Sunday, March 22, 2009
#3- Spring is here...
and I LOVE it. Welcome back skirts and flip flops :) One day till I leave for Malaysia to add that nice spring tan to the picture. This California girl is happy!
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Soccer Week 1
This week marked the start of the girls' soccer season. Monday and Tuesday of this week were filled with practices that attempted to undo the damage of a week of school vacation. Then Wednesday was our first away game. After a 2 hour bus ride to Seoul, our girls pulled off a win against SIS (which counted twice because of scheduling issues). Thursday we did some intense conditioning in the icy rain. Then Friday was our first home game against SAHS, last year's first place team. The girls tied 0-0 and had numerous opportunities to score winning goals. To conclude our week, we took a 7 am bus ride to Seoul yesterday morning and defeated KIS 4-0.
While the girls are not playing as pretty of soccer as they are capable of, I can't complain too much. Three games down, still undefeated. Not a bad start.
Two pics stolen from Ted's facebook:
While the girls are not playing as pretty of soccer as they are capable of, I can't complain too much. Three games down, still undefeated. Not a bad start.
Two pics stolen from Ted's facebook:
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
The Promised Reflection- Philippines Habitat for Humanity
When I try to sum up my experiences in the Philippines last week, two prominent words encapsulate the trip: overwhelming hospitality.
I have never in my life experienced such an extreme overflow of genuine love from total strangers. Countless home cooked meals, multiple hand woven hats, endless smiles and hellos, dozens of thank yous, and about 15 musical/dance performances were offered to us throughout the week. We were in the Philippines to serve (and we did), but I am quite sure that the people there served and touched us as much, if not more, than we impacted them.
A few brief stories to illustrate the love I referred to above: one of the skilled workers on the house building site, Juanito, was a carpenter skilled in wood carving. He took the time and money to carve intricate designs into a bar of soap for each of us on the trip. In other words, Juanito took about 3 weeks worth of wages and about 15 hours of time to carve all 17 of us soap designs. He stayed up late the night before we left and rushed to our hotel early the morning of our departure to give us his generous gift.
Another brief example of the connections we built with the people: one of the most meaningful aspects of the trip was the constant interaction we had with the kids in San Luis (the small community we built the homes in). Most of the families in the community had 5 or more children and kids lined every scaffolding at the work site as we fumbled about with plaster. Each time we paused our labors, they shouted hello or asked if we were okay. I can’t tell you how many times I heard “Hi M’am Sarah” or “Happy early/late birthday M’am Sarah” from tiny joyous faces. Every time a camera was pulled out, kids were leaping to smash their bodies into the frame. As the week continued, I began to trust certain kids with my camera and they ran around digitally capturing their lives—the animals, the houses, their friends. As we pulled out of the work site for the last time, the kids chased our van in a mass handing us flowers they had ripped from tiny gardens and shouting out their love for us. Their beautiful faces reflected their deep faith in God and their willingness to share everything they had with others. Their eyes and grins will forever be engraved in my heart.
One of the things that I really appreciated about the trip was the attention that our hostess, Pastor Adriana, paid to making sure we had a rounded experience. We really saw a wide range of aspects life in Aurora. We spent time on site, experienced many steps in the building process, got to be present for a house dedication, and had the opportunity to tour several completed (and lived in) homes. Apart from the work, we visited the local high school and technical college, spent time with the mayor and municipal council members, surfed the famous Baler beach waves, hiked up to the waterfall that powers the area, and stopped at a memorial for tsunami victims.
Overall, my trip to the Philippines was an amazing experience. I came back exhausted yet revitalized. As with all the other mission trips I have been on, I was struck by the way that people in poverty have their priorities straight. The Filipinos I met showed me what loving God and loving other really looks like.
I have never in my life experienced such an extreme overflow of genuine love from total strangers. Countless home cooked meals, multiple hand woven hats, endless smiles and hellos, dozens of thank yous, and about 15 musical/dance performances were offered to us throughout the week. We were in the Philippines to serve (and we did), but I am quite sure that the people there served and touched us as much, if not more, than we impacted them.
