I am so rich...

Yesterday was not my first time to go through a very depressed area...whether it be in Pohnpei, Chuuk, Indonesia, Thailand, China, South Africa, or the Philippines.  However, having seen first hand whatever poverty looks like in no way makes it easier the next time. Suddenly, thinking I have no money because I can't paint my house or get new cabinets in my kitchen seems selfish.

Today I went to village outside of Manila, Philippines.  We were there to serve in a variety of ways from feeding kids, to picking up trash, to taking some families some food, to playing games with the children.  One of my jobs was to walk the streets of the village to invite children to attend the activities and then later help lead in some of these activities.  Here's just a big of what I saw today...

The houses didn't get much better than this...

 Boy & his bird

 Everyone loves Perry!

 No money doesn't mean no party.  Streamers made from trash!

 Walking the streets...

 This trash wasn't in an isolated area--it was everywhere.

 The kids loved taking pictures

 This is all the kids that game for crafts, games, and food. 

Perry rides a Jeepney!

In the Philippines, the most common way to get around is by Jeepney.  On my first trip to the PI, I toured a jeepney factory.  Basically, after WWII they Filipinos needed a way to get public transportation re-established and they had these jeeps left around from the US, so they re-purposed them into public transport. A jeepney ride is super cheap...8 pesos from here for the mall. (That is less than a quarter.)

As are many tourists #1 goal when coming to Manila is to ride a jeepney, so was Perry's.  Here he is having the time of his life. :)

Perry makes a new friend from Japan.

Perry and his friend sits on top!

 Filipinos love Perry!

 This is the inside of a jeepney...crowded (& hot!)

 Riding to our destination

Flying

Perry and I are safely in the Philippines.  I was wondering if I have ever shared my fear of flying?  Why couldn't I have a normal fear--snakes, spiders, clowns...(I have never understood how people can be scared of clowns.)  Yet, I have a fear of flying. I wasn't always scared.  When I was 4 and 5 years old, I was just fine.  And then...I hit six years old and everything kind of went down hill.  The mid to late 80s was plagued with flight hijackings and then the roof came of the 1988 flight in Hawaii.  I saw the stuff on the news, and then somebody thought they should make a movie out of the Hawaii flight, and let's just say I haven't enjoyed flying since then.  People don't believe me when I say I'm scared to fly.  Just because I fly frequently, doesn't mean it isn't just as torturing each time.  If you sit next to me on the plane, I keep myself completely immersed in something--a book, a movie, prayer.  I even read from Genesis through Psalms once.  

About 10 years ago, I was working on overcoming my fear when the television show LOST came out.  I think every episode of the first two season showed Oceanic Flight 815 plunging onto the island. It doesn't help that I spend most of my time flying to islands.  One night I had flown from the states and was on my last leg from Guam to Saipan.  It's about a 26 hour process, so I get really tired.  I doze off on the last flight and start dreaming that I'm on Oceanic Flight 815 and we are crashing. I woke to find myself frantically putting on my shoes.  That started my second round of fear.  For the next few years, my face would be red, my ears were hot to the touch, no good....

The last couple of years hadn't been quite as bad, but guess what I did Sunday!? I watched 5 episodes of LOST.  And on the last episode I watched, they were flying from LA to...guess where?  GUAM!  Of course, I know that they are not really flying to Guam. Not because it is a television show, but because a direct flight from LA to Guam does not exist.  Keeping that in mind, my flight to Manila tonight was...oh let's say...well...let's just say God and I got a lot closer in my 3 1/2 hours of prayer, I mean flight, I mean prayer.  It didn't really help that I flew through Tropical Storm Emong.  Thankfully, the storm should be taking a turn and Manila will only experience rain--not the winds.

It is 3:20am Guam time...maybe I should go to bed for a bit.  I'll try to get some Perry in the Philippines pictures posted soon.

The view...

Perry and I meant to get on and blog about a concert we attended on Dead Whale Day.  But the pics are still in my camera--which are on the chair--which is across the room--and we are in bed.  Okay, that's a lie. Perry is stuffed in my suitcase to take to the Philippines tomorrow.  I know, there are probably rules against treating a platypus in such a manner, but it is for his own good. Otherwise, he might get left behind and not see the Philippines!

