A Few More Philippine Perks

So, I've been wanting to post some more pics of the Philippines and also the video of the Sepak Tekraw, but I obviously haven't gotten around to it just yet. Part of the issue is that the video of the Sepak was actually taken with my parents' camera and so, therefore, the footage is on their computer. I've had a difficult time trying to get the video transferred over to our computer. While we were playing in the ocean, Brian slipped on some coral and dropped our camera in the water. It was in a case...not waterproof....but I'm sure it helped some what. Anyway, after some quick maneuvering, drying it off, and removing the battery, it wasn't working. We were so bummed! We just got it last September and spent a pretty penny. But, the Filipinos came to the rescue! I tell you, they can fix ANYTHING and they make it work. So, we were out a camera for a few days while it sat at a repair shop...hence, using my parents'. Anyway, our camera is working just fine now, so I'll post some other memorable pictures that we took and keep working on the Sepak Tekraw in the mean time.

You can see this same young man in the picture above. His name is Redecio. He has a cleft lip and palate. My parents helped him get a repair through the Mabuhay Foundation. His repair is pretty remarkable...he will have his palate repaired in about six months. He will have to have speech therapy and learn to smile (he was so embarrassed to do that before), but he will be one effective missionary some day! (He and his father joined the church a few months back!) We got to meet him at the airport when he returned from his surgery and it was very rewarding. The other little boy is John Rey. His repair had some complications due to infection and a tooth that grows right in the center, but they will make another attempt in the future.

The Filipinos must know something we don't about back hygiene. If any physical therapist saw the way these folks are bending, I'm sure a tantrum would be thrown. But, they have remarkably strong backs! I'm sure standing for hours planting rice by hand will do that for someone. In the top picture, you see them harvesting the bunches of rice. They then move them to another field and plant each one, one by one, by hand in a more organized pattern. It was incredible to watch.

This is my parent's adopted son Pet Pet. As you can see, he's a real giant! Truthfully though, he's got more love in his 5 ft, 100lb frame than anybody I've ever met. He is an absolute doll. He is my parents' tennis coach and absolutely loves my parents...he calls them mom and dad. Mom and dad have helped re-activate Pet to the Church.

This is Elder Arenas and Elder Wong. Elder Wong won my heart over. Look at his million peso smile! He wore shoes about three sizes too big for him, but he was a worker no doubt!

Elder Costales is an area seventy in the PI's. He absolutely loves the people and they love him. He served as a mission president earlier and hasn't quite gotten it out of his blood yet. He went tracting with the missionaries two days in a row in pouring rain, and he loved every minute of it. We enjoyed getting to know him so well and his sweet sense of humor.

For those of you who don't know, because I didn't, cashews actually grow on fruit. Here is a picture of a cashew fruit and you can see the cashew itself on the bottom. Kind of cool eh? And yes, the Filipinos eat the fruit too! Nothing goes to waste!