Epistle #8 of 20

Hi dear family & friends,

It will soon be 4 months since we began monthly trips into the Naga area.  These visits keep us busy as we move from motel to motel and stake to district, as the case may be.  

Several key events have occurred that we decided to highlight in this letter home.  

We planned a day in Ligao to seek out a few young people who were experiencing challenges with education and employment.  It is always wise to invite a few locals who can guide us and make introductions.  So, on a pleasant Thursday morning we drove the country roads to the small city of Ligao.  Carolyn was navigator while also attempting to phone or text our contacts who might be available to help us in our search.  Nobody answered.  Strike one.  Nobody texted back.  Strike two.  Lane maneuvered the narrow streets and swerved clear of every bus, dog, motorcycle, rooster, tricycle, pedestrian, and caribou that played chicken with him. 

We arrived to Ligao, checked into our motel and glanced again and again at our phone for messages.  Blank.  We sat still and waited, wondering if we were about to strike out for the day.  Then, a text, "Gud pm po P Datoon po 2 pwde po bukas nalang kasi subrang busy ako ngayon salamat.."  We might not understand tagalog but we could read President. Datoon. busy.  Strike three.

Then a godsend.  A miracle.  Pres Datoon's sister, Dolor, spotted our call for help and gave her brother the tiniest kick in the rear and said to him, "these are missionaries and we are going to help them."  Within a few minutes Daniel and Dolor were at our motel.  Turns out that their sister, Digna, is married to the other branch president we needed.  Also, Dolor's husband is a counselor in the district presidency.  We had a very successful day.  Two branch presidents, one district counselor and three young people counseled and encouraged.  Do not be amazed yet...

Now, the really amazing part!  Our gratitude prompted us to invite the three Datoon siblings to dinner with their spouses (pictured below).  

We invited them to talk about their church involvement in Ligao.  It all began 32 years ago when the Datoon family of 11 were taught and baptized.  Although patriarch Datoon passed away, the other 10 all remain as active christians.  They are forever grateful to their missionary, Elder Rick L H.  Now THAT is amazing!

Carolyn excitedly explained that her sister had married that return missionary of theirs!  

How cool it was to open our laptop to share photos of the H family now and to place a skpye call, right from the restaurant table.  Nevermind, it was 5 a.m. in Indiana.  We had never even bothered to ask where in the Philippines Rick had served.  There were only a few missions in 1978-1980.  Now there are 17!

Notes from one of our Ligao PEF visits:  The barangay (neighborhood) paths were too narrow for our car so we arrived on Pres Datoon's tricycle.  Lea, age 27, was young and beautiful.  She is married with 3 children (ages 5, 3 and 6 months).  Her husband was out looking for food.  They live in poverty with Lea's sweet mother.  They were worried that we had come to collect money for Lea's loan, which hadn't been touched in years.  We quickly assured them that our concern was first for their welfare...getting food, getting back to church and finding work.  We tried to provide hope and encouragement.  (Dolor provided more than that, she quietly provided a handful of pesos.)  Upon our departure the g'mother began to sing softly, "God be with you til we meet again".  Sister Howell threw her arms around her and joined in..."til we meet at Jesus' feet".  Both of us were in tears.  Lea stood, hugging her 3 year old son.  She too was wiping back tears.  We promised her that life would not always be this hard, that God was mindful of her.  We invited her to come to church.  Then we took a few photos and left, hands waving back at us.

While we had ducked inside her home, seated on the one small bench, laundry dripping on our heads, we thought of our family.  We thought of how blessed we are to know that our children and grandchildren have enough food.  They have clothes, diapers, soft beds, pillows, toys, disney videos, dress ups, bikes.  How can parents be happy if their children are hungry?  Hard to imagine.  Still, we are asked to be grateful in all things.

After this event, our brother-in-law Rick began to relay more of his experiences from his mission.  In March, on the eve of our first visit to the Island of Catanduanes he shared this bit of history.  

