March 3, 2024
The weather is changing! I didn’t think I would feel ANY difference in the seasons here but I’m starting to feel the shift to “hotter”…. Remember we explained that the Philippines has two seasons; hot and hotter! I only thought I was hot 7 months ago and am beginning to understand what HOTTER is and the “summer” is just kicking off. I’ve never been crazy about hot weather UNLESS I am swimming in the ocean and unfortunately, we are way too busy to get much time in the ocean so I am comforting myself with homemade mango jam. But…much to my shame, I have learned to sweat … profusely! I no longer “glisten” like a lady should…. I am pretty much sweating like a “sinner in church”!!
However, because of the heat and humidity the fruit in the Philippines is amazing! Not sure if my favorite is rambutan or Mango… or lanzone or calamansi! I guesss it depends on which one I’m eating. But mangos go with sooooo many things! You can cook un-ripe mangos like a tart apple but they take on a savory flavor. One of the favorite ways to eat them here is dipping green mangos into a very-salty shrimp paste kind of like a salsa. It is crazy intense but very yummy (lami kaayo in Cebuano)! Mangos are the peach of the south pacific – only better - and I don’t know what I am going to do when I return home and can’t find mangos on every street corner, EVERY day of the year! Anyway, I bought a few from a street vendor and made homemade jam out of them a week or so ago and everybody I share it with is raving. Roy says its his new favorite. It was crazy trying to make jam on a hot plate with 1 square feet of space but it was worth it. Otherwise I am baking cookies and brownies for always-hungry missionaries! When we get messages from an apartment that needs things… they are now hiding cookies or brownies on their lists … just kinda sneaking them in like I won’t notice! We love them though and do our best to feed them whenever possible. All of us “old” missionaries do that. This first picture is my FAT self and Therese Heath and Zinda Welch with a table of cookies/treats for a lunch break at a special training session. Fun day!
The next picture is a sad one, but one that I see EVERY single day and after seven months still breaks my heart! They don’t have a spay/neuter program here and as I’ve explained previously that stray dogs and cats are everywhere along with puppies and kittens. They all break my heart but the ones that still make me cry are the pregnant or nursing mothers trying to feed their babies and find a safe place for them with millions of people and miles of concrete! The Filipino people are kind and good BUT.. families here are still working hard to feed their own families and frankly don’t have much left for pets. The picture below is actually a “kind” picture of what I see on a daily basis. I have treat-bags with me for street kids who are obviously hungry, but I’ve also started bringing along a few animal treats when I just can’t stand it anymore. I never get quite used to it. On the other hand, fancy little purse-dogs are gaining in popularity as affluence increases in some parts of the population. It is common to see a little cute, furry dog in a backpack on a motorcycle…. All while they dodge the starving mongrels in the street. OK… enough of the sad stuff; I’m going to start bawling. The picture below is NOT a dead dog, just a sad one taking a nap on a hot sidewalk in the city. They sleep most of the day and then everyone wakes up when the sun goes down!
Below is a happier picture.... I never get tired of the amazing tropical plants here. These look fake but are REAL and just randomly growing in a vacant lot!
Below; a handmade flower lei given to Elder Epperson from our WONDERFUL Sister Nanua from Vanuatu. I'll get a picture of her and add it to the blog.
Above; a picture of lovely Sis Nanua - she is wonderful!
Finally; the two pictures below are Elders Frianeza (right) and Besada (left) ... who decided to share their new "friend" with us. The second is a closeup.....It wasn't terribly big - but VERY ferocious looking and clearly in the tarantula family. For you softies out there, the spider was set free just after this picture was taken AND... there were breathing holes in the bag AND it was handled very gently and carefully!
The week was another busy one and we drove many miles both finding and furnishing, and even cleaning/closing out apartments while we found other ones. We love our work and spend many hours with wonderful people and especially the young missionaries. With all that said; we are still kicking…. Slowly but surely because it is too DANG HOT to kick faster!
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