My Recent Adventures...

Life has gotten really busy, and therefore I haven't had time to update the blog. The school semester is wrapping up so that means finishing up projects, closing units, and writing report cards. However I have found time to explore the Philippines a little more.

I feel like everytime we leave the valley we have to prepare ourselves for an adventure. My most recent adventure was to find the volcano Taal, which has been named the smallest active volcano in the world. Since the Phils kind of lacks in the street signs, it was interesting trying to navigate our way there. Everytime we venture out to find a new place God teaches me a little more about patience and flexibility.

When we got to Taal we had the option of taking horses, but trying to save money and exerience all that we can we hiked our way up the rainy mountain side. What an amazing view! During these times I am reminded of what a beautiful country this is.

The group I hiked with.

Ruth and I were happy to make it to the top!

The Harbor where we took off from.

Taal Volcano, the smallest active volcano in all its glory.

This last weekend Ruth and I went to go help out at a local orphanage. It was an experienced filled with so many different feelings. The kids were amazing and yet it was obvious that they had so much baggage already. There was one baby who cried anytime I touched her, and yet she didn't want to be alone. There were numerous kids with slight physical defects, and all of the kids were starved for attention. Anytime I gave one kid a piggy back or tickled someone another one would want the same done and start crying, an overwhelming experience believe me.

I can't help but think what is God's plan for these kids. How does He plan to use them? They have been blessed to be given to a Christian orphanage, but will they ever truly know God's love? They were born into such horrible circumstances. I can't help but pray for these kids and hope for the best. It has been said that there may be up to 250,000 street kids in the Philippines. for me when I see that number it's hard to imagine that each one has a name, they are not lost in God's eyes. Please join me in prayer for these little ones. My heart can't help but to break for them. God has a plan for each and every one of them. Pray that he would bring someone into their lives that would share the gospel and introduce them to the Father in heaven who has invited them to be part of His eternal family.

Some of the little girls, never could figure out their names.

This little girl we called little strange. She walked and looked so much like my japanese grandma! So funny!

This is my grandma's face! I can't believe how much she reminded me of fumiko!

This little guy wasn't an orphan, he belonged to one of the workers, but he was just so dang cute!

As you can see no matter how long I live here I remain as white as the wall! haha but everytime the kids sat on my lap they pinched my skin, rubbed my white knees, and stroked my blonde hair. it never gets old.

A bit of our fourth grade chapel.

Each year every elementary class is responsible for one chapel. This year the elementary is learning about the fruit of the Spirit, and we were in charge of Peace. It was alot of work and by the end I was exhausted, but I'm so thankful for the opportunity.
This clip is just a piece of our chapel. It's adapted from the book Sneetches by Mr. Seuss. But I thought a lot of you back home would love to be able to see my kids in action. They're brilliant actors :) and I was so impressed by all the work that they put into this. We as a class learned alot about Peace and hope that we were able to pass some of that knowledge onto the rest of the school.
Thanks for all your prayers back at home!

Filipiniana Week.

Mabuhay! Welcome to Filipiniana week! The elementary celebrates the Philippines and the Filipino culture every October. It's a week of festivities and filled with cultural experiences.

Monday morning started off with a ceremony where all the classes came up on the stage and the teachers smashed a clay pot (kind of like a pinata).

The kids are excited and ready for the flying candy.

The clay pot. Whacking like it a pinata seems kind of dangerous.

Then the blindfold you... awesome

... and in front of the whole school. I had to turn on my unagi ;)

Whack! I got it on my fourth swing.

The kids went crazy! It was so funny to see them going crazy.

And then for lunch another Filipino school came to join us. The Faith kids brought lunches for the other kids and then they were supposed to show the kids around the playground and teach them their favorite games. It was absolutely amazing to see these kids pour their hearts out to this school. Alot of the kids from this other school were living in an orphanage or were squatter kids and so they've lived hard lives. My 9 and 10 year olds were paired up with some kids who were in 2nd grade but were 12 years old! Seriously though, I have never been so proud of kids before. At the end of the day my class felt so good. They went on and on about how much fun they had with the kids and giving them lunch. It was so fun to see their smiling faces.