In December 1979 two young missionary assistants to President Stephen I were dispatched from Manilla to fly to Virac, Catanduanes to survey the island for the preaching of the Gospel. The Elders stayed at what was then the only hotel on the island and spent 2 days walking the streets of Virac. They talked with several people telling them some day the church would place full time missionaries on the island. Just a month later in January 1980 two Elders, including one of those assistants, Elder Richard and a brand new missionary from the states, Elder Barton E, were assigned to Virac as the first full time missionaries ever assigned to preach the Gospel, on the island.   Then Elder H recounts.....   "With the assistance of a young man who had joined the church years earlier on the mainland we were able to find a home to rent on the main road that would be used for both our apartment and our church. We took a pamphlet with the churches logo on it to a local artist and had him paint a church sign to hang on the outside of the home."   Just days after arriving on a beautiful Sabbath morning in January 1980 the very first Sacrament meeting was held inside that house. There were just four people in attendance, the two Elders, the young man who was a member and a non member house boy. "I had never felt the spirit any stronger before or since recounts Elder H. We had tears in our eyes as we broke the bread for the sacrament and passed it on a small plate to each in attendance. I conducted that first meeting and my companion and I both spoke each stating the the church would prosper and grow on the remote island." Each of the next four Sundays saw sacrement meeting attendance grow to 30 plus with the majority attending being investigators. "It was amazing how the spirit led us to several people who had been active members at one time on other islands. When we told them a group/branch had been established in Virac their faces lit up. They led us to their friends to teach. Finally just three or four weeks after arriving in Virac we held our very first baptisms. It was a young sister and four of her children who ironically had been tracted by the assistants who visited the island just weeks earlier.  It was  a glorious day as the Gospel had been established on that small island in a remote part of the world."   Just hours after the baptism Elder H was called back to Legazpi by President I, where he was notified by phone that his father had been killed in an accident in Indiana. Elder H would never return to Virac but after his fathers funeral he reopened Naga and finished his mission there serving as branch president.   Carolyn, I was only there a month so I don't have a lot of history but this is what I can recall. It was both the best time and the worst time because of my dad but my life was changed forever while serving as group leader/branch president in Virac. I'm sure by this time no one will remember Elders H and E. I wish I could remember the name of the first person baptized. I have misplaced my missionary journal that had those names in it.  I would love to return there some day.  Maybe it will happen if it is to happen. ~ Rick H

(Rick & Cathy's family in 2009)

Wow!  The next day we were met at the pier by district president, Daniel M and informed that there are now 4 branches and just over 700 members.  The only word I can think of is A M A Z I N G ! ! 

We shared Rick's story with the branch and snapped the attached photo of those members attending the Virac Branch on April 1, 2012.  

Included among them we found Liliosa B, a pioneer, being the first convert and mother of 7.  She had been widowed just 6 months when Elder H contacted her, taught and baptized her (with her oldest 4 children) in a waterfall.  Still very faithful, Liliosa hugged us and told us she had been searching for 'her elder' on Facebook. 

Cool sideline:  Liliosa radiated the light of Christ.  One of her boarders, Lilibeth, asked to know more about the church, was baptized, served a mission.  Lilibeth introduced her younger sister, Liezl, who was converted, served a mission and began teaching institute.  One of Liezl's students was investigator Daniel, who joined the church, married Liezl and is the current district president.  We met all 4 of these faithful saints in the Virac branch that day.  Cool?!  Yes!

Thank you RICHard!  It is a rich experience for us to serve here in the Philippines but this mission has been made RICHer by knowing we were preceded by a faithful member of our own family over 3 decades earlier.  Elder H, you are indeed not forgotten.  

Much love,

Elder and Sister Howell

Dad and Mom

Lane and Carolyn

Epistle #7 of 20

Dear Family & Friends, 

In early 2012, our mission assignment was expanded to include Naga, also known as Bicol.  It is a large, long land area, running north and south and attached to the main island by a "narrow neck of land".  The drive from our home in San Pablo City to the south end of the Naga area takes about 11 hours.  Add 5 more hours to get transport by ferry to either of the two island districts.  But there are many places to stop along the way, providing training for priesthood leaders and newly called stake specialists and contacting amazing young adults.  

Since February, we have taken "expeditions" into Naga lasting 18 days, 12 days and 16 days.  Each road trip involves scheduling meetings and presentations in the 12 Stakes and Districts, and planning where to stay along the way.  We no longer worry about getting lost.  We have maps and Google Earth pictures that guide us from place to place.  And Carolyn is a brilliant navigator....except for differentiating left from right.  If she points left and says "go right", I just guess what she means.  So far I am right a little more than half the time.  

Naga has been rich in spiritual experiences.  Epistle #8 will tell our favorites.  

In the mean time, here is a pictorial essay, providing some of the flavor of our days in Naga:

The Mayon Volcano...the most active in the Philippines, the most perfect volcanic cone in the world, and visible for miles in every direction.  The most recent eruptions occurred a couple of years ago, but the cone sends smoke curling skyward regularly.  This picture doesn't reveal the beautiful coloration of the lava fields and the tropical vegetation that covers the slopes, but it is gorgeous from every side. 

 

Every now and then you find a Filipino that loves more color and animation than normal for their home.

Mango or Banana Shakes.  MMmmmm good.  (Made from crushed ice and milk, rather than ice cream)

One of the more creative covers for bicycling in the rain.  You may stay dry but may not survive the head on with a bus!

