Making Cebu my Home

The Transition Continues

I can't believe I've been here for 3 months now!  This past season has had many ups and downs, challenges and victories, tears and laughter, but I'm still here!  I think I've made it past the hardest part of this transition and I'm really starting to feel at home. 

Mexico and the Philippines have a lot in common...maybe that played a little part in why I so quickly and easily fell in love with this nation and the people here when I was here on outreach last year.  I can't believe that I was actually here at this exact time last year.  The anniversary of the earthquake and typhoon have past and now this is my home.  Who would have thought a year ago that I'd be living here now.  There are days when I still miss Mexico and Mazatlan and the amazing people and friends that I still have there, but I'm beginning to fall more and more in love with this nation...a nation of hospitality, smiles, love and resilience. 

In the end, I'm not staffing the October DTS that is now in it's 6th week of classes.  As much as I love DTS and miss having one-on-ones and getting to invest in students' lives, I'm still adjusting to life here and we felt it best for me to focus on that.  I have been helping out a lot with teams and in the kitchen.  I'm working hard to learn the language and can now understand and make short sentences and questions.  I LOVE our kids ministry here!  There's a new community that we've started working in close to the base and everywhere I go now I run into kids and young people from there yelling "Hi Ate Cassandra!"  "Ate" (pronounced ah-tay) means big sister here and is used as a sign of respect.  I love being so many young kids' "ate" and getting to invest in their lives and love on them!

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this past season of my life - through prayer, support, encouragement, or whatever else.  I am so blessed by all of you!!

Blessings,
Cassandra
Church Ministry with the DTS Team                      Cultural Night
     from Oxford, New Zealand                          I represented Mexico!
My New Younger Siblings

What's Next...

This is a really busy season for us with teams.  We've constantly had teams here for the past month or so and will continue to have many more teams throughout the rest of the year.  There's even a team from Mazatlan coming next month!  We're also preparing for our "Jesus Fiesta" next month.  It is a big Christmas party for all of the families in the communities we minister in.  A team from Singapore comes every year to help out - we do a program for everyone, feed them and give all the kids presents.  We're expecting at least 1500 people this year!
 
Prayer Requests

* for our Jesus Fiesta to come together and for all the finances we need to put it on
* that I'd be able to learn the language quickly
* for my continued transition to life and ministry here
* for our June DTS as they're still on outreach and our Oct. DTS as they continue with their lecture phase
Celebrating Mark's Birthday Filipino Style (no plates or silverware)
Fashion Night with the DTS!
Email:  gsprincess88@yahoo.com
Website: www.mcii.org/ywam