A few brief stories to illustrate the love I referred to above: one of the skilled workers on the house building site, Juanito, was a carpenter skilled in wood carving. He took the time and money to carve intricate designs into a bar of soap for each of us on the trip. In other words, Juanito took about 3 weeks worth of wages and about 15 hours of time to carve all 17 of us soap designs. He stayed up late the night before we left and rushed to our hotel early the morning of our departure to give us his generous gift.
Another brief example of the connections we built with the people: one of the most meaningful aspects of the trip was the constant interaction we had with the kids in San Luis (the small community we built the homes in). Most of the families in the community had 5 or more children and kids lined every scaffolding at the work site as we fumbled about with plaster. Each time we paused our labors, they shouted hello or asked if we were okay. I can’t tell you how many times I heard “Hi M’am Sarah” or “Happy early/late birthday M’am Sarah” from tiny joyous faces. Every time a camera was pulled out, kids were leaping to smash their bodies into the frame. As the week continued, I began to trust certain kids with my camera and they ran around digitally capturing their lives—the animals, the houses, their friends. As we pulled out of the work site for the last time, the kids chased our van in a mass handing us flowers they had ripped from tiny gardens and shouting out their love for us. Their beautiful faces reflected their deep faith in God and their willingness to share everything they had with others. Their eyes and grins will forever be engraved in my heart.
One of the things that I really appreciated about the trip was the attention that our hostess, Pastor Adriana, paid to making sure we had a rounded experience. We really saw a wide range of aspects life in Aurora. We spent time on site, experienced many steps in the building process, got to be present for a house dedication, and had the opportunity to tour several completed (and lived in) homes. Apart from the work, we visited the local high school and technical college, spent time with the mayor and municipal council members, surfed the famous Baler beach waves, hiked up to the waterfall that powers the area, and stopped at a memorial for tsunami victims.
Overall, my trip to the Philippines was an amazing experience. I came back exhausted yet revitalized. As with all the other mission trips I have been on, I was struck by the way that people in poverty have their priorities straight. The Filipinos I met showed me what loving God and loving other really looks like.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Philippines
My trip to the Philippines was absolutely amazing. I have never met a more loving and hospitable group of people than the people of Aurora Province. I promise a comprehensive reflection will come. In the meantime, a few quick pics and videos:
We got an incredible welcoming:
More kid performances at our orientation ceremony:
Building:
Some of the beautiful children on site:
(my favorite child-- she was cold faced until day 3 when I found her ticklish spot! Almost cried when she grabbed for my outstretched fingers as the bus pulled out the last night!) 
Video of kids playing:
The beach we stayed across the stress from:
Links to my facebook albums with more pics:
Album 1
Album 2
Album 3
We got an incredible welcoming:
More kid performances at our orientation ceremony:
Building:
Some of the beautiful children on site:
(my favorite child-- she was cold faced until day 3 when I found her ticklish spot! Almost cried when she grabbed for my outstretched fingers as the bus pulled out the last night!) 
Video of kids playing:
The beach we stayed across the stress from:
Links to my facebook albums with more pics:
Album 1
Album 2
Album 3
Thursday, February 19, 2009
My Thursday
Today:
I saw a pair of tiny princess dogs with matching sweaters, pink barretts, and french braided ear hair.
I was showered by snow during soccer practice, and then packed bags for warm weather when I got home.
I ate chicken so spicy my lips tingled for about an hour.
I laughed so hard that I couldn't breathe.
I saw a pair of tiny princess dogs with matching sweaters, pink barretts, and french braided ear hair.
I was showered by snow during soccer practice, and then packed bags for warm weather when I got home.
I ate chicken so spicy my lips tingled for about an hour.
