DECEMBER storms; wheelchairs, service, .... and love from humble people.

A quick photo of Elder Bell's handiwork out on
the roads of Manila.     He and a truck kept trying to access the
same lane of traffic ... after the sideview mirrors kept hitting each other
I finally told Elder to 'back off' it is not worth getting into an
accident .... so Elder Bell slows and the pick-up truck
barrels to the front, and pulls in front of us - clipping his
bumper to the seam where our van bumper began - which
grabbed our bumper and full grill assembly and ripped it off.
I got out and looked and had to have Elder and 2 more men
help me pull it off and throw in the back over the luggage and
heads of other Elders and Sisters in the back seat so that we could
travel the rest of the way into the city.     Traffic in MANILA is
unbelievable....absolutely have to experience to believe.

Family Home Evening in Manila - all of the Senior Missionary
Couples came together with the Area Presidency and put together
newborn kits to take into the 2 main hospitals here in Manila -
where the poor are serviced.     Both have an average of 300 births
A DAY!     We had to have over 600 of the kits to take into
the Hospitals.    Merry Christmas to the newborns in those Hospitals
this day!!!

Merry Christmas to all of you ... where ever this Christmas season finds you!     We love serving here and being an instrument in the Lord's hands .... but it is also SO HARD to be so far from all of you whom we would tell that "WE LOVE YOU .... AND WANT TO WISH YOU A MOST PRECIOUS AND WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR"!           Life is so short ..... be wise and follow the path that brings you true peace and joy in your hearts and your homes!

Elder Bell and I are  with one of our partners to purchase 10 bunk
beds for the "Safe House Shelter' for the exploited and sexually
abused young girls.    The Philippines has over 60,000 children
who are 'targeted and caught up' in this heinous practise.  We are
so grateful for organizations who are willing to make the effort
to make a difference in these little girls' lives.    

Elder Bell and Elder McIver are working on the assembly of our
new line of wheelchairs arriving in the Philippines.   This is an
'active chair' with many, many adjustments.     Both Elders had to
become proficient on the assembly and adjustments.   Then we
each travel to the Wheelchair partners in
our assigned area and train all of their assessors on the wheelchairs. 
 I am SO GLAD that Elder
Bell has strong hands and is mechanically inclined!

This was our Thanksgiving in the Manila APO.   All of the Senior
Missionary couples gathered together to share Thanksgiving
together.    Great food, good company..... but nothing can
compare to being with family and eating the traditional family
favorites and sharing stories and making plans.      We are so
eternally thankful for our bounteous blessings ..... to live in
America, to have the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives, to have
living Prophets to teach and guide us, to have homes and good food
on our tables,(yum...Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, good
corn on the cob, tomatoes that taste like a tomato
homemade rolls, pumpkin pie .)
 to have an auto to drive, toilet tissue
in most public restrooms (restrooms with toilet seats)
.... just to name a few.

This is another photo of our assembly line in preparing
the NewBorn Kits for our Family Home Evening.    Some of you
may recognize some of the baby blankets that are being included
in the packets.     THANK YOU, each of you, who donated your
time and these wonderful blankets to give to new mothers
to wrap their little 'bundles of joy' in.     They are each
deeply appreciated!!

Yup .... me showing you the nice little
packet once it is wrapped tightly.    4 cloth
diapers, the receiving blanket, diaper tabs, wipes,
baby soap, onesies, small tube of sore butt
creme.        A wonderful gift for the Sisters to take
into these 2 hospitals where the mothers are
stacked 3 to a bed, and they line the halls as well
as fill the rooms.     A humbling and heart string
-pulling experience.     We are sooooo blest to
live in the United States and have adequate health
care and facilities.    

This is Elder and Sister Whitehead who works in the Dental
Office at the MTC.      They brought their daughter
to also serve this mission.    She is a 'simple young woman
with a big heart and alot of fun'.

Elder Bell and I were invited to Brother Fababier's 72nd
birthday.     We have one of our Member Welfare Projects
in this area.    The young Filipino Missionaries are assisting in
cooking the pancit for all of the Branch Members .... BEST PANCIT
I have tasted!!

We are in IFUGAO working on
a Project with the DepEd.    LDS C
is financing a large program to train the
teachers on Nutrition, Improved planting and
harvesting techniques, bringing in tools,
seeds, and seedlings.    

This is the Tarpelein that identifies
us and the EastWest Seed Foundation
that we are partnering with to
get more nutrition training into the
Elementary age schools.

Here are 2 of the trainers from EastWest Seed Foundation as they
prepare the seed packets and work together to finalize the last day
of training of the 5th and 6th grade teachers.     Vegetable seed packets
went into each school.     By the way --- this is in the Province where
the World Famous BANAUE RICE TERRACES are located.   Farming
is very important in this region.

