Fishing with Napolean

Monday, 12th September 2011

When we arrived, we were greeted by Bro Napolean “welcome to the Philippines”. Bro Napolean and Bro Jayson and their families have quite a bit of land, with fish ponds and pigs, chickens etc, quite a productive little farm. Bro Napolean would like to raise cattle on his land, but doesn't have the capital to purchase any.

Lots of piglets

Going exploring

Neighbouring houses

We went fishing, which was quite an experience. We all started out in our thongs very happy and clean, then the track turned to mud. My thong got stuck at one point, and was swallowed up by the mud. Bro Napolean rescued it. We were quite filthy. Mum turned back, as it was very slippery – lucky she did, because we had to wade through a creek with water above our knees, and then on to the fish pond. We saw Bro Napolean's original house, and the kids had lots of fun fishing in the cultured fish pond. They would put in the home made rod, and pull out fish after fish after fish. Very exciting and happy times. Moses climbed a coconut tree to collect some coconuts and then had to rescue the hook and line that a fish had managed to pull off the rod. Don't think I would have gone into that pond if you had paid me. Had an interesting journey home, squelching back through the mud (Silas went up to his bottom in mud in some places), and when we finally got back, had a nice scrub at the water pump.

Starting out for the fishpond

View on the way to the fishpond

Watching the fishing

Our catch!

Very hungry for lunch, my stomach was rumbling, until I saw the food, and then I didn't seem so hungry anymore, anyway, had enough to take away the absolute hungry feeling, and then waited until everyone was ready for a Bible study. It was very hot and still and humid.

This one is for you Nana

Tarzan in a tree

Farmer Joe

Where did she learn to do that?

The Bible study was held under the umbrella tree, and this time it was in english with no translation, which was a lot easier for the thought flow for Matt. It was on Luke 4, the temptation of Jesus and then relating it back to Genesis 3. I thought it was really good, although Matt thought it was terrible. Sis Luz got Noah to sleep during the talk, and then I stayed with him to shoo away mosquitoes, which wasn't very effective, as I fell asleep as well. The discussions after the study were disrupted by heavy rain, which had everyone dashing for cover.

It's raining, it's pouring

A native chicken was slaughtered for dinner. Matt and Silas watched with great interest, Mum without meaning too, and then when it came to eating it, both Mum and Silas didn't want to, although Silas did (he said later he was forced too, "but I didn't want to after I saw it getting killed").

Plucking the chook

There was death in the pot

After dinner, we got the children ready for bed, and then there was another Bible study, this time on Ezekiel 38 – Armageddon, again with no translation. Lots of questions afterwards, which were in English to start with, so exciting, until we couldn't understand them. Got very late and we were absolutely exhausted by the time we finally went home, with each of us adults holding a child asleep on our laps.

Fell asleep after changing the children into their pjs, remembered that I had left Noah's shoes behind and have no others – have to deal with that in the morning.