The journey began for many in San Francisco. Our valiant quartermaster, Terri Chapman, arrived early and stood ready to greet both team members and supply boxes. Soon, those departing from the Bay Area had gathered, and the boxes had been carefully unloaded from the truck, inventoried and checked in for the flight—each one carrying the promise of smiles and hope for the children of Cebu.
New friends and familiar faces shared heartfelt stories of past missions, recalling the amazing transformations they had witnessed around the world thanks to the dedication and compassion of teams like ours.
The Rotarians from Cebu Port City were already there waiting to greet us with warm smiles. They quickly organized the supply boxes, luggage, and all the medical and Rotarian volunteers—within minutes, we were loaded up and heading to the buses, ready to begin the mission.
Our seasoned Mission Director, Tom Fox, led us through introductions and outlined the days ahead. The room buzzed with energy—we’re all excited to begin. Tomorrow, first thing in the morning (assuming we can sleep at all), we’ll head over to the Seventh-day Adventist Hospital in Cebu to officially start the mission.