Laguna - Flooded with Relief

 

 

In several areas we saw the effects of the floods and water from the lake surrounding 

many homes.

On Aug 23, 2012, two trucks full of 1,500 hygiene and food kits headed toward Laguna, followed by a van full of very naive senior missionaries!

Just before we arrived at the Siniloan Chapel, we experiences our first flooded roadway

 where the trucks had to drive very slowly.

Marbitac was our first of four stops.  Over a thousand people had been waiting for almost

 two hours for us to arrive.

Elder DuPaix went to great lengths to document all that was happening!

When we finally began handing out the kits, torrential rains began again and pounded the 

metal roofing.  It was hard to hear the heartfelt"Maraming Salamat" and "Many thanks" 

that came from these humble people.

This young man was trying his hand at fishing! I don't think he was having much luck!

Waiting for the food trucks to make their way around a flooded roadway to our second stop.

Even a disaster didn't stop these little boys from playing on the railing while they were 

waiting for the kits to be handed out!

These are the most patient people I know. They were all lined up in straight lines just 

waiting and waiting for some supplies.  I'm so glad we got to be here to help.

This is the third place we stopped.

This man and his little child were suppose to be able to get food at our second stop.  

He missed the distribution but since the food was so needed he rode his bike, with his little 

child, to the next town. He rode twelve miles in between the towns so he could turn in his ticket

 for his food and hygiene kits.

A dad will do all he can to take care of his family!

We got to meet Sis. Augustine in Laguna.  Her dad is one of our Area 70 and he was at 

one of our Public Affairs trainings just a few weeks before.  It was fun to get to meet

 his cute daughter.

Our greatest joy as we drove away was that even though there were still many in need, 

many received some food and other aid that day.

GMA Kapuso Foundation - Wheelchairs

 We had the most amazing, emotional experience we have ever had.  We got to attend an event sponsored by a local TV station where applications were taken for people who needed 

wheelchairs.  They were then evaluated and if they could be helped, they were invited to

 come. Here they were measured and fitted for either new chairs or given chairs when they 

had never had them before.  This was done in partnership of GMA, LDS Charities, 

and the Philippines Marine Corp.

 Jerry was one of the first fitted.  He had polio when he was young and now he is 42.  

 He runs a little shop next to the TV station where his 14 year old son helped him 

until he passed away of leukemia in April.  Jerry was so happy. I asked if he was 

always smiling and he said yes.

Jean Rose and Regine are eleven and seven-year-old sisters who both suffer from CP.  Jean Rose had an old ill fitting wheelchair, so both girls had hopes of going home with new ones.  Jean Rose was measured quickly and was so excited as they sat her in a new standard wheelchair.

Regine was fitted for an intermediate chair that would give support to her head.  It has to

 be made especially for her so after they measured her, they sat her back in her mom’s lap. 

 Regine was heart broken because she thought she wasn't going to get a chair.  We all cried

 when we saw how upset she was. They went and got her a chair to take home until hers is 

ready. She was so excited! 

 

 Landrico's brother in law put rollers on a chair for him.  It was wonderful to see him
fitted with his own wheelchair.

 When we weren’t tearing up, we were smiling!

Fifteen-year-old Matthew is the oldest of seven children. He was born by normal delivery, 

but when his mother brought him home she discovered he had a shunt in his head and was

 having seizures.  The doctors didn’t know what his prognosis would be. His mom said she 

took him to church every Friday, and when he was six years old, he finally began to crawl. 

At six and a half, he learned to sit up, and between seven and eight, he began to walk. 

 As he grew, the weight of his upper body increased his need for a wheelchair.  When he 

was assessed, they were excited to find that he had enough mobility that they were able to 

give him a walker.  Matthew was so excited that he immediately took off on his thin little 

 legs; he was so wobbly that he almost fell.  He was immediately measured for a 

wheelchair, but was also able to take the walker so that he would not lose the mobility 

that he had already gained. What a beautiful smile he has on his face!

Mark Ronald has muscular distrophy and has been cared for by his grandfather since 

he was young. Two years ago he was able to go to college and major in graphic arts. 

Then in December he had a stroke.  This wheelchair was so necessary for him to function.

 This is one of the most tender experiences we have had so far.  What amazing stories these wonderful people have!

           

Angona Petroglyphs and Tak Tak Falls

 Our first zone outing since we arrived was away from Manila.  We drove along the Pasig River and saw the very poor.  Many of these little homes are still filled with water.  Someone said, "Their homes float away in the floods and as soon at they can find something to make a wall or roof, they put up another little shack.  Maybe something that belonged to a neighbor.  Maybe something better, maybe worse.  Until the next flood comes and it floats away again."

