June 13 on the way back to Cebu

June 13, 2007

After a wonderful visit to Buanoy High School, we dropped off the elders and headed back to Cebu. It was a beautiful, clear day with wonderful clouds. We decided to visit "TOPS" on the way home. It is a picnic, view point and reception area on the top of a mountain overlooking Cebu. We took many, many pictures. These are only two from Tops and then one more from a Memorial Park - that we mistook for a restaurant based on the name. No one else was there and the views were lovely. I stood under the wire tower and looked up - with my camera!

June Science Project in Balamban

June 13, 2007

Bob and I delivered donated science equipment to the Buanoy National High School in Balamban. Our friend, President Cajocson of the Toledo District, is a science teacher there. He was quite excited about our coming and met with Elders Santos and Orpia (had them over for dinner) on Tuesday night to make sure the arrangements were clear. The Elders were to meet us in front of the entrance to a big shipyard - a place we all knew. They were waiting for us when we drove up and we drove right to the high school - no problem finding it. (Because the Sunday before, Bob and I had found it and visited the site ahead of time!)

The guard at the gate was expecting us and welcomed us. Children were everywhere! High School here is for students ages 12 - 16 or 17. They go to high school directly from elementary school. The school has 1800 students. 600 are first year and about 250 are 4th year. Less than 1/2 of those who graduate from elementary school complete high school, and only about 15% of those go on to college....

We met President Cajocson (pronounced coke sone) and he took us to the library to meet the principle, Mr. Misael G. Borgonia. We delivered the supplies - microscope, test tubes, bunsen burners, stethoscopes and blood pressure cuffs etc. After photos and shaking hands all around and then with many students - especially by the missionaries who saw five members of Balamban 1 Branch and several of their friends who come to Church with the members, we left for a lovely drive home.

We were delighted to be able to participate in this project and thankful for the opportunity.

April visit to Polumbato

Just after Dad put his camera away, at least 20 more people came and really filled up this little meeting house!

Sunday, April 29, 2007

We drove up to Bogo again and then continued on to Polumbato – a branch opened a few months ago in an area north and west of Bogo. The branch meets in a newly-renovated house – clean and neat, but small for the more than 60 members who attended. About half are new members of the Church; the rest are former members who have come back into activity. Bob spoke in Sacrament meeting and also taught the Gospel Doctrine class. At the end of Sacrament meeting, the Branch President announced that “Sister Hamson will take the Primary today!”

Fortunately I always take supplies and have prepared a lesson in advance because this has happened before. In this case, the Primary President had just been called the previous week and had, as yet, not received any Primary materials – no lesson manuals etc. She is the mother of 11 children and very excited about her calling, but had no clue what to do. She had brought some pictures from the Liahona and planned to talk about them. Instead, I did sharing time – with lots and lots of singing – the only song the children knew was “I Am A Child of God.” We had fun learning “I Know My Father Lives” and others and singing some actions songs, even “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” in Cebuano.

The big challenge was the large number of children in a very small room – about 25 children in a low-ceiling room about 8 feet square. We could not get enough chairs in the room for all the children so they had to sit two to a chair – and willingly did so. 10 of the children were visitors; their parents were investigating the Church.

All seemed to go well – I had enough pencils and papers for all to draw – and except for the sauna-like atmosphere of the room, it was a wonderful experience. At times, the Primary President translated for me as few of the children understood English – even though they can read and sing in English….

After taking some pictures, we headed home – savoring the views and the memories. We planned this to be our last time to visit this part of the mission.

Carabio Family

Sunday, April 22, 2007

We took the Platts with us and went up to Bogo to listen to the Southern Philippines Regional Conference broadcast from Salt Lake. Sister Beck, Elder Child, Elder Oaks, and President Hinckley all spoke – along with one other from the Young Men Presidency, whose name I don’t remember. I learned from each talk – both Sister Beck and Elder Oaks talked about scripture study and although I do much of it, I gained some ideas on how to make it more effective. I marvel at President Hinckley’s strength and clarity of mind – what a blessing he is to all of us.

We visited with some of our friends in Bogo, especially the Carabio Family who were one of the early families in the Church in Bogo. We have become especially close to two of the daughters Stephanie and Shefra. Stephanie is about 35 – single returned missionary – she is the District Relief Society President and is very competent and compassionate as well as very pretty….I can’t figure out why she isn’t married…. Shefra is about 28, also a returned missionary and single. She is in the third year of college seeking a degree in nursing. She is in a hospital in Cebu for two years of ‘practicals’ or hands-on experience combined with some classroom instruction. She is the Bogo Branch Primary President. Both Stephanie and Shefra came in the office a couple of weeks ago and visited with me and I gave them most of the training materials I had developed for Relief Society and Primary. I knew they would use them and they seemed happy to get them.

