I finally moved to a new place. I left Horshoe Village to move to Teachers Village further North in Quezon City (am still looking for a good map). At the risk of causing you all to have some bad cases of dejavu- I have to say that I am very very thankful with the new place. The location is sort of in the middle between work and langauge class. It is fairly close to the University of the Philippines (UP). About 40 minutes walk from Thomas Morato avenue...that is for me...others might prefer the more convential, tricycle, jeepney or taxi-way of moving around. Thomas Morato is a street with many restaurants and I had some good Singaporian/Thai there last week:). Also Cubao -Quezon city's main commercial and entertainment hub- is still pretty close, as is Quezon Memerial Circle (Park). So yeah the broader location is great.


The Neighbourhood itself is also very good. Not overly busy, but still a real neighbourhood which is kinda the way I like things. But for as good as the location, the neighbourhood and all other surounding things are, the house is probably the best part - the people have been very hospitable and I am pretty confident that I am going to like it a lot. I live at the rooftop...which has been great. I have a one-room place and then a small bathroom attached to it. It is great when at night I need to go to the bathroom i go outside and see the moon and the stars and some lost planes. It is a great way to wake up as well with the sunrise or like yesterday with a nice rainbow.

I have started to get some herbs as well, but am tempered in my enthusiasm by the lack of time and my lack of multitasking skills. I was telling a couple people that with the last few weeks my respect for mothers has increased even more, and I don't even have little kids to take care off, but if I would not make a list I would not only not know what to do, but even where to start.

I am still in the process of getting to know just who all lives in the place - since all the rooms on the floor below me are rented out to other people, but the main owners of the house i at least know and like I said they have been very welcoming and i'll probably end up sharing a meal with them every week once I get my schedule in order.

ps. sorry the internet has been very slow and i could only upload one picture

Story Number 2: Marcos and Me

Before I came to the Philipines the general reaction of people was very postive. Whenever the topic came up, stories would come of friendly and helpful Filipinos they had met. And as most of you will know you dont have to visit Manila to meet some Filipinos. Other remarks pertained to the natural beauty of the Islands, Karaoke and other generally positive things.

Added to these remarks there was always one that was well lets say not overly positive - and most of the time said with a grin on the face. Imelda Marcos's Shoe collection. [Photo]

I have not yet had the opportunity to visit the museum that holds many of her shoes, but early on I did have the opportunity to go to Malacanang - the Presidential Palace. I have to say that I have never seen a Palace where you were allowed to touch, see and do whatever else so freely. And so it happened that I got to sit and have my picture taking on the chair from which President Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law in 1970's - and get this I don't know how it happened, but I was even smiling.[Photo]

Funny Story - Karaoke

Okay
My friend and former Housemate, Senga in an e-mail reminded me of something....called Karaoke.....well to anyone who has had the pleasure of living with me....or even residing within an one mile radius...will know that well my singing is not the kind that will light up your day....

So actually a few weeks ago when we took one of the Touristy trips through Metro Manila....we went with this vehicle that had a Karaoke machine in there...and so yeah as the day was winding down we ended up singing some Karaoke. Well here in the Philippines they seem to have a saying or custom that when someone sings out of tune it will end up raining....

So after having taking my time to decide on a song i went for "I just called to Say I love you" by Stevie Wonder....tribute to you Dave....well my score on the machine was pretty darn low...but thats alright....I can deal with that

However, hardly an hour later it starts raining and then pouring and then Thunder and Lightning and then even more rain.....leading certain areas to even flood.....

May we all thank God that I stopped at one song...for who knows what would have happened if I kept singing....but yeah this was the last bit of confirmation that i might have needed ...It is now clear...I think ill leave my career as a singer to be for now...and will pursue other endavours....

Bikol

An update on the past week in Bikol....


Ate Joy, Kelvene, Andrew and me went there for a two day participatory training/workshop with pastors and others involved in the church or the community. The first day the focus was on the millenium development goals and Micah Challenge. While the focus of the second day was on anti-corruption.

I have to say that for me this was a very encouraging experience. First because it really gave me a sense of some of the work that I will be involved with. I had been writing a bit already, doing some research, helping with events, even doing the devotions and the breaking of the bread at an event called prayer for the nation...in the presence of multiple pastors. EHm yeah not too sure if they were all too impressed with my biblical accuracy..but i guess it was heartfelt right...

Yellow Spot - Manila Red
Thin Circle - Albay, Bikol Region (P.S. Same Island all the way South East of Manila)

But, i disgress Bikol, or rather in Ligao city in Albay province in the Bikol region was the first time that I trully really got the feel for what I will be doing. Both because I did my first presentation, but more because I just got a sense of the topics, the regions, the future work that we will be working on. So yeah that was great.

Secondly, it was great to also see the enthusiasm and encouragement of people here and how pastors and other members are commited to help meet the goals of universal primary education or to go against corruption.

I do have to say that the corruption remains a funny thing. It seems like it is the universally excepted thing. A thing that everyone recognizes, but feels semi powerless to do anything against. But it is this corruption that also plays a vital role in a country's developement. If you add the money taken from the people by corruption to the Billions of pesos of debt payments (from loans often taken out by corrupt officials) and the amount of money lost from the budget that should be going to social services and for the general benefit of the Filipino people becomes staggering. But, it is not just among the common folk that there is a sense of apathy of what they can do against corruption many pastors are also clueless on what to do. Corruption doesnt rank high on the list of things to address, they have to worry about what their congregation might think, there can be real dangers that are associated with addressing corruption, it mightalso take a long time before change (isn't that right Barack) is visible and so even the ones that start with the fight often get tired along the way. It was funny....we were talking about funding etc. and the more charitable causes get easy funding as does disaster response and rightfully so, but some of the more structural programs that might actually change some of the problems so we dont have to continously give handouts find harder support. In fact, we brought it down to the two things that are fighting for last place on the funding list from religious organizations ....were.........."excitement building"........."and even more"...."okay maybe not"......Corruption and HIV/AIDS...


well ill leave it there for now....but yeah it was very good to see the excitement of such a group of leaders who wanted to do something about both the issues of poverty and government.

