Family Ice Cream
Febr 24th 2006 Our Schedule in Manila
Hello everyone!We have been so blessed to get emails from some of you this week! Thanks for your encouragement and prayers! We are also praying for you. We have a glass top on our table and we have slipped photos of you underneath. Everyday we choose a family/ person to pray for. We are missing a lot of you (and your photos!) If you could send us a photo via email, we can burn it to CD and print it here, or, you can send it to us (with a letter!!!) at:Mercy In Action Maternity Center559 J. Luna Street Pinagtipunan Corner Mandaluyong, Manila 1500 Philippines We'd like to share with you what our weekly life is like. So we'll just start with Mondays. They are our day off. That means that neither of us are on call to go into the birth center for primary health care patients or midwifery patients. Mondays, we try to explore the city and leave the area of the birth center so that we truly have a family day off. The photos we have uploaded from Shutterfly show some of those explorations!Tuesdays through Sundays, Jocelyn works usually three shifts (two twelve hour shifts plus Wednesdays - her prenatal day at the clinic) and is on call 24hrs/ day in case one of the women she provides prenatal care to comes into the clinic in labour. She also is called in for postpartum and baby checks and goes on home visits to visit women who have just delivered their babies. On prenatal days, Jocelyn and her team have the opportunity to lead these women in worship (Tagalog and English songs) and then a woman from our partner church around the corner leads a devotional time in Tagalog for the women. We do prenatal exams from 8 am until 10 am and that's when we break for worship (most of the women are there by then!) After worship, we do a health teaching and continue prenatals until everyone is seen. This week, Jocelyn taught about parenting and child development. She really enjoys spending time with each woman during prenatals. This is an amazing opportunity to build relationships. At te end of each prenatal, she has the opportunity to pray with each woman and share about Jesus. It really is a powerful time.Richard gets called in to the clinic for primary child care checks and medic work. Just a few days ago, a man walked in off the street, truly believing he was dying. He had blistering sores sweeping across his abdomen and around his back. He had been involved with prostitutes and thought he might have an STD. He was really terrified. Richard came in and reassured him that he would do everything he could to find out what was wrong. The diagnosis? Shingles. The man was really in pain and Richard referred him to see a doctor. Richard prayed for him and shared Christ with him. He should be returning in a few days for a follow up check. Please pray that He will find hope in relationship with God. He offered the man an HIV test, because of his risky behaviour and also because shingles can be related to HIV, but he cannot afford it. If he does return, we pray that God will provide for him. The clinic does have money for situations like this, but sometimes God provides in other amazing ways! Richard also has aset prenatal day. On Fridays, he works alongside the Friday prenatal team at the clinic taking blood pressures, taking pulses, weighing women, and taking blood tests to test hematocrit (and spins them out in our clinic centrifuge). He also helps with newborn exams and well baby checks. Today, he is teaching on parenting and child development. When Richard is at the clinic, he is also able to spend time with the husbands of women who come for their prenatal checks. This is a fantastic opportunity to build relationship and share Christ.It seems hardly a day goes by that we don't have someone at our door begging for food. It's a heartbreaking reality here. We have a young girl about the same age as Danieke that we give our recycling to. She came by the other night and simply said: "I'm hungry". We always give food out, but not money, as that is the clinic policy. There is also a family that lives on the corner in the broken shell of a tricycab. Whoever is on shift at the clinic takes them food when we have our evening meal. The poverty here is on a scale we have never experienced before and it's hard to find balance in our own lives. Do we go out on our day off for a meal when we know there are so many here who go without? We sometimes feel caught between two worlds. Please pray that we will hear the voice of God in this and respond to the need in the way He would. On Family night (Wednesdays at the clinic) we have a worship time and devotional time. This week's was about how to respond to poverty in the manner Christ would.Are we providers or partners? What is the difference? We're still chewing on this one!We attend church around the corner from us when Jocelyn in on call. It is a Tagalog church with a three hour service! This has been a challenge for the kids (and us at times!) We have not found a solution yet, except that we may attend for part of the service and then come home. There is a Sunday school class, but there are well over 30 children packed into a small office and that is pretty overwhelming for Marijke and Matthijs. Please pray that God will direct us in this...We would love to be part of a local church family, and the people at Harvest are incredible...that is our heart. On Sunday afternoons, we often try to go to a park somewhere where the kids can run around, as there is no "greenspace" where we live. We've found several places to go. In Metro Manila, we can get to these by taxi: Quezon Circle, Rizal Park, and University of the Philippines. Each one has room to run! On Tuesdays, Danieke goes to her homeschool group for violin and art classes. This is an opportunity for her to spend time with Philippino kids and have fun. We have lots of kids on our street as well. The kids are finding the adjustment of drawing so much attention quite difficult. Lots of people come up and