Today is another favorite day of mine on this trip. I have been sponsoring Iris for 4 years, and it's such a blessing to see her, talk with her, see her improvement, and give her gifts, every year. In the picture to the right we are both signing, "Miss you!" We arrived at her school, my favorite school due to the peace and management of the kids, during a monsoon storm. Our bus got stuck several times in the field in front of their school. A few older, deaf students came running out to help by pushing our bus closer to the school. With our 30 Americans and their 60 Filipinos, we played inside games in a tiny room. We played "fruit 
basket," "elephant," "1,2,3,4"... it was so fun, but cramped. While the students ate lunch, we also ate. The teachers had prepared pancit, empadas, chicken sticks, and rice for us. It was SO yummy! We finished the usual routine of dramas and crafts and were very hesitant to say our goodbyes. This is a school where Joshua, the leader, will tell us many times to get on the bus. He's learned to give us about a half hour of saying goodbye.
basket," "elephant," "1,2,3,4"... it was so fun, but cramped. While the students ate lunch, we also ate. The teachers had prepared pancit, empadas, chicken sticks, and rice for us. It was SO yummy! We finished the usual routine of dramas and crafts and were very hesitant to say our goodbyes. This is a school where Joshua, the leader, will tell us many times to get on the bus. He's learned to give us about a half hour of saying goodbye.We had the later afternoon available before going to BDA for their Bible Study. We drove into Tagbilarin to eat an early dinner at the Montana themed Garden Cafe. From there we headed to ICM (Island City Mall). This mall is about 3 years old and is a fun place to shop for souvenirs and load up on the much needed groceries for our group of 30. From here we continued onto BDA where we were able to see the new fly tying building. One business IDEA has set up is tying flies for fly fishing in Montana. This is one of the few IDEA businesses that only employ the Deaf. 
Therefore, as a Deaf student graduates, they are able to get a decent job that not only supports them financially, but gives them a strong vocational skill while continuing to live surrounded by their Deaf family. So often students graduate and are forced to move back home with their family, either because of finances or they are expected to help on the farm. At home they do not have communication with their families because their families do not sign. I have yet to meet a Filipino Deaf student who says their mom or dad signs. Therefore, they would go home to loneliness. Most students love to be at school, because they have found a Deaf "family" of friends and adults who can sign and encourage them. This new fly tying building gives IDEA workers more room to work and will allow the business to expand (hire more Deaf) as they are already back ordered and struggle to keep up with the demand. Two of the workers came with us on our tour and demonstrated how to tie a fly... it was amazing, as they are SO fast and the fly is TINY!
Therefore, as a Deaf student graduates, they are able to get a decent job that not only supports them financially, but gives them a strong vocational skill while continuing to live surrounded by their Deaf family. So often students graduate and are forced to move back home with their family, either because of finances or they are expected to help on the farm. At home they do not have communication with their families because their families do not sign. I have yet to meet a Filipino Deaf student who says their mom or dad signs. Therefore, they would go home to loneliness. Most students love to be at school, because they have found a Deaf "family" of friends and adults who can sign and encourage them. This new fly tying building gives IDEA workers more room to work and will allow the business to expand (hire more Deaf) as they are already back ordered and struggle to keep up with the demand. Two of the workers came with us on our tour and demonstrated how to tie a fly... it was amazing, as they are SO fast and the fly is TINY!The Bible study went well, I sat in front and voice interpreted for our hearing group. We LOVE getting time with these students and I had a hard time prying them away from their friends... I guess I was one of them that had a hard time leaving too! With promises to see them next Wednesday, we bid them goodbye and loaded the extremely loud bus. It was loud because everyone was SO excited about the conversations that they just had with the Deaf... they shared all the way home and I was so thankful that this group was so passionate towards the Deaf. How encouraging it was to hear the stories!
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