Elder Bell is part of the line up to award the teachers' certificates
of course completion.  East West Seed Foundation is
represented, the Head Director from the IFUGAO
Department of Education, and LDSC.  All of the
Teachers who attended the training were very
happy that their school was selected to be a part of this
program, and to have the opportunity to share this
information and skills with their students.      

These are the tools that we gave to each
school for them to utilize as they
implement this training in their schools.
They will prepare the soil and plant in
January ((CRAZY>>>RIGHT!)   And
harvest is planned at the end of March. 
They grow vegetables year round here in
the Philippines.

Sister Tiru (one of our Church Service Missionaries) and
I in our 'Chinese Silk dresses'.   TWINS  :)      I bought the
material and paid to have the dresses made by a local
seamstress.    This woman and her husband are our 'Right
Hands' in so much of the work that we are doing in the
Baguio and Pangasinan area.  I thought this would be a
special treat for her.

I have to throw in something of nature ....
to share our experience with you.   The
size of this spider is about the size of the
Palm of my hand ... and then the
legs span out.     They grow them
big here.    This was off the side of the
gates at the Area Presidency offices.

This is the graduating group of trainers (teachers).   They
enjoyed the training and now have a lot of good 'hands-on'
 information and activities to work with the students.   
We are excited to see this program go foward in our
area.

Sister Tiru and I finalizing the food before the Purple Centers Children
line up and have Christmas dinner.    I felt like I was serving in the
school hot lunch line ..... but such joys on the children's face.   It was
our Christmas present to them ..... and to ourselves to see them so
happy and having a good time and good food..

Elder Bell and I at a Christmas Party
up in Tuguegarao.   This young woman
is thrilled to have her new wheelchair
and the possibilities it is opening up
in her life.     She continues to praise
LDS Charities and how it is blessing her
life ... and the lives of so many.

I was asked to be one of the judges of a competition between the
wheelchair technicians assembling a supportive wheelchair..    We had
to evaluate each adjustment and assembly point.     They all did a
pretty good job.     We are very happy to see the skills and abilities
that are being gleaned from training and actual distribution of
wheelchair activities.

Elder Bell and I are in Vigan and are
training the assessors and technicians
on the assembly of the new model of
wheelchairs.  

Elder Bell and I were actually able to
provision the first 'new model of wheelchair' in
the country.    This gentleman was given a wheelchair
from LDSC 7 years ago ... and he has WORN it out.
So, our Partner, University of Northern Philippines, had
assessed him for a new size 15.5 wheelchair ... but had none
in stock.    So with the arrival of the new Wheelchairs, they
had stock.    This gentleman lives in a city close to Baguio,
and so we brought the chair back with us and met with him
to give him his new wheelchair.    He is very happy (hard to see
his big smile)!!    His legs have no strength and he has a
large deformity (like a hunchback) on his right dorsal
side ... about 6 inches from his buttocks.    Because of all
of the adjustments available on the new model chair;
we were able to accommodate for his deformity and still
have the wheelchair back offer him support!!     Great!!

Attempting to capture photos of the 200 children that we
treated to a Christmas dinner and party for those students
who are beneficiaries of the "PURPLE CENTERS" save a
Child program.      If you watch General Conference next
April .... you will see a video produced by the LDS
Philanthropy groups which informs about the work that
the humanitarian funds are doing across the world.   In
April you will see videos about Purple Centers and
Gentle Hands - 2 groups that we partner with.     This
group is up in BAGUIO and are children who actually
live in and around the IRISAN DUMPSITE.   The families
make a living by digging through the dumpsite and gather
materials that can be recycled or sold.    

The Children who are screened and have lung damage (from all
of the smoking fires from cooking/ the methane gas being formed
from rotting garbage at the dumpsite/ burning of plastics and other
toxic materials, etc) and need to be taken out of that environment
on a daily basis - after the screening, the children and cleaned up,
provided a school uniform, given a hot nutritious lunch every school
day, and medicines .... and they are able to stay in the school system for
their entire school career ---- because The PURPLE CENTER funds
their time in school.    LDS Charities helps to provide the Rice and the
Medicines for the Children.   

SO, for Christmas, Elder and I invited all of these beneficiary scholars
up in the Baguio IRISAN DUMPSITE to come and enjoy a
nutritious dinner and a party.  (at our expense)   The children loved
it!    The teenagers put together a program and danced the native
dances, the choir sang beautiful Filipino Christmas Carols,
It was a Christmas party to remember.      Have grown to love
these children.