Since it is 12:45 am...and I've already been to bed once...and I might not be able to blog for a bit...you get what you get.  A platypus stuffed in my suitcase and pics of him posing at our bedroom window.

Can you see the papayas on the tree in the background?

 Even more papayas in this pic way up high

 There use to be trees so we couldn't see them.  Who cares about the brown tree snake, I liked my jungle fence!? Usually, there's a chicken roaming around.

Hmmmm...there are bananas hanging from one of the trees, but you can't really see them.  If Perry had a right ear, they would be right above that.  

Another Whale Pic

This is the marine biologist we met down at the whale yesterday. My friends stalked him on FB so we could get better pics.  :)

Dead Whale Day

As promised, Perry and I went on an adventure that we will never forget.  Before we knew it, our group had grown to 7--counting Perry, of course.  It was a bit sketchy where we might find the whale.  We knew it was past Yona before before Ipan at Turtle Cover.  My students use to talk about going swimming at Turtle Cove, but I never had figured the exact location.

We all piled in two vehicles and headed south past Yona.  Eventually, we had decided we had gone too far, so I told the girl driving to pull in to a house, and I'd go ask.  It's not everyday you approach complete strangers and say, "Excuse me, could you please tell me where we can find the dead whale?"  The people were kind enough to give me excellent directions, so our journey continued.

Once we found ourselves on the correct booney road, we were faced with....

Do we dare continue after such a threatening sign?  But since the bottom sign said...

I yelled, "Let the trespassing begin!" (After all, I was with 2 lawyers and another law intern. I figured they could talk their way out of whatever we mess we got in.  Plus, we had Perry.  He'd keep us safe!)

We parked our car next to all of the other trespassers, when we faced our next obstacle...

We had come this far, there was no turning back!  So on we trekked stepping, over this silly little pole in our way, and waved at the kind people in the house whose yard we were walking through.

We were quick to thank them for letting us pass (like they had a choice, right?).  If you can't tell by this pic, this house is on a cliff, so we had to hike down the road to get to the water's edge.  Excitement was building from all of us!

Here is our group as we journey down the road!

Everyone we passed along the way was so friendly. It was like this was the most exciting, community building activity Yona has seen in years...all at the expensive of a not-so-lucky whale.

When we reached the bottom, more signs of warning...

But alas, Perry and I made it! And then we were saddened that the whale was far away, the tide was up, the current was strong, and the police and marine biologists were there to stop any stupid idea I had stirring in my head.  (I had even brought reef shoes--I was so prepared to walk out to it!)

Yes, the blob in the distance to the right of my head is the beached whale.  He is about 50 feet long and weights approximately 40 tons.  His back is to me with its tail facing the camera.  His head is actually hanging over the reef, so the marine biologists can't get to it.  Today they took tissue and blood samples.  They hope to get to his organs on Wednesday.

Perry took a picture of the rest of the group with the whale in the background.


And here is the whale up close.

Today, was actually full of several exciting adventures, but in case my life lacks for exciting, I'll wait until later. However, there's a fairly large chance I'll be going back to the whale!

I love Perry

VBS Week

Perry and I had a great week at VBS!  We saw 60 kids this week with 20 teens and another 15 adults (& and platypus) working.  Last night I had the privilege of leading two young ladies to Christ!

 This is Perry in a hot air balloon, but I can't figure out how to rotate him. :(

 Here is Perry with some of the big kids!

And here is Perry being abused by some the preschoolers.  Poor platypus. He's such a good sport!

On a side note, I see my views have been down this last week, so I have decided to spice this blog up a bit. Yesterday, a whale washed up to shore, so Perry and I are going out to find it!  Hopefully tomorrow night we'll have some great beached whale photos.  (I probably shouldn't sound so excited at the prospect of seeing this dead animal. I apologize.)

