Journey Behind the Notes: TCATS #484

Hey there friends. I'm a little late in posting about my experience in the Philippines, but now that all of the media hype has died down a little bit, perhaps this is as good a time as any. Before diving into it though, I do want to give you a few links if you're interested.

First is a link to one of the concerts we performed at the Mall of Asia Arena. This link should be active for at least a year. If you're short on time, I'd check out the following two segments/songs. For me personally, these were the highlights.

Youth presentation/If You Believe/Hawak Kamay (16 min)

Bahay Kubo (4 min)

Also, if you're interested, I put together a 40 min highlights video that includes photos taken by me/others, news coverage from the church/KSL, various Facebook reels, etc. You can view that HERE, via my Google drive.

Some personal thoughts and experiences:

**First and foremost, I want to say how welcomed and loved I felt by the Filipino people. From the minute we stepped off the plane to when we got back on it, everyone I met and saw and interacted with was loving, kind, and incredibly grateful. It was very impactful for me.

**The concerts were a highlight to perform. And when we sang the two songs in Tagalog that they were really familiar with (Hawak Kamay and Bahay Kubo), the audience went crazy. After the concerts were over, we had a chance to interact with the attendees on their way out and I've never felt like more of a celebrity in my life. Some kid even wanted my autograph! Most just wanted pictures and hugs and a chance to say how grateful they were that we came to their country to perform such beautiful songs of peace and hope.

**A shout out to several of my close friends who helped me through some emotionally difficult moments. You know who you are and I'm grateful for your love and support.

**Was proud of my roommate, Willy, who did a fantastic job with his solo in singing "Spirit of God". I could never do something like that in front of hundreds of thousands of people. But he did it with confidence and called the experience "fun!"

**Was thankful for my Pico de Loro beach excursion people. We had one day to just relax--and whether it was on the boat, snorkeling, just laying in a bungalo on the sand or swimming in the water, it was very nice.

**The youth, who put on a cultural celebration just for the Choir, were incredible. Months and months of hard work and practice really made their performance memorable. It was what was in their eyes and overall countenance, though, that was really impactful. They know who they are and they love freely.

**Lastly, I just want to express my appreciation for all those who made the tour happen. Such an undertaking! So many hours of behind-the-scenes work. The unsung heroes.

Here are a few pics.

Until next time, may God be with you.