To Bayambang again...

Wednesday, 31st August 2011

We are off to Bayambang today, but first we need to wash the sheets and towels. Tina has given us the secret instructions to get the spin-dryer working. Got them done in record time with Matt handling the water pump like a man with a mission.

The restaurant across from Bugallon hall is having some extension work done

Should be a nice alfresco dining area, once completed

They were working on this in between down pours

Another farewell group came to see us off (Joel, Jodel, Jonathan), Jinky accompanied us to Bayambang. I (Matt) felt sick on this journey, a first for a while, perhaps it was having to bend down and rummage for food combined with a particularly bumpy ride.

The rain was ready to greet us as we got off the bus. Mum almost went on to Manila as the bus started taking off before she could get off. A short and slippery walk down the track to the hall and then to the office. Fortunately no one fell over on the slippery concrete (at least, not this time).

Silas, Eden and Noah all managed to fall over multiple times before the day was over, Eden fell over in her clean clothes just as we were all leaving for a Bible study.

Bro Felcris had prepared a delicious lunch for us (beef & mushrooms with rice, and icy-cold Coke©). After which I had a rest while the children practised falling over on the concrete. Sis Jinky left us and travelled back to Bugallon. And at about 3:00pm we went over to the Gimeno house in Asin. Our trike got stuck while trying to ascend the muddy track from the hall, Felcris and I had to get out and push while Sarah remained comfortable and dry inside the trike.

We did all three readings and Bro Rudi gave a very through explanation of each one (all in Tagalog). It is nice to come back and see the Bre &Sis again, it is something that doesn't happen very often when you are only visiting for a few weeks. Sis Lea was there as well, it was good to see her again. The seat that I shared was a bamboo-slat bed, it reminded me of the bedding in Bangui. After the study we were served merianda (just in case we were hungry) of soup, cake and juice.

Mum with some of the sisters and friends after the Bible readings.
Sis Lea has the purple top on.

Eden enjoying her mireanda

Dinner was served by Felcris back at the office, Sis Jonalyn joined us, she is sleeping next door at the hall. Felcris offered me some Pork crackling to eat, nice but I am not sure that it is very healthy to eat!

Noah had had his porridge for tea before us and was sleeping soundly, which was nice to have a break for all of us (him included).

I had an orange after tea, at least it was supposed to be an orange, but is was red on the inside, it tasted sour a bit like grapefruit and it was also a bit over-ripe. So all-in-all, I am not sure exactly what it was or whether I would want one again. Citrus is supposed to be good for repelling mosquitos - Vitamin C I suppose.

Looking forward to spending some time with Felcris and the other brothers and sisters at Bayambang, getting to know them a little better than just a flying visit.

New beds again, and new pillows, but sleep is overrated anyway.

Matt the Builder - can he fix it?

Tuesday, 30th August 2011

Rain rain, go away and come again another day!

Last night we listened to some very loud thunder, the lightening lit up the whole room. Fortunately the children did not wake up from this, although Silas did wake up a couple times and migrated into our bed next to me.

Our security guards left early and we made our own breakfast of pancakes. The outward appearance of these pancakes was rather varied and interesting, but their taste was good.

Delicious bananas!

Everyone is feeling rather couped up in the hall with the rain outside. Silas was feeling particularly itchy from the sweat and bug bites he has, so we sent them all outside in their undies into the rain to wash off.

After all having washes (real ones that is) we went next door to give Sis Laida her birthday present,  the kids stayed for a while. The best part for me was that Bro Cesar offered to cook the lunch for us – he is a very good cook.

Noah decorating the porch with weeds

Eden tidying up Noah's mess

Mum keeping her diary up to date

Jinky arrived with presents from Felcris for the children – slippers (thongs), and the children all came back to the hall to play with the toy golf set Cally had, very cute!

Sis Jinky arriving at the hall, laden with gifts for the children

After lunch Sarah, Silas and Noah had sleeps, while Matt and Cesar took Eden and Jinky to Dorcas and then went to find some more roof supplies to waterproof Cesar's roof a bit more. Their kitchen area is all wet inside from where the rain came in.

Silas and Matt fixing the roof



Fixing the roof still



Flooding in someone's yard

And guess what?  It's stopped raining, so it didn't rain for 40 days and 40 nights – just a week!

We are having a big tea tonight, Cesar, Laida & Calley, Jinky, Joel, Jodel, and Jonathan.

Another Bible study, this time the locals opened up a bit more with the comments.

