... and wait.. 1 hour after her flight should arrive.. no lacey
2 hours... no lacey...
so at 1 am.. we decide she's not coming out... we don't know what else to do but go home
i'm SO SO SO TIRED... remember mon-wed. i have to get up at 4:45 am to get the kids ready for school and am on duty those days...
we couldn't figure out y she wasn't there.. ate kept telling me she got in on aug 2, and i had asked lacey what time her flight came in at and which airport... .. but still no lacey
so i get home and go check my fbook to see the message.... thats when i read lacey's message clearly... 'I get in tuesday night at 10:10 pm'
do u see the problem there????
M - yep, you went on monday
B - yep! exactly,...so.. i tell teody and louie and nico who went with me... well we have to go again tomorrow night
M - hmm, bet they liked that one?
B - so i go to my room and am ready to CRASH its like 1:30 1:45 .. something like that now... ugh.. i have to get up in less than 3 hours.. i'm in bed... when.. crap i have to use the cr... sigh..ok.. up and out of my bed again (i'm on the top bunk)
so i climb down and am using cr drowsily when i turn around to go for the toilet paper... there is cockroach behind me.. now staring me in the eyes since i'm turned around... oh brother!
M - haha..were you awake then? hahahah
B - anyway.. so i'm like... crap.. i can't actually go and rest soundly knowing there is a cockroach out and about right here.. when my bed is right outside the cr.. (there is a cr in our room)
so.. i wait.. but he's like inside the toilet paper roll now
M - ugh
B - so.. i nudge the roll... trying to get him to come out.. and so i can hit him with the flipflop i've attained when he's not on the toilet paper roll... cuz i don't know about you.. but i do not want to be using toilet paper that has cockroach guts all over it...sorry but no thanks.. so i'm really trying to salvage the tp...
M - yep, i understand!!!
B - so i keep nudging it.. and each time he comes up.. peaks his head out.. looks at me and then goes back in...so finally i'm like... its nearly 2 am.. screw the tp.. we can get more in the morning ... so i hit it the next time he come up.. but he gets away by going around to the back of the toilet... well nuts.. now the stubborn momma part in me comes out.. i started it, now i have to finish it (kinda like i have to finish what i start when the toddlers throw tantrums... gotta stick with it and not give in)
so i see him... he's behind the toilet down by the piping of the toilet, and he's on the wall... so i'm ok.. lets get this over with.. i aim and go in for it...
....
M - AND????
B - ... when the edge of the flipflop i have barely BARELY touches the piping... the piping busts, like comes complete off the fixture that is hooked to the water....
WATER GOES EVERYWHERE!!!
like a fountain on full blast
and i think.. O DANG.. WHERE DID THE COCKROACK GO NOW??
M - you're flooding the bathroom, but yet worried about the roach???
B - so.. i have to ignore the water going crazy spraying everywhere.. and i have to find and kill the cockroach ... the cockroach makes a quick run for it.. and i smash him.. dead.. now i have to go fix the water going EVERYWHERE
spraying.. no SHOOTING out ... so i'm trying to fix it... getting soaked in the process, when i realize.. crap .. it didn't come unscrewed or anything... it BROKE.. no quick fix.. no putting it back.. so i try to turn the thing to turn the water off to the toilet... nothing.. won't budge..
so now i'm thinking crap.. i'm gonna have to go wake up nico and louie and get them to help.. so i turn to go out..
when i spot this little nob under the sink.. like its just a nob sticking out in the randomest of places.. nothing around it.. so i decide to turn it...
turns out.. it shuts off the water!!!
M - YAY!!!
B - so.. i was ok.. i got the fountain to stop!!! YAY!!! GO MEE!!!.. at PAST 2 AM...
then i realize, i have to get up before jouvelin (my roommate) .. so i have to make her a note saying don't use the CR.. its broke
lol
M - haha...ya know...this really sounds like a story plot for the ...I LOVE LUCY SHOW
B - so.. then tuesday happens... this is another story
... i'm watching the kids.. and jr tells me he has to poop!!!
M - HAHAHA
B - well JR has cerebral palsey and can't go to the CR by himself., he's actually been wearing diapers for the longest time.. but he can tell us when he has to go.. so there NO point in it... so now he tells us and I take him
but this is slightly new..
