Family Week and Family History Exhibits

September was a busy month as it is "Family Week". There was too much to be
containedin one week so it turned into "Family Month"! Elder DuPaix quickly
learned how tosend out displays, AND how to get them back because you have to
send a separate orderfor the forwarders to do the work. It all went smoothly though! 
We were involve in severalmajor events. Cavite held the first Family History Exhibit
of the month in their SM Mall.
We, Haidi, and the Birds all went up to celebrate the event.

Elder and Sister Bird and Elder and Sister DuPaix wearing our new
"Mormon Helping Hands" polos!

There was a parade early in the days a kids from several schools marched in it! 

 They all wore their school colors and looked so cute!

The parade was follow by a program. Our Public Affairs director, Haidi, was asked,

spur of the moment, to address the crowd!  She did a great job! After the speakers, 

a group of youth from one of the Wards did a Filipino dance.

The Exhibit open with a ribbon cutting and was well attended. They had computers 

available so people could actually look up their ancestors and these folks were the
 main support group!

Before we left the mall,
Elder Bird even found 

a great sign for him and
 Elder DuPaix!

Our next event was the actual Family Week Celebration which was hosted this year by 

our own city, Mandaluyong! Haidi met us and the Birds during the Parade then we
went to the city center for a wonderful program!

There were VIP's from government, lots of speakers, musical performances and 

they gave some presentations to outstanding families.

My favorite dance was this "Bird" dance performed by a group of deaf dancers. 

They were so graceful, that they really looked like birds in flight. 

Very beautiful.

Our mayor - Benhur Abalos. He gave a great presentation on the accomplishments 

of the people of our city.

Next activity was our Family History Exhibit at the Mall of Asia - 

the biggest Mall in the Philippines.

They also had a parade and exhibit opening but Elder and I

 only got to go for a short time.

We worked with DSWD and Famnet to plan our first annual
National Family Conference. 

It was held in the Buendia Chapel and everyone was so impressed with our facility. 

They couldn't believe that this chapel is 50 years old, the first LDS Chapel 

built in the Philippines!

We did a presentation on being prepared and talked about 72 hour kits. We worked
really hard to fill these backpacks with everything that was needed, then we
gave them away! What a GRAND PRIZE!

We got to one last event held in the Fairview Mall. We met up with Elder and Sis. Hatch 

who are our Family History missionaries - specialists for the whole Philippines.  

They are away training more than they are here at our Family History Center!

 We were there for the ribbon cutting to open up the exhibit and they asked 

Elder DuPaix and Elder Hatch to help their honored guests.

We are very excited about the Family History Exhibits as that will be our big 

emphasis in 2013 and we hope to have many exhibits all around the Philippines.

 For more information about Family History and The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, you may check out:
MormonNewsroom.ph
or go to:

http://www.mormonnewsroom.ph/article/family-history-library

 http://www.mormonnewsroom.ph/article/lds--rotary-showcase-family-history-exhibit-in-sm-malls

http://www.mormonnewsroom.ph/article/church-features-family-history-exhibit-in-sm-taytay

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!)