touch them or try to hold their hands. The comment we mostly get about the girls is: "They are just like Barbie dolls". It's hard to know how to respond with the kids as Marijke and Matthijs especially tend to bury themselves in us to "hide". Please pray that we will know how to respond in each situation. The people are very well meaning and genuinely interested in the kids, it's just all a little overwhelming.Every morning, either one of us or both, (depending on who is working at the clinic), begin homeschooling with Danieke at 8 am. The kids are up every am at 6:30, so we have time to cook oatmeal or run down the street to a family run bakery to buy pandesol or "encimada" for breakfast. Encimada is a sweet bun smothered in butter and sugar (our kids favourite!) Marijke and Matthijs play together, colour or paint, and sometimes (actually most mornings) scrap it out! Please pray that we will stay patient with them and keep them busy! We boil water on our stove to make coffee in our press (thank you mom and dad for giving that to us!) and get our shot of caffeine for the day!At 11:30 am, lunch is served at the clinic. We eat in community with everyone there and usually lunch is rice and vegetables. In the afternoons, the kids sleep (under our newly acquired mosquito nets) and Danieke plays with friends. While the kids are sleeping, we usually study about midwifery and primary health care and have some private time with God. Please pray that we will stay firmly rooted in scripture and prayer. As anywhere, there are always demands on time, and we want to make this a priority. Please pray that we will recognize the distractions for what they are and stay committed to having regular time alone with God.This past week has felt a little more stressful. We recognize a little "culture shock" creeping in as well as just continued adjustment for our family. We trust that God will walk through this with us. There are others from our group experiencing the same and we are not alone! Please pray that we will grow more in our understanding of Tagalog and in our speaking ability. This will make a huge difference!We love you guys and are so comforted in knowing you are with us here in prayer! Pray we will make the most of every opportunity we have to make the name and love of Christ known. We know that He is the hope living in us...and hope is what those in our neighbourhood need most. Pray also that we will always we ready to give a reason for this hope we have.We miss you! We can get mail at the clinic address and would be delighted to hear from you!Love, Richard, Jocelyn, Danieke, Marijke and Matthijs
Febr 2006 General Information of Life in the Philippines
Funny, sad, and other general information from our life here in Manila.
#Around 47 pesos is $1 Canadian. A taxi driver makes around 500-1000 pesos a day or between $10-$20 for working from 6 am to 10 pm
#Matthijs said this morning, when we go to Canada can I have a cookie and you can come to my birthday. When are we going to the Philippines?
#There is a big shopping centre nearby here, within 3 km. To get there we take a jeepney. Per person this cost 7.50 pesos, free for the little kids only if we put them on our lab when the jeepney is full or else we do pay. The funny part is that it takes about 30 minutes and I used to be able to run it in 12 minutes.
#So, jeepneys [old 2nd world war vehicles that are used as a taxi, can hold about 20 in the back and 3 in the front] cost 7.50 pesos/person. A tricycab [ this is a motorcycle with a sidekick that can hold three people and one behind the driver] is 20 pesos for the vehicle. An FX 12.50 pesos/person, but airconditioned and closed, so we inhale a lot less polution. The other day on the way back from Danieke's [one afternoon] school at a church, I caught myself walking an extra 30 minutes through the mall to find the way to get to the jeepneys. I could have taken the FX but I thought lets save some money and choose the lesser comfort[???] You do the math and put it in perspective for me please.
#For a fresh bun we pay 1 peso. This morning I bought 3 big cinnamon buns and 10 cookies for 42 pesos, that is around 90 cents.
#The other day one of the patients had to be transported to the hospital because of a great loss of blood. In the operating room a sick cat was walking around. Nobody paid attention to this.
#Whenever we go to a persons house or someone comes here, the standard drink is coke in a bottle. This is without asking, it is just the norm. It is cheaper to buy your pop in a bag!
#Ants continue to be a battle. You can set the timer by how long it takes for them to come out after especially leaving some breadcrumbs. Needless to say I am policing my family to clean up after themselves and to eat above the plate to reduce the crumbs from spilling.
#Cochroaches are also a daily battle, we crush a couple a day.
#I mop the floor every night, as the air pollution and tracking via our feet into the house leaves a thin film on our floor. A bucket with black water is the end result.
#Even though the people may not have much they still seem to be happy with what they have, contrary to our North American culture, where we strive for happiness in what we have in materialism, by acquiring more, but are never satisfied.
#For a small fee we can eat at the clinic for lunch and dinner from Monday through Saturday. This is a great blessing as it saves us a lot of time in preparations, and gives us time with others in community.
#We sort of have a shower but according to the landlady there is only enough waterpressure from 12pm-3.00am, so we should get the kids up at that time (suggested by her). It has only worked so far by trickling a little, (in other words no shower). We do have a laundry tubwe use to fill with water [and even add some water that we warm up on the stove]
#It is funny to look back at life at our old house where we had four bedrooms, four bathrooms with one bath and three showers, now we are down to a basin and a bucket [ha,ha].
