Preface: Taylor was giving me (Dave) mainly a recount of her day…I asked her to answer three questions:  what did you do, how did it make you feel, and what do you think about it.  Here are her updated blogs:

1-4-11

An Example of a Home

The memorable parts of the day, other than the cold 5 a.m. shower, was we went on home visits where our kids live. In addition, we went to where the street children’s program is run out in the community. It is important to see where the kids come from so you know what they are facing if the center did not exist but it is hard. It is hard because you see starving children and very poor housing. They are very proud of their house and ask you to come in and sit down. We are honored that they ask. Compared to American standards it cannot be considered a house in many cases, more of a bamboo shack. Hopefully we can post some pictures on the blog so you can see. Joma for example, had to spend some time out of the center, and you can see where she went to live when that happened. There are no side walls, or even a solid floor. It is open to the weather and she gets soaked when it rains. It is a pretty scary experience to see where they live and the conditions of their homes. I respect them but it is sad to see. It is especially sad to see starving children. It is a fact of life over there but it is so sad.

Joma's home outside the Lingap Center

A home visit

We went to street kids; where we teach basic math, English, and feed them (after they do their work) a small meal. For many it is the only meal of the day. What is something to see is that many don’t eat it but take it back to their family to share. Watching the poor can teach us so much if we just watch and learn. If I only had one meal would I eat it or take it home to share??????

1-5-11

Exhausted and tired I dragged myself out of bed and took my cold shower. I showed Joma how to play BINGO American style. Joy, Joma, and I sung songs. We toured the hospital or what they call a hospital. We had a doctor with us from Atlanta and he asked lots of questions to try and understand the medical system there. Let me say it is not easy running a hospital in a third world country. It is more like an advanced doctor’s office than a hospital. They don’t have a blood bank if you need a transfusion (changes your blood if you are losing blood from Dangue fever, being shot or stabbed among other reasons). They don’t have access to good care in Toledo which means they have to go over the mountains to Cebu City. It is a two hour, curvy ride. Can you imagine being sick, dying, or with a broken bone and having to drive 2 hours over bumpy and curvy roads. It is unfair that the poor get dumped on yet again. I did not understand the business side of why this happens so maybe my dad can explain it in his blog. All I know is that they don’t have a heart monitor, x-ray machine, or chemistry machine to analyze blood.  The doctor from Atlanta said this is basic medicine and not good. He said it reminded him of triage medicine in the military. All the hospital in Toledo does is try to stabilize someone and ship them out to Cebu City. Their ambulances don’t even have an EMT to help fix you in the back. It is just transportation to the hospital. When you take the ride to Cebu in an ambulance it is simply a way to get you there not to keep you stable until you get there. If you have issues or problems you just die. The poor get dumped on in so many ways. It is very sad.

I think those that have the ability should help those that don’t. In American I have an I-pod, raise hundreds of dollars at my birthday to give to charity. Yet every 3 seconds a child dies of a preventable disease or starvation. We eat out at home and yet others don’t eat at all. It just doesn’t seem fair. What is the difference between those kids and me?  I was born in the USA to parents who can afford to give me opportunity while they were born in completely different circumstances. It is not fair. I don’t know how to fix it but I am glad the Lingap Center is there to try and do something to help. When I get older I need to do my part. I don’t complain anymore raising money on my birthday or giving 1/3 of my earnings from work away. I don’t like it as I forget about these things but when it is fresh in my mind it is the right thing to do. I hope God protects those people until other people can help them.

Dance Competition

I did have something neat happen to me although at the time I did not understand it.  There was a famous pop singer J.R. Siaboc who was performing during a dance competition. The girls were going crazy, at one point they had to have security come in to pry them away from him. He sang mostly American songs. He would go around and pull someone out of the crowd to sing…at one point he came to the stage and pull me out!!!!!  He took me by the hand and let me out to the center of the stage. I did not know who he was at the time or what he was doing. I was embarrassed and dumbfounded. He gave me a hug and kept on singing. I am sure my face looked dumbfounded!!!

We finished the afternoon with a Street Children’s Christmas party. We had a party for the street kids hosted at the Lingap center. The Lingap kids were given gifts by a local company (the power plant). They had already gotten one gift from the people of Transfiguration Catholic Church so the staff asked the children if it was ok to give their gift (it was only their 2^nd gift) to the street kids as they had not gotten anything yet. They said yes and it was a big celebration!!!

Christmas Party at the Lingap Center

Celebrating!