Fun in Lamac

Sunday, March 18, 2007

What a wonderful day! We left home about 6:45 A.M. and drove over the TransCentral Highway with its beautiful views of both the east and west coasts of Cebu Island and picturesque views of the mountains and valleys in between. We then drove down the west coast to the Toledo Elder’s apartment where we dropped off a package for Elder VanderVeen, Zone Funds and rent contracts and payments (all in cash as the banking system on the west coast of the island is not ‘very developed’ yet.) We continued down the west coast to Pinamungahan and then turned east and up into the hills to Lamac. The road had recently been graded and was much better than we remembered.

The members in Lamac always welcome us so warmly – it is a privilege to go there. After attending Relief Society, I taught the older children in Primary. They have a new teacher, but she had nothing prepared and was just going to read them the Manual – any old Primary manual from the looks of things. The Primary President, Sister Pepito, was happy to have me do it and wanted the teacher to watch and get some ideas. I had prepared the lesson that was scheduled for today on The 12 Apostles at the time of Jesus and Today. We had a great time and the children were very cooperative and attentive. The only one who was sad was John Boy, who has now turned 12 and they came and got him to go with the Young Men. He wanted to stay in with us! I had prepared a matching game by enlarging, duplicating and laminating 2 copies of the photos of the 12 Apostles today. We placed the pictures face down on the floor (no table in the room, nor room for one during sharing time when all the children are in the classroom). Apparently they had never played a matching game like this and it took a few turns for them to figure it out. Then they really had fun, thinking they remembered where one was and then laughing if they were wrong and applauding each other when they were right. My goal was to familiarize them with the names and pictures and it turned out to be a fun way to do it.

We also reviewed the difference between a disciple and an apostle and decided which one we were. We sang together and went over the Sixth Article of Faith and read in the New Testament about Jesus calling his Apostles. The class ended all too soon.

They asked Bob and me to speak in Sacrament meeting and we gave very short talks after the assigned speakers – the two elders – finished. I talked about forgiveness. A big thrill in the meeting was to see Brother Morera bless the sacrament from his wheelchair. He has had a wheelchair now for many months and has faithfully been coming to Church and is a much needed Priesthood holder in this small branch. The branch is growing with over 60 in attendance today. They had 12 young women in attendance but only 3 young men and only 5 adult men (not counting Bob and the two missionaries.)

We drove home a new way north up the center of the island on a narrow dirt road. Most of it had been recently graded so it wasn’t bad. We saw beautiful valleys, many rice fields and much rice spread out along the sides of the road to dry. A large lake was over against the hills in one valley, the first lake I have seen except for the ones beneath waterfalls. It looked very inviting until I remembered all the elders’ stories about water snakes. We also saw many men and boys clambering around in the mud and water of one rice paddy. They were wacking the water with large sticks, after snakes? We don’t know.

We began to wonder if we had taken the right road, but after 8 kilometers, we came to a big east-highway and headed east to Naga and then north along the coast (which takes us by way of my favorite road along the Cebu harbor) to home.

Let the little children come...

Sunday, February 4, 2007

We went up over the mountains to Lutopan Branches 1 and 2. When we arrived we saw a cute little girl in scruffy red shorts, a not-quite-clean red top, uncombed hair, huge smile, about four years old who couldn’t be still if she tried, peaking in the window of the Primary room, dancing around outside the door of the meeting house, and playing with other children. I attended Relief Society for the first hour and was quite surprised when I went in to Primary for the second hour. Actually, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Usually there are four or five children. Today there were 15. When we have visited there before, neighborhood ‘street’ children have come to the windows and watched.

This Sunday Bob and Elder Pascua invited them to come in - 12 children – 10 in Primary and 2 YW age – all nonmembers came in for all of Primary. I had prepared the lesson as one sister in the Primary Presidency had a stroke and the other one is ‘missing.’ They memorized the scripture, sang with enthusiasm, and listened intently to the lesson. One boy was so excited that we were learning a scripture in the book of John and his name is John! Near the end of the class, each wrote out the scripture on a piece of paper and then began making a border to decorate the page. We ran out of time so I suggested they take the papers home and finish them as homework. They all ran happily out the door after the prayer as I stayed in to pick up my pictures and crayons. I thought they had gone back outside in the street to play.

