Fast
forward to Tuesday, September 29.
President Oliva in Cotnogan is also the elected barangay chief. He is in his third and last term of office
in the position. Two years ago he
declared a family week with a special family day in his barangay. Tuesday was the family day events beginning
at 7:00 AM with a walking parade about 3 km from the edge of his barangay
boundary to the barangay center. We
followed in the car because my knee is still acting up. I have been wrapping it as tightly as I dare
and plan to run tomorrow morning at 5:00AM after giving it a 4 day rest. This is the beginning of the parade. Although it is a school day the whole school
participated in many ways.
There
are 7 zones in the Cotnogan barangay and each was represented. Each zone had a family chosen as the model
family of the year and was later presented with gifts when they were
announced. I was asked to be the guest
speaker, to serve on the panel of
judges and be on the award committee. It
was quite an honor and we enjoyed the day.
We start things early here to avoid the heat. This was the school grade 5 class singing the national anthem. They told me the kids were chosen to sing
as the grade 5 class has about 50 students.
Valerie
took some pics of me speaking and helping with the awards. One of the prizes each family got was a 5 kg
gift wrapped bag of rice. The next
picture is the member family, the Victorino family getting their prizes
including the black gift bag of rice.
The woman in the yellow is the district mayor and the guy on my left
with the red checkered shirt is President Oliva. The others in the awards line are political dignitaries from the
area.
My
talk was short but focused on what a Christ centered family accomplishes
together. I used the quote many times, The most important work you will ever do
will be within the walls of your own home.
It made me appear to be smart!
They
gave me a beautiful native flower neck band (I have 3 now) and this
plaque. We then got to eat with the
important people in the barangay office.
They spoiled us and we had a
great time in Cotnogan again.
On Wednesday we had to make a
trip into Naga for supplies and check in with the mission office. We had a wonderful lunch with the Hoopes
couple and got things done. We had to
drive home in the dark in the rain. It
is impossible to see at night and many of the vehicles do not have lights.
There was a low pressure typhoon through here on
Thurday. We had a training to do in
Sipocot which is 2 hours from here. It
was a very beautiful drive north from here and we saw new country. Sipocot is where the Pomplona zone leaders
live. We met them at the church and did
a training to show them what we want to do in their zone next month. They were very excited and wanted to get
going on it but we are short of
supplies for them. Sipocot is like all
the other cities here. It is very busy,
crowded, active and noisy. There was a
little truck parked on main street with a stack of mattresses on the box
van. We passed it on the highway later
that day on our way home.
As
we were walking down this street I looked up a side street and got a picture of
it so show how crowded these places are.
This is a typical residential street.
On the right side is the sewer gutter with the water pipes lying in
it.
Friday
was less stormy that Thursday, probably because I didn’t have to drive at
night. We went to a Zone training in
Iriga. Valerie did a short motivational
talk on using family history as a teaching tool. Hoopes were there and we had lunch with the missionaries. Usually a member sister and her husband cook
for the missionaries at these functions and charge about 120 pesos per person
which is about $3.25 CAD. Missionaries
eat like horses so I don’t know how they make any money. The couiple were away so one of the Elders
used his pizza shop card and got pizza and spaghetti for the group. There was lots left over and everyone was
full. Here we are just before lunch.
We had to hit the road and be
back in Baao for a FH class with Sister Miglapi and the elders brought two
investigators. They are sisters who
have a cousin serving a mission from the Baao branch. They both had their 4 generation sheets filled out and wanted to
put their family information on the familysearch.org web site. They are working with Gloria and the
missionaries.
Valerie
is with Sister Miglapi who is in the primary presidency.
Saturday
was a house cleaning and laundry day in the morning and a baptism in the
afternoon. The Iriga 2 sisters have
been teaching this family for about 4 months.
The father was a less active member who wanted his family raised in the
church. The sisters motivated him to
act and he was advanced in the priesthood and baptized his wife and two
daughters. We did FH with the father
last month in Iriga but we didn’t get to know his family until the
baptism.
We
went to Buhi for fast and testimony meeting so we could support their effort to
include the people across the lake.
President Oliveras and the Elder’s quorum president arranged for a boat
and jeepney ride for them so they could attend in the new branch building. They are also arranging for them to have an
open air meeting area in their own barangay.
I probably shouldn’t have taken a picture in the chapel before fast and
testimony meeting but this was too incredible to pass up. This is most of the group from across the
lake. Most of the adults were elsewhere
in the building when I took the picture
so it is mostly kids. There were 40 of
them in all and they all fit into one jeepney.
We went to a meeting at the
district building at 4:00 PM only to find it had been postponed a week so we
did other business and visited for an hour.
Our house lease is up the end of November and we have to leave our
spacious little farm house and yard and move to a small apartment on a crowded
street in the city. It is the first
time in our married lives we have lived in a city. Valerie is going to be like a caged animal in a small space in an
overpopulated city. Our living expenses
will be much less because all utilities etc. are included in the apartment rent
but I think we will spending a lot on car gas to get out of town!
Another great week! The first of the weeks always start slow and we find ways to fill
our days but by Wednesday we are over booked and on the run until next Monday,
P-day. The time is going too fast in
terms of what we want to accomplish and not fast enough to see family and
friends again. We miss you all too much
and pray for you daily. Please eat your
vegetables and stay out of the pool hall!
No comments:
Post a Comment