JULY - BLESSINGS & WHEELCHAIRS

Lining up the wheelchairs to be distributed in Baguio this
month.  Fantastic Church youth assisting with
the distribution.

I had to capture a photo of this adorable
 little girl as she waits for her
LOLA (grandmother)
to receive her wheelchair.

This is Dr. Maritas Duquinal from the
University of Northern Philippines, one
of our Wheelchair Partners in Northern
Luzon.   Amazing woman ... good friend!

This little guy was dancing out along the
sidewalk on our drive home - I had to
capture his innocence and cute little
personage.

This former District President has requested more information
about Member Welfare Projects - Priesthood driven
project that can give the much needed resources to families in
the Church who are struggling to put food on their tables.  

This is me (Holly B.) teaching the
branch in San Manuel in regards to
developing a Member Welfare
Project, and the importance of
Priesthood Council and following
the Spirit.

Beautiful Swimming pool at the Hotel that we stayed at Subic
Bay.   We traveled up into Zimbales to assist Physicians for
Peace with a Wheelchair Assessment and Distribution.  

The grand staircase in the Hotel in Subic Bay area.  It is an
older Hotel built by someone with a Spanish influence and
lots of money.   This Hotel would be one you would see in a
Hollywood  type movie with VIP partying and enjoying.
 Today it is part of a developing area to attempt to revitalize
the 'days of glamour and social events'.    

Coming up the staircase after a long hot day out
doing assessments and assisting.

Here is one of the Doctors from Physicians for Peace as he
gathers important information about the child from her mother
as he begins his assessment.
Below is another of the little Cerebral Palsied children who was
fitted for a supportive wheelchair.   It is amazing to me how
technical some of the adjustments must be made to fit these
little disabled bodies into a wheelchair that offers them
safety, and mobility (Because the Family does not have to
carry them EVERYWHERE they go.)

There is 6 Physicians in this photo, and then others who assisted us in
accomplishing the assessment.   This is a group of Doctors who travel all over the
 Philippines and will provision specialized -supportive chairs for Cerebral Palsied
 patients, Muscular Dystrophy Patients, etc.  .Elder Bell and I were in amazing company with
this group.    Learning to love and appreciate the skills and the willingness to
give of their time and talents to bless the lives of others.  

I have a special place in my heart for this little guy.   His is Franz John. He is 7 years old.
His condition is a fairly rare chromosomal abnormality.   He has never crawled or been able to accomplish
 any movement of his  body utilizing his legs.  He can curl them up under him.  He can sit up and move
 his arms to shift and balance his upper body.   He cannot talk, but he hears and looks at you and
responds with his eyes.    Before we left, he reached out to me and I picked him up and held him in my arms.
 A little tear of  happiness trickled down his cheek.  His mother and grandmother were extremely
 appreciative of having a wheelchair that allows Franz John to sit up in a secure position and be a part of the
 family at dinner table and be able to go outside with them.

This photo is at a 'follow-up' visit that we made to this 42 year old
woman who has diabetes.   She has lost her right leg below the knee to
Diabetes, and the same area on her left leg is reaching that point of having
to be amputated.    Her brother and her wheelchair are her entire life of
mobility and begin away from her little bed.   The touching part of this
story is the amazing love that she has for God and how she is so thankful
for His infinite mercy and love.   She knows that He is so mindful of
her.

This 17 year old boy was happy to be
 able to  receive a new wheelchair.  The Social
Welfare Department had given him one years ago,
but it had completely fallen apart and had
been unusable for some time.    This chair now
 allows  him to be wheeled into
school and not be dependent upon his older brother
and mother to carry him into the school each day.  

This little guy was so excited to
be fitted for a wheelchair.   He
has strong arms and can propel
himself.

Elder Bell was 'pretend racing' him as he learned how to
maneuver and propel his chair forward.  He had a severe Fever
when he was 2 years old ... and could haltingly walk as a young
boy.   At age 7 he lost use of his legs.  His mother would have to
carry him to school each day and then bring him home.  Now, he can
do much more of it on his own.    A bright little boy ... we are
So happy to be able to see the blessings that have been opened up
for him and his family.

This is a late lunch after a day of wheelchairs in Urdaneta.  from left
to right :     Elder & Sister Tiru (Church Service Missionaries who are our
right hands in Northern Luzon), Sister Basa, ME, Elder Bell, and 3 young
women from BYU who are doing an Internship and doing
FOLLOW-UP work and reporting on the Liahona Children Foundation.
They are an organization affiliated through former students from BYU who are
doing a huge project in providing nutritional supplements for Infants and very
young children to attempt to lessen the Malnutrition in poverty stricken areas
across the world.    They have been working with Sister Basa and were
available to go to lunch with us.    


It is such a blessing to be called to serve here in the Philippines.    These people are
 faithful and strong believers in Jesus Christ and have no problems speaking of God or saying
 "God Bless You".     It is refreshing to see the humility  and the faithfulness in this nation.  
  So many nations of the world would be strengthened if they could learn  a few lessons from these
good people.
The new Senior Couple have landed on Philippine soil yesterday, so we will have a few weeks
 to train them and introduce them to the Wheelchair partners in the Manila area ---- and then
 we can get back to concentrating our  efforts in the Northern Luzon area and see what
opportunities  the Lord will open up for us to serve and to  strengthen.    We will keep 4
of the Wheelchair partners (which will work down to 2 major Partners over
the next 6 months.)       We see the potential for great blessings in the Member
 Welfare Projects,  and look forward to seeing more of these develop so as so bless the
lives of members (and non-member  neighbors are invited to be involved and share the benefits)
and give them the resources to lift themselves  out of poverty and into being self-sustaining.  
We are hitting our 6 month mark.    One more year to serve here, to love these people, to share
 whatever we have with them ..... and they with us.     We are often given so much from those
who have so little to give.
It is a rich blessing to Serve a Senior Couple Mission.     If you are qualified .....
we encourage you to prepare,  and plan for some of the Best Service Opportunities
of your Lives!


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