M - oh nooooooo!!!!
B - so we are in the cr.. i'm holding him up on hte seat and he starts singing a song (this little boy is HILARIOUS!! an absolute sweetheart of a joy to be around) but ... he is a boy... so this is his song...
POOP POOP! POOP POOP! I WENT POOP POOP! I WENT POOP POOP! POOP POOP! I WENT POOP POOP! I WENT POOP POOP!
...and i'm trying to keep my composure here.. since I am holding him while he is doing all this pooping after all
M - hahahahha...that is priceless!!!
B - and i say 'yes jr.. you did go poop and you did such a good job!! Good job JR!!'
he goes and slightly sings... "GOOD JOB FOR ME!! GOOD JOB FOR YOU!!"
i said yes.. we both did a good job! HAHAHHAHAHAHAHA
M - hahah
B - so.. thats my story for that day...
then... tuesday night comes
M - oh yea, back to the airport...right?
B - we r about to go get lacey but this time.. instead of just me, nico, louie and teody.. Kuya Jerome, William (patrick's dad who's helping with the construction of our new building), kuya Jing, Emil, Amboy... and i think thats it
so many ppl come.. good news is .. she arrives and is there...
M - wow.... a party yeah!!
B - so today is her first day here...
now lets start on the stories of today....
M - uh-oh!
B - yea...so it starts off at 4:45 for me .. again.. (didn't get into bed till after midnight nearly 1 am i think)...so my first thoughts on waking are ... SLEEP!!!! lol
well i walk downstairs and normally I go in check on them make sure no major issues and then wait about 5 minutes before getting the school girls up .. then the school boys up and i try and let the others sleep as long as possible.. the more sleep the better i think.. since i can't really watch them when they r up if i'm still getting the school kids ready... well i walk in the room and ALL THE NON-SCHOOL KIDS R WIDE AWAKE!!!! staring at me, like they've been up for a while...
i went Hoy! y r u awake? its still like a copule minutes BEFORE 5 AM...
they just stare... so i'm like.. ugh.. go back to sleep.. but i know its no use.. they are up
so i go to wake the school kids up.. and they wake up so easily.. so.. they weren't actually sleeping either (normally.. they r tough to wake up.. not today)
so i texted ate.. THEY R ALL AWAKE! ah...i'm not ready for this day..
so.. since they r awake.. naturally.. they soon start to bicker a little.. and then.. i hear it..
"ATE BRITTANY!! come here .. the water won't stop!!!"
I run in there and sure enough the faucet just doesn't work anymore.. you turn it to turn the water off.. and the water is still goin full blast...
so again.. not really sure what to do.. but getting wet in the process since the full blast stream is splashing everywhere
I run in there and sure enough the faucet just doesn't work anymore.. you turn it to turn the water off.. and the water is still goin full blast...
so again.. not really sure what to do.. but getting wet in the process since the full blast stream is splashing everywhere
then i remembered something.. i yanked the garbage can in the corner out of the way... well where it was almsot floating now lol.. and there was the random little nob all by itself.. i started turning and had to shut the water off
but this time.. i still have several kids who still have to bathe, they use a big garbage can size bucket to put the water in and they have a dipper to pour it over them with..but... now i have to keep going in there and turning the water on and then shutting it back off .. over and over and over
and every batch of kids do the same thing.. they try the faucet .. then they freak out.. ATE BRITTANY WALA TUBIG WALA TUBIG (NO WATER NO WATER) ...sigh
so i tell Ateabout all of it,.. she knew from tuesday about my cr now another one.. its ok tho.. she says the plumber is coming today
great!.. i think... quick fix.
well.. the plumber gets there and jing goes with him to our cr and i assume they start working, lacey comes down to visit with the kids and the kids want to go to the 3rd floor.. ate is working on the 1st floor but says we can take them up, she's up and down between 1st and 3rd floor
so we go up stairs
then L has to take the boys to get haircuts..then i'm goin to go pick up kids from school...
well we've been upstairs for a while now.. when i go downstairs.. angel and cherrylyn are a little ahead of me and glenda coming down.. when angel comes running Ate Brittany WATER WATER.. lots of WATER
oh crap.. so i take off running.. sure enough someone has turned the water on... and it is coming out full blast.. and water is everywhere.. flooding out into the bedrooms
boys bedroom - cr - girls room
thats how the layout is...