Bro Joel uses crutches when he is not using his trike

Gorgeous Cally - is becoming a great little playmate

Silas and Noah have taken over Bro Joel's trike again

Washing in the rain!

Monday, August 29th 2011

It has rained all night again. Heavy rain too! Fortunately, we are only receiving the tail of the typhoon here, it must be devastating in other areas. Apparently they name each typhoon with alphabetically, a common practice, but they sometimes go through the whole alphabet in a year!

Because it has been raining and cool, I thought the mosquitoes might have gone into temporary hibernation, so we let Silas and Noah sleep without mossi-nets, just insect repellent – not a good idea – they must be after some juicy foreign blood! What I can't understand is Eden was under a mossi-net, and had insect repellent on, and she still got bitten!

Breakfast early again this morning, and then on to the washing. Matt, Mum and Noah went into Lingayen for supplies, while I did the washing. I had just hung the last t-shirt over the back of a chair when they arrived back, with Noah sleeping in his dad's arms.

Clothes drying in our room

More clothes drying in Mum's room

The washing machine - yes it's a twin tub

Silas and Eden have been good little helpers this morning, and have enjoyed listening to Blinky Bill on the computer, to help pass away another rainy morning.

After lunch Mum read to Silas and Eden from Little House on the Prairie, while Matt and I went to the Internet Cafe to try to update the blog. We walked along with our umbrellas, the rain was only a light drizzle by this stage, and came to the lane where the internet cafe is, and it was flooded...so we made our way through the water, only to find the cafe full, so we decided to visit at Dorcas and come back later. We made our way back out the flooded laneway, and onto Dorcas, to find it all shut up. We were about to leave, when I said we should try knocking, and Jodel opened the door. We told him our dilemma, and he said their was another internet cafe close by, and that he would accompany us, so the three of us set off with our umbrellas, and when we went down the street, guess what?  It was flooded too! So we made our way through the water to the internet cafe. We checked few emails but the computer would not recognise our USB memory stick with the info and photos for the blog, so we promptly left there. Just a few houses away is where Bro Joel lives and also Sis Laarni, so we visited them briefly, before going back to the original internet cafe, where we had to wait for about 20 minutes while they swapped monitors a few times, to get the computer ready for us to use. We were there for about an hour, and then came home in the brief lull in the rain.

We were left by ourselves for tea, so we were very naughty and had Cornflakes, toast and Weetbix for tea. We made sure we were all cleaned up by the time everyone arrived for Bible readings – so don't tell them – they might laugh at us!

Mum doing the dishes in the kitchen at the hall

Sis Laarni and Sis Yvonne are sleeping at the hall tonight, and Bro Jodel and Bro Cesar joined us for the readings, on 1 Corinthians 11. Lots of interesting discussion again. Enjoyed chatting with them afterwards, and have since be updating our diary, as we are still a few days behind on the blog.

Don't you love the orchids!

Fan controls for the hall

We will go to sleep tonight to the gentle sound of pitter-patter raindrops on the iron roof.

It's raining, it's pouring...

Sunday, 28th August 2011

Heavy rain all night again, but it is very cool, a relief from the heat. Felcris and Jinky had already left when we woke up, and Ruby left before breakfast, to return for the memorial meeting.

Having a cold shower when it is pouring with rain, and cool is a lot harder than when it is hot and steamy! It did stop raining long enough for the children to have baths in the the wash tubs, which they absolutely love.

Cesar and Tina prepared lunch for everyone for after the meeting. A big job to cook enough for 50 people every Sunday, and keep it hot without the “modern conviences” we have in Australia.

The exhort was on rain, most appropriately, and there were a few less people because of the rain, and minor flooding. Bro Jodel translated the exhort – his first time, and he did a very good job too! Sis Marilou was visiting from Manila, as Monday and Tuesday are holidays, and her mother needed help with sick relatives. It was nice to see her again.

Lunch was served promptly after the meeting, and I can only wish my children had the good manners of the family who shared the table with us. Sunday School follows lunch, with the various teachers making their ways to their various Sunday Schools, while Sunday School and a First Principles class is also held here at the hall. Bro Jodel runs the First Principles Class, and Sis Evelyn is the Sunday School teacher, she only had her son, Adino and our three children “the foreigners” to teach today, because of sickness, and flooding preventing one family getting there.

