Kayla Balangue

Heya, 

Pretty chill day today, it’s our rest day so we didn’t have to do any work. I woke up in a puddle of sweat this morning and the sheets stuck to me. Best sleep I’ve had here by far, we were all able to sleep in for a little bit. I didn’t head downstairs till 9 and had to gobble up breakfast really fast before we left for church. 

We walked into church and were instantly greeted by lots of friendly people. Church was very good, the service went for 2 and a half hours because they were praying away different mission teams they are sending out. It was a very powerful message and great atmosphere.

After church we came back to the compound and me and my brother took our laundry to the place down the road bc we missed laundry two days ago. We only have one outfit so i’ll have to recycle the one i wore today for tmrw (gross). 

We ate lunch and decided we wanted to spend the day at the mall. So we took some tricycles and a bus to the mall an hour away. I got a seat by the window so i had to duck my head the entire bus ride, ouchie. We got to the mall and split up buying things. This one lady was trying to scam me and my brother for two bracelet but Graham wasn’t having it and talked her down from 4000 pesos to 2600 pesos. We all splooged and shopped probably for two hours. I’m not a big shopper so that dusted me. 

We took the bus back and were all very very hungry. We stopped at Jollibees and I was being a big back and got a burger, chicken sandwich, large fries, large orange juice, and a mango pie. My burger was dripping oil and i squeezed it and oil would ooze out for a solid 30 seconds. I didn’t care I was too hungry, gobbled that down, it was buss and was still hungry but we had to leave. It’s okay I’m munching on triscuits right as I write.

We got back, watched some neighborhood basketball for a little. I’m too tired to shower so I just jumped in the pool, that did the job whatever and now it’s bed time.

bye bye

Also, Khaycee got to see her cousin at the mall! Pretty amazing!

-Alec

Hi friends and family 🙂

Day 5!!! We started by waking up to the construction, as always, 7 a.m. sharp!
Breakfast totally made up for it though. We had tocino, eggs, and fresh watermelon, which was actually sooo good!!! My team also got to try kutsinta for the first time! It was fun seeing everyone’s reactions since it’s a childhood dessert of mine!
We also stopped at the gas station before leaving. I had everyone try this snack that I love called Sweet Corn! Turns out they loved it as well 😀

We were supposed to leave around 8:45 but ended up leaving later since we forgot to prep the champorado. So while we waited, Laura taught me origami! We made frogs, flowers, hearts, swans, butterflies, and fortune tellers, and we kept practicing it during our long drive to M, which is Pastor Brooks’ hometown!

On the way there, we were also learning some Tagalog phrases and words. It took a bit to get the hang of, but we put together a pretty solid list of things to say when talking to people here. We even started learning this song called “Mahal na Mahal Kita, Panginoon,” which translates to “I love you more than anything, O Lord.”

When we got to the neighborhood where we did our feeding in M, we handed out sweet treats, toys, and champorado. We also got to play with a bunch of local kids, which honestly made me so happy. They were such a fun group!!! They were absolutely full of energy. It was fun to see them enjoying themselves and just loving on them! They were so happy, especially after passing out some of the origami papers we made! They loved it and kept asking us to make more!

Oh! Also, since we practiced a little on the way there, it was the first time we were able to use some of the phrases with the kids like “anong pangalan mo,” which means “what is your name?”

After we finished up, Pastor Brooks let us stop by a local cafe in his hometown. We got drinks and red velvet cake while enjoying the most amazing view. It was so nice to bond with everyone!

Once we got back from that long drive, we had a lot of free time. We ate lunch and went to the pool to relax… and after that, Lauren, Alec, and I took tricycles to the local Starbucks!! Once we got there, it was so crazy how nice it was… it was so big that it felt like I was at a fancy restaurant!

After that, we ate dinner, had a few more minutes of downtime, and lastly went to our sports ministry 🙂 Lauren, Alec, Keilah, and I all helped out with volleyball! It was so fun to see the kids try new drills and be open to learning new things. We played volleyball for nearly 3 hours, just teaching the kids and playing with them afterward. That was such a blessing to be a part of 🙂

Lastly, I wanted to share how during our free time, I was able to have a deep talk with Laura about how grateful we are to be here.
Our trip has definitely come with a lot of challenges, but I see how God is working through all of us in ways I never expected. And I’m truly so grateful to be here with so many great people that inspire me. I truly look up to all of them 🙂

Thank you so much for keeping up with our team and continuing to pray for us! Can’t wait to share more when we’re back home!!!

Love,
Khaycee

Today was a rewarding and full day on our mission trip here in Southeast Asia. We started the morning with some hard work—our team moved and dumped rocks to help divert water away from a well-used path. It was physical, sweaty, and satisfying. At the same time, other team members picked up trash around the area, doing their part to care for the environment and community.

Afterward, we cooled off in the pool—a much-needed break after the heat and labor. For lunch, we headed to the mall, grabbed some food, and enjoyed a little downtime together.

In the afternoon, I had the chance to watch the worship team rehearse for the evening’s praise music. Their passion and joy were contagious. Later, we joined Youth Lab, the local youth group, and it was incredible to see their energy and love for God.

To end the evening, we all headed to the volleyball and basketball courts for some fun and fellowship through sports. After debriefing in the pool under the night sky, I met a few guys from a new team who just arrived—they’ll be staying here for a month, and I’m excited to get to know them better.

Grateful for a day full of service, connection, and community.

– Graham