You guessed it--another carabao picture; you gotta love this sweet man on his gentle steed

George asked a missionary what is the source of all light?  She replied “Ceneco”, the local electric company (LOL).  I mention this because just yesterday George commented that we hadn’t had a “brown out” in a long time and then last night we had a brown out and again today the electricity was cut off at 8:00 this morning and at 4:00 in the afternoon, we still have no electricity.

Today, we attended our 35^th different sacrament meeting since coming here almost 7 months ago.  Instead of being assigned to one unit when we came, our president asked us to attend a different meeting each week.  We have tried to do that.  Although we aren’t able to build close relationships with a single community; we have had many wonderful experiences.  Today, since the power was out, we sat in an overcrowded sacrament meeting and sweltered in a ~90 degree Fahrenheit heat with ~90% humidity; it was very warm and humid and there was no moving air.  A sweet sister sat by me and fanned me.  Her arm must be sore from the constant movement.  It was well worth it!  The people were so kind and friendly to us. 

We remembered an experience years ago when we attended our first meeting in Rochester, Minnesota.  The bishop stood and thanked everyone for attending on such a cold day.  Turns out, it was -20 degrees F; one of the coldest days of the winter.  We were visitors there with light jackets, but warm hearts.

 Busy cemetery gathering on All Souls Day

Backing up an entire week, we were invited to tag along with the mission president and his wife to some outlying areas last Sunday.  This travel required a truck (which we are using) because of the roads.  We traveled 2 ½ hours north to Sewahon a small community and a fairly new area for missionaries.  Because it was All Souls day, there was much traffic on the main road that included trucks of all sizes with chairs in the back for people to sit on, many trikes (motorcycles with side car) that were loaded with passengers, and even motorcycles that had up to 5 humans stacked up. 

Primary Class outside home

We have been able to experience what a tourist probably wouldn’t see here.   When you travel down a street you see many bamboo tin roof structures.  But many times, if you look closely, there are narrow passageways that can take you deeper into communities.  George parked the truck in deep mud on the main street in Sewahon and we ventured single file down a narrow path to a member’s home where Church was being held.  Out of respect we removed our shoes and attended Church barefooted.  Normally with shoes on I might step on a wandering bug, here I hoped the bugs would stay away from me.  In this small house the electrical wires were visible and hanging.  I noticed sun shining though small holes in the rusted tin roof.  Several of us sat on a narrow wooden bench.  About 30 people attended Church.  The small living room was crowded and some people sat on the front porch and listened.  Even in these humble circumstances, it was wonderful to partake of the sacrament and to hear heart-felt testimonies.

Members, investigators and a bare chested (drunk) onlooker after meeting

After the meeting we were escorted to another cement house where a “special snack” was waiting for us.  They prepared sticky rice and had out their best plastic dishes and cups.  Our president and his wife shared a plate and as they ate a little, the hostess piled more on their plate.

Children posed before another special Sacrament Meeting we attended

Prior to meeting--these benches (and more) were filled

These chickens were milling around during the meeting looking for food

Another 6 weeks have come and gone (time between regular transfers) and 19 missionaries went home and in the turnaround 17 new missionaries arrived.  This is kind of a bittersweet time; the missionaries grow so dear to our hearts.  The new “batch” as they are called seemed ready for the task at hand and we enjoyed getting to know them.

An excited "batch" of new missionaries arrive

This next week is the “Mission Tour”:  The area president and his wife are coming.  The caterer of choice was not available, so we ordered food from a new source.  We thought we better try the food first, so George drove the Assistants to the President, the Office Elders and me to the restaurant.  I must tell you, the establishment from the outside and even looking around the inside is probably not a place I would be interested in trying!  But they graciously brought out plate after plate of some of the food that would be served at this special event and the missionaries ate and ate until they were stuffed.  I am sure they brought out at least 10 different dishes.  The missionaries unanimously agreed the food was a good choice.  When George asked for the bill, we were advised there was no charge.  Only in the Philippines!

Freshly plowed field across from where the meeting was held

This cute smiling boy our grandson's age leading a young carabao in training

Saturday, November 01, 2014

A pregnant lady walked up to me and said, “I want to look in your eyes so my baby will have a nose like you”.  I told her I liked her nose.  Big noses seem to be desired here and “white” skin.  Another time a Filipina I was walking with saw a white carabao and said, “Look Sister Mower, the carabao’s hair is the same color as your skin”.

Murcia Branch building

Sunday we attended Church in Murcia.  We parked near the busy village square and walked about a block to the meeting house as there is no parking available close by.  The Church is actually a rented house that has been converted to serve as a Church.  I was immediately drawn to a petite smiling woman who serves as the Relief Society President of this branch.  She looked up at me and asked me to share some of my height with her.  She is around four and a half feet tall, me, I am 5’7”.  She taught the lesson in Relief Society and throughout the lesson she asked, “Sister Mower, can you expound on this topic”.  Every time I would have to ask her to please repeat the question in English.  I try to keep it short and simple, because of the language issue.

Karen & Joy

It was especially warm Sunday and with no breeze even from the spinning fans, it was good to get in the air conditioned truck.  We were asked to take a newly baptized older couple home.  The couple (who are in their 70’s), three of their grandchildren and a missionary along with George and me squeezed into the truck and off we went.  We traveled for what seemed a long time and the further we went, the road kind of disappeared.  I questioned if it was legal to be driving in the area; there were no tire marks.  They kept assuring us it was okay through our interpreter the missionary.  Finally we came to a steep grassy hill planted with banana trees and were cautioned to be careful not to hit the trees.  George and I looked at each other and the family agreed to navigate the last leg of their trip home on foot.