1-6-11

We went to church today to celebrate Charter Day which is when the city of Toledo got its official charter to be a city. We began with mass as our choir was asked to sing.  I got to sing with them. I knew most of the songs but some were in their language.  The words show up on a karaoke machine so that helps. The church is a nice building, large but it is filled often. They have 8 masses a weekend. It was completely full plus standing room for charter day as city employees all attend mass to begin the celebration. After mass we met Joma’s friends at the center who stopped by to say hi. They weren’t too friendly to Joma or me. They ate pizza but never asked me if I wanted any. This is not typical of Filipino hospitality. I think they used us for the food or did not want to share it.

1-7-11

First Twin Left Unattended

Today I woke up around 5:45 a.m. and showered. After that I sang songs with friends.  Then we left for home visits. We were at one that was quite disturbing. The home was full of garbage and feces. We found two babies that were left alone (see pictures) unattended. We could not find the mother. The dad raped the older girls and is no longer around. It was awful. The conditions were terrible and it was so sad to see. That mother did not care about her baby. The babies were sick and the doctor with us said they would not live another two weeks. We forced the DSWD to intervene and to our amazement the mother would not let them take the babies to the hospital. So we required that they take the babies with the police to Cebu City and put them in the hospital. The DSWD said they knew about the situation and would not do anything about it since they did not have the money to pay for it. So the Lingap Center offered to pay and required that they do something about it. We could not stand around and watch those babies die. It might happen anyway in the future but not with our knowing. It is a sad fact of the Philippines and I would guess any poor country. I don’t understand that mother…really. When in church they ask us to pray for the poor, it is not for a nameless or faceless group of people. I have seen who I am praying for. I am so glad the center exists otherwise those kids would be dead today. Thank God for the center. We were meant to make that home visit and as a result those children are alive. If we had not been there they would be dead. That is powerful. It was a pretty quiet ride back to the center.

Second of the Twins

The rest of the day I sang songs with my friends at the center. Jimmy, Jessel and I hung out and talked. I got my nails painted and they looked AWESOME! We did rosary and ate dinner. At lights out I got to stay up a bit and Skype with my class. That was fun and I was excited to see and talk with some of them. I hope next year we can do that more often than just one time. I hope it brought my friends who will never visit the center a little closer to my experience. It was also nice to see school and something familiar. In one way it makes we want to go home; in another I am glad I have friends all over the world.

1-8-11

I woke up and everyone was gone…I asked why and they said the mass. I don’t feel the greatest and I am kind of homesick yet I don’t want to go home. I personally don’t like anything so I give everyone at my table extra and I just eat the rice. I think they like it that I come and they get more. After breakfast we drew pictures to hang on the walls of the center outside our bedroom doors. They were great pictures. I memorized the Filipino song so everyone was staring at me that I knew it. In America no one pays attention to me; here everyone stares at me. It is weird. Then we ate. This mass is held at the Lingap Center and it is called the Third Saturday Outreach mass. It is held at the center and after mass we serve a small meal (give it away in a take home box). We served over 7,000 meals and we estimate over 5,000 kids attended. It was quite a sight to see. My dad took some pictures of the mass of people so maybe he can post a few here. Afterward we just hung out in the hut and sang songs and talked about our thoughts. This is my last full day until next year. I am happy to be going home but I am starting to get sad and emotional to leave.

At Outreach Mass

Meals "to go"

1-9-11

Friends

Today I took my last cold shower!!!!! We went to mass at 6:30 and then came home for breakfast. Then I ate my last rice meal for a long time, hip, hip, horay!!!!  Mr. Drake says that he feels closest to God when he is at church with the kids. They are so well behaved in church, all 92 of them. They sure practice their religion. Between masses, rosary, and how they treat one another they put it into practice. No one argues, yells, or screams at the center. They treat each other with love and respect. I am sure they fight sometimes but I never see it. There is always someone to talk with and spend time with. It is such a positive place with good energy.

The visitors came out to get ready to go about 1.5 hours before we had to leave. People took tons of pictures and it got hard on the kids knowing we were leaving. It was hard on the visitors as well. So we ended up leaving early just to end the emotional goodbye. There was lots of crying. We went to the hut and talked. They cried a lot and I wanted to…I did not cry until I got on the bus to the airport. Then I could not hold it in anymore.  I am so happy for coming. It is a long hard trip but seeing the kids and developing friendships is worth the effort. It is sad when I have to go but I am lucky for having been there. It is my blessing for having them in my life. They teach me a lot.

We drove to the airport (1 hr 57 minutes) and flew to Manila. Tomorrow we have a tour. For now, we have a hot shower, American food, and we went to sleep early in air conditioning. I miss my friends.

1-10-11

We got up and went on a tour. I really didn’t like it and would rather have gone shopping. The reason I did not like it was that I did not understand a lot of it. We visited Fort Santiago. I did get that the Japanese during WWII tortured and killed many Filipino and Americans. They drowned them, burned them alive, and treated them terribly. They killed a Filipino hero and they had his steps cast in bronze on the pavement to show his last steps before he was killed.

