Week 12 - March 26
Monday - We have FHE every other Monday in the Area Office in the Conference Room. It is potluck and always a really good dinner. There are usually around 15 Senior Missionary Couples that attend. We were the presenters that night. Steve put together a nice Power Point of our family and activities at home and then we talked about the Addiction Recovery Program of the Church and our work in it and shared our journey with Kyle.
Tuesday - Jesse from Fleet took us to go get our Filipino Driver’s License, it was quite interesting. There is a Catholic Chapel right there at the DMV. Prior to going the DMV, we stopped by a medical clinic to get an eye exam.
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| Getting our eye's checked for our Driver's License |
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| Jesse at the Counter |
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| Jesse showing me pictures of his 4 daughters |
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| Lunch at Rustic Mornings |
Sunday - It was Easter and conference at home. We went to church and were then invited to the Kaneen’s for dinner with the new Self-Reliance couple from Caldwell, the Gabarielson's. It was a wonderful dinner of chicken and mashed potatoes.
Week 13 -April 2
Monday - It was kind of a quiet week as all our bosses were still in SLC receiving training after conference. We are in our new office and finally after 3 months I have a computer. We are now able to get ourselves organized as we have a busy week next week.
Tuesday - We had our ARP meeting in Manila. Some of our patients are dropping out but the ones still coming are really starting to open up. We had dinner at Catsu Sora with the Stroud’s and their family that are in town and the McIver’s. The Japanese Catsu is really good.
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| Sister Bausing in the red |
Wednesday - We went to dinner with the VW’s at Mama Lou's, a really good Italian restaurant. We had to finish it up with a peach mango pie from Jollibee’s. I don’t think we will ever eat any of their mystery foods that they serve there but the peach mango pie is so good. Almost my favorite thing here so far.
Thursday - Sunday - It was a slow week with our leaders still in Salt Lake. We left the office early on Friday because no one was there. Saturday morning we met at the Dental Office to meet the Whitehead’s daughter and son-in-law then went to S&R with the Tuckers. I went shopping at Greenhills with Karen Tucker and Gay Ferney. Sunday we had the Kaneen’s over for a waffle breakfast and watched conference.
Week 14 - April 9
Monday- We drove to work and noticed the traffic was very lite. I told Steve “I could drive in this”. Then when we got to the Area Office the gate was closed, we walked to the front door of the office and it was locked. We found another way in and no one was in the office and all the lights were out. We were a bit slow to catch on but after an hour or so with no returned e-mails we decided to go home. We stopped for gas and asked the attendant what was going on. He told us it was a holiday “National day of Valor”. Who knew? We drove back to the office in the evening for FHE. I really enjoy those potluck dinners, people are so creative and bring different dishes each time. I had fairly good luck with a potato salad, all the cooking and baking here in the Philippines is an experiment. You win a few and loose a few. The Idos's presented at FHE, we had a fun night of Karaoke I do love my 70’s music.
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| The Elders singing "Ye Elders of Israel" |
Tuesday - We went to Devotional. I love the employee choir, they sang a medley of Primary Songs about Jesus. We then drove to Manila to meet with our ARP Group there. We had 8 show up and presented Step 6. Our participants are really opening up. Roliver jumped up to offer the closing prayer. Sister Soleta said he gave a beautiful prayer. We drove home in quite a rain storm. At home when it rains everyone goes inside, here when it rains everyone runs out into the streets to play. You could give them a bar of soap and they would use it as a shower. It was fun to watch.
