Blessesd are the poor....

We got back to my parents place from Borocay on Saturday night, played a mean game of shoot the moon ( which we haven't played forever) and hit the hay.

My parents gave us a heads up about Sundays there. They drive out about an hour and a half to 2 small branch's. Church for my parents is a whole day thing, they try and hit both branch's and visit family's in between....So leave at 9ish and home at 5ish. For some reason Sunday was an emotional day for me. I cried a lot.


So in amongst the little house's is the church.The church was very simple, but still beautiful, and by far the nicest building around. They are all gated with security systems as the people (not the members) will take almost anything they can sell. Not because they are bad people but they see something they can sell so they try and sell it. I think we were the only car in the parking lot.
We walk in and are surround by people wanting to meet and shake our hands.... my parents are almost considered celebrities there. I've never felt so welcome at a church before. I couldn't understand most of what the lessons were on but, it was still nice.

We meet a lady who had just had triplets but just recently lost one of them. Most of the families there had lost at least one baby. Having your baby make it to 1 yrs old is a big deal and they have big parties to celebrate. Making me very grateful for the health care that we have here.

It was testimony meeting in sacrament, again we couldn't understand much. They speak in Tagalog but insert English words here and there. They sing so loud and with so much feeling, it would make most other wards here feel embarrassed for not doing so themselves. There was a constant line up of people waiting to go up and share their testimonies. There is one man there who has to walk on his knees because his legs are badly twisted up behind him. I'm sure this stops him from being able to make much money. He went up to the stand, the Bishop had to carry him up the steps and then put a stool so he could reach the microphone. I had never seen a happier man, with such a sweet smile, but what could he possibly have to be happy about? He started talking, and from what I understood he was talking about many trials, then he said he counted his many blessings, and was so blessed in this life. I tried to think of what blessings this man could be talking about. All of these people who have nothing and are some of the happiest people I have ever met.

After church we went and visited a couple families. We had a group of kids following us around. They would get really close and when we would turn to them they would take off down the street, then would start again.

Our first visit was with a dad and his 2 little girls, mom is in the city working. Their house was another shock for me. This is there bed, sofa, table. No mattress, no blankets, just plywood. The baby sleeps in the net above.

Right beside the bed was the dresser. Everything they own can fit in this little area. They didn't have much. But I loved that they had this picture of the Savior. They had one thing framed and hanging in their home, it was their Temple sealing certificate. They don't have much but they know whats important.

The house was so small. It was maybe 9ft by 12ft. This was the kitchen, I think, they cook out side.

This is where they do the cooking. I'm not sure how it works, but this is the 'stove'.

This is what most house's look like in the country. In front of the house's is a little trough. You can see the boy standing on a little bridge over it. Anyway that is where they do there business and then rain water washes it down.

We went to another family where the Grandfather was the head of the house. He had sores all over his body and moving into his eyes. He is also slowly dying of Emphysema because they can't afford the medication to help him.... which is only about 10cents a day, if that. He was a very kind man and was ready to do anything for us to make us comfortable. They are so humble and trying so hard. It makes me nervous to know that I will be judged next to these saints.

This is in the city. Town house kind of things I guess. So from what I saw I think this is about 4 or 5 houses. There are homes like this literally as far as the eye can see. I was surprised at how much these poor people cleaned. Where ever you looked there were people cleaning themselves or their clothes. You saw clothes drying everywhere.

Driving down the busy streets of Metro Manila, lots of the children wonder through traffic knocking on car doors asking for food and money. You will see little kids carrying babies to try and get more money.

Lots of them are naked, they can't afford diapers, and it is hot enough not to need clothes. It is real life slumdog millionaire, minus the millionaire. We had a reality check for sure. I had never felt so ungrateful, while at the same time so blessed for what I have. It was hard to see so many with nothing, when I have so much and complain about having nothing. I wish the pictures could truly show what we saw. Heartbreaking, humbling, and amazing all wrapped into one.