Imagine my surprise when I walked down the hall to the Sacrament meeting room and there were all 12 children. 10 were sitting on the right side on the front three rows. The two 12 year-old girls were sitting behind them with other Young Women. Bob and I went and sat by them. The Branch President’s wife sat on the other end of one row by the little, wiggly four-year-old girl. Some one had given them hymnbooks and they seriously looked up the first hymn and then sang, after a little help in learning how to follow the words and music. Several craned around or over in the seats to watch as I showed two boys with my fingers how to read the words of the hymn. They learned quickly and soon all were singing.

They weren’t quite sure what to do during the prayer: stand up, recite after, or what so some did one thing and some another. Then it was time for the Sacrament song and they enjoyed that. They were relatively quiet during the sacrament, but as people got up to share their testimonies so did some of the children. First one, then another, then another headed out to the bathroom. After a few minutes they returned, and then soon, out they would go again. Meanwhile, three or four of the older children listened as if mesmerized. One boy elbowed away any of the children who tried to talk to him; he was listening. Another little boy kept trying to climb up and sit on the same chair with one of the other children, but no one wanted to share a chair with him. He finally sat up on his own chair, hymnbook in hand and was so little that his feet stuck straight out in front of him. As soon as the closing prayer was over, they solemnly shook hands with us, asked if we would be back next week and then raced down the hall and out the door…back to play. We hurried out to get a picture of them with us, before they left.

We stayed for the next three-hour block of meetings and afterwards, when we went out to the car some of the children were they waiting and waving as we drove away.

We left for home with a great feeling of gratitude for the opportunity to be here.

Camen Cove and Dancers

Sunday, January 28, 2006

We left Cebu very early Sunday morning to go to Medillin at the very north end of Cebu Island. We needed to stop by the Sisters' apartment in Carmen to deliver a water filter pump and a case of Books of Mormon in Visayan. We had not been to their apartment before so allowed a little extra time in case we got lost. But, we didn't! The directions from the elders were excellent and we drove right to it. We were delighted to find them up and studying at 7 A.M. What dedicated missionaries we have! (No, they didn't know we were coming!)

Just out of Carmen along the coast there is a lovely little cove that we have seen many times from the highway. I have always wanted to stop and take pictures, but we usually have been in a hurry. This morning we were early so we pulled in to the parking area and took some pictures in the early morning light - what a beautiful, peaceful place.

We had a great visit in Medillin - President Caparuso always makes us feel so welcome. He asked us each to share our testimony, which we were happy to do. We delivered a case of Visayan Books of Mormon to the elders and I visited both Primary and Relief Society. The Relief Society lesson was exceptionally well-done. A single sister taught about the importance of eternal families - of strong marriages sealed in the temple. She had everyone participating and ended with specific plans of how they could prepare for the temple. It was a delight to be there.


On the way home we got caught up in the Danao Sinulog Festival - a religious/cultural day of dancing, feasting and celebrating. They had closed the highway by the plaza and routed us on back roads behind the festival area. Lucky for us! The back roads were where the dancers were lined up waiting to perform. I was able to take some pictures of these colorful dancers from the car window - what a treat.

We are blessed in so many different ways here.

Traffic or NOT

Today the busy street outside our apartment has been closed for over an hour at a time due to the ASEAN Summit being held in the city. One photo shows the street normally, another shows the street without traffic. The third photo shows an interesting group of power pools near our house.

Basketball

Basketball is THE game here - hoops and courts are everywhere. I want to show two pictures. One of a hoop mounted on a tree way out in the bukid. The other is the court at the Lahug chapel in the city of Cebu with boys playing basketball in the rain.

Decenber 24, 25 2006

Christmas in Cebu was 'white' this year with baptisms. The first pictures shows Elders Domingo and Olsen, Harold, the Escanillo Family, and the five young priests who did the baptizing.

The second picture shows Gloria with Harold our English class student who was taught by Elders Domingo and Olsen and baptized on Christmas morning. Even before he was baptized Harold came to every possible Church activity and continues to do so. He was at the Church yesterday for a big cleaning project happily working with the other members.

The third picture shows me with Elders Santos and Amo in San Remegio with a family they had baptized on December 23.

The mission had a goal of 1000 baptisms for the year and exceeded that by 59. What a great blessing in the lives of so many people.