ART & ARTSY THINGS .... beauty all around!

This past 2 weeks have been fulled with lots of time in Manila and working on finishing up Wheelchair Project Reports and Month end reports.    I am finding that I am not an 'office girl'.     My anxiety rises and my OCDness kicks in and I think I become somewhat of a bear.     

    Having said that ..... this BLOG POST is going to share a few of the 'fun art things' that we have noticed in the past month and weeks. 

      

Beautiful handbags/purses created from stuff recycled from
an area previously used as a dump.   We have visited
an organization that is working with the people who are living
next to and amiss the old dump.   This organization is working
to assist these people to find ways to earn enough money to put
food on their tables and clothes on their backs.   These items
can be sold at local bazaars and markets.   These handbags are
made from the old 'flip-tops' that we would break off of the
soda cans.   Crocheted together, it becomes a very
stylish bag.

These beautiful necklaces are some of
the handiwork of some dedicated and
amazing women who are trying their
hardest to find ways to provide food and
needs for their families.

This beautiful handbag is woven from Hibiscus and Water Lily
reeds/ stems that are harvested from Laguna Lake in the Southern
part of Luzon.     The families will gather the stems and dry them.
Then this livelihood center is teaching the local woman patterns
and how to weave them into these crafts.    They have found
a market and are now filling orders for these handmade, beautiful
handbags and woven mats.    I am so impressed with the diligence
of these people, attempting to be gainfully employed in a
country of MILLIONS of people.

A few of the workers, the leaders of the Humanitarian
Organization that we work with, and Elder Bell .... showing the
woven items that these women have woven.   The reeds are drying
in the background.    Amazing .... time consuming ... humbling.

She is demonstrating to me the intricacies of the weaves.  I
appreciated the end result much deeper after having learned the
process to produce it ... where the reeds come from ... how many
reeds it takes to weave the baskets .... and mostly how this livelihood
center is allowing these workers to provide for their families.    

This starts the art of 'The Jeepneys'.    These are the
left over World War II vehicles used here in the Islands.  They
now are produced here and is a Main source of public transport
in all of the cities and towns.    The most interesting part of
this is the ART WORK that is demonstrated on them.   Each of the
Jeepneys are privately owned, and the owner and driver is able to
show his personality by the art work or decorations that he uses
on his Jeepney.      Our days are always filled with color and
fun as we see the different Jeepneys across the Philippines.

An older one ... but I loved the bright
blue on it.

Many are a representation of
patriotism from America.   Most Filipinos are
very intrigued with America.

Had to throw this in.   I think it is artwork!    The salad was made from
edible flowers on top of a bed of lettuce.    It was really a tasty and very
'eye' appealing meal.

Many of the Jeepneys have names on the front and
center section.   This one must belong to 'HANY".     We have seen
quite a few that have a scripture reference on this area, also.   They are very
faithful people and love God and the Scriptures.

This was an old one that caught my
eye.  The artwork is on the tailgate.

Some are creepy ... but very good artwork.   They must have shops
where there are talented people with the airbrush.     The sight of the
amazing and colorful Jeepneys bring some color into our many hours and
kilometers of travel.

We took Amy and Carter to this Art Center in Manila and spent the afternoon.     I hope that you enjoy the photos as much as we did in the posing and watching others 'insert themselves' into the artwork.     Alot of fun.     Interesting adventure.

I thought this one turned out really good and was
fun to capture.   Usually it is Elder Bell who is behind the
Camera, but I convinced him that this was his big chance to
'tame a lion'.

I couldn't pass up a chance to be this close to
this Painting ... even if it is not the real one.

Amy and I having fun.    It was such a joy
and happy week to spend with them.   She is
really a jewel.

Carter is my guy to be in Cahoots with.    We had alot of fun on
this adventure.

Here we are .... back at work.   This is a Memorandum of Agreement
Signing with the new Partner, "Cagauyan Valley Medical Center'" in
Northern Luzon.     LDS Charities has just entered into an agreement with
them to provide them wheelchairs as they reach out to serve the people
with Disabilities and the needy in the northern Island area.    We will
spend 2 weeks doing training to train their assessors so that all of the
wheelchairs delivered free of charge to people will be the proper
wheelchair with the proper fit.      The stories of many of the recipients
of the wheelchairs are very precious and tender to my heart.    I have to
admit that I love this work.

Life is busy and so many days I feel overwhelmed, but we get through them.

We continue to be richly blest.   Elder Bell drives like a pro amongst the chaos of the roads here.   Manila still makes him sweat bullets.   

We pray that we will be found worthy of the continued influence and whisperings of the Holy Spirit as we strive to find the right projects to assist in bringing some of these people the blessings they need.     We continue to deliver the Baby Receiving Blankets from home.     Tears of thanksgiving are shed by many young mothers, and by the nurses who assist us in making sure that each new mother has a blanket to bring her newborn home in.    

We pray that we will be given the enlightenment that will find ways that we can be the instruments in the Lord's hands to answer the prayers of the poor and those in desperate need.  

The Gospel has been restored in these Latter Days by the Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr.    We live in a glorious time.    We pray that all of us can live worthy of the blessings that we have been given.

Love to each of you.     Thank you for your letters of encouragement and your comments to brighten our days.