I laughed so hard that I couldn't breathe.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Here is a link for information about the part of the Philippines I will be leaving for in just 2 days:
http://www.aurora.ph/geninfo.html
We leave at 3 am Sat. morning for the Seoul airport. Then we will take a plane with the kids to Manila. Supposedly, it takes about 7 1/2 hours by bus to get to Aurora area where we'll be doing work with Habitat for Humanity. Should be an adventure. Pray that we can serve well, stay safe, get along, and learn a lot. I'm excited :)
A few pics of Aurora I have taken from various online sources:
http://www.aurora.ph/geninfo.html
We leave at 3 am Sat. morning for the Seoul airport. Then we will take a plane with the kids to Manila. Supposedly, it takes about 7 1/2 hours by bus to get to Aurora area where we'll be doing work with Habitat for Humanity. Should be an adventure. Pray that we can serve well, stay safe, get along, and learn a lot. I'm excited :)
A few pics of Aurora I have taken from various online sources:
Things are lookin' good
Today was just plain fun coaching. It was our first official soccer practice with all our girls back (basketball season finally ended). We have a few brand new soccer players and we shifted positions around on a lot of our returning girls. Thus a lot of practice today was spent explaining positions to people and shadow playing. With so many new players, especially in the midfield, I was a bit anxious to see how certain combinations would gel. However, during the second half of practice, while the girls practiced receiving corner kicks, punts, and goal kicks, our offense actually looked like a solid offense! Girls were making solid passes, connecting through balls, playing to space, looking up, taking good shots. Pretty offense was not our style last year, so it was mighty refreshing to see :)
Unfortunately we only have 1 more practice till break. Our girls will have a week of vacation (where all we can do is hope that they run run run). Then we have just TWO more practices until our first game. It's gonna be a bit of a jump start, but today gave me faith that there is a lot of potential in this squad.
Excellent.
Unfortunately we only have 1 more practice till break. Our girls will have a week of vacation (where all we can do is hope that they run run run). Then we have just TWO more practices until our first game. It's gonna be a bit of a jump start, but today gave me faith that there is a lot of potential in this squad.
Excellent.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Crafting for a Good Cause
This week I had an auction of 34 pairs of earrings that I designed/made to raise money for North Koreans. At the close of the auction this afternoon, I had made a profit of 415,000 won to donate towards North Korean aid! The school's Amnesty chapter (that I help sponsor) has been focusing on the hardships that North Koreans face both at home and abroad. The kids have been working hard to raise awareness and support. Here is just a bit of background for those of you who are presently unaware:
A few startling facts about North Koreans in North Korea:
*According to the World Food Programme, there are about 23 million people living in North Korea and many of them suffer from malnutrition. Approximately 37% of children currently suffer from stunted growth, a statistic that reveals the overwhelming need for these kids to obtain basic nutrients.
*North Korea ranked last in the Southeast Asian region with regards to economic freedom in 2008.
*Floods in 2007 sparked a large food shortage that has contributed to widespread hunger and malnutrition.
*The GDP per capita is $1,800 (meaning that people live off less than $5/day). The average person in South Korea makes 15 times as much money. The average American makes 27 times that. (CIA factbook, stats from 2008)
*According to reports from people who have escaped North Korea: people are imprisoned/executed without fair trials, there is a huge shortage of resources, government forces people to perform large amounts of "volunteer" work, people are harshly punished if they try to escape, and communication is highly censored. There is no room to criticize the government in any way.
Life for the North Korean Refugee:
Life is not much easier for North Koreans who manage to escape (legally or otherwise). Most North Koreans escape along the Chinese border. While the Chinese government has publicly stated that they do not return refugees to North Korean government, their practices have not always lined up with their words. Most refugees spend years trying to get their families out of China. By the time families make it to South Korea (a common final destination), they are poor, malnourished, and suffering from extreme culture shock. They often face severe discrimination in South Korea and have difficulty getting jobs. Many will take large risks to send funds back to their families. I had the privilege of meeting a woman and her twin daughters a few weeks ago who escaped from North Korea. Her young children were having a very difficult time adjusting because they struggled to speak any language fluently (in their 6 years of life, they have been exposed to North and South Korean dialects, Mandarin, and Cantonese). The girls also lacked the education that most kids their age have received.
