It will never be over

After a week to regroup, I can only say I think and hope my trip will never really be over.  It has been so memorable to have all your well wishes on my return.  Thank you so much for caring.  It has been very rewarding to hear from my new friends with their  pics of Holidays around the world.  The Philippines, Israel, Nepal, Mylasia, Bali, Australia, such wonderful memories and wonderful new friends. 

My trip home was quite a trip.  Got home on time, but having challenges getting over the trip.  My arthritis is angry about the cold weather, my stomach is fighting the sugar and processed food, and my sleep habits are rebelling about every 3 hours.  More later just wanted to acknowledge that I Live

Personal day.

Slept in, packed and went to Christmas Luncheon with Seminary folk then Marsha went with me to the beach where I did something I have wanted to do for at least 20 years.  I went Parasailing in Batu Ferringgi, Mylasia   I was down to my last 51 ringgit, so when the little old man said you wanta fly, and I said yes, how much, he told me 80 ringgit and I told him to much...he walked off.  He obviously didn't think I was serious.  So I approached him again, and told him I really did want to go but I only had 51 ringgit could I go for that, he said he would do it for 50.  He got me all fixed up, Marsha was there and kept him honest.  He explained why I needed staff to go along...and I was apprehensively excited.  Got all in my. Harness, man with me knew my rules.  He is not supposed to say a word cause I wanted to be alone up there.  He was perfect.  To start off you have to be ready to run a step or two then lift off.  Unfortunately I was not headed the same direction as he and the boat, but befor I got straightened out, we were in the air.  He said you can let go now and that's all he said.  I yelled and squealed and oohed and Ahhed for awhile then enjoyed the serenity and peace of it all, then told him it was ok if he talked now.  He said ok but that's about all.  We had not been up for 20 seconds and I was already thinking how could I get another 50 ringgits it was I ever imagined it would be.  Quite, the parachute flapping in the air was all I really heard, except for me squealing.  I waved at folks as we went by and they waved back.  It really was a great experience.  A great way to end my Adventure.  Then we walked along the beach, chatted along, sat awhile, all in all a great day.  And so the adventure of life continues.

Back to home away from home.

Been ack in Penang Sunday, thru thurs...it's now Wed noon ish .  Leave here tomorrow about 2:30 to head to the airport then Penang to KL then to Tokyo then Dallas.  About 6 hour ay over at KL andTokyo .  A 6 hour flight and a 12 hour flight and a 1 hour flight.  Christy is scheduled a Hysterectomy for my 2am Thursday morning and will be home before I get there.  Believing all will be fine.  God is good and trying to grow through my kids going through something big in my absence.  I have been blessed to always be there for such events.  4 months is a long time and a lot.  happens where I am and where I am not.  

These last days in Penang have been a great winding down time.  Very few decisions to make and loved ones to share with and be cared about, by.  I really love, enjoy and appreciate Marsha and Bill.  They are so calm, cool and collected, seem to live in a state of peace and calm.  That kind of environment is a real change of pace for me at home and abroad.  I like " boring" as they call it.  I have gone back to pick up a few things I saw last time and didn't buy until I checked out everything else.  And planning to go parasailing this afternoon.  Having a Christmas luncheon at the seminary today.  Went to a beautiful place on the other side of Penang last night.   Really a cool pace and magnificent view of the island and especially of the island.  We ran a little late and almost missed the sunset and pretty much missed the island view, but it was also great by night.  It probably would take 3-4 hours to drive around the island and this pace was a bit further than they remembered.  I got to see a lot more sunset than Marsha and Bill, he was driving and the us and downs and turns of the curvy mountain roads stressed her eyes, so they didn't get to see as much as I did, between the trees.  We had fun, saw the sights and had a good dinner.  They will just have to go again earlier and they can do that, since they live here.  I can't believe I have been in the land of cheap massage for 2 months and have not indulged yet.  I guess it was not that important since I kept putting it off.