Sugar cane field road

Rosie is a courageous example of trying to help her family.  She brought her five children to Church for a month before the missionaries started teaching them the gospel.  Because of the distance she walked an hour each way for the teaching sessions (the missionaries said barefoot).  Thursday evening we witnessed her marriage to her sweetheart and father of her children.  She looked radiant in an ivory dress and pearl necklace.  Rickie the soon to be husband wore a traditional Philippine untucked ivory shirt.  No rings were exchanged.  Later we witnessed the baptism of Rosie and four of her children (8 to 15 years old).  I was drawn to her four year old daughter; a serious young girl.  The wedding started an hour late because the Bishop performing the ceremony was delayed.  She sat quietly on the row in front of us and watched George and me (we are an oddity).

A marriage & baptism with Elders Meek and Varsovia

Today is All Saints’ Day in the Philippines, a national holiday.  This celebration is to honor saints; their examples are to remind us how we’re supposed to live.  Here people often go to cemeteries to honor their deceased loved ones bringing food and flowers and visiting with family.  A lady we met today, said it is like a family reunion.  We go grocery shopping on Saturdays, and today was the perfect day to go as I think everyone was at the cemetery.  Halloween was not celebrated in our neighborhood but the stores had candies and plastic pumpkins for sale.  A friend told me malls celebrate and we did see some children dressed up.  Tomorrow is All Souls’ Day a day of prayer for all souls.

Cutest witches we've ever seen!

Man on carabao pulling a sled with fruit and a child in Colonia Divina

Child in sled totally ignoring us trying to take her picture

Sunday, October 26, 2014

At the end of August we attended a special sacrament meeting along with eighteen investigators in Gawahon at the local elementary school.  This area is near Victorias and north of Bacolod up in the mountains.  Yesterday we were invited to a baptism in the river.  Investigators are now accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ!  We have been to wonderful baptisms in rivers before, but I think if I would have known where we would be hiking (in leather shoes that have grown much too big), I may have reconsidered.  I have a little fear of heights but after climbing a bamboo ladder to get to a narrow cement wall that had a twenty foot drop to rocks and water and then climbing down another bamboo ladder I thought, I can do this.  I expected to find a well worn trail, but instead we trekked through green dense foliage and at time rocks (to avoid water).  Okay I made it, but then the challenge came!  We gingerly walked on rocks and boulders in the river to make our way to the baptismal spot—in the middle of the river!  When I found a rock that I felt was secure, I turned around looking where we had come from to realize. .at some point we will be going back! Hmmmmm.

Baptism in middle of river--everyone sitting or standing on a rock

One of the member’s 14-year old granddaughter was baptized and a 70 plus year old man (who held my hand and helped me get back).  The entire service was held at the river.  Hymn books were brought and we sang, there were talks and after the baptisms, the newest members bore their humble testimonies.  I looked around and could never imagine being so blessed to have this experience.

Baptism setting

Business as usual for everyone else--children playing, people washing clothing in the background

Sister Scadlock waves--you can see the ladder, walk across bridge

We had a long day Friday when we started before 6 am and didn’t return home until night.  We visited areas where missionaries don’t often get visits. .Lopez Jaena, Dian-Ay and then Minapasok. We then continued on to areas where roads are often dirt or should I say mud.  

Crude bridge leading 'up the mountain' to Colonia Divina (you guessed it:  Divine Colony)

Shortly after we arrived in the Philippines we traveled to Colonia Divina with another couple.  At that time there were two missionaries in this area and when we visited Church there were around fifty people attending.  Now there are six missionaries and they are holding meetings in Colonia Divina, Alimatoc and Sewahon.   Colonia Divina now has over 100 people regularly coming to Church on Sunday.  

Condition of the roads for much of the trip (our blue truck is brown!)

Our first stop was Sewahon.  There are no street signs or markers, so we would often stop to ask if we are on the right dirt road and feel relived after saying the name of the place we are heading and the kind person smiles and says Oo (yes in Illongo) and points in the direction we are going in ;-).

 The biggest vehicle wins--in this case we backed up 2-300 yards to a clearing

The next two stops were not so easy.  The rain came and a bus broke down in front of us; it is difficult to maneuver on poured concrete roads—only 8-10 feet wide.  And when you are on a single lane road and you meet a sugar cane truck or bus, the smaller vehicle is obligated to backup to an area where they can safely pull aside to allow passage of the bigger vehicle.  The distance required to backup would be as much as a quarter of a mile or so, on a very narrow road that drops off 2-3 feet on each side.  If one were to accidently drop off one of the edges—it would take significant assistance to get out.

The caraboa wins here too--if you look closely you can see the rope stretched from other side of road

As we were slowly driving up a steep muddy hill with growing streams of water because of the heavy rain and no cell service, a large imposing carabao stretched the rope across the road that was keeping him from wandering, making it impossible for us to pass.  He did casually glance at us, but he was not about to move.  We could either try to drive by—at the risk of pulling the VERY BIG caribou into the truck or go back down the road.  In the end we backed down the road until we were able to turn around.  We found out later, that was the wrong road.  We felt someone very high up was looking out for us that day.

They offered to let us ride, but we settled for a gentle pat