Wednesday before Intake Day

The Lord answered a prayer of mine today.
This is the Wednesday when the missionaries leave the MTC, before the Friday that a whole new 'batch' comes in. I decided to spend the day organizing our papers and cleaning the apartment.
I hauled everything out of one bedroom (how have we collected so much stuff in only few months?) and organized every bit of paper we had so I would know where everything was, including pens, highlighters, scissors and all the books, pamphlets, and many other things that had drifted into that room.

I have been meaning to get organized but I took the time today, because I've been trying for a few weeks now to find my immunization record. I remember bringing it to the MTC and getting a finale immunization but could not find the record of all my immunizations anywhere, it just vanished. I had prayed about it a few times as I looked in my desk, backpack, car, and closet. I kept putting off going through the extra bedroom as it had so much stuff. But I needed to do my part - hence the great organizing spree. No record in any part of the apartment.

When Jeffrey came home he really appreciated the organizing effort because it was mostly his papers and was grateful I took my day off to make our home so tidy and fix supper. He said an interesting thing happened today when he tried to find his phone. It was deep in a pocket of his briefcase, so he took everything out and found it - along with my immunization record.

Taxi ride

Sometimes the blessings received are not noticed until much later.
When Jeffrey and I first arrived there were many issues that needed to be resolved and one of them was finding an apartment. Twice we had appointments we had to be to at a certain time.
On Wednesdays we cannot drive our car from 7 am to 8 pm because it is our code day. All the license plates have a number at the end. Whatever your last number is will correspond to a day that you are not allowed to drive that car. So we get a taxi.

Flags flying at he MTC

We were told you cannot get a taxi in the afternoon at the Area Offices and Temple. But being new to the city we didn't know exactly what people were talking about as you can see taxis running up and down the road all day long. Back in December when we had an appointment  to meet someone - usually given a couple of hours before - we would be just fine except on Wednesday.  Twice we had to meet someone on a Wednesday so we ran down to the road and flagged down a taxi. I of course prayed very hard that we could get a taxi and get to our appointment on time. We did and I didn't think anything more about it after a quick prayer of thanks.

Finding someone to ride with on Wednesdays

Yesterday was Wednesday and Jeffrey and I tried to flag down a taxi for about half an hour. I had an umbrella and still melted in the heat. Jeffrey told me he had tried a different Wednesday and he didn't have luck either and had just gone back to his office and waited until 8 pm.
I can't really pray about something without a need so I hadn't prayed that we could get a taxi - we were just going home for the day. Evidently you cannot get a taxi here without prayer. The taxis are heading into downtown Manila and do not want to stop for someone going the other way. If they are going the right way they already have passengers.
It is good to reflect on the miracles that have happened that we weren't aware of at the time.

Subtle Aid

It was just Dr. and Sister Burtenshaw working for the day. Dr. and Sister Stewart were off taking a class and test for two days. At six in the morning one patient was in the chair and everything was quiet and orderly.

Craig Burtenshaw, Sister missionary, and Karma Burtenshaw
(picture taken with permission)

Shortly after seven a.m. two field missionaries came in about an hour and a half early and Elder Eckert the infirmary nurse at the MTC had two emergencies. Elder Burtenshaw worked in one emergency Elder after his regular MTC missionary and the two early missionaries went out for breakfast. He was able to start on the field missionary, work in the second emergency, then hustled on to the next regular MTC patient. He didn't get a break as one of the Emergency missionaries had to have a root canal which takes longer.

Sisters and a member who brought them - not necessarily the missionaries in this story

The day continued smoothly although there were some anxious moments. Dr. B got a break for a few minutes and looked up and smiled. It is hard to quantify when the hand of the Lord is orchestrating events, it is just felt in looking back on the events of the day.
After lunch Elder Eckert came in with four more anxious missionaries, two of which Dr. Burtenshaw saw between other missionary appointments and two were scheduled for the next day. The field missionaries coming in early made it possible to see others later in their time slot.

Field Elders - though different from those mentioned here

On an interesting note another day, an Elder who was getting a wisdom tooth extracted was pale and shaky. His blood pressure was checked and after talking with him, they found out he had left home without breakfast - so he got Sister B's apple and a cookie that she'd inadvertently left the previous day. She felt that the Lord knew that Elder would need some food and made it feasible the day before.
When good coincidences pile up, it is evidence of grace from God.

Living in Style

There are many forms of shelter. For animals there are trees and sometimes sheds made of wood with a straw roof, sometimes they will have a barn - wood structure with tin roof. I found it very interesting that people have some of the same gradations. In Manila streets I have seen families (or groups of people with different ages) around a lean-to. I can watch them cooking, washing, doing laundry, talking and playing by this flimsy structure.
(No picture because I was too close and didn't have permission)
In the country I have been in a "resort" shelter that is raised off the ground with cloth walls that tie together, has a hammock, a small chair and a twin mattress in it that you can rent for the day on a trip at the beach.

