Day 3: Painting Job

Paint Job

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Two Tone


Ooops!

Youth Build 2008 Version
Marinduque, Philippines

Some colors enliven the spirit, some just put you to stupor that it doesn't help staying long enough and be totally depressed. Our model house in Gasan needed that extra punch as the place was faded being nearest the water, and needed a color that will put life back to once the most beautiful house in the village.

So we decided that morning to paint the house. The color was a unanimous choice - yellow!

In half a day, the once drab pink was now a bright colored yellow. Swept the place off dirt and tidied it up as if it was ready for pre-selling :).

We were happy with our accomplishment. The house was now alive. The walls refurbished and painted on. It can now be called back to being called GK Gasan's model house. All in a half-day's work.

Day 2 : Play Time

Remember GK? Gian Karlo - he's 1 year old now


Dead Tired After a Half Day's Work Mixing Cement


Waiting for a Jeepney Ride


Setting and Tossing Lessons


Your Turn


Day 2 - Rest of the Day.

What do they say about Jack being a dull boy? Yes, all work and no play makes anyone dull.

So whenever we had time, we tried our best to go around the village and talk to our GK villagers. My favorite is Aling Amalia and GK, the first baby born in Gasan. He seemed to have grown faster and can even recognize me as he was responding with a smile whenever I call his name.

In the afternoon, the youth were dog tired and crashed literally in separate rooms, while Don and I started to think of retooling the landscape of our model home. Our playtime consisted of plans of teaching them volleyball and a different type of basketball - closer to basketbrawl :)

We went downtown - to Boac - to get our volleyball and basketball and some side shopping too! The trip took 45 minutes - one way, but was a pleasurable treat for everyone too to see some sort of urban life. When we arrived at 5 PM, the games started with drills on serving, stopping, setting up and tossing, and when they were ready to play, we couldn't stop them til late 8 pm.

It was one long day - of work and play. The 2 Jacks in Don and I and the 2 Jills - really were'nt dull at this point. But at the end of the night, after Jack and Jill went up the hill - both came tumbling after - too tired to care and the place was drowned again - by some sort of nasal cacophony. Ok ok, that read - the village heard a lot of snoring. This time not just from yours truly. Peace Zzzzzz.

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Day 2 slideshow is here

Day 2 : Build Time

We Are Near the Heart Shaped Island


All Ready for Work for the Lord


Time to Work


It's like Glass :)


Second day.

We already slept in the GK Village and fairly knew how it felt so eeriely quiet until someone every now and then would disrupt it with a loud snore that easily can be heard across the village. One youth described it as strong enough to blow the entire GK house from the ground.

"Exag" - any teener would say for something that is more than reality. To the uninitiated, it is short for exaggeration, needless to explain.

The house was surely still intact when we woke up. I really don't know. We didn't check. What is for sure is that the snorer - was me.

Despite that ruckus, we were pumped up and ready. We did an early morning walk, which we considered to be our Morning prayers and meditation, absorbing as much fresh air before we buckled down to work.

It may not have been enough to finish one house, yet our efforts which lasted til the rains set in was enough to see the basic foundations of a GK home. We knew we did our best and whoever will live there will surely be happy that all of us ensured that it will be strong and sturdy.

We will know. I'll try to snore inside it to do a stress test next year. :)

Day 1 : Our Arrival

Start of Day : Sunrise of Marinduque


We caught a stray Moriones


If smiles are worth a dollar each, Marinduque will be a rich province


To the Island and Back
Marinduque, Philippines

"How I wish that somewhere there existed an island for those who are wise and of good will"

There are places that feel so familiar from the moment you step into its bosom and be welcomed by its open arms, you know you're safe and that you will have a grand time!

I had the same feeling coming to Marinduque.

Although this time this was not because of places like Paris' towering love edifices or Switzerland's white capped mountains, both places you fall in love deeper every time you visit, but the smiles of the people of Marinduque. Disarmingly different compared to other places in the Philippines, the smiles are so genuine, the conversations that accompany it and the gestures of the villagers-make you feel warm all over.

So when we started the GK Youth Build program last Monday, after waking up at 5 in the morning and travelling from Ortigas to Dalahican in Lucena , Quezon for 2.5 hrs, and to Balanacan, Marinduque for another 2 hrs, all the rigors of the road trip and the unfamiliar movement of the ferry, were all swept away as soon as we saw the giant statue of Mama Mary at the mouth of the port of the heart shaped island.

So today kicks off the first day of the rest of our lives. We are all excited at the prospects of what is in store. Excited, anxious, and just happy to just be there. We are just letting go, loosely opening our stance, and just ready to be cradled in the arms of Marinduque.

Watch a slideshow of the events from our stay in the condo to our arrival in Marinduque. Click Here