so i turn it off .. thinking how in the world..
cuz nobody wouldve been down there the kids were all with us upstairs...then I remember
kim uses the cr there... and she saw me shut the water off today earlier
UGH... so i just start cleaning it up .. thinking how i'm going to email kim's m about this fun little thing.
well.. i can't do too much, cuz i have to get ready to go get the kids, but someone had put the bucket over the drain.. so all i could do was move the bucket and let the FLOOD.. like literally over my toes EVERYWHERE in the CR .. go down the drain..
so... i get the kids set to eat lunch, and i head to take a shower.. on the 3rd floor since my cr is still out of commission
i go get my stuff and they aren't working on it anymore.. but it still not working.. ok i guess they took a break?? ok..
so i go get my shower.. oh and i'm out of clothes.. i have 2 full loads ready for the washer.. but the washer has been going nonstop... so.. i have to keep waiting .. and now i'm out of clothes.. so a skirt it is.. my blue skirt with flowers and a royal blue shirt...what a choice..
so.. i head downstairs to find teody to go get the kids.. teody has already gone...GREAT... i just got into a skirt.. and now i'm going nowhere.. back down to the kids to finish my shift i guess (ate imelda was going to watch the kids while i went to get the kids)
so i go to check the flood in the kids' cr that's when i realize just how much water flooded into the bedrooms... its sitting on the floor.. under the beds... CRAP.. so there i go freshly clean, curling damp hair in my skirt.. taking towels and mopping up the water.. wringing out the towels.. mopping and wringing out.. almost falling on nearly every step on the wet tile
so i'm cleaning and i realize i'm goin to have to move the beds.. the water is standing under there.. i can't leave it.. that'll mold in no time..
so there i am shoving bunk beds all over the place...
i get the girls room pretty much done and am starting on the boys'... the boys'.. is MUCH worse...crap.. more water than the girls' i need to go get a fan.. so i do..bring it down.. and like pretty much everyone has noticed..
so i've been cleaning for a long time now.. when L says something about going to check on our cr.. she had been up there earlier and said the light was off, i guess the door was closed, but it was making a sound.. i was like 'well then he must've fixed it, cuz the light was on last time i was in there'
so she goes to check.. a minute later Brittany!!! It's bad!! It's really bad.. there's water everywhere.. its flooded'
WHAT!! so i race up there and sure enough someone has turned the water on.. using the little nob.. and just left it.. our shower is now a pool.. our shampoo, conditioner, and face wash are all floating around like pool rafts in the cr.... its leaking out into our room.. WHAT??
then it hits me.. the only person that could've done this.. it had to have been the 'plumber'.. had to
so i'm like What in the world.. where is this guy?? where's ate?? that's ridiculous.. u don't just leave the water running a fountain spewing everywhere...
so i head upstairs as ate is coming down i tell her and she says i'll deal with it now...
apparently the guy isn't an actual plumber...
M - Oh my!
B - oh.. and I make the connection... the flooding in both areas came from the same problem.. someone turning the water on.. water that i had shut off.. they had to have turned it on and left it
THE PLUMBER!!
i realize .. it WASN'T KIM.. it was the plumber for both of them!!!
M - oooooo...that was not good
B - Kim repeats... but she never repeated the water.. i kept wondering y she hadn't tried to turn it on again.. its cuz it wasn't her
so i tell ate that.. so thats y she's so furious.. he left several floods
M - i bet her bp was out the roof!
B - so then i check on the kids eating lunch.. balong has gotten the ketchup bottle and completely finished it off with just him and jr... a TON of ketchup.. ugh.. balong.. u r no longer allowed to touch the ketchup.. u ask an ate next time.. i tell him
so i'm in the middle of cleaning that up.. not 2 minutes after i have left the flood..
so.. my shift is now over.. well it was supposed to be over 20 minutes ago.. but the next caregiver was late coming in.. but she finally makes it and i head to see the damage to my room
the plumber is there.. to fix the problem.. again
M - uh-oh...