#Things we have done here at the house: - waxed the floor and finished it off by buffing it with a coconut[ see the picture on shutterfly] - we bought a table with chairs and a couch - Andy [my supervisor] and I built a wardrobe under the staircase with bookshelves and a desk for Danieke - The sink is back on the wall, thanks to Brad. - I built a Shoerack - We purchased a fridge after 6 weeks - Got aircon for kids bedroom and exhaust fan in between bedrooms, so we get some cool air too!! #We had our neighbour's cat in our house twice. He was able to come in through an opening at the top of our staircase...there was just a big enough crack. We have since closed that hole! Those that know me well know that I am extremely allergic to cats, so in other words Jocelyn was the one getting the cat out of the house. Also we don't want cats in our house because many are so sick here.
#TP does not go down the toilet but into the bucket beside it. There is not enough water going down to flush it through.Also I was reminded as I was out with the kids to always bring TP along because in most public bathrooms there is none.
#Filipino people do value efficiency, but relationship is more important than anything else. At the end of a job they will evaluate if they had a good time with one another and appreciate the job done. Yes, relationship is important but our own culture including myself is much more driven by productivity and efficiency.
#It is winter here, so people wear winter clothes. I have seen people with tuques on. Right now it is only 30C so a little chilly for those that have been acclimatised, excluding the Jelsmas.
#There are religious signs everywhere, especially in all the taxis. A lot of praying Mary's, as the Philippines is predominantly Catholic. Although, it is not uncommon to see many different religious symbols in the same taxi, Christian, Buddhist and Catholic.
#A very popular thing that people do here is cockfighting. You see roosters here all over the place. There is a rink close by, we can sometimes hear the games going on. A lot of gambling surrounds this pasttime. I do want to see it sometime..just another cultural experience.
#Experiences in a culture with extremes!! Last night Jocelyn and I got out on a date. We went to an area called Makati. This is a really upscale area of the city. Oh my goodness we could not believe what we saw. The elite is so present in this area...I personally feltreally uncomfortable, probably because I am white and being looked upon as rich, that is what we are, compared to the people who we minister to, do life with and the neighbourhood we live in. Also it was strange that the whole time we have been here we hardly have seen any white people, but going to Makati we saw so many. They are mainly business people, as Makati is an international business place. It almost felt like culture shock as this was such a weird experience, walking out of Welfareville and driving into a completely different reality.
#Yesterday Jocelyn was sitting at the desk, below the staircase with above her a bag hanging with bread. Suddenly there was a scream from her with a bunch of ants crawling on her. The bag was totally infested and a few trails leading to it. Even hanging stuff up away from ants doesn't stop them.
#We have seen the first mouse droppings but no sight yet, this is good!!
#Today Febr 14th, we went to an apartment building where friends of mercy in action live. They have a pool on top of the 35th floor. We had a great time and felt for the first time really cooled down.
#One person can save a LIFE!! Cassandra's life was valued by a midwife that took the time to put this little girl on a handventilator because a regular ventilator was not available. She also kept advocating for the proper treatment of this 14 month old girl. After giving positive pressure ventilation puffs all night by hand finally the next morning a ventilator became available to rent.
#The Philippines is the texting capital of the world. After you buy the phone, you have to buy load to be able to use the phone. You can buy load everywhere. Texting here locally only costs 1 peso per message.
#People die here of preventable diseases like pneumonia and TB. We are reminded of this daily as we pass funerals on the streets surrounding our clinic (at least one a day).
#A couple of weeks ago, I accidentally put an electrical cord from the cd/radio player into the regular outlet without the adapter. In other words it was smoking, so I quickly unplugged it and put it outside. The same day I had to order in some more water for our dispenser. The person bringing the water saw the radio sitting outside and asked if he could have it. I tried explaining to him what happened to it and that it is a 110Volt radio. He still wanted it, so I gave it to him and he thankfully received it. Just this week I went into the water place and to my happy surprise he had fixed it and had changed the radio to a 220Volt. When we see something smoking and it is electrical we assume the worst of it and don't want to take the risk of ever plugging it in again...right?
#Garbage is sorted out three times before it comes to the garbage dump. First if we hang the garbage on our fence it will be picked up very shortly and taken to get sorted. After that it will be put on a big pile close by on a corner. There it will be picked up by the official garbage pickup crew with a big truck. When they get it they also will start sorting right in the truck. Then it goes to the dump and there again many people that will go through it to find something of use. By the way, we also sort it. We right away put the recycle in a separate bag onto our fence.
