Monday, July 4, 2011

Friday Field Day with Lilia's Place

Friday was such an eventful day! We headed over to Lilia's Place to feed the kindergarteners before we went to meet up with some other schools for a field day. As we arrived, Jennifer (one of the mom's housed in Lilia's Place) was sitting on the balcony of the apartments rubbing her back. She told us she was in labor. I thought 'She looks way too calm to be in labor!' Lisa asked her if she wanted to go to the clinic, but she said, "Later." So we started feeding the kids. They were so funny, all eating their rice and mangoes in different ways, with different utensils- or none at all. Before we knew it, someone came in to say that Jennifer was having her baby. We walked next door to her apartment, and the baby was already on the floor- slime, blood, umbilical cord, and all! Irish, Lilia's Place's nurse, helped clean up the baby and check the heartbeat while they waited for a midwife. Jennifer had been saying that she was going to have a girl and name it Irish after the other Irish. Sure enough, she did! This was her 9th baby, but only her 2nd girl. Doug and Lisa stayed behind to wait on the midwife while they sent us on to field day with the kids. There were about three or so other schools there that are also from poor or homeless backgrounds. They were started by Cebu Mission Foundation where we had done homeless feedings before. We immediately made new friends, and played with them for a while before we started the games.

Soon we were having three legged races, sack races, and relays. Most of the kids loved it, although a few were hesitant. It was so much fun watching them play games they had never heard of before. The smiles on their faces were brighter than anything I've ever seen! CMF had a lunch for them, and then began playing more games and relays. It started raining near the end, but that didn't stop the fun. Some of the kids (and a few adults) played in the rain a little bit, and soon games were replaced with singing under a pavilion out of the rain.




While we were at field day, there was one girl in particular from one of the other schools that really attached to me. She was hanging on Ian and me when we first got there, and she sat by us when she ate lunch. When we started to sing songs, she came and sat in my lap and insisted that I hold her even when we stood to sing. She wouldn't let me put her down. She didn't speak any English to me, although I think she understood some of what I said. We mostly communicated in smiles, but that was enough. She was the most gorgeous little girl I had ever seen! She had long, dark eyelashes, and beautiful ringlets that framed her face. It wasn't until later that I learned she was from the school that was started for the kids that live in the dump. I never would have known! She seemed so neatly put together and so happy. Seeing how much joy these kids have, despite their living conditions, has really put things into perspective for me.



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