Even after this short time here we know our lives will never be the same. Physically well of course we will be older and there will be some wear & tear and tears, Mentally we will have discovered and learned so much from our experiences here. Spiritually well we work we pray we teach and invite people to come unto Christ. We have seen lives blessed because of the gospel. The Lord is faithful to His promises, " If you keep my commandments you shall prosper in the land" The Church Perpetual Education Fund works very well here and there are many that get a good education with diplomas and degrees because of it. We have seen in Ireland where education leading to better paid jobs has lifted families out of poverty.
There are no homes for the aged here they take care of their own, it's a natural responsibility that's taken seriously.
Family is so important and it's wonderful to see how they care for each other.When we teach about eternal families and the importance of families to Heavenly Father and society you can understand how it's easily accepted. It will take generations if ever before things improve here for the majority. As they say here in the Philippines "It depends" Will things improve ? it depends. I think of the story of the boy and the starfish. With a beach full of stranded starfish he was told he was wasting his time and it would not make a difference. His reply as he tossed another starfish back into the sea, "It made a difference to that one" To make a difference to one life, to see one persons life be blessed, will make a difference.
This is where we walk in the mornings. We try to get out before six before it gets too warm that is before it goes from 31 to 34 degrees. It's bright at 5:30 and the place is alive and buzzing. There are two basketball courts and they are always busy in the morning and then from 4:00pm until dark, just after 6:00pm.There are soccer pitches and tennis courts and sometimes they will put up Badminton nets. We've even seen table tennis played in the park, makes sense, to warm to play indoors. Lots of street vendors set up and do a great trade, corn on the cob, all kinds of meat on a stick some kind of dough like pancakes but on a stick various drinks. Every community has a basketball hoop. I can't say court because some are just dirt patches but there will be hoops and plenty of children playing and I mean everywhere, some even on the side of the road. Almost forgot to mention on the edge of the park is the Catholic Bishop's palace, a grand place altogether. | |
Is this Camelot ? Well the rains have come but strangely or fortunately the four times it rained was during the night and boy did it rain.
Below worker in sugar cane field
Unfortunately I was at the ferry ticket office when it rained and while I was under a canopy of sorts I still got soaked. While my head and shoulders remained dry the splashing from a drain just soaked my trousers and I never felt it until it was too late. But because of the heat it dried out quickly.
I'm still thinking it's Camelot the last couple of nights it rained, Thunder and lightening and rain like a waterfall it's amazing. The fields that were brown last week are now a beautiful green, sure you would think you were in Ireland. No, I don't think it was ever over 30 degrees Celsius in Ireland. But I am liking that the rain is during the night even if it does wake me up.