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| These picture don't begin to describe how much rain there is |
Thursday - We got up at 2:30 in the morning and headed for the airport. This was our first time driving ourselves to the airport. Of course the traffic isn’t too bad that time of morning but it is tricky trying to follow Waze. It will direct to stay right and then when you do, right splits and you have to choose to go up onto a flyover or down on the service road. Sometimes if you take the flyover Waze thinks you are down below on the service road and then directs you to turn left. We just look at the road below us and comment “We are suppose to be down there”. You then have to look for a U-Turn slot which sometimes is hard to find, and when we did we ended up on a Toll Road. As we went through Steve misread the sign and we ended up in the Electronic Pay Booth instead of the Cash Only booth. That is not a good thing to do around here. He had to surrender his Driver’s License and pull over. No problem though the lady came out and was very nice to us and handed Steve back his license and told us to watch for the Cash window. Who knows maybe now Steve’s Drivers License is flagged for being disobedient or something, all you can do is try. We flew into Iloilo and were picked up by Service Missionaries who do so much work for the ARP program. They took us to the church where there was a graduation of about 22 recoveries. The ceremony started with a Video Song Number called “The Power of Love”, the men sang the words in English and it was so beautiful. We were on the stage as honored guests (as if we have done one thing for these men) but I couldn’t help but turn around and witness them singing. All in white t-shirts pumping their fists to their hearts and raising their arms in unison as they sang of hope and change. It was so moving and amazing to witness. It bears witness to me of the possibility of all things and the importance of the lives of each of these men. The Pulis (Police) were there to show support of their efforts in recovery. 5 of the Police Officers preformed 3 different rap type numbers complete with guitars and beautiful voices. Thankfully they sang in Hiligaynon or I probably would have been crying uncontrollably. Three of them stood and bore testimony (and the government program they just completed calls it that) about their experience and gratitude for the program and for the help. The Sollesta’s took us to yet another wonderful restaurant in Iloilo (there is no end to their surprises for us) and then we flew home.
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| 22 graduated, the Group Leaders in Iloilo are so wonderful |
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| Nothing like support from the Rapping Police Officers, they were really good. |
**Friday - We went to Denny’s for breakfast and then drove to Bataan for another graduation (3rd day for graduations in a row). We were in the province of Dinalupihan. Sister Lucila another wonderful Service Missionary from that area went with us to the graduation. It was held in the same location we went to in late January. Mayor Gila in that area is working with the Dangerous Drug Board and other organizations to provide this rehab facility for the drug surrenderers. They take 50 at a time and then have a graduation ceremony at the end of 30 days. This was the perfect one to be invited to attend. The first hour was an hour long mass preformed by a Catholic priest. Unfortunately not a lot of TagLish spoken so we didn’t understand much. After that was over a motorcade of many large white vans drove in with police officers and a 3 Star General. Out of the first van came about 20 women Police Officers all dressed in skin tight white capris wearing 6 inch stilettos, and blue t-shirts with white sashes draped across them. The Filipino women are so beautiful, who knew they were Police Officers/Beauty Contestants. Then out came the queen with her diamond (or Rhine stone) Tiara and sash that read “Queen” (Queen of what? I was not sure). Anyway soon they were laying out tape measures, hammers, wrenches, tool belts and other equipment. As these gentlemen are going through Rehab they also have classes on welding, pipe fitting, and other skill related jobs so they will have meaningful employment. 3 men stood up to give testimony’s. The first gentleman spoke about how he didn’t want to go through this treatment at first but soon caught the vision and was grateful for the program. Tears were streaming down his face and you could feel his change. It was similar with the other two. Then the men all got up and walked out into what little space was left in the parking lot to sing us the song they wrote about their recovery. Then they did a Zumba dance to the 60’s song Diana. Honestly is was so good and amazing to witness. Then they walked through to get their certificates while Mayor Gila handed their family members 2000 pesos ($40.00) to start their new life). They played Kenny Rogers "Through the Years in the background ", (I loved it, go 70”s music, it just never gets old). An update on the gentleman I wrote about in February and posted a picture of. Vert came through the program several months ago and loved it so much and wants so badly to be clean for him and his family he came back to volunteer as a facilitator. We learned that he is now being compensated for his time by two different organizations so his family can get by until they can pay him a regular wage. We were lucky enough to meet his wife and children. Sister Lucila treated us to a wonderful dinner at The Beanery with Mango Shakes, a delicious Asian Salad, Hot Sandwich, and Blueberry Cheesecake. The Service Missionaries are something else, we are treated so well by them. It was a nice commute home, the country up north is beautiful and a bit mountainous and has a feel of home. Sister Lucila said “Sister Browne, you could drive in that”.
Saturday - We went up to the office and Steve worked on our ARP Presentation for some training we were doing in Cabuyao. I went to the MRC, put on the CBS Grammy show honoring Elton John and sewed some pants for myself for a few hours. Tawna called while I was sewing and it just felt normal. We went home and had dinner at Outback.
Sunday - We traveled to Cabuyao to orient a Stake Presidency on ARP. It was a nice drive and they were all so kind to us. We met a missionary from Idaho, Bridger Blakeslee. He has family in Meridian that we know. Small World in the church in the Philippines.
