I have just fallen in love with Filipino children. Aren't they beautiful? And they are bright too. I love to teach songs to them because they learn so fast. 

I think this is about as pretty as it gets. This is a rice paddy in Bohol. I don't know if people actually live in that shelter out in the middle of it, but they could.  

Public transportation...very efficient and affordable...a ride only costs 6 pesos, about 12 cents. The owners are very creative in decorating them, don't you think? 

Carabao are valued farm animals in this country. I wonder if these boys see what an adventure they are having, or if it's just work for them. 

The most common mode of transportation...these small motorcycles. As you can see, there are some advantages! 

This is Lony Tupas, our "househelp". She cooks, cleans and does the laundry. Her work week is Monday through Friday eight hours a day. She loves to cook and makes the food look pretty fancy. She's a tiny thing...maybe 5 feet tall. We couldn't do any better at finding a person to work for us. 

Our living room, dining room and kitchen, all in one. There are three balconies, two from this room, where the curtains are to the right and straight ahead. It's small, but very nice. Since this picture was taken the old drapes on the upper level have been replaced with vertical blinds, which look much better. 

Here's the kitchen in our condo. I love the marble countertops, but I don't love that there is no room around the sink!  

At the welcoming parties, each congregation in the stake performed a native dance or song, all done in colorful costumes. We just couldn't believe they would put forth so much effort to welcome us! Filipinos, we're discovering, are very hospitable and generous even though they don't have much. 

We were warmly greeted in the Philippines by three different welcome parties sponsered by different areas. This welcome sign is made with bamboo, if you can't tell. Also on the stage that night was one side of a nipa hut. Beautiful workmanship. They wanted to send it home with us, but alas, no where to store such a large item! 

No wonder we have electrical problems! Not an uncommon sight around here...in fact, some wiring is much worse. 

Here I am holding the smallest monkey in the world, a Tarsier (pronounced Tar-sheer). They live on the island of Bohol, which is part of our mission. 

This is Cebu, a city of about 2-1/2 million people, taken from a mountain above the city known as "Top". The island in the background is Mactan Island, where the airport is. Mactan Island is also where Magellan was killed. It's also a great place to scuba dive (so we've heard...haven't tried it yet!). 

I did the writing backwards here, so refer to the picture below for an explanation of this bamboo scaffolding. The railing is on the stairway to our second story, where the bedrooms are. We love the view from these large windows. 

Awhile ago workers came to the condo to clean the two big aircon units that cool most of the house. Because of the stairs, it was about impossible to get a ladder up so they could reach their work, so after surveying the situation, they showed up with bamboo and made their own scaffolding. We find Filipinos to be quite creative in getting the work done. 

Here is Leonard with Bernadette Stokes. I don't know where Gary had gone when we took the picture, but we had to take it right then, as people were ready to eat. That pig disappeared so fast! We knew Gary and Bernadette in Bremerton...they lived on Callahan Drive and our kids delivered papers to them for about 15 years. A couple of years ago they sold their house and moved everything here to the Philippines. They live about 30-45 minutes away and we've enjoyed visiting with them quite often. They have built a very nice home...in fact, they have a regular compound with living quarters for all their workers, a shop and an office. 

Lechon baboy (roast pig) is one of the favorite foods Filipinos prepare to celebrate. This was our first experience tasting it. The meat was tender, but very fatty. Filipinos love to eat fat, though. I can't figure out why they stay so thin! 

This is our newest "batch" of missionaries...all 7 Filipinos. They are eager to get to work, and most of them will have to learn Visayan. All of our Filipino missionaries show so much respect and are very polite.  

Elder Crespo and Elder Pittard show off their new barongs, made by the "mission" tailor, Domings. He makes amazing slacks with extra deep pockets, custom fit. Leonard just got three barongs made, and also three pair of slacks. It costs about $8 US for the slacks! Less for barongs. Elder Pittard is one of the assistants to the President. He's from Caldwell, ID and his father works with our oldest son, Kent at Simplot. Elder Crespo is the mission recorder. Outstanding young men, and it's a delight to work with them. 

February Posts

February 11 & 12 we attended Talisay Stake Conference. Elder & Sister Tey were here from Manila, along with the Temple President and Matron, President and Sister Nelson. After conference they had quite awhile before their plane left so we invited them to the condo and had lunch together. It was wonderful visiting with them. This picture is my first attempt at using the timer so we could all be in the picture. Elder Teh taught me how. It's so simple, I can't believe I've never even tried it! 

February Posts

February 11 and 12 we attended Talisay Stake Conference. The visiting authority was Elder Teh, an Area 70. His wife was along, and also the Temple President and Matron, Pres & Sister Nelson. After conference they had a lot of time until their flight to Manila, so we had them come to the condo and we had lunch together. We enjoyed their company.