#Alright,lets get a bit more personal. After working 2 years in Holland and 12 years in Canada as greenhouse grower here I am now in the Philippines out of the regular 'normal' day job. It has been a big challenge for me, to be honest. A lot of my life was fullfilling with what I accomplished at work. I had a great job satisfaction with what I produced and the great team I worked with. Now I am learning to find a new satisfaction in reaching people here, learning medical work, homeschooling the kids, doing stuff at home supporting Jocelyn in midwifery. The greatest challenge is in my attititude. What do the experts say, the way your life is shaped is determined 90% in the attitude how you respond to circumstances, and the remaining 10% is what you can't control.Well I need to start responding with a better attitude...and a greater trust in the Father.
#Wherever you go here there are guards. The main stores, even some coffee shops have armed guards. Also when cars park in underground parking they will have security check underneath their car for bombs. #Cochroach morning!! This morning we came accross one cochroach. He went towards the stairs and disappeared into a hole. I thought well, I will spray in there and kill it. Well what happened about a minute later is cochraches everywhere, running and climbing all over the place. It was unbelievable!! It felt much like a horror flick, where the sun aint shining.In about one hour we killed 26 cochroaches, and 14 escaped to the outside. Danieke was able to kill a couple as well. A lot of sweat, and almost tears when this was happening. Jocelyn was at the clinic for a 24hr shift and catching her first baby during this endeavour.
#In the evening when it's dark out it can be quite a challenge to go for a walk. Sometimes I go out to pick something up at a store, about a 20 minute walk. To get there you need to pass by wild dogs, really sick cats, dirty water on the road, sometimes sighting rats and cockroaches. Besides this there are the jeepneys racing by with the exhaust smoking nicely. So, just going to a store can be an adventure. On the plus side, it is nice and cool at night!
#Matthijs told me today, "Daddy when I grow up I'm going to be an elephant. Daddy when you grow up you can drive a dumptruck."
#Alright, my first haircut in the Philippines. I left the house around 9.00pm to find a salon. First of all I was greeted by a lady that hardly spoke English, but made it clear that I would like a haircut. I looked through some magazines to try to find a picture of a guy with a haircut that I liked, I succeeded. About 20 minutes later the lady came and asked me if I could come to the other side of the salon, I had no idea where she was leading me to. Then a guy with his child approached me asking if I had money for his wife's medical condition. I told him I could not because of Mercy in Action policy but that I would talk with the leadership and would contact him later about it. So, then we got to getting my hair cut. I was greeted by a "very" friendly man, actually he was nice and obviously didn't hide that he was gay. He did a really good job for 50 pesos. Cutting neckhair and sideburns was done with a little razorblade, and to brush the hair off, baby powder was added to the brush. I will save you the details on some of the comments he made after the haircut, but it was humorous, and I left laughing. Together with his colleague they admired the new look and soon it was time to go! What an experience!
#This week we watched pictures online of a newborn baby back home in Canada. I couldn't stop but think what a priveleged baby this is already. Born in a society that has a healthcare system that will give all the care this baby needs with the newest medical materials there are for almost free. A family that gave this child a beautiful new room because they have a room to spare, a warm bed to sleep, nice clothes, clean air, loving parents and grandparents that will hug, kiss and do everything for this child that what is best for it. Lets just say the child has the perfect start and is on the way to a bright andhealthy future.
Then there is the reality in what we see here in Wellfareville. A baby born with wonderful loving parents that will also do everything for this newborn baby. Well, the healthcare system is not there for everybody except if you have the money. Everything is here as long as you have the bucks. The parents are poor. They don't even have clothes for this baby. Their dignity might be hurt by excepting charity from people that care. It is a huge struggle to get enough food on the table and pay the rent. The father works in a recycling warehouse and takes home maybe 200 pesos. When he comes home he is dead tired but eager to see his family.There are lots of people at the house, they live with his wife's parents and older brother and his wife and two kids. They all share the rent so they are able to survive. They live in a place with open sewers and no toilet in the house. The only way to go is somewhere outside where they are exposing themselves. The pregnant mother does not drink much because she would have to go too often because of pressure on the bladder from the baby growing inside. What she does not know is the risk she is putting herself and the baby in. Now her pulse is so fast, and she is at a higher risk of going into premature labour. Also her risk of miscarriage has gone up. How is this cycle going to stop? What is God's heart in this? How is this baby going to have a bright healthy future without the worry of day by day survival. What is the future of the poor in the Philippines? What part does education play? What part does a heart changed by God play? These are big questions...Lord where are you at work? Where can we join you?
#Funny, that here,at the Seven Eleven corner store, about a 10 minute walk away, I can buy Dutch Waffles in other words, yummy stroopies!!
#Guayabano is this weird looking fruit that when you first look at it doesn't leave a great impression. When you do try it, the meat is kind of slimy, but it tastes really good. Drinking the juice cold is even better.
