Just Some Notes

It’s early Monday morning.  I’m sitting on the balcony overlooking the entrance to the hotel.  This is my last day in Tubigon – I will return to Sierra Bullones this afternoon.  Tomorrow I will visit the Ubay Christian School and spend a day and a  night there (pronounced ew-bye). 

Fruit vendor at the market

It’s only 6:30 – I’ve already been for a walk through the market place – not much happening there yet, but as I sit here on the balcony now, I can hear a definite increase in the traffic.  The market is only two blocks away from the hotel, so a very easy walk.   I went there last evening also, when the market stalls were packed with produce, various cuts of meat, and an amazing variety of “things” from the sea.  The pier for the ferry is only another long block away from the market, so it is no surprise that the market is full of fish and such. 

Just one of about thirty seafood stalls

Church was interesting yesterday.  I spent the first part of the morning teaching the youth.  It was more of a discussion then a lesson.  They are so shy to speak English – so I tried to speak some Cebuano to make them laugh and to show that it’s ok to try.  They were not timid about singing some English praise songs.  I asked if one of them could play the guitar and lead in the singing.  I thought that maybe after the singing they would loosen up a little – nope.  Oh well. 

I was asked to give the message for church.  I’m not a preacher, so it’s not the most comfortable thing for me to do.  My teaching experience gets me through it though.  Just something different about giving a lecture – it’s just where I feel more comfortable.  Anyway, it went reasonably well, with Bro. Jul doing a translation to Cebuano/Boholano. 

Offering was done interestingly . . . there is a box, about the size of a cigar box, on the communion table.  When it is offering time, people walk up and discretely slip their offering into the box so that no one else sees what they did or did not put in the offering. 

With the children of Faith Christian Church, Tubigon

A note on wages:  skilled laborers earn about 300 php (Philippines pesos) per day; however, many of them don’t have work every day – maybe 4 days of the week.  Semi-skilled earn around 200 php per day, but usually have work 5 or 6 days a week.  Unskilled laborers, such as domestic help and the common laborer, earn about 100 php per day – work is when they can find it.  With the exchange rate of about 40 php to the dollar, the skilled laborer pulls in about $7.50 per day – times 4 days a week and 4 weeks per month . . . $120 per month.  You can figure out the wages for the others on your own.

We had lunch after church yesterday.  The teacher whose class I visited on Friday is a member of Jul’s church (very active member); she gave me some freshly cooked crab after church.  We all went to a nearby “restaurant”  . . . I’m using that word very freely here . . . and ordered some rice and Sprite.  Then sat at one of their tables and ate our crab with the food the restaurant provided.  They had no problem with us providing our own “protein”.  Jul’s wife, Luz, said that you could never get away with it a “fine” restaurant, but for the type of eatery we were at it was okay to do. 

The entrance to the Tubigon market

Speaking of fine restaurants . . . we ate at the Pizza Hut in Tagbilarin on Saturday . . . probably won’t do that again . . . was very disappointing.  The service was great, but they really missed the mark on the food.

The food in the hotel restaurant is reasonably priced and tastes very good.  Breakfast is usually corned beef, an egg, rice (rice with every meal), a piece of fruit (banana, mango), and a cup of coffee (instant).  Price is 70 php – so about $1.75.  I think I’m paying for the internet service more than the food, but it’s okay. 

Breakfast is over -- time for a walk to the local ATM to see if I can get some money.  Many things are inexpensive, but the costs add up quickly if you're not paying attention.  I have also helped with a lot of material needs for the construction project, filled gas tanks on motorcycles (remind me to tell you about "bottle gas"), paid for van and tricycle rides, and so on.  

Not sure when I will have another entry here . . . internet access at Sierra Bullones is non-existent, so I would need to travel to one of the pastor's homes in nearby Carmen.  I might have internet access in Ubay when I visit the school there.  Things are different here . . . I'm  not in Kansas anymore, that's for certain.