Philippines - April 3 - April 6, 2007

When time goes fast, you know you are enjoying life. These two + weeks went by so fast. I am now home, catching up on odds and ends before I turn the page and begin looking forward. Right now, I'm happy to look backward and bask in the glow of my memories of the past two weeks.

It's the week before easter, and the the people of the Philippines are remembering the events of the season. One of the customs is to hang Judas, so we went in search of a Judas Todd remembered seeing near CCTC. The fellows there didn't mind that we stopped to take a picture.


There were also groups of people who would walk through various areas of town, reciting the stations of the cross. The largest group must have been about 200 people, which I saw from our hotel room in Cebu the morning I left. They were lead by a priest and several others who were in white robes, followed by many others - men, women, and children, accompanied by a van with speakers on it, broadcasting both word and music.



Nathan went to Kids' Camp, an annual camp sponsored by Calvary Chapel. Here he is with Ken, Pastor Jo's son. They're best buds. It's good that they were to be gone only a couple days because I'm sure they didn't sleep more than one tiny bit the whole time.

We drove out to see Nathan Thursday morning before we left for Cebu to I could catch my plane home. Nate was beginning to show the effects of no sleep. We're not sure he slept the night before he went to camp, either. Of course, some of the droopy-eye look may have something to do with the angle of the camera - looks like there's a little fish-eye distortion in the picture. But then, again, maybe that's all Nate.

The grounds at the camp are absolutely beautiful, with the back facing the water. The kids met in small study groups. There may have been about 50 children altogether.

Erica enjoyed running around the grounds while we were there.

Todd and Mandi took Donna, Erica, and me to the ferry Thursday afternoon. We managed to find the right place to secure our boarding passes, and then we sat in the crowded waiting room. There are more ferries coming to Dumaguete now than there were in years past. Todd and Donna believe the tourist trade is picking up some. While we were in the waiting room, one of the boats blew his departing horn, and Erica immediately jumped up from where she was sitting, ran to the window to see, and jumped up and down, flapping her arms, laughing and screaming "Do it!! Do it!!" She got the attention of everyone in the room, and we all stopped our conversations and watched her, enraptured at her glee to hear such a sound. It was funny - so spontaneous.

Because I left Dumaguete on Good Friday and the country nearly shuts down on this one important religious holiday, Donna and Erica stayed an additional night in Dumaguete. After flying nearly 24 hours, I arrived at home in the states before they arrived back in Dumaguete - a four-hour ferry ride away.

Still feeling the glow of being with my lovely and loving family for a little more than two weeks, I went to the fabric store today and found some really cute fabric called Tutti Frutti to make Erica a few more outfits. I can't wait to get started. That will be for next week ... for now, I'm just going to sit and remember...