VBS Story

We have two new kids coming to VBS this week. Their father (Joe) is a church member's (Agnes) boss and she invited them.  On Tuesday morning Joe asks Agnes why they were always doing --insert someone making flying motions.--  She explained that those were the motions to the songs.  This morning he comes to work and says that they kids were already dressed and waiting at the door when he got up. He asked them why they were up so early and they said they were ready for VBS. He had to share the bad news that VBS wasn't until tonight.  His daughter said, "But dad, why can't it be all day?"  (Because Pastor Laura can't do that many motions to that many songs for that many hours--that's why!)  Tonight, as the boy was getting in their vehicle he said, "Dad, no matter what people do to you, trust God!"   At least somebody is listening!

And to any of you graduates out there (or almost graduates), here's a story for you.  One of my church girls graduated HS yesterday. She went through the graduation affairs, you know, Pop and Circus Pants followed by receiving leis with candy and money--just like all of you have done...errr...

Okay, so maybe our traditions are a little different.  This morning (keep in mind she graduated yesterday), her mom wakes her up early and says, "Come on...it's time to look for a job!"  Now that is funny.  Tiara (the girl in the picture) told me, "Miss, I didn't even get to sleep late." Then while she was out getting applications, they had a flat. Her mom said, "Even though you graduated, you don't stop learning. Time for you to learn how to change this tire."  Ahhh, the joys of growing up. :(

On another random note. If you look closely at the top right-hand corner of the pic, there is a two story building that is cut off. I lived in the bottom left apartment during my Guahan days.

Kid's Grow Up

Here are Gabriel and I last year....

And now this year...

Sadly, I'm not as tan yet--but I still have 42 more days. :)

Baptism!

I remember the first baptism service I ever attended.  It was at pond not far from Mr. Kymes/Coates/Savannah/Paige/Babb's homes.  Since then, I always think there is some a tad more special about the outdoor baptism.  Not to say that any baptism isn't special, but being out in God's creation is just a bit more...touching.

Here are all of the people who had decided to make a profession of their faith in Jesus through baptism.  17 people!


Here is one of the kids getting dunked!


This guy is from OK--how random is that?

This is my friend Jenn and I after the service. Her youngest daughter was baptized!

Zumba Anyone?

One night, Perry and I decided that we needed a little excitement in our life, so we ventured out to Micronesia Mall.  When I first moved to Guam, the locals would say to me, "Isn't this the smallest place you've ever experienced?"  And I would always reply, "No, you have a mall and a theatre with stadium seating."  They couldn't fathom I lived so far from a mall.  

There are several distinct "Guams".  Guam #1 is geared toward Japanese, Korean, along with a few Russian tourists.  There are big fancy hotels on the "Vegas Strip" (as the new pastor calls it), shopping that includes stores for Coach, Prada, Tiffany's, etc, and fancy restaurants.  Though tourism is a huge industry here, this is a small section of Guam.  Then you have the US military presence.  So those fancy shops soon turn into bars, clubs, and strip clubs.  Then there is south Guam. South Guam is primarily local Chamorro people.  No stores--except to sell pugua and beer.  Guam is also the melting pot of Micronesia Pacific.  It is the largest island in the area, so many flock here to better their lives--or to have their children so they can be US 

citizens.  With dreams of a better life, you find large family groups living together, barely surviving from day to day.  Poverty is everywhere.

The history lesson was only to explain...well, I don't know...I just started rambling.  But since I didn't listen in Ms. McEwin's class either, I figure I should teach you what I've learned since in the area of history.  

Now for our adventure!  We got prime parking which meant we got to park on an actual mall entrance floor in the parking garage. (The parking kind of creeps me out--especially at night.)  Our first stop was Coldstone Creamery.  (Yes, they also have that.)  I even splurged for the waffle bowl, but he gave it to me for free!  Perry decided that we should probably walk around to work off our ice cream.  I decided he was probably right.  Who needs to walk the mall when you have...ZUMBA!

       

 Perry begged to join in.  I said, "You go ahead, but there is no way, I'm doing that." (Secretly, it did look kind of fun.)  Instead, I bolted up the stairs to get a few pics!  Exercise complete.

