SAN JUAN, BATANGAS MEDICAL MISSION

The medical mission run by the Ambal family in memory of their brother, Vilo, was a success.  So different than the one in Candon - this one was outside at an elementray school so we were dealing with heat and humidity.  The event saw over 525 patients - which always amazes me.
Medical missions here in the Philippines are more of a political chip with those running for election trying to get their name out there and earn politcal points.
Last  night the Ambals hosted a family party back in San Jose for Roger & PJ Tolentino - pool party, complete with the ever present karaoke machine.  With the Ambal family just getting them together is a party.
Our visit today will be to the foothills of Mt. Banahaw.  Laguna is known for buko (coconut) pie, hot springs and then the two mountains where Christians travel during holy week.  Our guide is Grace Ambal, the young lady who takes care of so many of the arrangements for any of the visitors from the US.  Hope some day we can return the favor or showing her and her family the US.

SUCCESSFUL 1st MED MISSION CLOSES

Yesterday we finished up the Candon Medical Mission and celebrated at a resort in Santiago, Ilocos Sur.  The numbers that were seen were so impressive - over 3000 contacts, of those 2000 or so were general medical, 200 were general surgery, over 400 dental extractions, 70+ were major surgeries, over 400 people received glasses.  The Governor of Ilocos Sur attended our event and you've got to appreciate his spirit as he sang two songs (one poorly, but at least he could laugh at his gaffs).  Our group received several accolades - all well deserved as no matter what job they gave us we did our best to serve the people.
The Filipinos are such gentle people - you see it in their faces and you see it in the care and concern that their countrymen extend to them when they return on missions of this sort.  They do not forget their roots, their family ties & their educational ties.  They love to eat - I am telling you that a person like myself, a picky eater and a non grazer, does not fare well in this setting.  They are ALWAYS eating and not getting full, yet, very few overweight people.  The road trip last night was like "Family Vacation" where we packed into the van, the smell of garlic strong and every once in a while the smell of bagnet would hit you.  I am thinking they brought back about 10 lbs of it - pork that is fried and dried.  The Everly Brothers is blaring on the sound system and we are bumping along in the night - all of them found it easy to sleep - and there I am tyring to figure out how the heck they can do it.
Today we are back to San Jose at the oldest Ambal siblings home.  Kuya is the owner of a chicken farm which produces eggs for the Jollibees (McDonalds).  From my bedroom window I look down on the whole operation.  We will finish up our packing and head out to San Juan where we will host a medical mission on Sunday.
Now I am off to see if I can get pics loaded up to something that can switch over to this....

Medical Mission Has Started

Our teams are located at three different venues here in Candon.  The hospital, where the major surgeries are taking place, the local clinic for minor work and the civic center where I am located.  It is in the middle of town and is a wide open auditorium with vented air.  The teams that have worked this specific mission before are so pleased as it is not out in the open, has ventd air & seating for everyone.  Our first day we saw over 400 patients which worried the staff - they spoke too soon, today our numbers were over 800, plus 140 in dental.  (The answer to your dental woes - pull the tooth)
Don't know if any pics will post as this was the first time I actually got connected - if so, I am posting one from the Singson group.

I also thought this brown sugar swirl was interesting - pure sugar and they liken it to spinning of taffy in the US.

Getting a massage tonight - yes, it costs $8 and she comes to your room - then off to bed.

ARRIVED SAFE

Arrived safe in Manila, though so much for arriving early as we sat on the tarmac for over 45 minutes waiting for a bay.  Same while I waited for the shuttle to the hotel.  So, by the time I checked in I was totally exhausted.
I was picked up at 4:30 am and went directly to Batangas where we started boxing meds for our one day mission in San Juan, Batangas in memory of Vilo Ambal, Dr, Singson's younger brother who passed away last year.  That event will take palce after the 6 day mission to Candon.
Tomorrow we will be picked up at 5am to start our journey to the Banuae rice terraces.  I am going to charge the camera in anticipation of some famtastic sights.  Hopefully, where we are staying will have access to wi fi so I can load some pics.

PACKING UP

Looking forward to a new adventure in the Philippines.  Our usual crew is joining the UPMASA Candon Medical Mission which will include over 60 volunteers from the United States and Philippines.  It is going to be held in a hospital in Candon which is located in the northern province of Ilocos Sur which is pretty close to where my father was from, Ilocos Norte. (If you look on the map - Sarat, where we believe my father was from, is just north of Laoag City.
I am hoping you will take the time to follow my trip by checking back here ever so often to see what I and my companions are experiencing.  Just the term "4th class city" is one I have never heard. 
So grateful for these opportunities that have been afforded me and excited to travel with my friends to my father's, Katrina's & Eli's homeland.

OCEAN FRONT AQUARIUM

Back of a jeepny

Today we visited the Ocean Front Aquarium which is located on Roxas Blvd. right down from the new, huge and improved American Embassy.  The aquarium was a combo of mall, food booths, amusement park and then of course fish.  They had some neat specimens - like eel worms, sting rays, sea horses, sharks and huge fish.  The coolest part was the walking through the tunnel with the huge fish swimming overhead.  They had an exhibit for the arctic, penguins, which amounted to pics of penguins and a fake snow pile - now we didn't need that did we??  We have the real stuff.  There was a nice jelly fish display - playing pretty music in the background.  It was just different.

The kids all went back to the hotel for naps and I went and met Jojo at Solare, the newest casino in Manila.  An hour later I was ahead and headed home.

MALL MADNESS

Today the kids went to ICAB to receive all the final paperwork needed to take Elijah out of the country.  Me, on the other hand, decided to forgo that trip and instead go to the Mall of Asia to view the 147 exhibits of Philiippine art.   Well 3 1/2 hours later, traipsing from one end of the mall to the other and approaching 30 people (information booths, concierge, police, anyone) I was still unable to find where the darn exhibit was located.  Can you believe that no one had a clue about the exhibit even though it will be running for three days?  I actually should have taken pics of the expressions on their faces.  So, in utter disgust I sat down and had a Dairy Queen Kit Kat blizzard so my day wasn't a complete loss.
Returning to the hotel I had a chance to sit by the pool until our dinner with Kat's godmothers, Fritzie and Ampy.  We went to the buffet in the hotel, threading through the junior prom (pink and coral were the colors of choice for the gowns) which was being held at the hotel and a class reunion.
It was the biggest and classiest buffet I have ever seen and it was all going fine until I decided that we should take some candy from the dessert bar to share with Ampy's kids - that is a no no here - so I was busted by the hotel management and had to eat what I could at the table.  Sorry Ampy - no candy for your boys.
Kat's godmothers truly adored seeing and spending some time with her.  We are so thankful that we have kept that connection alive and hopefully we will do the same with Sir RC which was Elijah's favorite caregiver.

 

  

Tomorrow we'll head to the Ocean Front Aquarium - hope the trip will be more successful than the hunting for Filipino art.