Sunday School children walking in the rain

Eden with Aunty Eden

Eden with Aunty Consuela

Cally and Silas (Silas has lost another tooth)

Silas, Bro Joel and Matt enjoying riding round inside the hall

Noah and Sis Ruby

Noah with Uncle Cesar and Cally, his friend

We learned today that the brothers and sisters in Isabela have lost their crops due to the typhoon (named Nino, in case you were interested), Sis Evelyn said their driveway is flooded, not their house as it is elevated, and they had to travel home on a trike for an hour while it was pouring with rain – not much chance of keeping dry on a trike!

Sarah had a sleep while Sunday School was on, Noah put himself to sleep after Sunday School was finished – what a sweet little boy. The others played Scrabble to pass the time, until the rain died down a bit and they could return home. (Matt won the game apparently, with help from Jonathan and Mum).

Another busy day ends, and it is still raining, so it will be interesting to try to do the washing tomorrow, and find places for the clothes to dry – no dryers here, or clothes airers.

Preaching and Birthday Celebrations at Binmaley

Saturday, 27th August 2011

It rained heavily all night, and this morning it is still raining. There was a brown-out during the night, so the electric fans stopped working.

Sis Lea was not able to return from Bicol because they are in a Category 2 area, with very strong winds, and she is unable to travel home.

We enjoyed pancakes, scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast again, very American, but very edible for the children. While we were having breakfast, we heard children's voices singing Sunday School songs. Bro Rudi and Sis Lea have a Sunday School room in their back yard, complete with a sign “Asin Heritage Sunday School”.

Enjoying breakfast with Bro Rudi

Sunday School room at the back of Bro Rudi's house

Some of the Sunday School children colouring their pictures

Sis Arlee teaching Sunday School

At about 9.00am, Bro Rudi started up his blue chariot called “Jehu”, and drove us around to the Bible Mission Office to meet Felcris, who will accompany us back to Bugallon this morning. Rudi has to top up the coolant/water each morning, he told Silas that it needs to drink wine before it is ready to work. We greeted Bro Isaiah, Bro Rudi's brother. He lives next to the office. The office and the gardens are very well kept. Bro Felcris is a good housekeeper, and gardener. We had a tour of the office, had some mireanda, and were invited to stay there next time we are in Bayambang. We said hello to Bro Alexander, and some other young people before walking up the road to catch the bus to Bugallon. It is still raining.

The reception area of the Office

Lovely manicured gardens

An air-conditioned bus came along not long after we arrived at the waiting shed, so we made it back to Bugallon Hall in good time. Sis Jinky was cooking lunch for us.

While we were eating lunch, the jeepney we had hired, arrived ready to take us to Binmaley for the preaching work at Sis Laida's house. The jeepney helped furrow the front lawn at the hall as it spun the wheels trying to get through the grass. Silas got to sit in the front next to the driver, which was great fun for him, and great anxiety for his father and grandma, as he leaned out of the side. The driver should now know the song “O be careful little eyes” by heart, as Silas sang it all the way there and back again.

Matt spoke on Genesis 3, and it rained the whole time. We all sat outside under a small verandah adjacent to a “fish pond” (small lagoon about 3-4feet deep), I had to sit sideways so that the drips from a hole in the roof didn't land on my Bible. Sis Laida's father had questions about why so many religions, and what authority do we have to talk about these thing anyway. After we finished, the food was brought out, and a feast it was, we were celebrating Sis Laida's birthday, with spaghetti, bbq pork kebabs, chocolate cupcakes, marshmallows, handmade spring rolls and filipino cakes, made with both brown and white sugar. I think Silas and Noah managed to eat all the cupcakes between them...well almost!

Bro Felcris, Bro Jodel, Bro Edmond, Bro Cesar with Cally

Sis Tina, Mum, and Silas

Sarah, Matt, Noah and Sis Jinky

The fishpond behind the house

The birthday feast!

On the jeepney ride home - very spacious as we hired the whole jeepney!

On the way back home, Jinky and Felcris got off at the markets so that they could buy supplies for the lunch tomorrow. The rest of us arrived back at the hall and it was still raining.

While we were eating tea, Sis Ruby arrived and joined us for the Bible readings on 1 Corinthians 8 & 9, with lots of discussion afterwards. Sis Ruby will also sleep at the hall tonight. Stayed up late again, trying to work out a travel itinerary. Jinky and Felcris will be leaving at 5.00am in the morning to head down to Manila by bus for 5 hours, to attend a CYC meeting & memorial meeting. Lots of travel time here. And it is still raining...

