Another great day

Saturday always promised to be a great day. Pastor Choi knocked up a schedule in advance and we all knew that Saturday  started with a trip to the market and that it also involved an afternoon visit to the jail. 

After breakfast we all piled onto Trikes and headed downtown to the market. It was steamy and lightly raining. We wandered around the market and watched people at work. We all watched a man making his special peanut butter. 

There were butchers and grocers and sellers of just about everything. 

Ligao isn't a tourist city and so we don't encounter any other Anglos. We stand out and we are a great novelty with lots of waves and smiles and general friendliness. 

Various people bought bits and pieces, but it wasn't a buying frenzy like Greenhills market in Manila. Alma, however, came in very handy with her ruthless negotiation skills - always conducted with a smile and some side commentary. 

After a walk around the market we popped in on Alma's childhood home. Her Mum still lives there with her brother July. It is a lovely little house right next to the market. It is small and neat and once housed her Mum & Dad and all 10 kids. She said that they just slept where they could. Her mum is just beautiful - shy and friendly. She and Liza bonded very quickly. She has very little English and yet her and July coped so well with an impromptu visit from 17 people!

Trike rides back home for morning tea. There were a few tired bodies today. It's been a very busy 8-9 days. After lunch the older kids (Charlie, Hannah, Emily, Jenny, William) together with Pete, Sam, Grace and Pastor Choi went to the youth fellowship. They had a ball playing games. 

After this we all met at the jail for another wonderful visit. This was a different jail to the other day. We all sat in the corridor with the cells on each side. They loved the singing and the worship. I brought a brief reflection about the Prodigal son and then the floor was open. Lara, Pete, Grace, William, Emily and Charis said a few words. Charis followed hers up with a rousing rendition of Amazing Grace. It was awesome and had a big impact on everyone there. 

Most of us then walked back to Choi and Alma's house. Some managed to scam a lift with Choi. The walk was good fun with lots of interaction with the locals. 

Being a Saturday, there were lots of kids hanging around the streets. Tilly in particular made friends with three little local kids. Smiley (8), Judy (7) and Joseph (5). They mucked around all afternoon. They are very cute kids. 

Just before tea, Pastor Choi climbed a ladder and chopped a coconut down from a tree in his yard. He then chopped it with great expertise. Our party gathered to observe his skills, as did the three local kids as we looked on. Sensing his popularity, Tilly announced proudly to the local girls that Pastor Choi was her Dad. I'm not sure what the Filipinos made of this. She's been calling him Dad intermittently for a couple of days but this was her first public announcement. I'm sure with a year or two of counselling, Pete will be ok with this. 

My Gracie also told me that she was sick of me and Lara and that she was going to stay here with Choi and Alma. They have a universal appeal and are adored by everyone (especially children). They are very special people. 

Saturday night tea was an incredible chicken curry. So tasty. The young professionals turned up for a late tea as well. Biggs arrived home after another big day of college. We chatted around the dinner table with Choi while the kids played Uno and mucked around outside. Another ripper day.