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

Epistle #6 of 20

HAPPY EASTER 

DEAR FAMILY & FRIENDS,

We have been neglectful in keeping up with our Philippine Epistles.  With significant and troubling family events transpiring earlier this year, and ongoing, it has been hard for us to feel like what we are doing is worthy of attention.  

But, here goes….Our most important work cannot and should not be captured on camera so you will understand that most of these photos are of p-days and scenic drives.

Today's Tagalog lesson:
Q:  How do you say Marinduque?  A:  Mare-in-dew-kay

MOUNTAIN HIKE ~ on Marinduque Island (about 1/2 the size of Maui, Hawaii)

One of our dear Stake Presidents from Lucena Stake, President B, is so full of fun!  He dotes over us and wants us to experience every aspect of this beautiful country.

Stage one of this P-day was a hike up the mountain to some caves.

The islands in the background are the ones we will boat to after the hike.

A peanut farm was a good resting point.  Who knew peanuts came from anywhere but a "Planters" bottle?  Sister Howell tries her hand at "harvesting" a few.



Carolyn seriously would like to ride a caribou one day. This one was NOT tame, so her touch was very daring.

MARINDUQUE CAVES
Is it age, or are volcanic mountains getting harder and harder to climb?  Guatemala was tough, but this was tougher!  On steep, slippery parts, you grab what you can and hold on.  Once Lane grabbed a banana tree and the Filipinos yelled,  "NO!  Do not grab banana - they are a plant, not a tree."  Too late.  The banana plant just gave way...and so did Lane.  At last the cave!


Big, beautiful stalactites and stalagmites, and various interesting limestone formations.  After retreating from the cave, and heading down the mountain, our guides told us we could pass through another cave, which would be a shortcut down.  Note to self:  Be wary of "shortcuts" with very narrow openings - leading into a pitch black bat-laden cave and treacherous 20-foot drops.  


When we could not negotiate around or across one steep drop-off, the ingenious guides abandoned us with no explanation.  After some waiting and wondering they reappeared with two bamboo poles from which they formed a ladder of sorts.  Saved!

  

BOAT RIDE ~ Marinduque Island to Melchor Island

The process of this boat ride is fun to experience: The back boat is the passenger boat.  It has no motor and no sails.  The front boat is the "tug boat".  Here you see boat captains and shore stewards -- kids!

For our meeting with seminary teachers, we took a boat ride from the Island of Marinduque around some nearby, nearly uninhabited islands.  


Away we go…just sit anywhere.  Sister Howell poses on the stern.  Passengers totaled about 20. 


Note the plastic chairs for comfort.  They are not "in", but "on" the boat.

Elder Howell acrobatics - death-defying rope swing out over the edge.  (note the tug boat)


 

TEACHING

We teach eternal gospel principles of self-reliance & integrity, hard work & sacrifice.  Even those who cannot get to church have a desire to repay their loans.  We seek them out and get acquainted.  We talk of their family, testimony and perhaps a past mission.  Tears and hugs follow and we conclude with an invitation to return to church.  Many participants thank us for assisting them in keeping their promises.  And WE readily promise that they and others are blessed when they do!

We also teach:  
-  English classes
-  "Planning for Success" workshops (which are a requirement to obtain a school loan)




- Seminars
-  Youth conference devotionals

All of the students are delightful, but shy.  Too shy to even answer a question in English.  So we often have to answer our own questions, then look at the students, smile, and see if we can get them to nod in agreement.  The only problem is they will smile back and agree to ANYTHING we say.  Their nature is to be agreeable and to tell us what they think we want to hear. 


(This agreeable nature presents problems on the highway when we ask for directions.  We ask if a town is in that direction and they will agree.  If we then ask if it is another direction, they will again smile and agree.)

They understand English but are embarrassed to speak it.  We are certainly appreciative that the young filipinos are determined to speak English and impressed that most of them know 2 or 3 languages!  Very bright, capable, hardworking and faithful latter-day saints.  We love them!



ODDS & ENDS

Some of our "chapels" are rented homes.  Here is a very colorful one in Catanauan (cat-tan-now-won).


Our PEF office in San Pablo is our 2nd floor deck on pleasant days.  

After class in Catanauan, we "hit the beach".  Not a P-day, so we just look.


Members get to church any way they can.  This is a home-made vehicle one bishop uses on his farm which doubles as the family car on Sundays.

Did you enjoy that poinsettia plant last Christmas?  Here is the King of Poinsettias, just around the corner from our home - 8 feet tall.  By the way, we are just 5 months from the start of Christmas songs and decorations in the Philippines!  That is September 1.

Sunset from our Marinduque hotel room, looking out over houses to the ocean in the distance.


Filipinos don't "air their dirty laundry", everything is first scrubbed clean in a wash basin, usually from a squatting position.  Everywhere in the Philippines laundry is hung out to dry right on the street, unmentionables and all.  In the country, guardrails will do, as will fence posts and tree branches.  We are grateful for modern washers or dryers.  One day we hope to have them again.  For now, our house helper, Noemi, spends 7 hours one day a week hand washing, hanging to dry and ironing all of our laundry, for $15.  Oh, and she cleans the house while the clothes are in the "dry cycle".  She is irreplaceable! 

Stay tuned for our first epistle from our outreach into the neighboring Naga Mission.
We miss you all back home.  We are so appreciative of how the family is uniting to address Greg's challenges.  Stay faithful, prayerful and wonderful!!!

With great love and appreciation,
Dad & Momma
Elder Lane & Sister Carolyn

Umbrellas grow on trees

Going GREEN with Umbrellas

Good afternoon all.  I grew up in rain.  Another rainy day in Sorsogon, Bicol Region (Naga Mission).  Did you know that in the Philippines umbrellas grow on trees?  Don't believe us?  Well, here's proof...

A few snapshots from our drive yesterday.  

A rainy day is more fun in the Philippines. Everyone of these good men shared a smile and a wave as my honey and I drove up the coast last Monday. 

Love, Momma Carolyn/Sister Howell