Anyhow, I'll get off my soapbox. I just want to do my part and help raise awareness. Here are a few pics of the earrings I made:
If you want to donate, here are a few places that you could go to contribute:
World Food Programme
LINK North Korean Crisis (helps raise awareness)
A few startling facts about North Koreans in North Korea:
*According to the World Food Programme, there are about 23 million people living in North Korea and many of them suffer from malnutrition. Approximately 37% of children currently suffer from stunted growth, a statistic that reveals the overwhelming need for these kids to obtain basic nutrients.
*North Korea ranked last in the Southeast Asian region with regards to economic freedom in 2008.
*Floods in 2007 sparked a large food shortage that has contributed to widespread hunger and malnutrition.
*The GDP per capita is $1,800 (meaning that people live off less than $5/day). The average person in South Korea makes 15 times as much money. The average American makes 27 times that. (CIA factbook, stats from 2008)
*According to reports from people who have escaped North Korea: people are imprisoned/executed without fair trials, there is a huge shortage of resources, government forces people to perform large amounts of "volunteer" work, people are harshly punished if they try to escape, and communication is highly censored. There is no room to criticize the government in any way.
Life for the North Korean Refugee:
Life is not much easier for North Koreans who manage to escape (legally or otherwise). Most North Koreans escape along the Chinese border. While the Chinese government has publicly stated that they do not return refugees to North Korean government, their practices have not always lined up with their words. Most refugees spend years trying to get their families out of China. By the time families make it to South Korea (a common final destination), they are poor, malnourished, and suffering from extreme culture shock. They often face severe discrimination in South Korea and have difficulty getting jobs. Many will take large risks to send funds back to their families. I had the privilege of meeting a woman and her twin daughters a few weeks ago who escaped from North Korea. Her young children were having a very difficult time adjusting because they struggled to speak any language fluently (in their 6 years of life, they have been exposed to North and South Korean dialects, Mandarin, and Cantonese). The girls also lacked the education that most kids their age have received.
Anyhow, I'll get off my soapbox. I just want to do my part and help raise awareness. Here are a few pics of the earrings I made:
If you want to donate, here are a few places that you could go to contribute:
World Food Programme
LINK North Korean Crisis (helps raise awareness)
Friday, February 6, 2009
Don't hate me for saying this...
5 day work weeks feel really long when you haven't had them for quite awhile. It's like getting back in shape (which I am also doing at the moment). You know the process is good for you, but it is nonetheless painful. Evidence: sore muscles, 3 cups of coffee each morning, confusion regarding school vs. home things (ex: Student: "Did you get my homework?" Me: "Well when I checked on facebook, I mean Edline, and it wasn't uploaded yet.") and an inability to answer questions in a logical fashion before 8 am or after 10 pm. Let's be honest, I've never really been good at answering questions before 8 am, but still!
As I build up to a routine and a comfortable level of fitness, I can sense that life is about to go into overdrive. Yesterday I ran a conditioning pre-season practice for the soccer girls. Tryouts officially start on Monday and I am preparing myself for the fact that my free time is about to disappear completely. I also just joined a Beth Moore Bible study this week that requires me to do homework 5 times between sessions. I already have an overwhelming pile of papers to grade. I leave the country 4 more times in the next 3 months. I'm trying to brace myself for impending chaos. At least I know I thrive in chaos :)
As I build up to a routine and a comfortable level of fitness, I can sense that life is about to go into overdrive. Yesterday I ran a conditioning pre-season practice for the soccer girls. Tryouts officially start on Monday and I am preparing myself for the fact that my free time is about to disappear completely. I also just joined a Beth Moore Bible study this week that requires me to do homework 5 times between sessions. I already have an overwhelming pile of papers to grade. I leave the country 4 more times in the next 3 months. I'm trying to brace myself for impending chaos. At least I know I thrive in chaos :)
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