“True Victory!!!” February 7-11 I had the privilege of attending Faith Academy’s middle school outdoor education program for the second time. The program uses a 3 year rotation with the main element being Corrigedor Island, Subic(Jungle Camp), and Taal Volcano. This year we made the trek to Taal. I can officially say I have made the hike into a live volcano. Check that one off the bucket list! 😉 Needless to say, I had HUNDREDS of photos but I was also responsible for making the video… yesssss, that I can do!
It is really a truly amazing week. The students find out their squads about 6 weeks before they go on their adventure and the squads spend time getting to know each other, plan what their group will do for outreach, make up a squad name, cheer and design their shirts… lots of work. Meanwhile the crazy team of staff plan what can only be described as the worlds most logistical week of camp. The students arrive Monday morning, board 3 busses, and are on their way. Along the way there’s a rest stop and everyone scrambles for Starbucks. Yes, that’s just what 160 middle schoolers need! ha! Next stop is Taal Town for a photo scavenger hunt! They had a list of about a dozen things to accomplish and made many other memories along the way. Some of the items included taking a photo with someone their height, with fruit, with meat, at monuments, on trikes and jeepneys, drinking soda from a bag and “getting into trouble.”
http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=20721773&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0″” class=”mceItemFlash mceItemObject” style=”display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;” src=”http://cmediago.org/plugins/editors/jce/tiny_mce/plugins/media/img/trans.gif” id=”mceItemFlash_0″ height=”405″ width=”720″>
We arrived a Bayside Bible Camp which served as base camp. We had team intros, chapel, a few games and in the morning the group split to go 1 of 3 places. My particular rotation actually kept me at base camp the first day. In the morning there were sandcastle contests and ministry prep and then we headed to San Isidro Itaas Elementary school for outreach. There we met some amazing kids!
Charity, our middle school secretary, is all around amazing! She did Bible time with the kids, we sang songs, played games and the FA student shared with their new elementary kids using the gospel bracelets. At the end of our trip 97 student and 8 adults had prayed to receive Christ. We now have an on-going ministry with this school as currently the students are doing a “coin-drop” to raise money to help their new friends!
Back at Base Camp the evening commences with the infamous CHICKEN KILL!!! (i promise, i nearly swore off chicken. but then… it tastes so good!) The video does this even much more justice!
Day 2 I headed with the group going to the only place where theres an Island on a lake on and island on a lake on an island on the ocean– Taal Volcano! Look at a map, it’s true. 🙂 After the boat ride to the island the hike to up the rest of the daylight, going there and back taking a little over 6 hours. I have to admit, I did not hike all of it, it is very hot and very very dusty and very very uphill at some points. Not an asthmatic’s best friend, but totally worth it! In the photo below on the left side of the photo about halfway down you see the break in the green at the far size of the lake? We walked to about there and then we had to swim over to where you see the lighter color. Swimming in sulfer water was a yummy smelling experience! After swimming we saw live fumerols and other volcanoey evidence (okay, so I didn’t exactly get the educational part down–but hopefull the students did! :).
Upon returning back to our Island camp we had dinner, hang out time and campfire time complete with speakers, songs and S’MORES!
My last full day on OE I got to spend with the group out on the reef at Diver’s Sanctuary. I have to say, it was a most glorious way to end the week! God’s underwater world is just so beautiful and fascinating and we got to explore so much! Snorkeling, diving, and a marine life rotation with Mr.Bugbee were the highlights of this stop! Feeding fish, disecting squid (she’s going to regret that), and learning a hilarious song — so fun!
Just in case you wanted to see a disected squid…
XOOXANTHELLAE— EHhhh! http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=20723636&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0″” class=”mceItemFlash mceItemObject” style=”display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;” src=”http://cmediago.org/plugins/editors/jce/tiny_mce/plugins/media/img/trans.gif” id=”mceItemFlash_2″ height=”405″ width=”720″>
The day again ended with chapel time and it couldn’t have been a more beautiful place to have one!
The enitre week was filled with challenging speakers,incredible worship, education galore, beautiful sunsets, laughter, friends… ahh, God truly blessed me to be a part of this amazing week!
And last but not least… THE VIDEO!!! WOOT.
http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=20276527&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0″” class=”mceItemFlash mceItemObject” style=”display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;” src=”http://cmediago.org/plugins/editors/jce/tiny_mce/plugins/media/img/trans.gif” id=”mceItemFlash_4″ height=”405″ width=”720″>
