more Philippine adventures...

We witnessed something wonderful yesterday.  Missionaries from LDS Charities were here to give a much needed wheelchair to a sister from the Santa Cruz area.  I'm so glad they chose to meet here so that we could witness this.  "Aloha" arrived by transport ambulance.  The wheelchair was set up just outside the ambulance so that she could maneuver onto it with some help.  Aloha doesn't have legs.  She has feet, but extra extra short legs.  The members in Santa Cruz have been carrying her on their backs to transport her places.  Now she has her own wheels!  She was sooooooo happy!

'Aloha' in her new wheelchair!

Not Haas, but oh so delicious and giant!

We have been eating the best avocados you can imagine!  I was excited with mango season...and now we have avocados!!!  Look at the size of these.  We receive a gift of avocados this size about every other week.  We have been in heaven.  Donna doesn't eat much mango, but avocados are something we both enjoy.  The produce is plentiful here.  There are open markets with fresh food in every town.  Last week was the first time we bought food in the open market and not the grocery store.  The prices are tons better, so we should start buying more foods in the markets.  We're just a little cautious about the cleanliness.

Here are some more pictures of things that we see each day.  The school children wear uniforms.  Each school has a different color and pattern.  The high schools are on double session because they are so crowded.  This means some students are in school until 7:00 p.m.  Lunch isn't served in the schools.  We see young children leaving school at lunch time and returning from home a short time later.  We were also told that children are going to school at age 2 or 3.  I imagine that is so the parents can work.

School is out for lunch! Notice the loaded 'trike' in front of us!

Traffic rules are a little different here!

Here is another picture of traffic!  Thank goodness the speeds are much slower than home.  Donna talked about our car problems last week.  We got into the car with the new battery, pulled out of the parking spot to discover that it has something horribly wrong with it, too!!  We ended up driving the truck last week.  Thank goodness we have 4 cars for the office right now...3 of them are being worked on OR NEED to be worked on!

This week, we are receiving a new senior missionary couple.  They will be staying in the northern part of the mission.  We have been anticipating there arrival for months now...ok, two months.  Another couple will be coming in October.  I have been busy this week preparing for the seniors...plus 15 more young missionaries arriving in a week.  It is busy, busy times for the office!  I STILL am working without my color printer 'talking' to my computer.  We have been creative in solving the problem while the 'repairmen' try to figure this out!

I took pictures of these houses during our travels.  There are all types of homes around...from shacks to mansions...and right next door to one another.  However, these two homes, I love.  

The Philippines are good for us!  We are growing, learning, and sharing.  I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is a blueprint for my life.  I love going to church half way around the world and hearing the same things taught wherever I go.

I recently read that the greatest spiritual threat facing the world today is the threat of apathy and the desire to do nothing!  Do you see that??!!  God's entire plan is hinged upon us choosing to learn, grow and progress.  If we give our opportunity and time to doing nothing, then we might as well have not even bothered to choose the Lord's plan at all.  This statement really makes me think.

You are loved!  Enjoy a wonderful week.  Our adventure continues.
Sister Sisters Diane and Donna