Time.... it's just relative

This is a quick post for today. Or in the case of blogger a quick post for yesterday. One of the advantages- or disadvantages depending on how you look at it- is that we are exactly 12 hours ahead of our home in Fishers, Indiana. For those who generalize their time in days instead of hours we are half a day ahead of Fishers.

With the Philippines being ahead of its time- so to speak- it allows me to post things on Blogger in the past. I didn't realize this until I posted several times and each time that I did so the date came up as being yesterday. Is this confusing or what?! This is not to say that I am quick and the states are slow- I would never infer such a thing (perhaps).It does give thought to phrases such as 'he's ahead of his time,' or 'quit dwelling in the past.' I am somewhat confused as to which I should do.

For those who may be reading this blog to tell your future- mind you...see note above- I am not Biff with an atlas of baseball scores or racing results to bet the farm on. This is a blog of information and fun...


jsf

You said you did what in the Philippines?

Even though more rain is falling and the volunteer work continues at a brisk pace Sister French and I do keep in focus the original intent as to why we are here. That assignment is to assist the 17+ mission presidents with the mental health of the missionaries they are responsible for.

Map of the Philippines showing the location of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomous_Region_in_Muslim_Mindanao)

One objective that was given to us while in training was the task of meeting with each of the mission presidents, and the missionaries in their care, at least once a year. Right out of the gate we realize that we won't be able to accomplish that for the missions that are located on the island of Mindanao. There are three missions on Mindanao. The large cities on the island have a very large Christian (Catholic) base. Once outside of the cities there is a strong Muslim presence. Over the years there has been a conflict between the government and the Muslim population of the island. It has spilled over at times and effected the general population. To lessen some of the conflicts that occurred the Philippine government created the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao or ARMM.  To prevent any headaches that might arise the church does not send any non-Philippino missionaries to Mindanao. As there are three missions there we will not be able to travel there and meet those missionaries nor their mission presidents.

We start our travels to see mission presidents this week. On Thursday we will travel to the Angeles mission to have lunch with President Martino. It will be our first chance to see the country outside of metro Manila. We will also be able to see, to some degree, what the damage has been like outside of our immediate area.
Next week we will travel to the San Pablo mission. We will be going there for a specific reason related to Marcia's calling as the Area Mental Health Adviser. From our understanding we will travel a few hours to meet the mission president. From that point we will continue to travel with the mission president to another island which we will get to by a boat of some type. As of now I'm not sure if it is a passenger boat or if it will be a ferry. Our trip their will likely last a couple of days.

There has not been a slow moment since we've been here and that is a good thing...

jsf

Another week another typhoon

Work being done at GMA Kapuso

Today has been another busy day. Those who monitor the rains are tracking another tropical depression as it slowly makes its way across the north of Luzon Island. The problem that is occurring now occurred last week. As  the tropical depression crosses the northern part of Luzon it will drop large quantities of water. At the same time it is drawing seasonal monsoon rains back across the island to the south of where the typhoon has made landfall.

Volunteers from young to old

Who ever is in charge of naming storms has given this tropical depression a name. The name given to this particular tropical depression is Helen. People in the humanitarian office have been keeping an eye on this storm as it churns just east of Luzon island.

The list of pictures on this particular post were taken by Elder Steve Hadlock from Idaho. He and his wife went out on Sunday to deliver kits to an area north of metro Manila. The pictures are dated from last Tuesday August 7 through August 12.

Carrying in canned sardines

Packing hygiene kits

Packing food kits

Elders from Quezon City Mission- our rice unloaders

Completed bags of rice waiting to packaged into food kits

Senior Missionaries and volunteers

KFC served with rice

Volunteers and KFC after a morning of hard work

Flooding in Olongapo

Olongapo

Olongapo

Flooding near Olongapo

Flooding in Olongapo

Run off near Olongapo

Jeepney in Olongapo

Relief efforts continue

Saturday was quite a busy day for all of those who are involved with the relief effort. Elder Hardick is the Country Director for the church for welfare and humanitarian efforts. Since the rains have been coming down he has been on the phone almost 24/7 trying to direct the relief effort on behalf of the church. He has been coordinating the churches efforts with LGUs and NGOs. He and Sister Hardick are from Canada and have been here for about 1 year. This week has been the busiest since they have been here.

Elder and Sister Hadlock have been in country for about two months. There assignment is that of wheelchair specialists for the country. Since the rains have come their focus has changed and they are now in full calamity mode in putting together all the kits that volunteers are putting together to be distributed around to where there is need. Elder Hadlock has been busy communicating with others in the office with there contacts to make sure we have the product necessary to put the kits together. With all the flooding that has been going on the reliability of getting product here on a timely basis can be very frustrating. Fortunately on Saturday the product was able to come in on a timely basis. Early Saturday morning and around noon rice was delivered to the PAO. The church purchased about 6-7000 pounds of rice. This rice then is packaged out in smaller portions and put in a food kit with other items that will be distributed.

It is amazing the amount of help that is coming from the area stakes and wards. Fortunately school was cancelled for the end of the week and a lot of the employees brought there children in to help. Also there have been many families coming in to donate their time and labor to help fill the kits that will be going out. The count that was taken on Saturday with all the volunteers who have been packing food has been about 150 or so. This doesn't include the full time senior missionaries who have been on the task for the last week.