B - so i head upstairs and eat lunch.. after lunch the plumber is no longer in my room but .. there is still water in the floor of the room.. thanks for cleaning the mess u made sir.. no problem, tho.. i've been cleaning floods all day.. whats another one
so i start cleaning...
then i realize... well.. its under our bed too.. so i go to move our bed.. our bed is bigger than the toddlers...
so i finally get it all cleaned up and then L helps me put the bed back again
then we have to head to sm the mall and get some errands for ate, so we do that and the rest of the day goes by..
At this point in our conversation, my Momma had to leave to run some errands, so I email her the rest of the day.. here's the email:
.. so we ended the day by just hanging out upstairs for a long time, I had to go downstairs and get my phone and as I was getting closer to our door, I slipped and almost fell.. I looked to see what I slipped on... water?? where is that comin.. oh crap! I flung open our door to see our WHOLE ROOM covered in about an inch of water!! The toilet had started a full blast fountain again, and this time we didn't catch it.. the water was everywhere.. i rushed to shut the water off AGAIN and ran upstairs to tell Ate.. some of the guys and the monsters came down and helped us clean everything up.. it was quite an ordeal as there was SO MUCH WATER!! so.. for now.. the toilet is staying shut off.. the sink and the shower work, and we can use the toilet, just have to wash it using a pail of water.
So.. that was the story on Wednesday... and this week has had several other factors added in also. Just to finish the story, some of GH's own 'plumbers' were able to fix our CR and we've had no further issues with major flooding. Then today the concrete was poured for GH's second floor of the building expansion. This is a true miracle and gift from God. Ate has been praying for the land and the building for years!!! And today the 2nd floor concrete was poured...we watched a prayer being answered as the workers are pouring and smoothing it out! That's amazing! We are also renovating the kitchen of GH on the first floor and Ate tiled it this evening!! Oh, and this afternoon we had 25 filipino college students here that are going to start a music program with our kids at GH!! So exciting.. but also so many people = a little bit of chaos! But the kids had so much fun and really enjoyed everything.. besides ... what fun would life be without a little bit of chaos???
~ To God Be the Glory!!!
B - Hey momma!
M - hey sweetie!!!
how are you?
B -I'm good.. grinning from ear to ear cuz the first thing i see as soon as i open facebook is your status at the very top
heheB
:D
M - hahah...that's what I"m doing right now, too!!! as soon as i heard the 'pop' and saw your name !!! and, too, while i was posting my status!!! :)
B - oh my momma... it has been a crazy past 2 days...
hang on.. let me read 2 emails and then i'll start the whole story
or stories
lol
M - ok
B - ok so...
M - ok...
i'm listening!!!
B - lets go back to monday... i spent the whole day preparing for L (a girl who is coming to work at GH for several months) to get here... well.. we go to the airport... and we show up early... flight gets in at 10:10, and we get there like before 9... so we wait... and then it gets to 10 and we go to the place where the ppl come out.. and we wait... and wait ... and wait.. 1 hour after her flight should arrive.. no lacey
2 hours... no lacey...
so at 1 am.. we decide she's not coming out... we don't know what else to do but go home
i'm SO SO SO TIRED... remember mon-wed. i have to get up at 4:45 am to get the kids ready for school and am on duty those days...
we couldn't figure out y she wasn't there.. ate kept telling me she got in on aug 2, and i had asked lacey what time her flight came in at and which airport... .. but still no lacey
so i get home and go check my fbook to see the message.... thats when i read lacey's message clearly... 'I get in tuesday night at 10:10 pm'
do u see the problem there????
M - yep, you went on monday
B - yep! exactly,...so.. i tell teody and louie and nico who went with me... well we have to go again tomorrow night
M - hmm, bet they liked that one?
B - so i go to my room and am ready to CRASH its like 1:30 1:45 .. something like that now... ugh.. i have to get up in less than 3 hours.. i'm in bed... when.. crap i have to use the cr... sigh..ok.. up and out of my bed again (i'm on the top bunk)
so i climb down and am using cr drowsily when i turn around to go for the toilet paper... there is cockroach behind me.. now staring me in the eyes since i'm turned around... oh brother!
M - haha..were you awake then? hahahah
B - anyway.. so i'm like... crap.. i can't actually go and rest soundly knowing there is a cockroach out and about right here.. when my bed is right outside the cr.. (there is a cr in our room)
so.. i wait.. but he's like inside the toilet paper roll now
M - ugh
B - so.. i nudge the roll... trying to get him to come out.. and so i can hit him with the flipflop i've attained when he's not on the toilet paper roll... cuz i don't know about you.. but i do not want to be using toilet paper that has cockroach guts all over it...sorry but no thanks.. so i'm really trying to salvage the tp...