We went shopping with Bing. She was so nice. They held a lunch for us earlier and she got me a shirt and a pair of earrings. She is so nice. I bought gifts for everyone else but me, sadly. With Bing’s gifts and the trip itself I got my gifts. I thanked my dad for taking me. We ordered food in the room and went to bed early. Tomorrow will come early with a 2 a.m. wake up call to begin our long journey home. It should be shorter on the way home than the way here (jet stream and winds my dad says). We are looking at maybe 15 hours instead of 17 or 18 for flight hours. We stop in Japan again for 2 hours. It will be a long, long day.

1-11-11

Up at 2 a.m., I slept all the way to Japan from Manila which was about 3 hours. Due to my dad’s flying status and the fact that they were oversold in coach we got upgraded to business class. The seats are bigger and lie closer to flat. Also they have better food but a bit too fancy for me. It was nice to be able to sleep though. We arrived about 11 a.m. and got home about 2 p.m. It has been a great trip and a good experience. I hope as I get older I can still get the time off of school to go. I love visiting my friends, experiencing a different culture, and spending time in a different country. I was glad to see my doggy and watch TV again. I held out until 6 p.m. and then crashed to sleep. Until next year….Taylor.

To view more pictures of Dave and Taylor’s visit to the Philippines and the Lingap Center, please visit Dave’s online gallery.

Rosary at the Lingap Center

Taylor:

Today was pretty laid back. I was up at 5 a.m. like normal, showered and waited in line for breakfast. It was Yvonne’s birthday. They don’t get presents for their birthday instead they get sung happy birthday. We went to mass for their Charter Day which is the city’s anniversary of when they got their charter to be an official city. It was their 51st anniversary. The Lingap Choir was selected to be at the event as the city marked the beginning of charter day with a mass.  It is a very Catholic country so they mix religion and life very well. They even celebrate mass at City Hall every Wednesday. After church we went back to the center while my dad and the others went to an “official” function. We just sat and talked until Joma had some friends stop by. We hung out in girls Room 3. After that, we sang again at a function at TNVS, which is the public high school. Then we did rosary at 5:30 (see picture), ate dinner and then had socialization. Socialization is when the kids share with their Lingap family everything that is going on, uplifting thoughts, affirmation of each other, and needs that they have (like school supplies needed). It ended with words of inspiration from us visitors, everyone but me was asked to speak. It ended with a giant group hug thanks to one of the visitors. Everyone was pumped up. We then went off to bed…

Dave:

Today was an interesting day. It was a lesson in welcoming and hospitality. We went to mass this morning. It’s funny how this country lives in faith so openly. It helps that it is the predominate religion but they don’t apologize for their faith nor hide it. We went on to the city’s charter day celebration and it was another interesting experience. We had front row seats and it was at least 3-5 speeches plus many other things. It was nice to be welcomed as honored guests and to be recognized for the work the center does in town. We had business meetings all afternoon and socialization at night. Taylor did a good job describing socialization so I won’t add. Tomorrow will be a very emotional day. We are doing home visits in the morning and the school in the afternoon. This is a very special place…we are blessed to have it in our life.

Taylor & Joma

Taylor’s Entries:

January 3:  Today I got to the Lingap Center. It was a long drive and flight. I left on the 1st and did not arrive until the 3rd. It is because of the International Date Line…I don’t really get that. You cross a line and the date changes???? Seems weird to me. The Lingap wards sang to us as we arrived. It is an emotional experience. I was so glad to see my friends again. Some changed as a few are at college and a few have left the center. Many are still here though and it was good to see them again. I am staying in the same room, same bed. Girls room three. It is fun to see my friends.

Lingap Center Plants

January 4th: Today I woke up at 5:30 a.m. I took a shower and ate breakfast at 6 a.m. The water works this year (yeah!!!!!) but it is cool or cold depending upon your description. The kids left from 7-9 a.m. for school depending upon which school they attend. Joma and I sang together 10 a.m. to 1p.m.  We went on home visits at 2 p.m. and we did street children’s education. I made a list of the plants and flowers in the garden. Father Geoff came into our room and was singing with his guitar. We did rosary at 5:30 p.m., ate dinner, and then talked and played until about 9. They turn the lights out (mostly) at 9 p.m. We then went to bed.

