Dear Ones,

Sunday May 15th, another week gone and a new week begins.  We find our time is filled with new assignments that stretch us in new areas.  Do we say that  every time?

Last week we spent time in operational meetings.  We meet with the DTA weekly for the Welfare Staff meeting, which Elder Webb conducts; the department directors meetings of which we now represent welfare, and the temple affairs committee.  It's on the schedule but we don't know what our responsibilities are. Elder Webb is working a lot with legal writing up agreements and contracts for the MOA's (memorandum of agreement) which are part of our job.  He seems to be thriving in these added assignments and loves schmoozing with the Area Presidency. 

Sister Webb has been given the assignment to prepare a video to be show at an attorneys conference.  Once every three years the LDS legal department hosts all the attorneys with whom the church does business in the Philippines.  This is the year for the conference and Sister Webb's presentation will introduce LDS Charities' work over the past year.  It's a great way to organize photos and thoughts, but it take a lot of time.  She is working with the publication department.  

We still manage to get out to visit areas and groups which are in need of help; which is our normal job.  Last week we visited with two more needy hospitals.  One we love of course is Fabella, but they had a fire in the elevator shaft and the fire department condemned 80% of the building. So they are looking for a new place to move. That takes time and it has all been wrapped up in politics.  We just had an election on Tuesday and hopefully things will start to move again.  This is the last resort hospital we have shared photos of in the past.  They have more babies than any other hospital in this part of the country and they are closing their doors.   We do not know where the poor and needy women will go. 

Dr Tumale was over joyed with another delivery of  blankets for the new babies.  The fire in the elevator shaft left doctors, nurses and patients
down trodden after the building was condemned. 

We also visit Qurieno Hospital.  It was interesting to compare the two, which in reality one really can't do, they are just too different.  But, at Fabella everyone, doctors, nurses and patients work and stay in the same conditions.  There is a window air conditioner in the records room where we meet with Dr. Tumale and her staff, but that is the only convenience.  The sink in that room has ants marching across it's soap dish and down the wall to the small crack at the base of the floor.  The maternity ward is clean and light and everyone seems well supervised and coping. The nurses station is in the same room as the mothers and babies so they are in view all the time.  As you know there are many women sharing the beds but they put two beds together to make the space more accommodating.

Visiting with the doctors at Qurieno Hospital to talk about Neo-natal needs.

The children's ward.  Beds and cribs are shared.  The bed on the left behind the support beam had 3 children bedding in it. The families of the children stay.  In one case the father held the child while the mother slept on the 1/3 of the bed that was for her child.  This room was cheery with bright colors and light from the windows.  Most of the wards were with out windows.
The bed you see in the foreground left is the size two women would share in maternity. 

Qurieno has a different set up.  The office and administration are in a new beautiful space although the lights were all off when we visited as they tried to save electricity.  

Nurses station at Qurieno

The Wards were crowded and there were two women to a single bed which seemed smaller than the hospital beds at Fabella.  There were tiny windows if any in the rooms so they were dark and uninviting. I never saw a nurse in the rooms with the mothers, although family members were there making it extra crowded.  Apparently there are no restrictions on visiting hours so some families just camp out.   Needless to say, there is tremendous need everywhere we go.  

Screening for vision with Mabuhay Deseret.  I thought this doctor was just one of the teens walking through the space.

people waiting for screening.

Wednesday we headed off to a remote Barangay and help out in a medical screening for Mabuhay Deseret Foundation.   Friday we had a MOA signing with Gentle Hands Orphanage.  LDS Charities will be donating rice and medications to this orphanage which rescues abused and abandoned children.  I may have written about that.  Norriss conducted the meeting and Elder Ardern, the Area president presided.  His first councilor Elder Bowen and their wives attended.  It was a good time for us to introduce LDS Charities and what we do as well as learn more about the history of Gentle Hands.  We had such a great time talking that we spent all our time in the conference room and it was too late for our guest to take a tour of the campus. When guest come they are always impressed with the MTC, which is just across the driveway for our offices.
We also responded with emergency food packets to a Barangay which had 300 families displaced by a fire that rand through the little community of Taguig.

We had rice left over from an emergency response mission.  There were 16 bags which we donated to the Gentle Hands Orphanage.  Charity said it was the first time every she did not have to worry about where the money was coming for the rice.  She said it wonderful to be able to tell the children, yes you can have more rice if you are still hungry.

This darling is one of three children in a family that is waiting for adoption.  They had been placed the day before we came.  The wait is just beginning.

more rice

 We got to know Charity Graff, president of Gentle Hands Foundation and some of her staff.  Her story is dramatic and a very real part of the life of some children here in this 3rd world country where lack of education and sometime drugs contribute to the abuse of the smallest and the poorest of god's children. She is passionate about saving as many little one as is possible.  They have 110 children as of Friday. Children are rescued, and the ones that respond to treatment and therapy are deemed adoptable.

glasses being prepared for distribution by our vision partners  

Charity and her group have had a great deal of success getting these children adopted abroad even in the little family groups that come in 3's 4's and 5's.  There are some for whom Gentle Hands Orphanage will be home till they leave for College.  Yes, Charity and her staff see that their children are educated.  They are beautiful.

Did I mention Sister Webb drove to Gentle Hands?  Well, it's true and we arrived in one piece and on time.  Elder Webb took on the roll of navigator because the exact location of Gentle Hands seemed to be a bit of a mystery.  You know, drive till the road ends then turn left go to the third building past the bridge after the yellow truck?  It was one of those.

We also moved to a new flat.  The owners of our former home are returning from he states and will need the space for themselves.  We are pleased with the new place but moving is a real hassle no matter where, when, or how big or little ones place is.  We are almost organized again.

Next week will be equally as busy and we head across Luzon to visit with partners and explore new ways of helping the poor of the Philippines become self sustaining.  The Lord loves his children, every one.  How blessed we feel that he has allowed us to learn about so many new and interesting people and places.

We have had some wonderful news over the last little while.  Our granddaughter, Camille Hanosek got her mission call to Chile and will be leaving in August.  And, we were blessed with another beautiful granddaughter. Anna Elizabeth Dahlin.  She was born April 19th.  Sister Webb was able to attend the birth and help out on the home front.  Kathryn, Anna's mother turned 40 yesterday.  Happy Days to all.  We also hear that Elizabeth has gone to help Kathryn, and Felicia has gone to help Rebecca.  What a joy it is to know our family rally rounds one another in love to support in times of need.  Victoria has been the one to go in the past.  Thank you all.

We love you and miss you, but are so thankful to know the Lord is watching over you and caring for you.  The Church is doing some wonderful things in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the Philippines.  LDS Charities is just one way the Gospel of love is reaching the poor and needy of the earth.

Eight months left, but who has time for counting.

Elder and Sister Webb