M - yep, i understand!!!
B - so i keep nudging it.. and each time he comes up.. peaks his head out.. looks at me and then goes back in...so finally i'm like... its nearly 2 am.. screw the tp.. we can get more in the morning ... so i hit it the next time he come up.. but he gets away by going around to the back of the toilet... well nuts.. now the stubborn momma part in me comes out.. i started it, now i have to finish it (kinda like i have to finish what i start when the toddlers throw tantrums... gotta stick with it and not give in)
so i see him... he's behind the toilet down by the piping of the toilet, and he's on the wall... so i'm ok.. lets get this over with.. i aim and go in for it...
....
M - AND????
B - ... when the edge of the flipflop i have barely BARELY touches the piping... the piping busts, like comes complete off the fixture that is hooked to the water....
WATER GOES EVERYWHERE!!!
like a fountain on full blast
and i think.. O DANG.. WHERE DID THE COCKROACK GO NOW??
M - you're flooding the bathroom, but yet worried about the roach???
B - so.. i have to ignore the water going crazy spraying everywhere.. and i have to find and kill the cockroach ... the cockroach makes a quick run for it.. and i smash him.. dead.. now i have to go fix the water going EVERYWHERE
spraying.. no SHOOTING out ... so i'm trying to fix it... getting soaked in the process, when i realize.. crap .. it didn't come unscrewed or anything... it BROKE.. no quick fix.. no putting it back.. so i try to turn the thing to turn the water off to the toilet... nothing.. won't budge..
so now i'm thinking crap.. i'm gonna have to go wake up nico and louie and get them to help.. so i turn to go out..
when i spot this little nob under the sink.. like its just a nob sticking out in the randomest of places.. nothing around it.. so i decide to turn it...
turns out.. it shuts off the water!!!
M - YAY!!!
B - so.. i was ok.. i got the fountain to stop!!! YAY!!! GO MEE!!!.. at PAST 2 AM...
then i realize, i have to get up before jouvelin (my roommate) .. so i have to make her a note saying don't use the CR.. its broke
lol
M - haha...ya know...this really sounds like a story plot for the ...I LOVE LUCY SHOW
B - so.. then tuesday happens... this is another story
... i'm watching the kids.. and jr tells me he has to poop!!!
M - HAHAHA
B - well JR has cerebral palsey and can't go to the CR by himself., he's actually been wearing diapers for the longest time.. but he can tell us when he has to go.. so there NO point in it... so now he tells us and I take him
but this is slightly new..
M - oh nooooooo!!!!
B - so we are in the cr.. i'm holding him up on hte seat and he starts singing a song (this little boy is HILARIOUS!! an absolute sweetheart of a joy to be around) but ... he is a boy... so this is his song...
POOP POOP! POOP POOP! I WENT POOP POOP! I WENT POOP POOP! POOP POOP! I WENT POOP POOP! I WENT POOP POOP!
...and i'm trying to keep my composure here.. since I am holding him while he is doing all this pooping after all
M - hahahahha...that is priceless!!!
B - and i say 'yes jr.. you did go poop and you did such a good job!! Good job JR!!'
he goes and slightly sings... "GOOD JOB FOR ME!! GOOD JOB FOR YOU!!"
i said yes.. we both did a good job! HAHAHHAHAHAHAHA
M - hahah
B - so.. thats my story for that day...
then... tuesday night comes
M - oh yea, back to the airport...right?
B - we r about to go get lacey but this time.. instead of just me, nico, louie and teody.. Kuya Jerome, William (patrick's dad who's helping with the construction of our new building), kuya Jing, Emil, Amboy... and i think thats it
so many ppl come.. good news is .. she arrives and is there...
M - wow.... a party yeah!!
B - so today is her first day here...
now lets start on the stories of today....
M - uh-oh!
