DAY 1
The team met in San Francisco at the Philippines Airline check-in counter, Rotaplast already had the 38 boxes containing the medical supplies and equipment needed for the mission waiting to be checked in. We were not looking forward to the long journey but anticipating the arrival. We received a warm welcome and warm weather on arrival to Cebu City, Philippines.
The Cebu Rotary club has been working very hard preparing for us. They have spent many hours interviewing children that are in need of surgery and organizing with the hospital and the city.
The whole team is excited to finally be here after many hours of flights and layovers. We were tired from our long journey, but we were able to get set up and organized the equipment at the hospital that will be used for the operations that lie ahead in the next two weeks.
DAY 2 
When we arrived at the Clinic, there were 116 children and their parents waiting for us. Some families had camped out over night to be first in line. It tugged at our heartstrings to see so many children in need of cleft palate surgery. As I started to take pictures for their medical files I found it hard to avoid staring at their deformed lips. I started to look into their eyes and then I saw their inner beauty and I just melted. These children are so precious and you can easily feel the love that their parents have for them.