Life Goes on in Cebu and Olango

Even with all the crowding and business in Cebu there is always beauty around everywhere.

The repacking goes on and the need continues. Last report there were 2700 after shocks but only some that we are aware of. However December 30,2013 we had a 4.2 so they keep occurring here. There are 14,740 families displaced. President Dumas said that 3000 members were affected.  

This little worker is Derk Balen, Marie Ann's youngest.

The young missionaries from the Cebu Mission

Sister Schmutz preparing all the 164 young missionaries in the Cebu Central Mission for a picture when Neil L. Anderson  from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles visited . At first I thought that he would just be speaking to the young missionaries but I was quite touched by his message to "reach out to everyone." He also counseled that the way out of poverty depends on the ability to move on to the next level.



This was our destination but the day was an adventure--

Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary.

We took a taxi to the Hilton Pier (Punta Engano) at 8:30 AM. This was our pump boat. The sign on it said "capacity 40 passengers" but there were at least 70 of us. Boarding was a little like "walking the plank".

We met Andy and his son Steven at the pier and he offered to be our guide.

The boat trip was about 20 minutes and then we had trikes to take us to the sanctuary.

Some of the trikes were very fancy.  It was an interesting ride and at the sanctuary we paid our fee and walked out to the viewing station. We were glad that Andy had access to the telescope and binoculars because the birds were  quite far away.  Lots of little fish in the water.



This is a rufus night heron that roosts in the same tree every day. Curlews and egrets in a distance.

The mangrove trees can tolerate the saline water. 







Goats are quite common in the Philippines

and little boys playing in the water

Then a jeepney ride back to the highway terminal and

SM mall for a mango shake at Thirsty's

We knew several days in advance that typhoon Yolande (Haiyan) was approaching the Philippines. But, it wasn't until about 6:00 AM Friday November 8,2013 that the storm hit land. There was a lot of wind and rain --the power went off. About 2:30 PM we decided to go for a walk. M'am Gen sent us a bowl of rice for supper.

Areas in Leyte were much harder hit with extensive damage to property and life.

It was not until Christmas that electricity was restore to some areas. So, they were without cell phone service and lights.  There were about 30 church members that lost their lives but leaders had told everyone to take refuge in the church buildings. Those that did survived. Most didn't think that there would be a water surge like there was.

But now it is time to rebuild

This was an art show in Ayala mall

on the back of the little fellows shirt

This is the way the lawns at the temple and elsewhere are maintained

This lady crochets headbands regularly along the sidewalk as we walk to work

Lyn does our cleaning at the office.

This is a group of the security that work in the mall. They have a guard at the mall entrances and one at every store  opening--and they all carry guns.

Seems like the bike is a bit over loaded

These fellows worked a couple of months on this project but they did a very good job.

This fellow had equipped his bike with knife sharpening tools and he would go around the neighborhood.

The earthquake did cause superficial damage to the plastered walls in our apartment building.

The ladder on the paint cans did not look like it would pass inspection.

This was quite an invention. They have a lot of roasted or barbecued chicken sari sari but this rotated and reduced the manual labor.

These men had a very active motorcycle business along the street and "out into the street". But no one really worried if one lane was mostly blocked.

Or if a band stopped traffic to entertain.

This little sidecar was very nicely designed.

But always at the SRC the work goes on. People come in and tell us how "Me in 30 Seconds" helped them in their interview or "the resume got me the job". Michelle told the program and then said "I don't want my parents to have to support me." Another came in after he got a better job and brought us cookies.

Our OJTs got some new headgear.

President Pagaduan, the Cebu temple president, told this story at our Stake Conference. Thadeus, was a very righteous man, who received revelation from the Lord. Now the Lord warned Thadeus that he needed to take his family out of the city immediately. Well, Thadeus was a very busy man and he got side tracked with some urgent work, but he did want to do as the Lord commanded. He told his wife and she counseled Thadeus to wait until the festival was over because everyone would be enjoying the celebration. This did seem like a good idea. Thadeus had heard of a fellow named Noah. Anyway, Thadeus started to prepare but then it started to rain so he decided to "wait until it quit raining."....

PEF and Self Reliance Missionary

The trees and bushes bloom continually and the blossoms are beautiful.

Serving a mission in the Philippines has been one of the highlights of my life. Being able to serve is a privilege. There is so much need here and I just pray that my little part may help someone's life be a little better and happier. The people are wonderful and appreciative of all that we do. The Career Workshop is a church program the helps people be more self reliant. It is very successful and often people will come back and thank us, after they get a job. We also do American Accent classes because call center jobs pay more and you can work after age 35. Many people with a college degree expect to earn about 10,000 pesos a month ($250.00). Philippino people are hardworking, industrious and always cheerful. I love the way that they always say "Good morning, M'am". 

Brother Jarius Perez has been very busy with humanitarian responsibilities, Mary Ann Balen is our very capable assistant manager, and May Mueblas and Aljane Mae Mahilom are our OJT (on the job training). They are bright, cheerful, fun and frequently burst into song. 