B - yea...so it starts off at 4:45 for me .. again.. (didn't get into bed till after midnight nearly 1 am i think)...so my first thoughts on waking are ... SLEEP!!!! lol
well i walk downstairs and normally I go in check on them make sure no major issues and then wait about 5 minutes before getting the school girls up .. then the school boys up and i try and let the others sleep as long as possible.. the more sleep the better i think.. since i can't really watch them when they r up if i'm still getting the school kids ready... well i walk in the room and ALL THE NON-SCHOOL KIDS R WIDE AWAKE!!!! staring at me, like they've been up for a while...
i went Hoy! y r u awake? its still like a copule minutes BEFORE 5 AM...
they just stare... so i'm like.. ugh.. go back to sleep.. but i know its no use.. they are up
so i go to wake the school kids up.. and they wake up so easily.. so.. they weren't actually sleeping either (normally.. they r tough to wake up.. not today)
so i texted ate.. THEY R ALL AWAKE! ah...i'm not ready for this day..
so.. since they r awake.. naturally.. they soon start to bicker a little.. and then.. i hear it..
"ATE BRITTANY!! come here .. the water won't stop!!!"
I run in there and sure enough the faucet just doesn't work anymore.. you turn it to turn the water off.. and the water is still goin full blast...
so again.. not really sure what to do.. but getting wet in the process since the full blast stream is splashing everywhere
I run in there and sure enough the faucet just doesn't work anymore.. you turn it to turn the water off.. and the water is still goin full blast...
so again.. not really sure what to do.. but getting wet in the process since the full blast stream is splashing everywhere
then i remembered something.. i yanked the garbage can in the corner out of the way... well where it was almsot floating now lol.. and there was the random little nob all by itself.. i started turning and had to shut the water off
but this time.. i still have several kids who still have to bathe, they use a big garbage can size bucket to put the water in and they have a dipper to pour it over them with..but... now i have to keep going in there and turning the water on and then shutting it back off .. over and over and over
and every batch of kids do the same thing.. they try the faucet .. then they freak out.. ATE BRITTANY WALA TUBIG WALA TUBIG (NO WATER NO WATER) ...sigh
so i tell Ateabout all of it,.. she knew from tuesday about my cr now another one.. its ok tho.. she says the plumber is coming today
great!.. i think... quick fix.
well.. the plumber gets there and jing goes with him to our cr and i assume they start working, lacey comes down to visit with the kids and the kids want to go to the 3rd floor.. ate is working on the 1st floor but says we can take them up, she's up and down between 1st and 3rd floor
so we go up stairs
then L has to take the boys to get haircuts..then i'm goin to go pick up kids from school...
well we've been upstairs for a while now.. when i go downstairs.. angel and cherrylyn are a little ahead of me and glenda coming down.. when angel comes running Ate Brittany WATER WATER.. lots of WATER
oh crap.. so i take off running.. sure enough someone has turned the water on... and it is coming out full blast.. and water is everywhere.. flooding out into the bedrooms
boys bedroom - cr - girls room
thats how the layout is...
so i turn it off .. thinking how in the world..
cuz nobody wouldve been down there the kids were all with us upstairs...then I remember
kim uses the cr there... and she saw me shut the water off today earlier
UGH... so i just start cleaning it up .. thinking how i'm going to email kim's m about this fun little thing.
well.. i can't do too much, cuz i have to get ready to go get the kids, but someone had put the bucket over the drain.. so all i could do was move the bucket and let the FLOOD.. like literally over my toes EVERYWHERE in the CR .. go down the drain..
so... i get the kids set to eat lunch, and i head to take a shower.. on the 3rd floor since my cr is still out of commission
i go get my stuff and they aren't working on it anymore.. but it still not working.. ok i guess they took a break?? ok..
so i go get my shower.. oh and i'm out of clothes.. i have 2 full loads ready for the washer.. but the washer has been going nonstop... so.. i have to keep waiting .. and now i'm out of clothes.. so a skirt it is.. my blue skirt with flowers and a royal blue shirt...what a choice..
so.. i head downstairs to find teody to go get the kids.. teody has already gone...GREAT... i just got into a skirt.. and now i'm going nowhere.. back down to the kids to finish my shift i guess (ate imelda was going to watch the kids while i went to get the kids)
so i go to check the flood in the kids' cr that's when i realize just how much water flooded into the bedrooms... its sitting on the floor.. under the beds... CRAP.. so there i go freshly clean, curling damp hair in my skirt.. taking towels and mopping up the water.. wringing out the towels.. mopping and wringing out.. almost falling on nearly every step on the wet tile
so i'm cleaning and i realize i'm goin to have to move the beds.. the water is standing under there.. i can't leave it.. that'll mold in no time..