It reminded me of a little girl long time ago who took a trip to Mexico with her family. She had never felt so proud of the work she was doing even though all she did was pass out tomatoes to the squatter camps. I think that trip planted a seed which eventually led me to overseas missions. There is nothing like a toothless smile on a kid who has just experienced the love of Jesus Christ. I'm so glad I was able to share that with my class this week.

The kids were a little overwhelmed at first. Faith kids are in blue, the other school is in yellow!

A Prayer.

Why do I doubt? You have always answered my prayers and yet I am always taken aback. I've been asking you for months about a place to live and for someone to share that with. God you are so faithful and you have answered both of these prayers. Thank you for reminding me how wonderful and giving you are.

Lord thank you for friends to get together with. Even though I may not have a family here, and when I miss having siblings around I am blessed with friends to share special occasions with. Please continue to send people into my life to encourage and fellowship with. There is no other time when I feel your love more than when I am with others who love you as I do and are worshipping you with their lives. Please bless the families here in the Philippines for the sacrifices they have made to be here, and the people they have touched.

Please continue to make me into a more devoted servant. I am here to serve you, and I want to touch the lives of my students. Please give me the wisdom to pass on to them, and so I may better serve you. Teach me what it is like to be a disciplined devoted servant. Give me discipline. Show me my weaknesses so that I may better serve you.

You are always faithful Lord and I am learning to depend on you with everything that I have and with my future.

"We're depending on God;

He's everything we need.

What's more, our hearts brim with joy

since we're taken for our own His holy name.

Love us, God, with all you've got-

that's what we're depending on (Psalm 33: 20-22)."

In your precious holy name, Amen.

Refreshed.

There are times when you don't realize how tired or warn out you are until you get the chance to rest and you remember what it feels like to be refreshed.

This last week Faith had a break and some friends and I took a quick little get away. It was such a blessing and I have returned so refreshed! I wake up in the morning again and can't wait to get to school. Who would have known how much of a blessing a fourth grader could be. By the end of the break I missed them and couldn't wait to get back into the classroom.

Before break we had parent teacher conferences and I was able to meet with all my students' parents and get to know them a little. It was so great to hear a little about their minitries and all that they are doing. After feeling nervous for them and even getting a rough start, I left conferences feeling encouraged and excited for the rest of the year. I wanted to thank all those who were praying for them, they couldn't have gone better!

The next day some other teachers and I then left for Puerto Galera where we were able to relax and enjoy the white sand beaches, fresh air, nature, and all sorts of activities! What an amazing opportunity! God has been so good to me, and I have learned so much about God, myself and doing ministry in another culture. As many frustrations as I have had here I have grown more in love with this country and the people here.

I have felt blessed this week with friends, conversations, my students, and as I sit here and listen to the thunder outside my classroom I am reminded of the power of our Lord. Growing up in the northwest I have never heard thunder like in the Phils. My God is a God who is more powerful than the typhoons that come and go and more powerful than the circumstances that come in my life. Lord help me become a better servant of yours. Make me a better example to my students. You are higher than any other, and I praise you for your blessings that you bestow upon us.

This is Tamaraw, the resort we stayed at. Loved those lounge chairs...

We went on this great hike. At the top there was this amazing waterfall! Swimming never felt so good.

Parasailing with my friend Kelli. This was so fun, and the views were gorgeous.

We were so excited to go banana boating...and we thought we were so tough.

But banana boating is much harder than you expect. I swallowed more salt water that week than I have ever in my life.

SIKE...

Alright... I think I'm starting to get it... you can NEVER rely on anything in the Phils. Is that why everyone kind of jokes about island culture?