This is a sunset out the back of the building we have having
the Christmas Celebration.    We showed the video of the
Nativity from the Bible Videos that the Church has
produced.     It was a great experience.     

These are 11 year old to 16 year old Filipino boys who are
dancing the native Tribal dance for us.    They set their own
music by using the drums (Bronze drums) in front of them.
It was fun to watch.     HAHAHA    -- they pulled us up and
had us dance with them.     They were honoring us!

This 15 year old young woman has captured our hearts!
Her family lives on the Irisan Dumpsite.   Angelica has an
older brother and a 5 year old younger brother.    We are
still trying to learn more about her family.  She has always
just watched us with adoring eyes and she has a sweetness
about her that is just so refreshing and trusting.    I asked her what
her plans for the future are.    She wants to finish high school and
go on to a University in the area.    She wants to become a
Social Worker and help others.         Elder Bell calls her
one of our 'Filipino daughters'.      

Branch President Omar Moises and Sister Luz Moises, explaining to me the
progress on the Member Welfare Project Chicken Coop and some of the small
problems they have encountered.  We are meeting with them weekly to provide
the funds for the materials for the construction project.     Their community
is out 'in the boon-docks' and so there is no building material supply
store available for them to set up vendor forms with.    So we carry large
amounts of PESOS with us so that we can purchase their supply order.
We travel constantly .... from one place to another.    

A captured picture of the students who have finished their
Christmas dinner and are examining the contents of their goody
bags.   Sweet children who have been given a chance for success
and a life outside of 'digging through garbage for a livelihood'.

Christmas Eve is now drawing to a close.       WE WANT TO SEND OUR LOVE ACROSS THE OCEAN



WE WANT TO TELL YOU THAT WE LOVE YOU DEEPLY, AND APPRECIATE YOUR INFLUENCE AND
FRIENDSHIP IN OUR LIVES.     

MERRY CHRISTMAS!      MAY YOU KNOW TRUE HAPPINESS.

NOVEMBER TRAVELS AND TRAININGS

   We have been richly blest these past weeks.    We have traveled in safety and worked with over 20 Wards/Branches to teach them about Member Welfare Projects and how they can bless the lives of those members living in extreme poverty.    (in the Philippines, most all Filipinos live in levels of poverty .... we have to explain deeper as "the poorest of the poor" ... those who are just struggling to feed their family and  to keep them in any type of protected dwelling.)     Jobs here are sparse for such a huge population, but basically pay pennies.    $2 a day (8 to 12 hours work) is an average wage.     Many work in the rice fields of the larger farmers, but have borrowed wages ahead, and so they are always owing more time on the job than they receive the wages for.    They cannot pull themselves out of the devastating financial crisis.     

   Anyway, on to more pleasant topics.     We did have 2 days to play while visiting the Island of Palawan .... and we took advantage.      You get me that close to a place where there is snorkeling and the fibers of my being begin to pull 'madly' at my inner self to go and immerse in the beautiful waters, usually lush with coral reefs and huge clam shells teaming with aquatic life.      Ah .... I feel a kinship with "the Incredible Mr. Limpet".     (An old movie staring Don Knotts who wanted to become a fish so bad that he did - loved the movie.)

 

I finally talked Elder Bell into stopping at a Restaurant in
Baguio called "Giligan's Island".   The food was really pretty
good and he even said that he would eat there again.    YES!   

A hut just off the beaches of a little island out in the bay on
the Island of Palawan.    We spent the day over there since
it was a holiday.    A storm was brewing, but it still was so
beautiful and a serene, laid back day.

Donning on our snorkeling gear off of
a platform anchored out in the reef.
Can't wait to get in.

Tharon also brought his snorkel gear,
and we snorkeled for over 1.5 hours.
Storm moved in quickly ... but we saw some
amazing, brilliantly colored sea critters.

They had a nice lunch fixed for us ... this interested me
the most.    Real seaweed gently cooked with onions.    Tharon
enjoyed it ... I tried it, but couldn't quite say that I liked it.

We are visiting Batahala Orothopedic Rehabilitation Center
in Puerta Princesa, Palawan.    LDS Charities has donated
equipment for their Wheelchair Repair/Prosthetic Workshop.
Their philosophy is to not do surgery unless it is a final option.

Prosthetic limbs and molds utilized in the Batahala Repair shop.
Dr. Socrates studied in the U.K. and then after receiving
his Dr. Degree, came back to the Island of Palawan to provide
treatments and prosthesis for the poor and indigent people
of the area.     He has passed away, but his wife continues his
legacy.    