Keeps the rain off nicely

Are they raised because of the ocean?

They are well made, small but efficient. The bathroom facilities are shared.  When you take that concept into the family and neighborhoods around and just outside of the 'resort', there are homes and dwellings just a bit larger that look the same but need extra coverage during the rain.

I noted tarps and anchors everywhere on these dwellings

The next step up in housing is having a tin roof over your wood walls.

Corrugated tin is a very popular building item.

Painting it all is one step better

This corrugated tin is very valuable in every small town and big town or group of buildings all over the country that I have been in - country life and downtown city life - it is everywhere.

Corrugated tin makes up wall, roof material and sometime divider material too

Cement blocks with tin roof

Cement blocks are the next step in the construction status.

Entire neighbourhoods are made out of cement and tin

Then you add glass. Note that this is glass shutters. Not very many homes have panes of glass, but many have shutters with glass that can open to the breeze versus the window that just lets everything in if you don't have a curtain over it.

Another step up is to paint your cement and or roof all the same color.

Here are three buildings in different stages of status

This seems like a well to do home in the Province - cement style

Adobe, paint and or stucco is the next step. I'm not sure what the more expensive roofs are made of. I have noticed no tiles or shingles or even tar paper for that matter. I'm not really sure what the nicer flat all-one-color-and-material roofs are. I would have to be an Aikele to figure that out.

These look like they are Spanish tile far afar but they aren't really  the same heavy tile you find in California.

The well to do house and homes are painted, have siding or stucco that is painted and the roof is all one color and fairly flat. I walked around one neighborhood that had almost palatial homes. One was mostly glass, all of them were huge and looked expensive. One friend lives in one and the inside is even better than the outside. The rich are very, very rich here. They have maids, gardeners and care-takers. Little rooms are built for the help just off the laundry rooms for the maids and sometimes there is a little tiny house for the gardener too.

One area has many large, big homes and hotels, inns and such

Top of the tier homes - Glass panes, painted, straight roofs, gardens, big yards and fruit trees

Maybe I should add the high rise apartments and talk about the apartments that take up a whole floor - but then I am a country girl at heart and living in the city is still an adjustment. I watch every trip I take out of town, the homes in the country or the Province. Many of the city dwellers go to the Province for vacations and to be with family.

I know I am living in style and am one of the wealthy ones. Mainly because I have a car, running hot water, a shower, a washer and lots of room in our apartment.

It's Great To Be Eight

Birthday Banner

One of the boys in my class had a birthday and was baptized last week. He family had a great celebration that we were invited to.

The Bishop and his son

I love being his teacher though I'm not really sure what the children really learn from me, I enjoy being around them.

His family sure knows how to throw a party

His mom and dad invited the whole ward (I think) to the baptism and celebration afterwards. It was an awesome party!

Yes, they do serve lumpia at parties!

I don't know how many people were there, but everyone was very polite, gracious and welcoming. I loved watching everyone interact.

The boy in  red is in Jeffrey's primary class

The little girl on the right comes up every week to welcome us to Sacrament Meeting - she is one of those children with no fear.

Last year I had the same age group and was able to make quilts for all of them. I feel stymied because I don't have the resources I am use to this time around. When I teach the children seem to understand my English and yet they ask the most off the wall questions so it leaves me wondering whether understanding is happening. They are very adorable and lovable. Hopefully I will get better and better at being a good teacher here and friend.

The creativity here is awesome - don't you think this could come right out of pinterest? They had cupcakes on top of cups half full of m&ms, lots of cookies, and jars of candy - awesome wonderland for the children

I think it's open!

Yesterday as I left the MTC they were still working on the temple.

Workers in green were still doing their thing

Today I didn't see anyone working, but I did see lots of people in Sunday best on the grounds.

No scaffolding, no workers in green

Snapping away

I think a few people are surprised when I ask to take their picture. Lots of missionaries have had their picture taken just because they were there. This Elder happened to be waiting for his companion and the MTC mission president and his wife came. So of course I had to get a picture.

Dr. Burtenshaw, President and Sister Carlos, Elder, Sister Stewart

Waiting, lots of waiting here

These teeth can identify anyone who has been here

Jonah came to visit with her niece

Every once in awhile I just want to have a witness of where I've been, who has been around, or maybe what is going on. I really like people photos the best though I have way too many sunrise/sunset pictures I haven't used. Time is just slipping through my hands and I haven't got a handle yet of where I am and what I'm doing. Understanding the culture, the people, the circumstances and what I'm suppose to be doing. I'm still figuring it out and pictures help me do that.

What are they doing? Why?