 In many barangay, they are very happy to have running, potable water.  There is sometimes a community pump where everyone comes and fills their bottles and buckets so they have water for the day.

 Don't you just love Senior Missionaries!  Everyone is pointing out something 

for someone else to see!  It was a beautiful view of Angona though!

 Our chapels are beautiful.  You can just see the white roof of our chapel here!

 We saw the very poor then on top of this hill, we saw some beautiful homes.  

Here you see the beautiful landscaping around the veranda of one of those homes.

 We went to see the Angona Petroglyphs.  They are the oldest found in the Philippines.

Here are about half of the couples in our Zone.  The two Sisters in the front are the 

only single missionaries in our Zone.

 Finally!  My very first trike ride.  I didn't last on the back very long though as I made 

the trike "bottom" heavy and I had to move to the side and ride behind the driver!

 "Turtle or lizard" - Holes in the stone are make by birds.

 "Adult and Child" - These were found by some scouts on an overnight camp. 

 They excavated underneath and found stone tools. 

 We left there and went to Tak Tak Falls. We decided to take the "walking" path next to the 

would be easier on our "elderly knees.'  

 

What a mistake!  The path was covered with

 slippery moss and we had to hang on for dear life!  I thought I was

 going to do the splits here!

 The falls were very beautiful!

 We had a wonderful picnic lunch then headed back to the city! We sat by 

Elder and Sis. Fleming who are in Angi's Ward in Cochrane, AB, Canada!

 It looks like Roger is standing in front of a picture but it's real!!!

As we left the Tak Tak Falls, we found that we were right at home!  

They were located in Barongay De La Paz! (Our name in Spanish!)

A Day in the Life...

 E. Bird, S. Hadlock, E. Hadlock, S. Bird, E. DuPaix, S. DuPaix is photographer!

Good Morning!  We live in an Apt. tower that has 40 floors.  It is strange to have to 

go up and down an elevator to get to your apt!!!  Three couples who work at the 

Philippines Administration Office (PAO) live in our same tower.  We all have parking 

underground and all go in a different times.  One morning we were all on the same 

elevator at the same time. This is also amazing in that there are 

four different elevators!!!

Off to work driving on EDSA. It is a 8-10 lane divided highway which the drivers often make 

into 12 lanes!  It is 6 miles to work and we can usually get there in 10-15 mins.  Now we 

also take EDSA home but you have to go round about so it is 10 miles home and takes 

30-45 mins to get there! We always know that road to turn on because of this monument!

This is the first sight we see as we get to work!  The Manila Temple is so beautiful.  

This picture was actually taken one evening when we stayed late packing food kits. 

The sun comes up so early that we never see the lights on the Temple in the morning!

Our Public Affairs Office! The door on the right is ours.  It is one of the only "secure" 

places, once you get into the building, so you must have the "Key" or be let in!!! I'm standing 

by a tarpoline (no I did not say trampoline!) These are very popular here in the Philippines 

as a great way to get your message out.  This one is to remind everyone to check out our 

new mormonnewsroom.ph!  If you haven't done so, please go there today!  Elder DuPaix 

wrote the article about the Calamity meeting and we also took the pictures!

We often get to work close to 7am so we have a few minutes to check emails, make 

some calls and do some skyping!  It was fun to talk with you Meri!!!

One day we were talking about shoes and how we were suppose to wear "closed toed"

 shoes as the dress code in the PAO.  Our poor little director was shocked as she had never 

heard that direction.  The next day she came and showed us her cute "closed toed" shoes! 

 We had to prove that none of us had dress code violations so we took a picture to prove it! 

It's good to be able to have fun at work!!!

One of Elder DuPaix's assignments is to send out exhibits to different wards and stakes.  

Here he is presenting a New Building Openhouse booklet to a Stake Public Affairs Director.  

Her name is Pink! Notice pink shoes, blouse, and purse!!!

So...since Elder DuPaix has the assignment of exhibits, he thought it might be a good idea to 

see what all these boxes contained before he had them sent all over the Philippines!  He did
a great job of repairing and getting copies of what each exhibit contained.  He was glad he 

wore his work clothes that day as this room gets pretty dirty!

Another thing we do very often is have meetings in our conference room.  Interesting - 

Sis. Bird and Sis. DuPaix are wearing shawls and sweaters!  This was the coldest room in 

the whole building but now we have it fixed!!!  Sometimes we even say we are too warm!

Sometimes we even invite other departments to meet with us.  Haidi, Sis. DuPaix and

 Elder DuPaix are on the right side of the table.  Here we were planning the Calamity 

meeting of which Elder DuPaix wrote about in the mormonnewsroom.ph  Be sure to 

check it out!