And now I ask you....who would want Ugg's in the middle of the tropics? (This was a new store.)

Exhausted

When one is exhausted, as Perry and I are exhausted, the only fitting thing to do is blog about our bed. The new pastor--who had never met me--picked out this blanket for our bed. I think he nailed it.

One more for the band nerds...

So now after two band nerdy posts, you probably think that I sit at home and watch you-tube videos of band stuff.  Actually, I only watching you tube videos in May when I'm planning my youth sermons.  Then there was tonight.  I was reading an article my father sent me...clicked on another article from there which had a video of Steve Martin (who is a pro banjo player, you know) on Letterman.  Then I got all wrapped up in watching bluegrass videos. (Perry says he hears you laughing--actually, he's laughing at me.)  In the midst of watching a Rhonda Vincent video, I see a link for the Ohio Marching Band. I haven't really figured out that connection.

The Ohio Marching Band has a lot of interesting shows.  I was thinking that we could do the drum break dance about half way through this video if the we had a percussion court show.  We can all walk on the court with our instruments--like we were going to play--and just dance while they play. The music would be super easy to memorize. Only the percussionists would have to learn anything. And since they make it up anyway, the court show is almost finished. All we need to do now is learn to boogie! (Uh, do people use the word boogie these days?  Uh, did people even use the word boogie when I was in high school. I think I watched too many bluegrass videos.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mAjVjIeAkA

I am Reminded...

 Warning: This blog is more serious in nature, so don't expect any shenanigans from Perry.

The last two days have been a reminder of the more difficult times on the islands.  Though there was always "plenty" fun in the sun, this is a very impoverished land where people face very real problems.  If you have known me for a long time, you may have followed my blog Saipan Siftings that shifted to Gallivanting in Guam.  During my counseling days my blog was never void of good stories.  There was the naked girl under my desk, or the boy that tried to kill me with big rocks, the girl who tried to kill me with the scissors, and the girl who kept trying to kill herself by jumping off the roof...hence nearly killing me as I'd have to hold on to her until help came.

For the last two days, I have been working the local system of who you know, what names you can drop, and skin color.  Thankfully, I was in the counseling system for two years which gave me the opportunity to see how much of this aspect of the island worked.  It's so mixed up, that if it wasn't so serious, it would almost be funny.

My day started at 6:45 trying to call DYA to see when I could pick up my buddy for a physical. (I was told someone would be there at 6am. I called three different numbers for 45 minutes until someone answered.) My friend HAD a physical two weeks ago, but DYA lost his papers.  The clinic doesn't have a record of those papers either. How did two organizations that are document driven lose the same set of papers!?  Keep in mind the first was a $95 physical.  Why? Because my buddy's insurance services were cut off when he entered DYA.  I was hoping to get him released to a treatment facility as opposed to handcuffs and riots at the prison.  But the facility, with only four open spots, couldn't accept him without his physical. The next appointment was going to be in 3 weeks.  Since slots could fill before then, I was able to convince them to reschedule his orientation to the next day, and I'd figure out a way to get a second physical. Well, after another $65, we got a second physical, and I let no one hold the papers except for me!

Since we had time to spare before his orientation at the treatment facility, we squeezed in lunch at the parsonage, two candy bars (he won't be allowed chocolate for a long time), and shopping for toiletries.  I'm fairly certain I bought this 16 year old boy his first bottle of shampoo.

Orientation, and the dad--who can hardly walk by this point due to his gout--had to sign over 25 documents.  It took both hands for him to hold his pen.  But again, no sign--no facility. (One of the papers the dad signed was for information to be shared with him, the dad. That made no sense. I can understand him signing papers to have information shared with me, which he did. But to sign his name on a paper for information to be shared with him about his son. Stupid.)

After that process was completed, we were told to go check out my friend from DYA and bring him back.  We get to DYA and they have decided to change policy and they will transport him to the facility to see that he makes it. (Okay, for two days in a row, he had been released to my care for 8 hours...but could not be released for 10 minutes for me to drive him to the place we just came from?) However, even though DYA was going to transport him, they could not take his small bag containing a few changes of clothes and toiletries. So, I still had to turn back around and drive back to where I just came from to give them his clothing.  (On a side note, he only owned 2 changes of clothes and a couple of extra shirts--more shopping.)