Bayambang - Blogging and Bible Study

Friday, 26th August 2011

Happy Birthday Hugo!

It has been raining hard overnight, there is a typhoon warning for Luzon.

We slept with the air-cond on for most of the evening. It got a little cold so it was turned off, the about an hour later it was too hot, so I turned it back on. Rudi had gotten up during the night and tied a chair to our door with some string to keep it closed.

Rudi left after breakfast for some business in San Carlos. Arlee was watching some cartoons and Silas & Eden were joining her for a while. Sarah, Noah and myself took a trike into town to find an internet cafe. The first on that we went to had lost their connection during the night from the storm. Fortunately at the CSI mall about 5mins up the road had another cafe that was working!

There was enough time to get our blog up to the point where it is only 1week behind, then Noah was not going to keep still or quiet enough for us to stay any longer.

While at the internet cafe I took Noah for a walk in the department store alongside, I even tried on some poorly made fake Adidas jeans (do Adidas even sell jeans?), but they did not fit.

We took another trike back to Rudi's house, Noah went to sleep and he slept for over three hours. Eden was sleeping when we got home, she awoke soon after we arrived. Sarah also had a short sleep for half an hour.

After lunch Sarah and I sat on the bamboo seat out the front, the cool breeze was very nice. The local children enjoyed climbing all over the gates, staring at our children, then running away when we tried to talk to them.

The sari sari store opposite Bro Rudi & Sis Lea's house

A little after 2:00pm most of the local Bre & Sis arrived to do the Bible readings. Once the readings got underway we probably had 35 of us in total. Bro Rudi made the comments for the first two readings, then he delegated the task to me for the NT reading (1Cor 8), Paul's advice to the Corinthians on marriage! As usual a merianda followed the readings.

Sis Lolita and Sis Leonie - both L's

Some of the early arrivals for the Bible readings

Fashion wear - Rudi style!

Sarah, the children and myself walked down the road to the home of Alex & Michelle Juino, Alex was away on a Boy Scouts camp with his son so we sat and talked with Michelle for a while and had a look at their photo albums.

More food – dinner was served not long after we got back. We even had ice cream! Then washes for the children and off to bed.

Happy 5th Birthday Eden!

Thursday, 25th August 2011

In the name of being consistent we were up early. Jinky, Tina and Felcris stayed overnight and prepared another delicious breakfast. We wished Eden a happy birthday, and gave her some cards, presents await back in Australia.

Eden is five now!

We are off to Bayambang today (with Felcris). Just after 9:00am we were ready and waiting out the front for a bus. Sis Concing also came to see us off. We were lucky to get a Five Star air-cond (complete with b-grade American DVD) on the journey to Bayambang.


It was raining for the last part of our journey, and raining heavily when we got off the but. Luckily there were a couple trikes available to take us the short journey to Bro Rudi's house.

Upon arrival we all said hello to his mother, she is bedridden and looking very weak, but happy to see us.
Rudi arrived in his blue chariot just after us. He doesn't seem to have changed since we last saw him in 2002. Rhodalee has obviously changed a lot (she is almost 13 now). We haven't seen Jet because he is working in Laguna, the photos however show a tall and handsome man.

Charming! Sis Sarah and Bro Rudi both looking stunning as usual

We took our lunch with Bro Rudi and Felcris, then we all had a much needed sleep.

The children had all been complaining since arriving, I think that they felt couped up and had not had a chance to play, it was raining outside and they kept fiddling with the things inside!

Rudi and I sat out the front for a while and talked about nothing in particular until the children came and joined us. Then a coffee for mum and myself (with delicious non-milk creamer).

This all helped revive us, and we did the Bible readings together (along with Arlee and Rochelle). Felcris took his leave and went back to the mission office where he is living.

We travelled into town to McDonald's for Eden's birthday dinner (Rudi and Arlee came with us).

Birthday Tea at McDonald's

The Birthday Queen!

Sis Arlee and Eden

Eden chose a choc-cherry torte for a cake and Bro Rudi bought her a bracelet.

Delicious Birthday Cake

After eating cake and singing “happy birthday” we all had some quiet time to do our things (Noah's current thing to do seems to be dirtying his nappies, so many today that Sarah is beginning to wonder if we have brought enough along.

Silas and Eden are being entertained watching Arlee play a computer game. Mum is writing her diary and I am about to go to bed.

Arlee is loved by all the kids