Monday , Marsha and I went to visit a friend in the hospital with Dinky fever.  Get it from misquotes .  Not contagious.  Then to lunch and the mall.  Really enjoy running with my cous.  Just lie it was with Paula in Alabama in March except we are on Marsha's home turf.  In Alabama, Paula and I were both tourist.  But cousins really are special friends.  You have common ground and sorta know what they are all about and kinda why.  Can't hide much and feels good not to be able to hide.  We have already started planning a cousins reunion/ get together in May when they come home for 4 months.  They will be moving back to Texas on retirement.  Life is good.  Marsha's vision is not any better but she is managing to avoid stressing them, since she realizes that makes it all worse.  It's been fun, but it's almost over.  Glad to go home.  Sad my adventure is ending.  Already started planning shorted adventures, closer to home.  It's been to good to stop.

Another full moon

Travel day

Very busy travel day. Left the hotel with no wifi for 20 hours, at 7am and got to Marsha and Bills at 3pm and it is a 55 min flight.  Ww.  bill prepared a great dinner and Marsha ad made a special Fresh Coconut by for me since that is my favorite pie.  Yum yum.    Got up Sunday and Bill had to go somewhere across the island to preach but Marsha and I went to their regular church.  Met some great people.  Actually

Celebration in Cebu.

My friend Val is the choreographer for the incredible Sandiego Dance Group and they perform cultural dances for many events in Cebu.  Val's mother now 88 started the first Dance group in the Philippines and his wife and children all dance as well.  He also designs all the costumes and has the studio in his home where costumes are made.  That night he had been asked to have the team perform at the Fort by the Major to entertain the UNICEF members in town for an event for the Pacific countries.  There was a brownout in the area so everyone got dressed and ate in the dark, then when the power came on they had the performance including the doxology as a dance and song written and performed by the winner of the Philippines got talent program like Americas got talent.  Then the National Anthem by 3 dancers and the winner.  It was all very beautiful and touching.  I got my pic taken with all the performers, and it was a time I will treasure always, but they acted like they were the one getting a treat.  Talk about a win win.  I toured the Fort, had dinner with the performers and got my pic with them all, then back to Val and Ofelias home to see the studio and how Philipine peope live.  A remarkable evening.  They live next door to the Capital of Cebu, and it was inspiring to see a life size nativity on the capital grounds.  Very openly Christian Nation.  Hello America!?!

Pictures speak louder than words

Back at Val and Ofelias home

Such a night

Skipping ahead a little, but all is well.

At the airport about to leave for PAnang.  Looks like the flight is late...again.  I spent yesterday and night here and was so tired from the previous 24 hours that that is about all I did.  Great little hotel, but wifi not working at all.  Said it was out all over that area, but I can't believe people sit still and let wifi be out from noon till next morning.  So with wifi out, I just got up early and left cause I didn't know what airline I was or time of my flight or how long it would take to get to airport.  All that comes from the Internet.  I am gonna have to Wein  myself off when I get home.  It has been a lifesaver and I have truly taken this all one day at a time.  Several have asked about writing a book.  I thought of a good title today.  I could write a book about bathrooms, or toilets, and call it Crappy bathrooms around the world.  At least I have always found one when I needed it.  Just glad I didn't HAVE to go on the bus in Nepal when you just climbed down the mountain a few feet and did your thing.  I was able to wait.  But I thought of that today in the KL airport today when I found this one.  

I also found another Won today.  A very sweet Muslim lady on the train.  we were able to vist about our culture and religion and hug and take pics and share email.  a very new and rewarding experience for me.  

A squat one

A square one

My new friend Won

Such a day

Yes it was a whirlwind of activity and variety.  Started at 3:15.  am. I got up, showered, made coffee went down to wait for my friends to pick me up.  We drove in a pickup for about 3 hours to get started.  geo drove with me as shotgun with, Gwen, about a 40 year old mother of 4 , Elmer, quite, didn't get to know him, King Kong  reminded me a lot of NB,  very friendly and a Jack of all trades in the group, and Val, all in the back of. The truck.  We were going into the mountains, to pick up the Nepal, which is the roofing material made of palm frowns .  The locals make the Nepa so that is what we were waiting for. That way, the locals get work and money and the victims of Yolanda get roofs.  They dry out in a few weeks, then last for about 5 years.  They are cooler than metal roofs, and those  are the choices.  Even the metl roofs had been peeled .of by Yolanda.  We made 3 stops to pick up enough Nepa, then traveled down to the beach area to deliver to. I time.  We met at the church and they all gathered around to get their supplies.  Seems like I bundle was enough for and average house/hut.  Having not seen it before the storm, I didn't have a point of reference but to me it was beautiful, in spite of the destruction.  There was a tiny road and a few houses and many palm trees between us and the ocean, and waking up to that every morning would have to be glorious.  This is Avery remote area but still on a piece of land I'd guess about 5 acres, there was a church, a basketball court, and about 20 huts.