Clemarie & Laundry Facility

January 5th: Today I woke up at 5 a.m., showered and ate. I showed Joma a messed up version of BINGO, then Joy, Joma, and Helen and I sang some songs. We toured their hospital today. It is ok, but there is no equipment. They don’t have heart monitors, can’t get medicine on time from where they order, and built a new wing but cannot open it as they don’t have the money to run it. They don’t have EMT’s in their ambulances or any blood stored. It does ok to treat colds and other things but is not good. It was very sad.

We came back to take a nap and then I went to church at noon. After mass we attended a high school dance competition. We were put on the stage and the kids danced on the gym floor. We were introduced and asked to stand up in front of maybe a couple thousand people. After the competition they had a celebrity judge for the contest. He is a young pop star named J.R. Siaboc. He sang to several people and then walked to the stage where he picked me out!!!! He took me by the hand out in front of the entire group and sang part of the song to me.

After that we went back to the center where we had a Christmas party for the street children. It finished with dinner. We are now playing for another hour before bed time. I am tired and Dad needs my notebook. It has been fun and I think I am noticing more especially on the home visits.  They are so sad but Dad says they are good to take and learn where the kids come from and what their stories are. It would be so hard to live in their homes. They are very proud to take us into their home…it is more of a shack. I worry about them in storms or when it is raining. It would be such a hard life. We are very spoiled. I am grateful for what I have, the house I live in, and everything I have. These kids don’t have anything but they are so grateful for being at the center and being able to go to school. I am grateful for Queen’s.

Dave’s Entry:

Inside the Lingap Center - so clean and shiny!

Well it has been a great trip so far. From a comfort perspective it is cooler than usual; heat is around 85 or so. It has been overcast so it is not unbearable and I would actually say very comfortable. We are hoping the rain and clouds lift for our Third Saturday Outreach as we are expecting 4,000 kids. It should be an incredible sight to see.

I have not written yet as I have been processing some of the images of the trip. This trip has been more emotional for me. I can feel myself getting more and more emotionally attached to the kids. Many, even several of the street kids, recognized me and called me by name. That is so powerful. To be recognized as an individual and noticed. Here is a street child that I did not recognize and here is he calling me by name. I was ashamed, touched, and humbled. These are powerful emotions.

We toured the hospital today. It is a decent enough building but I saw in the chief doctor’s eyes the frustration and pain of being trained but not able to help people due to a lack of resources.  They are trained to save lives but in far too many cases they are simply watching people suffer and die. We talked with our good friend and City Administrator and he says it is simply a case of too many that cannot pay and therefore the business model of the health system is simply broken. So, they have to subsidize the hospital every month. The larger they make it to help more people, the larger the loss to the city. So other than a moral incentive they have a disincentive to grow or get better. The money is simply not there and won’t be. We saw one guy holding his baby in one arm with the IV in his other hand above the child. They don’t even have enough IV poles so they have to hold it themselves. One person has ordered IV poles and they will soon make a bleak situation a little less so.

Lingap Garden

This country is such a land of contrasts. I cannot imagine…I am still processing so at some point this will boil to a point I can write about everything. Let’s leave it tonight that this center is a miracle. It is so wonderful that it is here and operates. I can say nothing I do is as important as this center and the lives it touches. We are doing it for far too few but we make a HUGE difference in the lives we touch. We are making a permanent ripple in the lives of good kids who simply need to be safe, loved, and cared for. With the help of many we are providing that opportunity.

I will leave you with this…the Lingap children were given one gift for Christmas thanks to the generosity of Transfiguration Catholic Church, in Marietta, Georgia. Today at the street children’s program, a local company gave our kids a gift for Christmas. They decided instead of getting a second gift that they would give their gift to the street children who had nothing. Then at dinner, the street children sat for a nice dinner, why? Because our children gave up their seats and stood to eat dinner so their guests would have a place to sit. I am very proud of our kids.

Happy New Year everyone!!!! 2010, albeit a very good year, is now behind us and our sights can be set on making 2011 even better.

As you may know, I am spending the first 11 days of 2011 helping those less fortunate than us and it always gives me great energy and excitement for what is possible for us as a company and more intimately as human beings. Spending time at the Center (Lingap Center is Toledo City, Cebu, Philippines) is plugging into a complex and sobering view of reality.  I have never seen a more caring and selfless group of people who literally give you their last and most prized possession. By American consumer culture they “should not be happy” and yet they are fulfilled with love despite what is or can be an incredibly hard and difficult life. It a blessing to experience the reality as it takes place. We go there to check on our children and the entity that has been created to provide legal and physical structure around the compassion and giving of spirit of raising 100 children. However, it is always us as visitors that get more out of the visits and the experiences than what we give. That is so true in life, we go to give and yet we are given ten-fold of what we gave.

I will update you throughout my visit and although I will not be in the office, I will be responding to e-mails. Again, best wishes for a happy new year!