Cebu February 2014

Mabolo Chapel

This is a lovely plant that grows in front of the Mabolo chapel. All the greenery is lovely.

Very few people at church have vehicles. A few have a motorcycle but the Pastidios have a little truck. He and his son are building a condo so they need a vehicle and they are always happy to take passengers if they can  squeeze in.

 

We were shopping for groceries and saw a sign that said: "Lion dance at 3:00PM". Well the dragon pulled up about 3:45. they all jumped out but then got back in the truck and left--you can't have a lion dance without the lion and the lion wasn't there. We visited with some nice people and about 4:45 everyone pulls up again and the dance begins. 

 

This fellow with the mast represents the Sun God--always happy.

They paraded all the way through the Fooda grocery store.

 

Our next adventure was up the mountain to the Marco Polo Hotel. It is a very posh 5 Star hotel--very expensive. But, we were told that there was an interesting trail from JY Square. We asked directions along the way but everyone just directed us up the road--like below. It was an interesting walk.

When we got to the guard at the gate we asked about the trail and he said that it was closed--too much construction. People in the hotel told us the same thing but we wanted to take a picture of the Cebu from up the mountain so we just "kind of" walked over toward the construction. There were a lot of people and motorcycles coming and going so we took our picture and kind of kept going. The workers were very friendly and kept assuring us that it was fine--even when it said "no trespassing".

 

Always everywhere there are flowers even in the construction area.

We found the trail, heard quite a bit of gun fire but decided that we were going in the right direction because it was downhill. When we got into the open area we were at the shooting range and this was the army base. They even had two soccer fields. I haven't seen so much green space since I got here.

This guard at the gate really isn't going draw his gun. I asked if I could take his picture and he was quite agreeable. We probably walked about 11 km. that day.

The next Saturday the Wieland's wanted us to pick up tickets to go and watch "the dancing inmates of Cebu". So, we walked down to the Capital Building and found out that you just had to sign up and get a number.

This is Josephine Capangpangan. She is about to retire but has worked at the Capital for 17 years as a guard. She got some chairs and we waited around for a couple of hours. There were interesting people there--a couple from Ireland, two girls from Finland, criminology interns from three colleges and quite a few Japanese students. They said that they come to the Philippines to study English because it is cheaper.

 

 

These interns were from Mindinao--the south island. There were two other college groups there as well.

 

Everyone just waiting around 

 

Then the little buses started to show up and we would crowd in or wait for another.

They seem to do quite a bit of rehabilitation. This is the canteen which has snacks , and crafts that they make. There is also a program to teach them to read and write because many aren't educated.

There are over 1000 in the group that performed --a few women but mostly men. We were told that it is all very voluntary and they seemed to enjoy performing.  You could go down and talk to them--we didn't. On the internet later I checked and it said that crowding in the prisons is a problem and also food quality--they may need vitamins.

This was our guide, Raymond, at the Jumalon Butterfly sanctuary. He is partly retired but they want him to teach an English class. He has travelled to the United States. The museum is down a small back road and there are no signs. The butterflies are not enclosed but are free to come and go. The trees and garden are what attracts them. The family  started the museum in 1974 and they live on the premises. Butterflies have been collected from all over the world. Canada's butterfly is the Monarch and can live a year or more but some butterflies only live for 3 days.

 They have a nursery and hatchery. The cocoons below are bright gold and probably this protects them from predators --at night it looks like the eyes of an animal.

 

Julian Jumalon, that started the museum was quite a brilliant man. He was a teacher, artist, musician and butterfly collector.

This is a special piece of his art work - "the first street in Cebu".

Now, this is what missionaries are really here to do and we love the people and the work.

This is Joshua and the only church member in his family. He is a return missionary and has trained as an electrician. He is from  Leyte and speaks 5 languages. His family have a furniture business. However, typhoon Yolanda destroyed their house and damaged the business. His father and brother were rebuilding but he was in Cebu to earn some money. The detergent and fabric softener on the table are products that he and his partner are marketing as part of an ACE project. The Academy for Creative Enterprise is established to help church members with small business.

Richard is the  young man in blue below. He came in with the Stake Relief Society  president that is behind him. Richard is an orphan. His parents died of tuberculosis several years ago. He is 18 years old and has cares for his two younger brothers. He has finished high school or the equivalent by doing night classes but his younger siblings are behind in their school work. Richard has sorted in garbage dumps to find wire, wood, or other things that he could trade for money or food. He has also recently had a job carrying and loading 40 kg bags. The quota was 480 bags a day--he isn't afraid of hard work but it would be great if he could get some training and skills.

Two of the girls and the boy in short sleeves kneeling in the bottom picture are from Tacloban. Their homes and places of work were destroyed so they cam to Cebu. The girl to my right wants to be a security guard, her cousin beside her had a good call center job before. Now they  were in Friday and they found a website that will take welders in Canada from the typhoon area so they think they may take a course. The fellow with long sleeves down in front, Abner. is engaged to Princess the tall girl in the back row and all they could think about was getting married.

 This was an unusual class--they are all members. Sig on the left works in a call center. Sharp young fellow--just got married and works at the temple. The sister beside me has two children. Her husband is a welder and she is trying to improve her English, take a computer class and find a job. The problem with this group is that several are over 35 and it is a challenge to find a job that will hire you. Rolando is one in red shirt.  We prayed hard and worked with him. Friday he texted that he had a driving job.

 This is one of our missionary Career Workshop classes. They take the workshop the day before they leave the mission field. The mission presidents feel that this is very important and we love to do it. They have learned so much. The girl in the center, Usha, is from India. Before her mission she was taking microbiology classes but now wants to change to business administration.

 

This is a group of members that took the American Accent trainers lessons. They are supposed to teach the English classes in their wards. Two of the missionaries were there as they do lessons too.

The new Self-Reliance and Perpetual Education initiative has required a lot of work and training. The Stakes will now be teaching the Planning for Success Workshop. This is a series of four lessons a week apart. Travel and time is a problem if they have to go to the Institute or Employment Center so this should be helpful. These lessons are very helpful and now loans are only given for courses on the "preferred list" and at "preferred schools". The church wants to ensure that they will have jobs when they graduate.

This young lady is a "success story". Jada just graduated from architecture and passed her board exams. She has been a member of the church since 2011. There are nine children in her family and she is the youngest girl. Jada applied for a PEF (Perpetual Education Fund loan) so that she could complete her 4 year course. During school she worked as an intern for one of her professors, and had a full-time job before she graduated. Now she wants to start her own business. But, she says that her real goal now is to get married or go on a mission.