Forest Lake Academy – SonShine Mission Trip March 2017, Binalbagan, Philippines.

After an extended period of fund-raising and a long trip from Florida, the SonShine Mission team of Forest Lake Academy arrived in Manila on the night of March 3 and then took an early morning flight on March 4 to Bacolod. Despite the fatigue, the group could not contain their smiles and joy of being part of this mission and finally feeling the reality and enormous responsibility of a great work that was ahead of them.

Upon arrival in Bacolod, the group was taken to Mambukal Resort to take some rest, enjoy the natural beauty of the Philippines and to further organize themselves for the task that awaited them in the Light Christian Academy in Binalbagan.

On March 5, after lunch, the team left for Binalbagan where they were welcomed by the students of the Light Christian Academy with traditional and cultural dances of the Philippines.

The SonShine Mission Team spent most of their time from March 5-10 in The Light Christian Academy teaching, preaching, playing, helping and building relationships. During their stay, the mission group held instructional and hands on training courses in music, sewing, first aid, drama, basic computer use and arts and crafts.

To reach out to the community and neighbors, the group conducted basic medical camps in different locations, went out on home visitations encouraging and praying with the families of our students, visited a neighboring elementary school to make friendship bracelets with 580 students and held evening worships with the school family and members of the community.

I may not do justice by describing each activity in words so a lot of pictures have been posted for you to see how each program was carried out.

On the way back on March 10 & 11, the mission team spent time with the Manila Medical Center Church and enjoyed Saturday evening in La Fiesta restaurant before taking their flight back home at midnight on March 11.

The students, teachers, staff, management and the community members of The Light Christian Academy in Binalbagan are so grateful for the visit and the sacrifices of each member of the team. It took a lot of commitment on their part to be here and each member really showed the love of God in Action