#An encouraging thing we heard today from student nurses at the clinic is that they are inspired to serve the poor because they see us here at Mercy in Action sincerely loving them with God's love and sharing the hope we have in Christ.
#So, after 6 weeks we finally decided that spending money on airconditioning is a very wise investment. Two of the staff [Andy and Eric] installed the unit. We put it in the kids bedroom for cooling, but at the same time the air gets filtered. Also the noises from outside are somewhat dimmed. The other thing we did is put an exhaust fan in the wall between the kids bedroom and ours, so our room is cooled as well.
#We also just bought a fridge. Six weeks without a fridge was long enough. It is so nice and we feel so blessed, knowing now what it is like to live without one. Today we did a big, big shop to fill it and to get some other staples. We have decided to do more of our own cooking instead of eating at the clinic. Kim, one of our janitorial staff at the clinic, came over to our house and saw the big box that the fridge came in and asked for it so she could use it for a mattress on her bed. She, her husband and 2 year old have been sleeping on it ever since. She is 5 months pregnant! Jocelyn visited her in Welfareville just last week and they had been sleeping on open springs.
#Today I went to checkout the feeding program in Quezon City. This is fully run by the local Vineyard church. Women from the church cook and buy the food. The program has been focused on feeding 12 kids three times a week to bring them up to the weight they ought to be. On the third day, the whole family is invited to have a meal and socialize. Also once in a while they organize outings. It was really cool to be there and help out. The close to 30 kids kids were so nice and friendly. There was a lot of laughter and smiling with these kids. Weighing the kids was another thing as many of them are below the lowest accepted weight for their age, but they are gaining and that is the main thing. As long as they don't decline or stay the same.
#Today, Sunday March 5th we went to Mike and Eva Fasts church. We came really late because Jocelyn was called in for a baby check but we did go. They have a class for the kids so this is a big plus. The other churches we have attended did not which made it difficult for the kids.After church they invited us out for lunch, we really enjoyed it. We also saw their house and spent the afternoon there. All the kids played really well together and had a good time as well. I was getting really sleepy and found out about a Philipino custom. When you are friends and a guest at someones house you can just tell them that you are going to "look upstairs for a while"..meaning you are going to look for a place to lay down. So in other words I found a bedroom and laid down for a bit. At six o clock in the evening we went to see a free outdoor ballet performance with the Fasts and with others from the Mercy in Action team. It was really well done and everyone enjoyed themselves. The hardest part was all the little kids begging for money and some trying to sell the little flower headbands. It is so hard to see this, wanting to do something for these street kids. I just want to take them home and give them a chance.
#Yesterday, one of Jocelyn's patients confided that her husband is beating her. This patient's face is half paralyzed from a childhood surgery. She has two children by two different men, who now live with her mother in another city. She sees them once a year. She cried as she told Jocelyn the painful things she has experienced in her life. She is 20 weeks pregnant with a new partner who's "other wife" (previous live-in partner) delivered at Mercy In Action last year. Jocelyn had been praying that morning that God would work in her to bring hope to someone and He was so faithful. Jocelyn was able to share Christ and the hope He brings to our lives. Her patient had made a decision to follow Christ last year, but has had no follow up support. Jocelyn was able to give her a Bible we had that was extra, and point her to good places to begin reading. Jocelyn will follow up with a home visit soon. They prayed together and cried together and asked God to intervene to radically change her "husband's" heart...Pray with us for a miracle in her life. Her name is Maria, a precious and beautiful daughter of the King.
#Around 47 pesos is $1 Canadian. A taxi driver makes around 500-1000 pesos a day or between $10-$20 for working from 6 am to 10 pm
#Matthijs said this morning, when we go to Canada can I have a cookie and you can come to my birthday. When are we going to the Philippines?
#There is a big shopping centre nearby here, within 3 km. To get there we take a jeepney. Per person this cost 7.50 pesos, free for the little kids only if we put them on our lab when the jeepney is full or else we do pay. The funny part is that it takes about 30 minutes and I used to be able to run it in 12 minutes.
#So, jeepneys [old 2nd world war vehicles that are used as a taxi, can hold about 20 in the back and 3 in the front] cost 7.50 pesos/person. A tricycab [ this is a motorcycle with a sidekick that can hold three people and one behind the driver] is 20 pesos for the vehicle. An FX 12.50 pesos/person, but airconditioned and closed, so we inhale a lot less polution. The other day on the way back from Danieke's [one afternoon] school at a church, I caught myself walking an extra 30 minutes through the mall to find the way to get to the jeepneys. I could have taken the FX but I thought lets save some money and choose the lesser comfort[???] You do the math and put it in perspective for me please.
#For a fresh bun we pay 1 peso. This morning I bought 3 big cinnamon buns and 10 cookies for 42 pesos, that is around 90 cents.