Our classes are very well attended. Usually a lot more non-members than members. Ponciano, a member, in the front wearing a white shirt has six children. He used to have a sea shell business that was out sourced to China. Now he would like to have a call center job. Kimmy in the middle back by Sister Keller has computer training and took the American Accent but is just home looking after her brother as her parents are working. Em the tall young man by Sister Keller was a server in a restaurant but he was quite a good imitator and did well in American Accent. Wilson is beside Sister John. When I asked him during a lesson "what is the perfect age". He said 100 years because then the government gives you some money. He worked in Saudi Arabia but would like to be home with his family now.  Life expectancy here is about 68 years. Another question that I ask is "if  I gave you 10,000 pesos what would you do with it?" They all would use it for good  eg. help fix up my families house, give it to the poor so the children wouldn't be hungry, buy a TV for my Mom because ours is broken and she liked to watch it, save it or start a business. Then I have asked "if they could talk to  an important person who would it be?" One young man said--"God, I would like to ask for more peace and less war"

Ninieta (left) really tried with the AA but had tooth pain (loose dental bridge) which gave her problems. But, when she looked at her before and after AA program videos she said "Wow, I even look prettier." Tessie (by Sister Keller) was a real fitness fanatic which is quite unusual. She loved zumba and weight lifting. But she was just wanting her children to support her.

Many times you just want to motivate them and give them some confidence and hope. That was Domo. He just seemed so much more optimistic when he finished. One of our clients in an earlier post, Efren, finally got a job. I prayed so hard for him and when he came in recently my heart sank. But, all was going well, he had a new haircut and he was just wanting to check out something for the company.

Jerome Peralta, in the blue shirt, came in to the office faithfully and really took advantage of the programs. Then yesterday he came in with a treat for us (cookies) and was so happy that he had a call center job with Ease Solutions out of Singapore. A friend recommended him (networking) and he used "Me in 30 Seconds". Neil is a nurse/caregiver. He was working in the hospital when the earthquake struck and they had to evacuate the patients down a ramp--even one from emergency with a ventilator. They had to use umbrellas outside to protect patients from the sun. He said that he was very stiff and sore the next day.

But, life for senior missionaries is also lots of fun. The Bellands (very top) and the Ernstroms (above) work in the mission office looking after the missionaries and finding housing etc. This is Ernstrom's fourth mission and we asked what motivated them to do so many- "Well, it is a little addictive. How can you just sit at home when you know the need."

Below are the Gales and this was supper at Café Georg to celebrate their anniversary.

This was kind of a different job fair. IBRO was recruiting people that wanted to sell loads for cell phones. There are Smart, Globe, and Sun cell phones here and it is all pay as you go so everyone has at least one cell phone and they need a "load" regularly.

Ponciano, Kimmy, Gad and  Jerome. The group members in our classes always seem to bond very well--doesn't seem to matter the age, sex or status. They help each other with job ideas and even go to testing and interviews together.

Rul Lim, wanted to graduate with the four above but he had to work.

Nash is older and he has 13 children. He owns property, is into real estate and teaches culinary arts classes. He took the Career Workshop and American Accent class because he was working on some project at TESDA a large technical school in the area.

Florence in the red top is a nurse, has taken culinary arts, accounting and massage therapy. She was preparing for the exam so that she could qualify to work abroad.

Ruth is a temple worker and wanted to improve her English.. May and Aljane took the class too--"wacky", of course. 

We do a Career Workshop for missionaries, every six weeks,  before they leave for home. The mission president wants these very special and talented young people to use all the skills that they have learned and be motivated, successful and able to serve.

 This was the Lapu-Lapu  leaders training. We did several of these--not sure how successful they really were.

Institute is institute where ever you go. It was a bustling street corner and the building was old on the outside but when you go up three flights and into the institute you immediately know where you are.

This "Caravan project" was to sign up students on ldsjobs and get them an LDS account.

Snacks are a motivating and important part of Philippino life

Another big class

Bishop Daclan and his youngest.

Our choir sang for "Music and the Spoken Word" at a Stake fireside. Then all the ward wanted in the picture.

The Mabolo ward primary put on the very special for the primary anniversary celebration.

 

Mabolo Relief Society

One of the requirements to leave the country, if you are there for six months, is to be finger printed. The mission decided that it was easier to bring two people from Manila than fly all the missionaries there before we return home. However it involved a lot of waiting around and during that time I got to know Elder Laureano (right). He is a musical prodigy, they tell me, and I believe it. He and the elder beside him sang a couple of songs a capella while we waited. Later we went to a missionary choir presentation he put on.  He had written some of the music and arrangements, directed and  conducted the choir and also played the piano. He earned money for his mission by teaching piano and playing in the hotels. He is from Davao on the island of Mindanao.

I learned something else--the missionaries all carry a pair of reading glasses because when they are teaching people often people can't see well enough to read the scriptures so they come in handy.

Family is very important to me and I want to be with them throughout eternity. That is why we do our family history. That is why we have temples. I am grateful for this opportunity and thankful for the encouragement and support of my family.