So, why go to the trouble for a "hardened criminal."  Well, first of all, this one has always had a special place in my heart. It was strongly suggested to me two years to take him back home with me to live.  I often wonder might he have turned out differently?  Sadly, his crime was mild for what I know a lot of kids his age do or have done--not to mention what he has gone through.  His mother died about 1 1/2 years ago. Not that he actually was super close to her, but that still must have hurt. He's been raised by his father who is turning 74 in a few weeks.  His father has gout so bad, he's been unable to work or drive for years. But because dad isn't a US citizen, he doesn't receive services. And the crime...2 years for underage drinking. (So if you are a student reading this--DON'T DRINK! I already did a "Gibbs" smack on this kid's head for being so dumb.)

Let me show you where they live....

The top pic is the shower.
The next two pics are inside their one room shack.










The table had never been piled so high with old dishes before, but with the dad's gout, he hasn't been able to even get up to throw things away and has to use a jar next to his chair for a restroom.










After getting my friend squared away in his home away from home for the next 3-6 months (and if he passes, the rest of his sentence should be dropped), at 6:30am the next morning his dad called. He could no longer get up or move from his gout. Back to the ER to get his meds. We had tried to get his meds all week, but we couldn't because he hadn't seen a doctor. His doctor appointment was the next week--scheduled two weeks after his medicine ran out.  Not by choice.

Please pray for my friend. He has a sweet heart. He loves to read--and to find island boys with an interest in books is very rare.  I told him I'd buy him the Hunger Games to read and he is very excited--so now I need to order those.  He is kind and polite.  But due to circumstance and a poor decision, he is trying to fight his way back to society. And pray for his dad.  He is having difficulty physically and could sure use some healing.  He's a really funny guy. (His jokes are much better than the one about the doted half note...)

Final Countdown Prank?

I don't necessarily think you should watch this ENTIRE video...it gets boring, just like it does every time we play this song. I post it for the following reasons:

#1) I'm glad other bands over-blow and sound equally as grotesque as we sound

#2) What percent chance is there that Mr. Low would go nuts if we did this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdlB_-2pBTo

Flashes of Light

I had an interesting experience last night....Perry and I were about to go to sleep since we'd only had about 5 hours the two previous nights...when my friend Esther wanted to talk about my upcoming trip to visit her in the PI.....then I was about to go to sleep when I remembered I needed email my parents or they would worry. (Ask me if my mother emailed me today...noooooo....).  Then I remembered I hadn't spent my usual time in prayer because of all my running here and there...so....I had just pulled out my prayer journal when, the power went off.  It was at that moment, I realized I had candles, but no matches and no flash light.   I turned to Perry and asked him what kind of secret agent doesn't have a flash light?  Since my computer was charged, I figured I could use that for a light.  Then suddenly there were bright flashes of light outside--green, blue, orange, yellow...BRIGHT!!!  I ran outside and it was almost like watching fireworks.  Suddenly, it clicks in my mind that this isn't normal.  Had the North Koreans attacked Guam after all?  I decided there were probably be more sound.  Had a tsunami come and took out part of the island? Then I remembered I hadn't felt an earthquake.  (And my body is so sensitive to earthquakes, I even feel the ones that don't exist.)   Had the Lord returned?  But there were no sounds of trumpets.

The power came on and I figured the Guam Pacific Daily News (aka PDN) would have an online update.  Nothing.  And then the power went back off and the sirens began.  I was becoming slightly more concerned at this point when the power returned!  I jumped back on my computer and the PDN said that the power station in my village had a fire.  And then the power went off again--for a long time.  The pastor and his wife came out and we sat outside at midnight speculating for how many years it would remain off.  We came up with new sleeping arrangements (like outside) if it was to never return.  We got out the hand crank radio to hear updates.  I went on the roof about 4 times trying to see the fire.  We eventually came to the conclusion we should just go to bed.  And then the power came on! And then it went off. And then it came on! And then it went off. And now, it is on (hopefully--here to stay!)