#The other day one of the patients had to be transported to the hospital because of a great loss of blood. In the operating room a sick cat was walking around. Nobody paid attention to this.
#Whenever we go to a persons house or someone comes here, the standard drink is coke in a bottle. This is without asking, it is just the norm. It is cheaper to buy your pop in a bag!
#Ants continue to be a battle. You can set the timer by how long it takes for them to come out after especially leaving some breadcrumbs. Needless to say I am policing my family to clean up after themselves and to eat above the plate to reduce the crumbs from spilling.
#Cochroaches are also a daily battle, we crush a couple a day.
#I mop the floor every night, as the air pollution and tracking via our feet into the house leaves a thin film on our floor. A bucket with black water is the end result.
#Even though the people may not have much they still seem to be happy with what they have, contrary to our North American culture, where we strive for happiness in what we have in materialism, by acquiring more, but are never satisfied.
#For a small fee we can eat at the clinic for lunch and dinner from Monday through Saturday. This is a great blessing as it saves us a lot of time in preparations, and gives us time with others in community.
#We sort of have a shower but according to the landlady there is only enough waterpressure from 12pm-3.00am, so we should get the kids up at that time (suggested by her). It has only worked so far by trickling a little, (in other words no shower). We do have a laundry tubwe use to fill with water [and even add some water that we warm up on the stove]
#It is funny to look back at life at our old house where we had four bedrooms, four bathrooms with one bath and three showers, now we are down to a basin and a bucket [ha,ha].
#Things we have done here at the house: - waxed the floor and finished it off by buffing it with a coconut[ see the picture on shutterfly] - we bought a table with chairs and a couch - Andy [my supervisor] and I built a wardrobe under the staircase with bookshelves and a desk for Danieke - The sink is back on the wall, thanks to Brad. - I built a Shoerack - We purchased a fridge after 6 weeks - Got aircon for kids bedroom and exhaust fan in between bedrooms, so we get some cool air too!! #We had our neighbour's cat in our house twice. He was able to come in through an opening at the top of our staircase...there was just a big enough crack. We have since closed that hole! Those that know me well know that I am extremely allergic to cats, so in other words Jocelyn was the one getting the cat out of the house. Also we don't want cats in our house because many are so sick here.
#TP does not go down the toilet but into the bucket beside it. There is not enough water going down to flush it through.Also I was reminded as I was out with the kids to always bring TP along because in most public bathrooms there is none.
#Filipino people do value efficiency, but relationship is more important than anything else. At the end of a job they will evaluate if they had a good time with one another and appreciate the job done. Yes, relationship is important but our own culture including myself is much more driven by productivity and efficiency.
#It is winter here, so people wear winter clothes. I have seen people with tuques on. Right now it is only 30C so a little chilly for those that have been acclimatised, excluding the Jelsmas.
#There are religious signs everywhere, especially in all the taxis. A lot of praying Mary's, as the Philippines is predominantly Catholic. Although, it is not uncommon to see many different religious symbols in the same taxi, Christian, Buddhist and Catholic.
#A very popular thing that people do here is cockfighting. You see roosters here all over the place. There is a rink close by, we can sometimes hear the games going on. A lot of gambling surrounds this pasttime. I do want to see it sometime..just another cultural experience.
#Experiences in a culture with extremes!! Last night Jocelyn and I got out on a date. We went to an area called Makati. This is a really upscale area of the city. Oh my goodness we could not believe what we saw. The elite is so present in this area...I personally feltreally uncomfortable, probably because I am white and being looked upon as rich, that is what we are, compared to the people who we minister to, do life with and the neighbourhood we live in. Also it was strange that the whole time we have been here we hardly have seen any white people, but going to Makati we saw so many. They are mainly business people, as Makati is an international business place. It almost felt like culture shock as this was such a weird experience, walking out of Welfareville and driving into a completely different reality.
#Yesterday Jocelyn was sitting at the desk, below the staircase with above her a bag hanging with bread. Suddenly there was a scream from her with a bunch of ants crawling on her. The bag was totally infested and a few trails leading to it. Even hanging stuff up away from ants doesn't stop them.
#We have seen the first mouse droppings but no sight yet, this is good!!
#Today Febr 14th, we went to an apartment building where friends of mercy in action live. They have a pool on top of the 35th floor. We had a great time and felt for the first time really cooled down.
#One person can save a LIFE!! Cassandra's life was valued by a midwife that took the time to put this little girl on a handventilator because a regular ventilator was not available. She also kept advocating for the proper treatment of this 14 month old girl. After giving positive pressure ventilation puffs all night by hand finally the next morning a ventilator became available to rent.
#The Philippines is the texting capital of the world. After you buy the phone, you have to buy load to be able to use the phone. You can buy load everywhere. Texting here locally only costs 1 peso per message.
