I've arrived

I've arrived in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines! It feels good to finally be here and start adjusting to a new time zone, a new pace of life, and just a new overall way of thinking about life. My flights were mostly seamless. Theresa, from Mercy In Action/Ruel Foundation (the organization I will be working with www.mercyinaction.com/www.ruelfoundation.com) met me in Manila and then navigated us back to a friend's house to spend the night. We journeyed another 4 hours to get to Calapan on Wednesday. I've been in Calapan just about 24 hours as I write this and am trying to take everything in.

It turns out that Mercy in Action and the Ruel Foundation have joined forces and as of recently, are considered one organization. The Ruel Foundation has been here for several years operating an orphanage, but this past January, the Ruel Foundation teamed up with Mercy in Action to open a birthing center. Good things are happening here. Yesterday I spent about 45 minutes with the children in the orphanage and am in love with every single one of them. There are 13 children 6 years old and younger. They are so desperate for love and affection.

Today I spent my morning at the birthing center observing pre-natal checkups and currently I am sitting in the waiting room of the birthing center waiting for any laboring women to walk through the door! I'm very much looking forward to experiencing my first birth here. There is so much more to tell you all about, but I am getting sleepy and my computer is running out of juice, so I will leave you with a few pictures.



Here is the house I'm staying at! I'm one of the first interns to stay here.









And here's the kitchen. Thankfully, I'll just be needing the refrigerator as my meals are provided by The Ruel Foundation.








You'll notice the bunk beds with the mosquito netting. I'm on the bottom bunk. Surprisingly, the bed is pretty comfortable.

Here is the orphanage. It is caddy-corner from the house I'm staying in.











And finally, here's me and Theresa in front of the birthing clinic. The birthing clinic is located next to the orphanage (it's on the other side of the orphanage in the above picture). Theresa and her family are leaving for 3 months to go back to Canada (her and her husband's home base). Although I've only known her for a few days, I'm sad she, her husband and 3 daughters are leaving. They have been so kind and welcoming. Theresa is the head midwife at this clinic. For updates on her and her family's ministry, visit theehelers.blogspot.com. Their blog could also bring you up to speed on the happenings here in Calapan.

Well, that's it folks. More to come soon!

Quote on poster in birthing clinic waiting room: "Poverty isn't the opposite of abundance; it's the opposite of adequacy." ~unknown author