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| Elder Blakeslee from Idaho Falls |
Week 14 -April 16
Monday - We went with the Stroud’s to Mabuhay because there was a team in from BYU working to make prosthetic legs for some 30 hopeful patients. The patients were measured on Monday and the students worked all day Tuesday and Wednesday into the night to provide these new legs. We had a fun dinner at the Tucker’s with Stroud’s, Whitehead’s, and VW’s for Sister VW's Birthday.
Tuesday - We attended Devotional then drove to Manila with Jairus for Step 7 with our group. Steve met a new friend. We had dinner at Italiano’s for a farewell to the Adam’s.
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| This gentleman stopped to talk with Steve to tell him his sister was a member of the church. |
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| These women saw these men out talking in front of the church and told them their home had burned down and they wanted some rice. Steve gave them some dried mangoes but they wanted rice. Later they came into our ARP meeting and Jairus gave them some money to go buy rice. |
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| Dinner at Italiono's |
Wednesday - Maligayang bati, Happy Birthday to Steve. We went to Mabuhay for our Wednesday visit. I had the lesson and taught the kids about butterflies. We had cake in the office for Steve and then dinner at TGI Friday’s with Stroud’s, Kaneen’s, VW’s, and Tucker’s. It was a good Birthday for him.
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| Birthday Dinner at Friday's |
Thursday - We went to Mabuhay to see some of the progress with the BYU students and watched some of the patients walk on their new legs.
Friday - Quiet day in the office. We went home early had dinner at TGI Friday’s and peach mango pie for desert. Evening of Netflix.
Saturday - We had our Senior Outing that Steve and I are now in charge of. We went to Art In Island, an optical illusion museum. We had a great lunch at an Italian Restaurant. We went to a movie with the McIver’s, A Quiet Place (terrible movie but always comfortable with popcorn and recliners).
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| Elliots's, Kaneen's, Browne's, Lee's, Stinchfiled's, and Fleichel's |
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| If everybody had an ocean.... |
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| Who thinks this stuff up? |
Sunday - At church we met a woman who was visiting the Philippines for work from Arizona. We took her on a bit of a tour and showed her Eastwood, the Area Office and the Temple. She was so grateful that we showed her around. After all the help we received when we first got here it was nice to return the favor.
Week 15 - April 23
Monday - We got our teeth cleaned in the Dental Office, what a nice service to provide. We met with the Area Mental Health Specialist (a full time missionary) to see if we could work together to offer ARP to some of his struggling patients. We learned that our boss Jairus has a new position so it should be interesting to see how that unfolds. Family Home Evening was presented by the Eckerts’s who are the nurses at the MTC. They will be leaving for home soon.
Tuesday - We traveled to San Pedro with the McIver’s to talk to the county officials about a Comfort Room (Bathroom) project for a school that has 5,600 students. We were also allowed to share what we have to offer through ARP and expect to be invited back so we can help some surrenderers in that area. We had dinner at Italiano’s with the McIver’s and Stroud’s to meet their daughter and son-in-law visiting from Utah. They brought us some things from home including letters from Kimberlee’s kids, it was so fun to read them . They even sent a box of Good and Plenty, there is no black licorice in this country.
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| The school in San Pedro that is asking for CR's (Comfort Rooms or Bathrooms) |
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| Checking out the land the CR's will be built on |
Wednesday - I went to Mabuhay in the morning, slow day.
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Ren-Ren was born with club feet and walked on her knees for 14 years.
Her feet are now repaired and she is at home and walking for the first time in her life. |
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Cara is so sweet and her dad adores her. Her condition is difficult with
a double cleft palate, she has heart problems as well. |
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| The boy on the left is 12 and was so malnourished they had to wait to do his surgery |
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| Jackie Faith and Aisa, we love these girls. |
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| Audrey |
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| Audrey and Reneil. Reneil is at home now. |
Thursday - We had a meeting with Jairus and the Director of the Philippine Mental Health Association. We are hoping to put together a project for some Street Children in Quezon City. We had our first class for Semester 3 for Pathway Connect. They are studying English and Writing this Semester. I was asked by Judith, one of our students, to be her speaking partner.( they are always looking for speaking partners if anyone is interested, you can do it through skype of FB Messenger) She will practice her English with me every Monday morning for a half hour.
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| Philippine Mental Heath Staff |
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