time for a tour!

i went for a walk.  i've never gone further past the baby home than isabell's house, but beyond there is a creek and a neighborhood called creekside.  they refer to neighborhoods as the community.  so, we went in to the community.   there is a creek, duh, and a couple of small waterfalls.  this was absolutely the coolest thing i had done here so far, and it just entailed walking down the street.

there was a big flood here back with typhoon yolanda, and our ministry helped improve and rebuild the sidewalk and railing, there is a placque there which I will get a photo of next, and will add.  i have been wanting to get back there and take a couple photos, but it is just the kind of thing that keeps blogs from getting posted, eh?  better some photos posted than perfect photos never seen!

isabell's friend, anita, was visiting from germany which was the reason for this excursion.  once we got going, we ran into ate generosa (prn henna-rose-sa) who works with me at the baby home.   she lives on the creek and had never walked back to the falls.

along the way, we picked up a few boys who stopped to help us, pointing out where to walk and literally giving us a hand.  i was walking by the birth home that night, and a couple of them came up to me and said, do you remember me?  i said yes, you are ate generosa's friends who helped us on the river.  the way henne was bossing them i thought they knew her, but turns out they didn't!

as you can see from these photos, this was philippine rural poverty and natural beauty all wrapped up together.   this creek is where people wash clothes, bathe, and live.  i wanted to take photos of the homes and living conditions for you, because they were stunning in their bleakness and poverty, but i just couldn't.  so, i took it in with my eyes and left the camera in my pocket.  that being said, these photos will focus on the natural beauty and you can deduct the rest from the few shots of us where we stopped on the way back, to take a picture on the bridge.

i (per usual) will include more photos than necessary; it was just a beautiful place and i have a hard time choosing what you'd wish to not see.

do watch the video, it's the best of it, also per usual.

i need a film crew here, i really do.  this is a hit reality show begging to be made.

what a crazy life i am living, difficult and sad, beautiful and funny, lucky and blessed every day.

per usual!

okay, to begin, here is ate generosa.

i just love this photo, probably my favorite taken here in the philippines.  so far!

they aren't in this shot, but lots of people swim here.  don't forget that you can click on a photo to see a larger version.  :o)

isabell and anita.

sweaty hot mess!

hene and isabell sat while anita and i walked up to get closer to the falls.  

these kids were jumping around like goats, but it was treacherous walking and those little falls produced an amazing amount of force.

only a complete suspension of vanity allows you to see some of these!!  haha.

you see here that we were literally walking up the river.

there you go!  love you all and miss you lots.  xoxo  jo