Clean Sweep, Newborns in the Sun, & Sunset

We left our home exactly six months ago today to start our service as missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  I can’t believe it!  Time is flying by.  

On Tuesday, we meet with several members of the Naguilian Branch to clean-up one of the elementary schools.  We did know what we would be doing, so we put on some old clothes and packed the car with work gloves, a long handle broom, garbage bags, and water.  I emphasize ‘long handle broom’ because the traditional Filipino broom has a very short handle and you must bend over to use it. 

one of our guards demonstrating the walis tambo

The ‘walis tambo’ is the inside broom made from grass and the ‘walis ting-ting’ is a broom for the outdoors made from the rib of coconut fronds. 

walis ting-ting or coconut broom

We were asked to clean up leaves, fallen fruit, and other debris on the school grounds.  I wish we could have had some tools from home that I take for granted such as a blower, shop broom, metal rake, and leaf rake.  We worked for 2 hours and filled several large bags. 

Afterward, the Branch President took everyone to eat at a little neighborhood place.  Every street you travel on will have several little stores (tindahan) or eateries in the front of the owner’s home.  They cook the food over a charcoal fire and serve it fresh.  They served seasoned pancit noodles (they look like Ramen) with vegetables, meat and a boiled egg cut in half.  - Sister Roberts

The outdoor kitchen at the little neighborhood eatery. Notice the 'self serve' sign

The rest of the week in pictures:

a plant that the Mission President & gardener grew from a pineapple

newborn babies getting some early morning sun in front of a hospital on our walking route

Family Home Evening game of cards.  

Spectacular Cauayan Sunset captured by our Mission President's wife on her cell phone.

Shout out to our Beautiful Granddaughter, Katelyn for graduating from High School.  We are proud of you!