so there i am shoving bunk beds all over the place...
i get the girls room pretty much done and am starting on the boys'... the boys'.. is MUCH worse...crap.. more water than the girls' i need to go get a fan.. so i do..bring it down.. and like pretty much everyone has noticed..
so i've been cleaning for a long time now.. when L says something about going to check on our cr.. she had been up there earlier and said the light was off, i guess the door was closed, but it was making a sound.. i was like 'well then he must've fixed it, cuz the light was on last time i was in there'
so she goes to check.. a minute later Brittany!!! It's bad!! It's really bad.. there's water everywhere.. its flooded'
WHAT!! so i race up there and sure enough someone has turned the water on.. using the little nob.. and just left it.. our shower is now a pool.. our shampoo, conditioner, and face wash are all floating around like pool rafts in the cr.... its leaking out into our room.. WHAT??
then it hits me.. the only person that could've done this.. it had to have been the 'plumber'.. had to
so i'm like What in the world.. where is this guy?? where's ate?? that's ridiculous.. u don't just leave the water running a fountain spewing everywhere...
so i head upstairs as ate is coming down i tell her and she says i'll deal with it now...
apparently the guy isn't an actual plumber...
M - Oh my!
B - oh.. and I make the connection... the flooding in both areas came from the same problem.. someone turning the water on.. water that i had shut off.. they had to have turned it on and left it
THE PLUMBER!!
i realize .. it WASN'T KIM.. it was the plumber for both of them!!!
M - oooooo...that was not good
B - Kim repeats... but she never repeated the water.. i kept wondering y she hadn't tried to turn it on again.. its cuz it wasn't her
so i tell ate that.. so thats y she's so furious.. he left several floods
M - i bet her bp was out the roof!
B - so then i check on the kids eating lunch.. balong has gotten the ketchup bottle and completely finished it off with just him and jr... a TON of ketchup.. ugh.. balong.. u r no longer allowed to touch the ketchup.. u ask an ate next time.. i tell him
so i'm in the middle of cleaning that up.. not 2 minutes after i have left the flood..
so.. my shift is now over.. well it was supposed to be over 20 minutes ago.. but the next caregiver was late coming in.. but she finally makes it and i head to see the damage to my room
the plumber is there.. to fix the problem.. again
M - uh-oh...
B - so i head upstairs and eat lunch.. after lunch the plumber is no longer in my room but .. there is still water in the floor of the room.. thanks for cleaning the mess u made sir.. no problem, tho.. i've been cleaning floods all day.. whats another one
so i start cleaning...
then i realize... well.. its under our bed too.. so i go to move our bed.. our bed is bigger than the toddlers...
so i finally get it all cleaned up and then L helps me put the bed back again
then we have to head to sm the mall and get some errands for ate, so we do that and the rest of the day goes by..
At this point in our conversation, my Momma had to leave to run some errands, so I email her the rest of the day.. here's the email:
.. so we ended the day by just hanging out upstairs for a long time, I had to go downstairs and get my phone and as I was getting closer to our door, I slipped and almost fell.. I looked to see what I slipped on... water?? where is that comin.. oh crap! I flung open our door to see our WHOLE ROOM covered in about an inch of water!! The toilet had started a full blast fountain again, and this time we didn't catch it.. the water was everywhere.. i rushed to shut the water off AGAIN and ran upstairs to tell Ate.. some of the guys and the monsters came down and helped us clean everything up.. it was quite an ordeal as there was SO MUCH WATER!! so.. for now.. the toilet is staying shut off.. the sink and the shower work, and we can use the toilet, just have to wash it using a pail of water.
So.. that was the story on Wednesday... and this week has had several other factors added in also. Just to finish the story, some of GH's own 'plumbers' were able to fix our CR and we've had no further issues with major flooding. Then today the concrete was poured for GH's second floor of the building expansion. This is a true miracle and gift from God. Ate has been praying for the land and the building for years!!! And today the 2nd floor concrete was poured...we watched a prayer being answered as the workers are pouring and smoothing it out! That's amazing! We are also renovating the kitchen of GH on the first floor and Ate tiled it this evening!! Oh, and this afternoon we had 25 filipino college students here that are going to start a music program with our kids at GH!! So exciting.. but also so many people = a little bit of chaos! But the kids had so much fun and really enjoyed everything.. besides ... what fun would life be without a little bit of chaos???
