As everyone would have been following via Facebook, we're on a mission "house building" trip in Bacolod, Philippines with ICM. Thursday night we flew into Manila, stayed one night, then on to Bacolod on Friday morning. Same routine as Sebastian and I back in June. On Thursday night while the kids were in bed, we talked about the "do's and don'ts" of slums. Sebastian explained to the triplets that usually there were no toilets, no toilet paper (but we will have tissue I added) and we discussed what to do if nature called. Sela was disgusted, her face crinkled up into a frown. Fortunately, though, in the communities where ICM is at work, some form of septic system is a priority. (At left: standing with the class from Sampaguita Pre-school.)

Today we had a chance to visit the pre-school we sponsored this past year. Lots to report with photos, too. The school is in the middle of a poverty stricken jungle area. The class teacher and pastor welcomed us. The students sang, danced, recited scripture and academic exercises. (At left: students hold up their new class pictures!)

Tess took Polaroid photos of each student – I stuck a Christian sticker on the back of each photo. Then we placed the items we'd brought the kids into little piles at the front of the classroom – one for each student: one can of ham, 2 underwear, 1 toothbrush, toothpaste, pen, pencil, eraser, 2 sweeties etc. The triplets and Seb enthusiastically helped make each pile then handed them out to the kids. (Terrific Tess was a hero by collecting boatloads of goodies from friends in Hong Kong prior to our departure. After 20 bags were checked in at the airport during the group check-in, we were only 8 kgs short of our group baggage limit!)

To conclude the formal visit, the class wanted us to dance and sing but our kids weren't keen on that idea. Instead we gathered at the front of the class and explained that as a family we liked to pray and sometimes we just did short little prayers. "Instead of dancing," I explained, "we will pray for you."

Side note: you can imagine the little thought pattern drifting out of my head, "Ok Lord help me out here – PLEASE don't let any of my kids pray for a DS, new Wii game, expensive toy or something!

Prayers answered… each one of our kids took the microphone and confidently said a short little prayer. They prayed things like… "Thank You, God, for the things I have… please help us to be good… help us to listen better… help us to obey our parents and teachers." Tess and I said a quick prayer, then the pastor concluded. The moment was precious.

We went outside, where we had a tour of the garden. Not just any garden – a micro finance garden. ICM works with CCT (Centre for Community Transformation) teaching people to grow vegetables, herbs, cultivate worms all of which can be sold to help people make a living and pay off very small loans that got them started. Apparently CCT boasts the most effective micro finance success rate of any micro finance program GLOBALLY.

At one point as we approached the gardens, Sebastian and I were bringing up the rear. A little girl came running down a dirt path near us. She stopped, squatted down, did a wee, stood up, continued on her way. Seb surveyed the situation without comment. A pool of urine sat in the middle of the path, beginning it's trickle off the path towards the floor of a family's shack of a home. We started walking and nothing was said. I knew from what he'd told the triplets the night before the gravity of his surroundings were sinking in. As it was for all of us.