#People die here of preventable diseases like pneumonia and TB. We are reminded of this daily as we pass funerals on the streets surrounding our clinic (at least one a day).
#A couple of weeks ago, I accidentally put an electrical cord from the cd/radio player into the regular outlet without the adapter. In other words it was smoking, so I quickly unplugged it and put it outside. The same day I had to order in some more water for our dispenser. The person bringing the water saw the radio sitting outside and asked if he could have it. I tried explaining to him what happened to it and that it is a 110Volt radio. He still wanted it, so I gave it to him and he thankfully received it. Just this week I went into the water place and to my happy surprise he had fixed it and had changed the radio to a 220Volt. When we see something smoking and it is electrical we assume the worst of it and don't want to take the risk of ever plugging it in again...right?
#Garbage is sorted out three times before it comes to the garbage dump. First if we hang the garbage on our fence it will be picked up very shortly and taken to get sorted. After that it will be put on a big pile close by on a corner. There it will be picked up by the official garbage pickup crew with a big truck. When they get it they also will start sorting right in the truck. Then it goes to the dump and there again many people that will go through it to find something of use. By the way, we also sort it. We right away put the recycle in a separate bag onto our fence.
#Alright,lets get a bit more personal. After working 2 years in Holland and 12 years in Canada as greenhouse grower here I am now in the Philippines out of the regular 'normal' day job. It has been a big challenge for me, to be honest. A lot of my life was fullfilling with what I accomplished at work. I had a great job satisfaction with what I produced and the great team I worked with. Now I am learning to find a new satisfaction in reaching people here, learning medical work, homeschooling the kids, doing stuff at home supporting Jocelyn in midwifery. The greatest challenge is in my attititude. What do the experts say, the way your life is shaped is determined 90% in the attitude how you respond to circumstances, and the remaining 10% is what you can't control.Well I need to start responding with a better attitude...and a greater trust in the Father.
#Wherever you go here there are guards. The main stores, even some coffee shops have armed guards. Also when cars park in underground parking they will have security check underneath their car for bombs. #Cochroach morning!! This morning we came accross one cochroach. He went towards the stairs and disappeared into a hole. I thought well, I will spray in there and kill it. Well what happened about a minute later is cochraches everywhere, running and climbing all over the place. It was unbelievable!! It felt much like a horror flick, where the sun aint shining.In about one hour we killed 26 cochroaches, and 14 escaped to the outside. Danieke was able to kill a couple as well. A lot of sweat, and almost tears when this was happening. Jocelyn was at the clinic for a 24hr shift and catching her first baby during this endeavour.
#In the evening when it's dark out it can be quite a challenge to go for a walk. Sometimes I go out to pick something up at a store, about a 20 minute walk. To get there you need to pass by wild dogs, really sick cats, dirty water on the road, sometimes sighting rats and cockroaches. Besides this there are the jeepneys racing by with the exhaust smoking nicely. So, just going to a store can be an adventure. On the plus side, it is nice and cool at night!
#Matthijs told me today, "Daddy when I grow up I'm going to be an elephant. Daddy when you grow up you can drive a dumptruck."
#Alright, my first haircut in the Philippines. I left the house around 9.00pm to find a salon. First of all I was greeted by a lady that hardly spoke English, but made it clear that I would like a haircut. I looked through some magazines to try to find a picture of a guy with a haircut that I liked, I succeeded. About 20 minutes later the lady came and asked me if I could come to the other side of the salon, I had no idea where she was leading me to. Then a guy with his child approached me asking if I had money for his wife's medical condition. I told him I could not because of Mercy in Action policy but that I would talk with the leadership and would contact him later about it. So, then we got to getting my hair cut. I was greeted by a "very" friendly man, actually he was nice and obviously didn't hide that he was gay. He did a really good job for 50 pesos. Cutting neckhair and sideburns was done with a little razorblade, and to brush the hair off, baby powder was added to the brush. I will save you the details on some of the comments he made after the haircut, but it was humorous, and I left laughing. Together with his colleague they admired the new look and soon it was time to go! What an experience!
#This week we watched pictures online of a newborn baby back home in Canada. I couldn't stop but think what a priveleged baby this is already. Born in a society that has a healthcare system that will give all the care this baby needs with the newest medical materials there are for almost free. A family that gave this child a beautiful new room because they have a room to spare, a warm bed to sleep, nice clothes, clean air, loving parents and grandparents that will hug, kiss and do everything for this child that what is best for it. Lets just say the child has the perfect start and is on the way to a bright andhealthy future.
