Written on June 10, 2008 Manila, Philippines
A rooster crows. Then another. I'm a country girl, the sun must be up. I stir and remember that I am not even in my own country, and that the bird is calling a city of 17 million to life.
If it even ever slept.
I visited with a Filipina while waiting for a flight in the Singapore airport. Josie-from-Orlando was on her way to Manila to visit family for a month. I started to remember what I like about this culture: the friendliness especially.
Then, after 36 total hours of travel, I am here. The airport is much the same-loud and wild with heavy air and people rushing everywhere. I didn't notice too much after I got through customs and found Kate and Chris and Maia. Hugs and kisses all around followed by a crazy taxi ride through all kinds of traffic and then narrow streets choked by vendors and dogs and smoke and people everywhere. We reached the Mercy Maternity/Guest House/Home of Midwives Imelda and DJ.
It has 3 beds downstairs with birthing supplies and a handy kitchen. There is a bathroom ("CR" comfort room) with a cold shower and a bucket toilet. We will sleep upstairs in one room, the midwives in the other.
Dr. Francis Daytec stopped by too. He is a wonderful Christian doctor who has the Medical Clinic in White Beach very near where I will be living. There is a picture of it in my last blog - Mercy In Action added the second floor and so shares it as a Maternity Clinic, free of charge to the families. They have had 12 births in the last two weeks, so Kate was ready to come to town to get me, and Vicki will be ready for her to be back! There are also two Filipina student midwives on staff at White Beach and an intern from the States for this month. The hospital is two hours of bad road away, in Calipan, so these services are vital to the local communities.
As for tomorrow, shopping and errands in Manila. I don't know when I will get to post this, but will write again when I get home to the Island........
All of the pictures so far were taken by my son-in-law Chris.
I think the black and whites give you the flavor of the streets of Manila....Thanks, Chris!
Then, after 36 total hours of travel, I am here. The airport is much the same-loud and wild with heavy air and people rushing everywhere. I didn't notice too much after I got through customs and found Kate and Chris and Maia. Hugs and kisses all around followed by a crazy taxi ride through all kinds of traffic and then narrow streets choked by vendors and dogs and smoke and people everywhere. We reached the Mercy Maternity/Guest House/Home of Midwives Imelda and DJ.
It has 3 beds downstairs with birthing supplies and a handy kitchen. There is a bathroom ("CR" comfort room) with a cold shower and a bucket toilet. We will sleep upstairs in one room, the midwives in the other.
Dr. Francis Daytec stopped by too. He is a wonderful Christian doctor who has the Medical Clinic in White Beach very near where I will be living. There is a picture of it in my last blog - Mercy In Action added the second floor and so shares it as a Maternity Clinic, free of charge to the families. They have had 12 births in the last two weeks, so Kate was ready to come to town to get me, and Vicki will be ready for her to be back! There are also two Filipina student midwives on staff at White Beach and an intern from the States for this month. The hospital is two hours of bad road away, in Calipan, so these services are vital to the local communities.
As for tomorrow, shopping and errands in Manila. I don't know when I will get to post this, but will write again when I get home to the Island........
All of the pictures so far were taken by my son-in-law Chris.
I think the black and whites give you the flavor of the streets of Manila....Thanks, Chris!
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