I have been away from the main camp for a while now helping one of the liaison officers in one of the towns. For the first time I had a good opportunity to get to know a few people on a personal level. We visited many of the shops and bazaars in the area and got a good feel for regular life in the Philippines. It was helpful to be working so closely with a member of the military who is originally from the Philippines.
Getting back to the camp was a bit of a shock, as there were many changes while I was away. We finally got showers built as well as real outhouses. There is even regular church services on Sunday. I haven't been to church for a while now and it felt good to be a part of it again. It's finally feeling like the camp has become a home away from home.
I just hope that we don't leave before all the work is done. We have been able to do a lot to help the Filipino people and I hope we don't get to focused on the end and miss much needed work along the way.