Theses people literally have nothing, and not sure what they had before "Y".  They have no electricity, so no appliances, no running water so no bathrooms.  Cook outside and eat outside, mostly rice and fresh fruit, and meat, , so all they do is sleep in the hut, with big windows and a floor elevated about 4 feet off the ground by bamboo poles.  So the floor and roof is there only protection from the elements. I did not see anything to sleep on, but did see occasional mattresses lying around in trash heaps.  What little they had is strewn around in trash heaps from the storm.  Food is basically brought in every few days for them by organizations.  I've helped pack for 2 diff org. And it is basically, rice or noodles and canned fish.  At least it keeps them alive.    One of the nearby villages had been skipped and almost starved to death before they got food too them. Really it was the water more than the food.  They usually walk good distances daily to get their water supply. But even that was cut off by Y.  Thedelivery  of supplies is from a list and if for some reason you miss the hand written list, you don't get anything.  Remember, this is1 month after the storm and an island away from ground zero.  3 weeks before Y there was a 7.2 earthquake 1 island to the west of Cebu then Y was 1 island  east.  So resources had been hit hard, and the earthquake damage is jst having to wait till Y victims are stable.  EQ island still has no electricity 7 weeks later.  They are such patient and long suffering people, just getting by until help comes. There is another tragedy in the making.  There is a major crack Ina mountain on Cebu.  They are trying to evacuate almost 100 families before they are smashed by rockslides.  With all the displaced families around, they don't want to leave what they have and risk having nothing.  Here, the land is not there's in most cases.  It is govt land and although they are not really permitted to build there, they do and the govt looks the other way.  However, in the last few years the govt has been saying no to rebuilding if something happens.  So if they loose their home they may be forced to relocate and not be with family rear job or whatever.   Just 2 days ago I was walking around 4 pm and thought we were getting a big dark cloud but it was a fire downtown. Destroyed about 200 homes.  There culture is just very fragile because of no codes and overcrowding and quality of building materials.  Soo very any homes are basically dried brush which is what we see go up in flames every. Spring in Texas.   They are very vulnerable to many natural situations.  TP me it is so beautiful that it is hard to see dirty, but I'm sure cleanliness causes sicknesses to spread rapidly, closeness then causes more widespread illness.  But when the dust settles, I see such a happy carefree country, I would be reluctant to want to see changes.  If any of these things had to change, it would bring on such stress that it would destroy some of the charm.  But when the dust settles, I see value in govt regulation, of things like building standards, occupancy guidelines, sanitation.  I would not want to go back, but I see greater value now than ever before.   

So back to the village.  After they got the Nepa passed out the people took them to their homes for use.  But before they parted, Val ha d Christmas package for each of them. Don't know what it was but it was in red plastic bags and pretty heavy, probably food items.with no water, they wouldn't need soap,  combs or brushes, what nots, everyone wears flip flops so no socks, many of them are too late for tooth brushes, what do you give someone who has nothing.  Anyway, my new. Friend Val is so intuitive.  I had been unable to really contribute anything but a smile so far, and had taken up room in the truck, so was feeling helpless.  The Nepa  bundles weighed more than I could budge, so Val asked me to hand out the gifts.  He had then lined up in 2 lines go I started passing out bags to everyone just as if it was Rally or Sales Meeting.  I hugged ever neck and s lied and said God Bless you to everyone of them.  They all smiled back and thanked me.  Then we did pics of everyone , I didn't know they had already taken pics of me hugging everyone, but it was delightful for all of us.  I thanked Val for giving me the opportunity to hug all of them. About 50.  Don't think the men had ever been hugged by a white women before, but no one passed out. Val told his wife I hugged em all even the hot sweetie ones.  I told her I didn't know who was sweater me or them.  I was no prize, but felt like the winner.  Willingness has gone a long way on this adventure, God has been faithful to provide everything else.

