Visiting Iloilo and meeting new friends

 Hello, Ka Hivers. It's me, @chimegipamus. It's been a long time since my last blog. Life is tough and challenging, but thank God I'm back now. I hope you will still support my stories. I have become so busy with my studies and business. All I had to do was give up one so I could pursue something, and I chose to finish my Master's Degree in Ministry. Time flies so fast and a two-year course has to end with a commencement. So together with my husband, we flew to Iloilo.  Our first plan is to graduate in Singapore but my papers don't allow me to go. A twist of plan since there was also a graduation here in our country. By the way, the school that offers the master's degree in Ministry is APIIS a Singapore-based Asia Pacific Institute of International Studies which we do online for two years and is free. It was only offered to people who want to deepen their studies about Theology and practical teaching about the Ministry. It may sound unusual but it's for Pastors or church leaders.   We flew from Cebu to Iloilo by plane for about an hour and traveled to the place called GODUCATE for another hour. The place is in the heart of Iloilo, in the middle of somewhere, covered with wide plains and forests. It was like a little Baguio where we had cold temperatures. The lush green plains and the province vibes are in the air. It takes an hour and a half before you reach the city proper.      GODUCATE is our home for four days with new villas for our accommodation and forest huts with air-conditioned rooms. A trail to the spring pool surrounded by tall trees planted intently. They have zip lines, wall climbing, horseback riding, and boating on the lake. The following day was our Commencement and it attended 99 students including from Indonesia and India. Some of our 200 classmates already graduated from Singapore last November 2024. Our teachers and faculties are all from Singapore. For two years we just met through Zoom meetings but now we have seen face to face. It was like old friends already and the Spirits connected.    After the event, we also had Summit for two more days and so the friendships deepened as we shared one another burden in the work and ministry. Spending so much time chatting and laughing, getting to know more, and, giving encouragement to one another eases one another burden. It was such an amazing experience for everyone. The last day came when we had our Team building and saying goodbyes was hard to say. Friendships were built and only time came when to see each other again. It was indeed an unforgettable experience for each one of us. Many opportunities were opened like taking the feeding program to the next level in our communities. Our goal is to reach out to young ones to have a good moral character and know that they are loved.   We had our time strolling to the City before going home and buying some pasalubongs. Eating their authentic La Paz batchoy, Palangs buko pie which is so good that we finished eating it without taking a picture because it was so delicious, and of course Piyaya and more cookies from Pasalubong center.   We arrived home safely bringing the things we learned and trying to put them into practice to do more for God and his ministry. Contacts from our new friends are active now due to social media to keep the relationship bond strong as we help one another develop our ministries.  As we grow older we want to be surrounded by people who will help us grow in our endeavors, cultivate friendships, and deepen relationships with one another, building people up and not putting them down. I hope you enjoy my story today, and please reblog and upvote also. You can also share some comments and ask questions. Thank you for your time reading my blog. See you next time.