Malou's posts with tag: philippines 2007
|  | Orli took our pictures as we walked off the merienda we just had. This after we picked Eben up at the airport. Funny because as soon as we got to the EN office at the Fort, we headed to the Cafeteria for Kare-Kare, Lechong Kawali, etc.
'Twas a nice walk on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Thanks for the great pictures Orli. The 30D was not too bad either... |
| | We stayed for 4 days at Mount Sea Grand Resort, having the pleasure of my sister and her family's company when they joined us on Day 2. Kez and John met their great grandmother Lola Julia when we visited my Auntie Norma. As soon as Uncle Demi found out we were in town, he invited us for a dinner of Shabu-Shabu at his and Auntie Soc's beautiful home. |
| | Still more pictures...And yet I feel I did not get enough shots...Yes, yes...there are too many pictures of me...Hey, it's my camera, right?... =) Hope you enjoy them! |
| | IT WAS AMAZING! To see people of different cultures, ages, colors, even heights =-), backgrounds...belonging to the same family, praising and worshipping without any reservation...And the 10-minute Shout of Praise...If we were not pressed for time, we could've gone on and on. I guess there'll be all the time in heaven to do that. God answered prayers in the midst of it all - personal and corporate ones. Thank you, Lord, that at the end of the day, it's all about you and not us. |
| | Exciting! We met old friends and new ones. And guess what...we're all part of one big blessed family! From established leaders to emerging leaders...and those who find themselves somewhere in between...whatever that means... |
| | It was a great treat...and one I can't easily forget. Galle just took public movie viewing several notches higher...Galing! |
| | I can't believe it! Has it only been 2 years since we first met them? We came knocking on their door some time in June of 2005. We were total strangers save for the short introductions by email/phone. Our common denominator was Nogie and Dythas, a couple who was part of our life group back in LA.
Has it really only been 2 years? With the way they welcomed us back into their house this year for the conference, I feel like we've known each other since childhood. It was like coming home.
Orli is Nogie's older brother. He possesses the sensibilities of a faithful husband, a loving father, a wise and godly businessman, and a true friend. You can rely on him no matter what.
Ampot has the kind of ethics that enable her to function under so many hats...staying up to the wee hours of the morning to pursue what God's put in her heart to do...to wake up early to serve her husband and her son. The lady is gracious and kind. I know I can learn much from her example. She also has quite a good sense of humor.
Thanks Orli, thanks Ampot. You have blessed us so much.
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| | It was a finely planned wedding. The blushing bride was glowing and the "eber-dashing" Ermin could not contain his excitement. What can we say? Carmina is quite the catch.
Can't complain about the food either. The pumpkin soup was well received (right, Bill?). Hizon's prepared a very filling buffet for the guests. The dessert...Oh, my! Leche flan, buko pandan, white and milk chocolate fountains just to name a few.
It sure was a beautiful affair to remember. Congratulations to both Ermin and Carmina! |
| | Eben's second evening in Manila (having arrived @ 9am the day before) was spent at the Concepcions w/ the Mumars, the Padereses, the Ratillas, Varsha, and Charis. Thanks to the Concepcions for treating us warmly to a sumptuous fare and great company. |
| | I wish I had taken a picture of every dish we were served. This is but a handful of what we got to taste during our Pinas trip...Hope you enjoy. They are now but a figment of my imagination...
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| | Tarlac - the province where my Dad grew up in. We moved here from Tondo back when I was 5.
The kids and I spent our first week here. Ellen joined us on the evening of our second day accompanied by our sister Sheryl. We got to have lunch w/ our brothers Jayar and Jayson; but most of the time was spent with good old friends.
We stayed at a dear friend's family home. She herself was just visiting from New York with her husband and kids. I was quite humbled by their hospitality. At one point I wondered, "what did I do to deserve this?" Answer: nothing.
My friend had our room freshly painted before we arrived. The AC was on as long as we needed it to be. The sheets and the other things we were to use were all new. We had an abundance of food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We were treated like royalty. We had an amazing time with them.
By the way, my friend's name is Grace. |
Our trip to the Philippines was sandwiched in between two unforeseen circumstances I will call “Heavenly Happenstances.”
HH1: Five days before our flight to Manila, having waited for my daughter’s passport for over 3 months, I was finally able to get to a NPIC customer rep after multiple attempts that have spanned days. It was strongly suggested that I visit the New Orleans Passport Agency where Keziah’s passport was being processed. Very well. Our appointment was set for the next day.
We found ourselves driving that very night to New Orleans for 8 hours, getting to our hotel (God’s favor – $50 per night at the Wyndham Whitney Historic Hotel a couple of blocks away from the agency) at 3am. We got to our appointment half an hour late, welcomed by the security guy with these words: “You finally found us! Don’t worry. You will get your passport today.” (Does he greet everyone that way?) We ended up getting Kez’ passport hot off the press (date of issue was the same date we got to the agency – as I later realized when filling out an entry form in Manila), within 30 minutes of arriving at the agency – ahead of the many people standing in line or otherwise seated waiting for their names to be called.
Eben’s question to me during lunch was, “why do you think God brought us here?” We didn’t anticipate such a quick process so, having booked 2 nights at the hotel, we took the time to look around New Orleans and enjoy the time we had there.
HH2: Coming back from the Philippines, the last stopover we had was at the JFK airport in NY. First the flight got delayed (like all the other flights ahead of us). Then, it got canceled (like all the other flights ahead of us). Reason? Bad weather. What? It’s summer! And of all days, it had to happen on the day we were on a layover flight back to TN.
Tired, hungry, and extremely jetlagged, I fought the frustration building up inside me as we waited in line to get to Delta’s CSRs. It did help that every time I turned on one of the spare cell phones we had on hand (2 old phones we used in Manila – we were losing battery power and had to use the spare ones), each cell phone would turn on with this greeting: “In all things God works…”
Delta booked us for a flight to TN that Sunday, which meant we were to stay in NY for a day and a half.
I called our travel insurance company and informed them of the situation. Claims were filed and I was informed that we were covered $2,000 total for clothes, toiletries, transportation, hotel, and other incidentals as we wait for the next flight. Okay. We booked a hotel in Brooklyn (of course the hotels by the airport were fully booked by this time) and hired a cab to get there.
My brother (who lives in NJ) and his girlfriend (who lives in NY) met us at the hotel the next morning. We went shopping for clothes, walked at the Promenade, took the subway to see the World Trade Center and the Grand Central Station, went to the Rockefeller Center, and had coffee at The View at the Mariott Hotel in Times Square.
We got on the plane to Nashville Sunday morning and arrived safely albeit our luggage (all 9 of them) arrived a day late.
Now, why do I call these Heavenly Happenstances? Have you ever prayed for something not knowing how in the world God would answer that prayer? You don’t even think about whether you deserve it or not. You don’t expect anything except whatever or however God answers. You just know it’s a desire in your heart and that you have been given the freedom to ask of Him just because Jesus says so. Well, I can now check off #5 on my list from the beginning of this year’s 7-day Prayer and Fasting.
Heavenly Happenstance… Secure and assured, you can know you are in the midst of the Father’s love, living and breathing the very life He breathed into you. He hears. He knows. He answers – never according to our merits or demerits; not always according to our expectation; but always according to His immense love and unfathomable faithfulness.
  
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