Day 40

It was 4:30 when I woke up. I prepared and started travelling at 5:30am. I arrived at our meeting place at 6am. While waiting, I bought batteries for my camera and a sandwich for my breadbasket.

At 6:30 my friends arrived. There I saw my cousins Kuya Sherwin, Ate Jinky and Miah, together with my two nephews, Sarjie and DJ and of course my talented friends from the east, Roms and Dex the violinist. Ate Jinky led the prayer while Roms and Dex became our navigator on our way to Luacan, Dinalupihan, Bataan.

Luacan, Bataan is the hometown of our dear friend, Donnabele. When we arrived at their house, the usual Filipino hospitality dominated. We were served with delicious breakfast such as rice cake, lumpiang shanghai, fried meat, bread and butter and of course coffee. Belle and her brother, Dex the guitarist together with their little friend Allaine joined the trip. The car was crowded but we did not mind the disadvantage, instead, we enjoyed the whole trip and the scenic views.

We had a stopover at the house of another Bataan counterpart and another friend of Belle, AJ. Our new friend joined the trip as well and we headed to Pamulaklakin Forest Trail.

We started everything with a prayer, followed by series of worship songs about the wonders of God. While doing this, we appreciated the beauty of nature surrounding us. Butterflies joined us in worshiping the Great King. Let everything that has breath, Praise the Lord!

The worship was followed with a short sharing. Dexter the violinist started it by sharing a word about King Hosea who depended on himself and not of God's strength. The younger ones shared their school experiences and the provisions of God in their everyday life. Ate Jinky shared that she'd be meeting her friends at Olongapo City. I ended the sharing time by declaring a word from Matthew 18, about being Child-like and forgetting the adult life for the mean time. We then sang the song "JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE CHILDREN" in three languages--Tagalog, English and Kapampangan (for the pleasure of our Bataan counterparts).

After the sharing time, we started to walk and tour the place with an Aeta brother as our tour guide. It was really relaxing especially everything you see is green. It's not everyday you see such sceneries in the urban district.

We ended the tour by eating the rice prepared using a bamboo by our Aeta tour guide.

After Pamulaklakin, we crowded the car again and went to Olongapo City for Ate Jinky's meeting with her elementary friends. While waiting for Ate Jinky, the gang proceeded to KFC and had their lunch. As usual, I was the last one to finish the food (Why does it have to happen all the time? huh?)

Unfortunately, the day has to end and we need to bid farewell to our Bataan friends. Though we all separated, I know a bond was planted and will definitely grow in us, for we know that the Great King has united two provinces (or should I say 2 kingdoms) together for a greater purpose.

Here are the pictures I took during the day.

(to be posted soon)