This is one of the Physical Therapists,
making a house call to a girl who has been
being treated for Club Feet for 4 years now.
She is just being fit with her newest pair
of Orthopedic shoes that continue the
Club Foot Therapy Treatment.     We are in
the family home - 1.5 hours away from the
medical center.     Dedicated, caring
medical personnel.

This was our second play-day.   We visited the Underground
River on Palawan.   Amazing cave on the underside of a
mountain range on the western side of the Island.   

Getting ready to our hard hats on
 (protecting us  from hitting head on low hanging
 cave walls inside the  river cruise, and
from the BAT droppings while in the
caving system .... interesting.)

This Israeli man became our good friend
during our caving adventure.   He had never
heard of the LDS Church, so we talked a bit
about why we were in the Philippines and
what the Church is doing throughout the
world.

Our boat crew is heading into the cave.

Wish I could share photos from inside ... but no light except for
flashlight from the boatsman.    No good pictures, but a great
view to actually be inside and experience.

The native monkeys were not hanging
around the day we were there, but
the large gila monsters were
in the bushes, visiting with us.

This is Bishop Ramos from Alubijid Ward on Mindanao.   He
has submitted a Member Welfare Project proposal, and we were
privilaged to travel to Mindanao and meet with his Ward
Council, and then the Stake Presidency and Bishops of all
of the Wards in the area.     They have many needs and many, many
members who are struggling to keep their 'heads above water'
in regards to caring for their families.

This is one of Bishop Ramos's Counselors
and his wife.   They are sharing bananas
from their back yard.  Such good, kind
people.

Here we are in the backyard of one of the proposed participants
of the Member Welfare Project.   They want to put in 30+ cages
to raise Broiler chickens in each families back yards.   They
will also put in an 'azolla pond' and add to their growing
vegetable gardens.   Some families will have goats, who do
not have as much assessability to things for raising the
broiler chickens.

The ward members had fixed us a lunch at one of the members
homes that we visited.    Usually I can avoid eating some of the
Filipino food that I worry about ... here Elder Bell caught my
apprehensive expression as I nibbled on one of the 'fried little
whole fish' that they prepared.    The entire fish is to be eaten ...
head, bones, tail,.....all.    It was salty and crunchy.  Edible.

Highlight of the month ... one of the highlights of our Mission.
This is Barbara Kimber Davies (My best friend from Grade 1
to Grade 11+ who lived a block from my house.   Love, love,
love her!!) and her husband, President Doug Davies.   They are
Mission President and wife in the San Pablo Mission in Southern
Luzon.      What a joy to see them and to think about our paths
crossing because of choices that we have made and blessings
the Lord has poured out upon us!

LDS Charities provided portable dental equipment to the Pines
College of Dentistry in Baguio.  Here the
Students are setting up their mobile work Stations.
  We were able to go with the Dental Students as they did
 a clinical mission at the Sablan National High School. 
  We spent 9 hours with them as they did dental exams, did restorative work,
 and pulled teeth.   I was amazed that there was no groans or screams
 from the kids as they had teeth pulled ... sometimes 2 or more teeth. 
 But I saw plenty of tears.  :(   

 A few more flowers to share with you.   Love the
many flowers that we see that grow so well
here in this tropical paradise.

This was a surprise as we visited the site preparing for
construction of a large chicken coop - this is one of the
footings for the corners.   Can you see the idigeneous lizard and
large toads that had hopped into the hole during the previous
night.     They told me the frogs were edible, but once they
got closer and examined, they said no ... not the good
edible type.    I just rolled my eyes while no one was
watching.    It would take about 40 or 50 of frogs that
size to be able to put together a plate for someone.

Final little photo.    This is a Nipa house on the beach on
Mindanao Island.    The father of this Member family goes out
at 4am every morning and fishes all day out in his little boat.
He catches the fish and his wife will take them to sell to
neighbors or in the local market.     This is their livelihood.
He works hard and is diligent through all weather conditions.
Truly, this family could benefit from a project to give them more
resources in which to provide food for their table and potentially
an income as they become self-sustaining.     (Their oldest daughter
also has a 2 month old daughter, who now lives with them.   5
total children/grandchildren to support.)

We love the humility and simple lives that are a part of who these Filipino people are.     They find joy in whatever situation they are given, and are so appreciative of our visit.    It is humbling to see them joyous with so little.   Somedays we think that all Americans should come spend a few days here in the Filipino Paradise, and see how blest we are to have what we have.

We love the Gospel and the message that is for ALL PEOPLE, EVERYWHERE.      We miss home and the comforts and conveniences that surround us, we miss our wonderful family and friends .... but we also know that we ARE DOING what we are meant to be doing, and SERVING in a way that is blessing the lives of others.      We are grateful for our health, and for each of you and your encouragement and examples to us.