First Thoughts

Okay, so I have now been in the Philippines for 17hrs...! So far, I have loved everything and I am really enjoying seeing the different culture. I feel right at home here.

So, the journey.

I left home at 10am on Tuesday and then flew from Birmingham at 2.15pm. First flight was lots of fun - it was my first flight since I went to Brazil aged 3 so I had great fun working out what all the little buttons did ;-). I then got into Dubai at 12.20am and as my next flight wasn't until 3.45am I went to Costa (using a mixture of American Dollars and United Arab Emirates Dirhams as currency!!) and bought a drink and talked to people on Facebook/Twitter. Then went to next flight which was also fun although I accidently fell asleep, therefore missing breakfast and then getting extremely hungry as they didn't serve lunch until 2pm!!

I got into Manila airport at 16.30 and by the time I had been through customs etc. etc. it was 17.20. I had stupidly not re-read the instructions I had on what to do when I got out of the airport, so I just sat and waited in the 'passenger's waiting area [sic]'. I also didn't have Maureen (the lady who was picking me up, and the lady who I am staying with)'s details so I just sat and waited. And waited.

Eventually the guards helped us find each other, I think it was around 18.40. But while I was waiting, in a completely foreign country with no details of anyone and no idea how long I was going to be there for (!), God filled me with a sense of peace. I wasn't worried. God wasn't going to have brought me that far only to have me stranded at the airport. I am usually a very impatient person when it comes to just sitting around and doing nothing, but I surprised myself in being able to sit on my suitcase and just sit. Just enjoy the culture and absorb it all in (not to mention the heat!).

God has answered so many prayers in the last few days - I can't stop thanking Him.

Today I have got a light day - just spending a few hours with Ron and Joanna and then I'll probably go shopping for stuff with Maureen this evening.

For those of you who pray, if you could pray that the jet lag isn't too bad (so far I haven't felt anything, Praise God!) and also that my camera will be miraculously fixed, I would much appreciate it!

Also, I just wanted to say a massive THANK YOU to everyone who has emailed/messaged/texted me etc. letting me know that you are praying for me and thinking of me...it has really kept me going :-) and I will try my hardest to reply to them all asap! xx

"I leave you peace; my peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world does. So don't let your hearts be troubled or afraid."
--John 14:27

Arrived!!

A VERY quick note as it is gone midnight now and I really ought to get some sleep....

I have arrived in the Philippines safely and I'm really enjoying everything so far! More to come tomorrow... :-)