Then there is the reality in what we see here in Wellfareville. A baby born with wonderful loving parents that will also do everything for this newborn baby. Well, the healthcare system is not there for everybody except if you have the money. Everything is here as long as you have the bucks. The parents are poor. They don't even have clothes for this baby. Their dignity might be hurt by excepting charity from people that care. It is a huge struggle to get enough food on the table and pay the rent. The father works in a recycling warehouse and takes home maybe 200 pesos. When he comes home he is dead tired but eager to see his family.There are lots of people at the house, they live with his wife's parents and older brother and his wife and two kids. They all share the rent so they are able to survive. They live in a place with open sewers and no toilet in the house. The only way to go is somewhere outside where they are exposing themselves. The pregnant mother does not drink much because she would have to go too often because of pressure on the bladder from the baby growing inside. What she does not know is the risk she is putting herself and the baby in. Now her pulse is so fast, and she is at a higher risk of going into premature labour. Also her risk of miscarriage has gone up. How is this cycle going to stop? What is God's heart in this? How is this baby going to have a bright healthy future without the worry of day by day survival. What is the future of the poor in the Philippines? What part does education play? What part does a heart changed by God play? These are big questions...Lord where are you at work? Where can we join you?
#Funny, that here,at the Seven Eleven corner store, about a 10 minute walk away, I can buy Dutch Waffles in other words, yummy stroopies!!
#Guayabano is this weird looking fruit that when you first look at it doesn't leave a great impression. When you do try it, the meat is kind of slimy, but it tastes really good. Drinking the juice cold is even better.
#An encouraging thing we heard today from student nurses at the clinic is that they are inspired to serve the poor because they see us here at Mercy in Action sincerely loving them with God's love and sharing the hope we have in Christ.
#So, after 6 weeks we finally decided that spending money on airconditioning is a very wise investment. Two of the staff [Andy and Eric] installed the unit. We put it in the kids bedroom for cooling, but at the same time the air gets filtered. Also the noises from outside are somewhat dimmed. The other thing we did is put an exhaust fan in the wall between the kids bedroom and ours, so our room is cooled as well.
#We also just bought a fridge. Six weeks without a fridge was long enough. It is so nice and we feel so blessed, knowing now what it is like to live without one. Today we did a big, big shop to fill it and to get some other staples. We have decided to do more of our own cooking instead of eating at the clinic. Kim, one of our janitorial staff at the clinic, came over to our house and saw the big box that the fridge came in and asked for it so she could use it for a mattress on her bed. She, her husband and 2 year old have been sleeping on it ever since. She is 5 months pregnant! Jocelyn visited her in Welfareville just last week and they had been sleeping on open springs.
#Today I went to checkout the feeding program in Quezon City. This is fully run by the local Vineyard church. Women from the church cook and buy the food. The program has been focused on feeding 12 kids three times a week to bring them up to the weight they ought to be. On the third day, the whole family is invited to have a meal and socialize. Also once in a while they organize outings. It was really cool to be there and help out. The close to 30 kids kids were so nice and friendly. There was a lot of laughter and smiling with these kids. Weighing the kids was another thing as many of them are below the lowest accepted weight for their age, but they are gaining and that is the main thing. As long as they don't decline or stay the same.
#Today, Sunday March 5th we went to Mike and Eva Fasts church. We came really late because Jocelyn was called in for a baby check but we did go. They have a class for the kids so this is a big plus. The other churches we have attended did not which made it difficult for the kids.After church they invited us out for lunch, we really enjoyed it. We also saw their house and spent the afternoon there. All the kids played really well together and had a good time as well. I was getting really sleepy and found out about a Philipino custom. When you are friends and a guest at someones house you can just tell them that you are going to "look upstairs for a while"..meaning you are going to look for a place to lay down. So in other words I found a bedroom and laid down for a bit. At six o clock in the evening we went to see a free outdoor ballet performance with the Fasts and with others from the Mercy in Action team. It was really well done and everyone enjoyed themselves. The hardest part was all the little kids begging for money and some trying to sell the little flower headbands. It is so hard to see this, wanting to do something for these street kids. I just want to take them home and give them a chance.
#Yesterday, one of Jocelyn's patients confided that her husband is beating her. This patient's face is half paralyzed from a childhood surgery. She has two children by two different men, who now live with her mother in another city. She sees them once a year. She cried as she told Jocelyn the painful things she has experienced in her life. She is 20 weeks pregnant with a new partner who's "other wife" (previous live-in partner) delivered at Mercy In Action last year. Jocelyn had been praying that morning that God would work in her to bring hope to someone and He was so faithful. Jocelyn was able to share Christ and the hope He brings to our lives. Her patient had made a decision to follow Christ last year, but has had no follow up support. Jocelyn was able to give her a Bible we had that was extra, and point her to good places to begin reading. Jocelyn will follow up with a home visit soon. They prayed together and cried together and asked God to intervene to radically change her "husband's" heart...Pray with us for a miracle in her life. Her name is Maria, a precious and beautiful daughter of the King.
