For the last couple of days we have not had access to the Internet.  We were working in towns and villages in the provinces of Batangas, Laguna and Quezon doing home delivery of wheelchairs.  Homes were small but well maintained showing the pride of their owners.  In villages families often live in compounds housing extended familes.  In towns and cities people most often live in apartments with less connection to their extended families.  We were also able to visit a retreat house and convent to deliver wheelchairs to Roman Catholic nuns living out their final years after a lifetime of service.  We met one sister who was 100 years old, yet she was not receiving a wheelchair, she was there to support some of the younger Sisters who were to be the recipents.  Our centinarian took her vows in 1930 and has so far given more than 81 years of service to her Church.
One poignant moment was when we delivered a wheelchair to a five year old boy in a village in Batangas province.  His parents stated that he had polio.  That delivery brought home a connection the one of Rotary's greatest goals - the eradication of polio.  Thanks to all Rotarians and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for the support of the Polio eradication program.  Thanks also to our host Rotarians for following up on this reported case.
Our Filipino hosts continue to showcase the many impressive Philippine sites as we go about our deliveries.  They keep us well fed with a wide variety of Filipino delicacies ensuring we have the energy to complete our tasks.  Over meals and fellowship with our hosts at the end of the day they proudly describe for us the many and varied projects they sponsor - micro-credit, farming co-operatives, literacy programs, support for sexually abused children, drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs, retraining for handicapped workers, and many more.  Their conviction and enthusiasm is contagious.
Our next posting will be more pictures thanks to Charlotte who keeps me supplied with many options for inclusion.
Thanks to those back home and around the world who are following our blog.  Your support is uplifting!