~ To God Be the Glory!!!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Ms A!
Abegail... my oh my.. where to start the next post in the series?? Ate C had gotten Abegail 2 days before my team and I arrived at GH last summer in June 2009. I remember when I first saw her... she was sitting in the exersaucer and was this tiny little thing, but her blank look was what I remember most. She just stared and watched the other kids...she was so not used to these surroundings. The life she was used to was quiet and little attention, little nourishment... she was used to being neglected, now with all of these other little kids running around, she didn't know really what to do. She was so weak, she was 16 months old and couldn't sit up. Whenever I or anyone else would pick her up, she would spread out her arms and legs and hold on for dear life. She was starved of attention.
And now for the ... "Today" section... TADA....
"Thank you.. thank you.. please... keep it coming!" haha!
This little girl, AbbyGirl, as I have nicknamed her, has the most spirit I've ever seen. She is mischevious, bold, sneaky, smart, cuddly, bullying, adorable, loving, sweet, loud, stubborn, and throwing a fit... all within the first 10 minutes of waking up! She is an absolute handful, but she is an absolute blessing at the same time!
Can't you just see the mischief in her eyes??
She, as many of them, never ceases to make me laugh every day! She has so much life in her, its miraculous how food, water and love will transform a child...who'd have thought?? (Please note the extreme sarcasm.)
However, with all that life in her also comes a bit of a drama queen, and we are currently in the process of reigning in the temper tantrums (you have to love working on a daily basis 9 babies that are all in their 'terrible two's'...) and she is actually doing very well, she's starting to really get that she is not allowed to turn into a fish and start flopping on the ground when she doesn't get her way.. oh and those little kicking of the legs when she gets mad... that is stopping too. But one thing that I'm really coming to realize is that its through the disciplining in the midst of a temper tantrum and then seeing her come through it and being able to love on her and say, "Ok, now that that is over, let's go play." and seeing her learn.. seeing her eyes ponder whether or not to go for the ground flopping like a fish.. or to just go play when something doesn't go her way... to see her thinking through it and then watching her run off and play...that is why I'm here! To love her, to SHOW her that God loves her, and to possibly help mold her in the direction of becoming a Godly young woman. And its during those battles of wills, when she decides to throw tantrum after tantrum after tantrum after tantrum in one day... that's where the bonds are being made. I love her, and all the kids, so much, I love them enough to stick through the tantrums and to demand that they behave better than that... and they see it...that's why my legs get ambushed whenever I walk into the Toddlers' room... and I love every minute of it!
Here are a few more pictures of my adorable AbbyGirl! Enjoy!
Still a CuddleBug!
Isn't she adorable??? How could you not LOVE that smile??
I love the LIFE in her eyes!!
Dear LORD, I thank you so much for Abegail's precious life. I thank you for Ate C and Gentle Hands, that she was rescued and given a second chance at life. I thank you for allowing her to thrive at GH and grow to be an absolutely beautiful child! LORD God, please continue to watch over her life. I know that You have a plan for her, I pray that you would raise up now a forever family for this precious child, that she would be raised in a family that she knows without a doubt that she is loved by her family, and by You her Creator and Savior! I thank you for the abundace of blessings you pour on me each day through Abegail and the other children at Gentle Hands. Thank you LORD! Amen.
~ To God Be the Glory!
Hey...
So, every day when I go down to the Toddlers and see them and they swarm my legs and yell "Hiya!!" or "HIIII!!" or whatever they want to say as a greeting for that day, I most always respond to each of them either "Hi (name of child)!" or more often "Hi baby!" Well this past week, I walked down through the play area and Augustine, oh my precious little boy that is starting to love talking, looks at my from where he's playing and with a smirk and about as much game that can come from an almost-3-year-old says, "Hey baby.."
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Have I mentioned that I love these kids!?!?! They make my heart so happy! I love watching them grow and discover new words and phrases!!
~ To God Be the Glory!
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