For evidence i wanted to post a video of watch pastor Choi taking care of the Millenium Development Goals. But two hours later and it is still not uploaded...so you will have to do with some pictures.

We also got to see some more of God's beauty in the form of Mount Mayon Vulcano...and some more of God's grace in the joy and kindness of the participants and of our driver and Aisha who organized things on the ground.


Well from back in Quezon City...ill leave you with this thought....from GK Chesterton.

"The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people."

1st Month

It has been a month now since I left Calgary and travelled through Vancouver and Hong Kong to reach Manila and I have to say that it has been a very blessed first month. So I have decided to give some form of update (ps. I will try to do it way more regularly from now on) without going into every single detail, but still giving some kind of view on what has been good, bad and beautiful.

First of all I will have to say that the way I have been received here has been a gift of God. People of both CRWRC, CCGG (the specific org that I work with) and people in general have all been so kind, helpful, and hospitable that I can not do anything, but say thank you at every corner....

I feel like I have acclimatized rather quickly....well weatherwise ...it took me like not even a second....as this is the kind of weather I think I was made for...but regarding all other things...I feel very at home already...I know there will be times when I will hit my feet against some stones and times when I will struggle in the upcoming months....but in general I can say that the adjusting has gone very smooth....

The first month has been very busy....and sometimes i am pretty tired...but it has been a good kind of busy...as I am learning a whole lot about the country, the langauge, the specific job etc.. but yeah like many of you know that learning new things and especially langauge and culture can be pretty draining at times....I have had a number of langauge classes already, but have a long way to go.....Cultural training has been very good....especially since I feel like i still have so much to learn about the country, its history, its people etc.

now let me get to the Good, the bad and the beautiful....

the Good:
1. I feel like i already know Quezon City quite well...yeah even here i try to walk as much as possible...and that helps a lot in knowing the place...because yeah with my size in the jeepneys....i dont really get to see much of the road...:)
2. It was very good meeting up with Pow and meeting Joanna

The Bad:
1. ehmm well...this is pretty easy as well...the air...
2. another easy one is the impossibility of going for a run in Metro Manila...because of air and traffic....
3. Ehmm the lack of Indian...food although I think I might have found some places...both at IRRI and in metro Manila

The Beautiful:
1. The Palawan trip...man got to say that God did a pretty darn good job in creating this planet...when you get to see some of its nature still relatively pristine....it becomes all the more evident.. in adition the fresh fish and other food for such a good price...yeah pretty sweet....Thanks to ACDA for taking me along on their trip :)

















2. Los Banos Only an hour and half from Metro Manila..I can see this become one of my more
favourite places in the Philippines and a place to take a break whenever I feel like getting away for a weekend. I already know quite a number of people living within the town.
The campus is absolutely beautiful....you can run and excercise all over the place.






Some added pointers:
1) I am still pretty white and hence stand out pretty much everywhere....but you become more immune to the attention after a little while
2) Apparently Prince Harry is my twin brother.
3) Like i wrote in an e-mail to some you ...yeah the sad day has come that I got a cellphone...and yeah i actually text...although I have to say that I am pretty sucky at it.
4) I hope to introduce some of the people that I work with and that I have met so far in upcoming posts
5) I will be heading to Bikol for the upcoming 5 days starting this upcoming wednesday.

Much Love to all of you...Ps. As was the case in the past so is the case now...mi casa su casa...okay maybe more my apartment or my room your apartment or your room....but you get the point if ever in the area...or if ever you think i need a break where can i go....and you wanna go a little further than the corner store down the road...then you are all more than welcome....no need to make reservations...just knock on the door and it shall be opened.

My Journey So Far

Born the son of a Dutch father and a Canadian mother I grew up in the Netherlands. My childhood was marked by the presence of a loving family and plenty of friends to play with. At an early age my parents taught me the joy of caring for and sharing with others. Therefore, even as a child I was age I was concerned with the great pain that is saw around me. In contrast to my untroubled youth my teenage years brought me a fair share of struggles, chief among them: my fragile physical health and the loss of my father due to melanoma. Though very painful and distressing at the time I can now look back and say that God used exactly these struggles to refine my desire to assist and stand with people who are struggling on the margins of society.

Merely eight months after my father passed away, it was through our Church that some tenants from a nearby refugee center started coming over to our house. A Cameroonian brother named Jude subsequently encouraged me to come visit him at the center as well. It was here, in the middle of the Netherlands, surrounded by hundreds of people from all corners of this earth, that I regained the joy that had characterized my early childhood. In some way, in my time of distress I found a home among the displaced. In every ensuing visit, I was greeted with increasing kindness and generosity. In my long conversations with certain refugees about their experience and the asylum process, I was confronted with the limitations of my ability to help. My support often could not extend farther than a simple hug, or some words of encouragement or advice. As my relationship with certain refugees developed into deeply-seated friendships, I felt as though my family was growing. With this addition, I felt their pain even more profoundly and began to wonder how to offer more constructive help.

Through further studies, work, and volunteer experience I have gained an increased understanding of the complexities, issues, and obstacles that prevent peace and justice from being achieved for all of God’s children. Finishing my Masters in Human Rights Law over the past year I was hoping to find a place where I could put my knowledge into practice while at the same time having the opportunity to continue to learn hands-on. It suffices to say that I am very thankful for the opportunity, with CRWRC, that has come my way.