So next Val invited me to go up the hillside and see some homes.  Most had cleared away the rubble and some had started to rebuild with 12-20 foot long bamboo poles.  They put 4 upright in the ground the start to attach a pole to outline the floor, then the roofline.  That is about as far as most had gotten,  waiting for the Nepa.  Some had retrieved old walls and made a little shelter from it.  The home they were building would be more like a campsite than what we think ofBut they were happy.  Many little children being carried by Momma.  A lot of old folks, as wel.  A new baby had been born that morning, and I met the midwife but not the Mother.  Proof to all of us that life does go on.  Those who I had a chance to talk with for a few minutes at their site, I told them we are all praying for them..., so please pray for the. The looks on their faces and their words said thank you and for some, that is all they ave, is faith that gives them hope.  On our way up, we had stopped for coffee, but they didn't have any cups so we stopped again and had coffee and bread, then we stopped again at the river that meets the ocean and they said Val was getting fish.  Well after we finished at the village, we went to Val's weekend getaway on the beach.  Basically gone with Y. And he and some of the neighbors prepared lunch.  The fish they caught that morning, the coconuts right off the trees, sautéed vegetables I don't know where they came from and did recognize anything but red and green peppers and onions and tomatoes, and pork. Now I didn't see any pigs either.  Anyway it was awesome.  Sooo fresh.  We drank the coconut juice and ate the coconut meat.  Al so surreal to this ole gal.  Wow.  Now Val's beach house.  All I know from what is left is that there is a beautiful big round room about 20 feet off the beach lever, once covered with natural roofing, and a natural rounded set of steps leading up to in.  Could probably entertain 50 people comfortably.  All open air even before Y.  As you come up the steps, there was a kitchen off to the side with cooking area and sink and I didn't notice much else but nice and large for cooking for large crowds and prep space.  They cooked the fish and pork over an open fire of palm wood from the damaged home.  On either side of the round room, but on ground level, were comfort stations with showers and toilets.  Obviously a great place for friends and family getaways.  They have had this for 12 years and will rebuild.  The cool part is that all along the beach is private homes and everyone knows each other.  So they all came by to visit and help and compare progress reports.  Felt like Brock after a storm.  On a level between the kitchen and round room was a huge table and chairs where we dined,  everything overlooks the ocean.  Between the house and the beach is grassy n with lots of flowers and palm trees and large flowering trees.  They didn't loose trees but did loose a lot of the landscaping.  Then a little step down to the sand from the grass, the maybe 25 feet to the beautiful clear as glass water.  It probably went out 200 yards before it got over ankle deep.  It was low tide.  There were neighbors fishing, boating, snorkeling, trapping, everyone doing their own thing in their own ocean.  Such a different atmosphere than any beach I've ever seen.  Such quite and such peace, and such beauty.  I walked around the each for awhile, visited the snorkel rs who were really picking seaweed.  I had my gear, but it was too. shallow at that time, but you could tell. By the shells it would have been great.  On the beach there were Many moving shells.  I hated to walk on it cause I knew I was killing something.  But when I got in the clear white water, I really had to stop.  The ocean floor was filled with starfish and sand dollars.  They averaged about 4 in in width and just payed there occasionally wiggling a foot.  I stood amazed.  There were hundreds in just the area I walked in about 20-30 feet off shore.  Then they stopped so I could walk again. When I came back to shore I had to stop and pick my way carefully again cause there they were starfish and sand dollars whit against the white sand.  I'll never forget the beauty of that.  We hung for awhile and then back in the truck to come home.  They made a shelter for the truck bed so they could have some shade.  I felt terribly guilty in the cab.  Now that I realized the value of a smiling unfamiliar face to these people who had nothing.  It was just in outraging to them to know that someone out there knew they existed, gave me the impulse to wave and smile at everyone along the way.  I felt like the queen in a parade, and they all waved and smiled back.  I pray God will take the events and feelings of the day and magnify them to a point of usefulness.  Back home now for a nap and a night out with my new friends.

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