National Week of Service and other service

It is always easy to give service in the Philippines because every where you look there is a need.  Two weeks ago we had the opportunity to give service in three different areas the same day.  In the morning we went to help again on sister Patajo's CR, the house that sits over the ledge.  It is almost completed now.  In the afternoon we went to the "Home for the Dying Destitutes", a care center run by Catholic Nuns.  There are sixty-six residents in the center but only about twenty were able to come so we could meet them.  It was the day after Easter Sunday so after interacting with those who were able to come to the dining area we helped serve dinner and then sang some Easter Hymns to them.  We ended with "I am a child of God".  One of the wheelchairs that we saw had L.D.S. Charities on the back.  The church's humanitarian projects touch many lives in the world.  We were asked to not take pictures so we only have a picture of the sign for the facility.

In the evening we went to help other church members on a National Week of Service project.  The National Week of Service is where everyone is encouraged to give service to their communities.  The church in Cebu, as in all areas of the world, has been a very visible participant in service projects involving their communities.  In March there was a fire that destroyed the homes of thousands of people.  The fire was during the daytime and no one lost their life which is amazing considering all of the homes were next to and on top of each other.  The people are starting to rebuild but there are no restroom facilities available to them.  The local church units decided to build one of several community restrooms (called CRs in the Philippines, Comfort Rooms) as their service project.  It would also contain several showers.  After the project is completed it will be turned over to the local government.   We were able to participate several times when we were not serving in the temple.  Several evenings there were members working on the project until midnight. We are not aware of any active members that live in the affected area but because of the project many of the residents were exposed to the church through the members service.  Each time we were there children were out flying home made kites and just being children.  The children loved any attention given to them especially by the Senior Missionaries.

The Sisters rely on donations from local businesses to provide food and other needs for the residents.

View of just one part of the community destroyed.  The blue tarps are living areas for families, hopefully temporary.

Contrast looking from where the fire was and "Modern Cebu".  The goats wandered freely.

Some residents sit on their beds in a "tent" where they cook, eat and sleep.

Current "CR" accommodations for part of the thousands left without homes.

Forming re-bar for the CR support columns.  Very simple but effective.

Elder Sorensen did have "Helping Hands" even though he didn't have a vest saying so.

Mixing Concrete Filipino style.  Pour concrete mix on the ground, add gravel and water then mix by hand.

Transporting the concrete to the needed area.

Partially completed project.  The roof is now on and the project will be finished this week. 

Sister Brown, one of the temple missionaries, enjoying some of the children.

Life goes on.  The tent on the left houses several families.  Some homes in different phases of construction.

With nowhere else to go residents already occupy the unfinished homes.  Gives a whole new perspective to "moving in before the home was completely finished".