Plenty Rain

Those living on the Mariana Islands do not use a preposition after the work plenty.  Where we might say "There's plenty of food," they would say, "There's plenty food."  The word plenty is also used considerably more than someone on the mainland.  So, adapting to island sentence structure, "We have plenty rain!"

Perry and I have not been to the beach in three whole days!  I know that you can swim in the rain.  I also am well aware that Perry is a semi-aquatic mammal which means he won't drown in the rain either.  However, it hasn't just been rainy. It has been rainy with WIND.  Hence the tapioca tree that blew down.

Riot!!!

I experienced a first when I was in prison today (visiting--Perry and I haven't committed a crime worthy of imprisonment--yet).  Perry and I went to bust out my buddy Samuel.  (When I say bust out, we were taking him to the doctor and for another appointment.)  As we were waiting for them to change Samuel into his non-prison attire, I heard someone scream LOCK DOWN and all the officers on their cookie break (this is not a lie--most of the officers left the building, each carrying a cookie or two in their hands, and taking pictures by the front gate) came running with their weapons.  Then there was lots of screaming and banging and noise and more screaming....for a moment I thought I was in the recent Hawaii 5-O episode when Chen was in falsely in prison and a riot broke out with the bad guys trying to kill him.  Perhaps an angry student or enemy of Perry had come to kill us.  Sadly, there was no Steve McGarrett to rescue me.  I guess I'm on the wrong island.

I'm one step closer to actually busting my buddy out of this facility into a lesser facility that can eventually get him released on good behavior.  This place will be so much better and they will allow him to attend church on Sunday's once he makes it to the third phase.  AND they'll allow him to keep his Bible from the very beginning! (The place he is in now confiscated his Bible because he could use the cover as weapon.)  I'll spend my day tomorrow trying to get him moved.  Hopefully, the Lord will pave a way and Samuel will be sleeping a new place tomorrow night!

A Little Bit of Ministry

There are a couple of blog followers who believe that I'm out here for a greater mission than entertaining the coolest Platypus on the planet (okay....when I say a couple of followers, I mean my mom...and my cousin, Kent! Now that I think about it, they might be the only two people in the world that actually read my blog).  I probably should post that I'm really doing some for the Kingdom and not going to the beach all the time. :)

Since I didn't go to the FSM, I decided that perhaps God had a purpose for me for a longer stay in Guam.  I have had the opportunity to participate in ministry that I wouldn't other wise have been a part of.  I took up teens and children's church just like I never left.  I been working this week to reconnect to teens and other people who use to attend the church, but have left over the year, but haven't gone to another church.  Therefore, friendship evangelism is one of my primary focuses at the moment.  I also plan to have the best VBS set that the Guam First Church of the Nazarene has ever seen! (However, part of the decoration planning was trying to figure out how to steal an airplane today--perhaps I need to scale back a bit my decorating scheme.)

Last night the teens had a meeting. We had a great group of 17 total people!  If you followed my former blog back in the day, I started in Guam with four people at teen meeting--on the good days.  I marvel at how the group has grown--not just numerically but spiritually as well.  From the teen group we have the worship leader, two guitar players, a drummer, a children's Sunday school teacher, and a kinder-church leader. But though the group has grown, many have slipped away as well.  I am hoping to connect with them over the next few weeks.  Last night at our meeting, we ate (what teen function doesn't have food???), had a scavenger hunt--in the dark--and watched the film The Butterfly Circus followed by a time of devotion.

If you have never seen The Butterfly Circus it stars Nick Vujicic.  It is the winner of several awards and has a powerful message.  You can watch the 20 minute film on You Tube and several other sites as well.  I highly recommend that if you find yourself with a few extra moments that you watch this film!

Today I got to do Children's Church.  So many little brothers and sisters of the kids I use to teach in children's church.  We had 24 kids today (and another 11 in kinder church).

This week I'll be decorating for VBS, meeting with some of my friends, attending lots of HS graduations (*moan*--they will be hot and LONG), and working on my dissertation.  Yuck.