This is the main road over the mountain on the south end of Bicol.  Is it a river or a road?

We have counted as many as 15 riders on one tricycle!  Note the umbrellas.

Tricycles are really taxis, buses, trucks, pig movers, and product transports - here we see palm leaves for weaving products.

Again, counting is fun.  What you see here is only one side of the tricycle.  The other side has more passenger capacity!  How many can you see?

Road-widening projects are always popular in the Philippines.  They allow for more rice-drying space during harvest season.  Try driving this street without offending the neighbors.

Our budget for a room night is about $25-$30, but we have spent, on occasion, as  much as $75 and as little as $16.  We like to call this type of room "fancy camping".  Sometimes there is hot water to shower and other times you just grit your teeth and go for it.  And you never drink the water or brush your teeth in it.  It is for "external use only". 

  Accommodation adventure (the fancy camping).  

Accommodation luxury.  (Yes, those are rose petals on the bed, for valentine's day, an unannounced room service benefit)

Accommodation enjoyment.  This is the Santa Clara Hotel in Sorsogon.  Great room, hot water, refrigerator, A/C, Internet, and low price!

Culinary Surprise.  Yes, right there on the menu - "Crunchy Squid Heads".  Boys, line up to see who gets first shot! 

Culinary Ambiance.  Why not dine at the Manhattan, New York Restaurant for lunch.  We did.  It was right on the beach.

Church construction is ongoing in the Philippines.  This is a nearly-completed chapel in Santo Domingo.

When new construction is not yet warranted, just rent a home or office building to get you by.

Interior of the Santo Domingo Chapel.   Note the "stand" is level with the congregation.

In Legazpi, we see the Mayon Volcano framed by a sizable church house, and the Howell's transport.

After visiting a PEF recipient, we couldn't resist the family members who couldn't resist the Americanos.

Another PEF visit took us to the recipient's workplace, an open air elementary school where she teaches.  Pretty modest facility...open wiring, a single bare bulb light, floors with large potholes, cracks are everywhere on walls, ceiling and floor, and a picture of the Savior on each of the walls.  The desks are very home-made, and the kids leap from desk top to desk top until they are reined in.  School starts as early as 7am and continues until 5pm.

Filipino kids at the school are drawn to see strange Americans like moths gather to a flame.  They love to have their picture taken.

After church we meant to take the picture of 3 girls in the middle, but when you point a camera, EVERYONE wants to get in the action. They literally came running to be a part of the snapshot.

A stop on a beach leads to a picture with 6 unknown girls, hamming it up.

It's bath day!  Note the water pump.  This picture is of kids, but the adults do the very same, generally right beside the street, and adequately clothed.  It leaves questions as to how thoroughly you can clean all the nooks and crannies....

This was our view of the Sorsogon Coast as we came over the crest of a hill.

Even the trunks of the trees are covered with foilage.

Like orchids?  Easy.  They grow everywhere.

Bright and colorful varieties of Hibiscus.

Don't ever park your road construction equipment unprotected for the weekend!

Most Filipinos can speak English but due to a heavy accent it is easier for us to communicate by text messages. Here is a sampling from two of our beloved PEF participants:

Generoso:  (Recently activated, married, father of 6 yr old son, baby girl due this month, they like mice as pets.  Commutes home from his new job in Manila once a month.)  

A- "About us here we are very fine! Mice also ok but his lonely coz 3 of them are died.  We have a new pet, a white dove.  Thanks 4 everything both of u!  Gud day once again."

B- "Thank you for your txt reminder cause ive always welcome and appreciate it, you seem to much like our parents to us, hope you shake hands of my little girl if you have time, good night!"

Trisha Mae: (19 yrs old, still in school. We recently challenged her to sacrifice to make small monthly loan payments of $2.50 or 100 pesos)  

A- "Yes! i really want to receive many blessing from heaven not only for me but also for my family. Thank you so much bro and sis howell and im glad 2 met both of you. :-)"

B- "oh.yah! i remember our deal last tym that we talked...en u told me that if i break my promise ur going 2 hunting me! : )  This coming 28th i will deposit again 2 the bank!  Godbless"

C- "Hehe...when elder howell told me that his going 2 hunting me, Oh! Im so scared!  i don't know what to do! that is why I go 2 the bank yesterday. as fast as i can. hahaha"

Well, that's it.  Another taste of people, places and things in the Philippines.  We love it here.  And we miss home.  But working with these warm, gentle people is a great experience that we wouldn't trade. 

We love you all, family and friends.  Thanks for your continued support and encouragement.

Dad and Mom, 

Lane and Carolyn, 

Elder and Sister Howell