I stayed at school til about 6 30 last night getting ready for parent teacher conferences (and good thing I did). Since I worked extra hard I was able to sleep in a little and feel rested for my 7 parent teacher conferences today. But trying to be the extra prepared teacher I started heading out the door at 7:30 (half hour before my first conference). I decided it would be a good idea to get there set up a little and feel relaxed by the time I get I started. SIKE! It's like the Phils wanted to say, "Just when you think you're safe Meg, you can't get too comfortable here!"

If you've been reading my blog I mentioned we had some car troubles awhile ago and we just got our car back last week! So helpful to have my own wheels. However this morning I get down there turn the key and ..you guessed it, nothing. I laughed! I am getting so used to this I actually laughed out loud! "Are you kidding me!"

I ran over to the guard and asked the guard if he could jump my car, as he thought about and wondered what he could do (it felt like he was really taking his time, I'm sure he enjoyed the gringo going crazy), he then told his buddy to get his jumper cables. The guy took what felt like forever! When he came back he handed me the cables and said, "mam' you need a car." haha oh my goodness. I was like, "well the only car I have is dead, can you help me." I now only have 15 minutes to get to school, and I have texted three people who have not yet replied.

So the guard finally realizes I'm starting to freak out. I don't have my boss' number and I can't seem to get ahold of anyone (my phone wouldn't let me call anyone only texts'? never had that happen to me) So another guard finally comes with his car, and they proceed to jump my car. We sit there for about ten minutes trying to jump them, and then he simply drives away... "Where are you going!?" haha he just left, and then his friend said , "too dead mam'" oook...

So thank you and sorry at the same time to the Clinton family who live in my condominium. I knocked on their door to ask the huge favor that they drive me to school. Obviously they had not been awake for long, and were not prepared to be doing any favors so early in the morning. But they saved my life and lent me their car.

I only got their five minutes late, and luckily since I stayed late the night before I was ready for my seven conferences. Only eight more to go tomorrow... and I've arranged for a ride. Just in case.

Phils, your amazing. I can't believe all that has happened to me in the last three months. More in those three short months than in my last three years in the states. And when I tell this story to my fellow missionaries they grin and shrug simply stating that, "only in the Philippines."

A New Concept

It's funny to discover whats in and whats out in kids' world as well as the things that they don't quite get...yet.

First of all I should say that this conversation that happened wasn't totally off subject. But my kids definitely know how to get me off on a rabbit trail. They're filled with curious questions, and then when you add an American teacher, Filipino and Korean students to the mix we're always asking each other questions.

I was sitting with a small group of students and we were doing a guided reading group (where we read a book together and I ask them questions helping them to search deeper into a text). This week we were talking about connections and reading a book about Cesar Chavez who was a union worker during the 60s. We were talking about how during that time America was prejudiced against people with darker skin and it was so funny to hear the kids asking questions like, "why would they think that people with dark skin are bad?" or "why did they have to use different bathrooms?" This concept was so foreign to these kids and they had obviously never really talked about racism (some of them had never heard of the term).

Then one of my Filipino boys started talking about he was getting darker. I looked at him waiting for a further explanation when he proceeded to tell me about how every morning he scrubs himself with his whitening bar soap but nothing happens. I asked him why he wanted to be whiter and he couldn't answer. Then one of the other students asked, "Miss Cosper I heard that Americans want to be dark, is that true?" Haha I was like, "Why yes they think your guys' skin is beautiful and would love to look more like you!" They all laughed and replied, "well why don't you care about being dark Miss C?"... "How do you know I don't care?" I wondered. "Well your not dark..." I explained to them that it was nearly impossible for me to get any darker than I was now. This was kind of hard for these kids to understand. They have grown up in the sun and have never had to worry about burning.

While living in the Phils I have not had to worry about being tan at all! I am no longer looked down upon for being so pasty white, in fact I find people staring at my white skin! haha I have discovered though that I need to be careful when I'm buying soap because there are so many that are made in order to whiten the skin, and Lord forbif my skin getting any whiter!