NYI Convention--After the Fact

Between crummy internet and no sleep (mostly the no sleep part), I couldn't ever post again. So here is the "after the fact" report.  

I forgot to mention earlier that the campground houses the largest free spinning top in the world.  The director has a great ministry in sharing the gospel through spinning tops.  A few years ago (since I had been previously), they made the largest top!  It is pretty awesome to watch spin. 

So what happened at my conference?  Lots of awesome music....an incredible culture presentation where we dressed in traditional clothes of our culture..... 

Three of the Micronesia delegates in Chuukese dresses. 

and presented songs or dance...and workshops. I had the honor or teaching a games workshop.  I assumed it would be one time for one hour.  It was presented twice and each one was TWO hours!  But there were lots of laughs and I hope the various counties now have new games.  It even seems some of the countries want me to come present in their country....that could be fun.  We had lots of awesome church services with great (but LOUD) music.  I also learned some new silly songs...and a couple I can do with my elementary music kids. 

Catching up with my friends from the 2007 trip to South Africa!  

Here is my breakout group for the week.  Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Korea, and Micronesia are represented. 

I don't think I ever had four consecutive hours of sleep in one day...and usually that was all I got. :( Needless to say, I was exhausted (and cranky) by the end. It was tough having five girls in a room (me on a TOP bunk)....with the room being about the size of my office back home. We also all had big suitcases...and some two or three.  (I also caught way too many sunrises for my liking.)

Perry and I got to hit the pool a few times. I was at a campground which is a beautiful facility about a two hour drive from Metro Manila.  They have a great swimming pool with a water slide. It was a blast watching the different countries and their approach to water slides.  The Filipinos are masters in big splashes at the end.  BIG SPLASHES! The delegates from Paupa New Guinea were all laughs as well. :)

We enjoyed exploring the campground too....

That is a very high rope bridge.

It was unusually cool in the evening.  It is rainy season in the Philippines, and "Mother Nature" has taken full advantage of that. Lots of rain...and crazy cool temperatures. I'm was actually "cold" at night (which was mostly due to the heat of Saipan/Guam). But when the sun came out...it was HOT!

I was grateful to again get to represent the Micronesia District Church of the Nazarene at the Manila site.  Hopefully I will be back in four more years (or sooner)!