FIRST week at the Self Reliance Center

Finally after days of getting to Cebu we entered into the first week at the Cebu Self Reliance Center. Here is a bird's eye view of our facility.

My Office

Computer Room

Reception Desk



Sisters Temporary Room


 



Training room

 

 

 

We started the week off by meeting the SRC Manager, Mary Ann C Balen, a college graduate from China. She is a very equipped individual as well as an outgoing, energetic person.  We spent the week going over the new Self-Reliance PEF Initiative program with all the new materials.  They have been up and running with this program since fall 2014 so we will not be starting at the beginning.

The Cebu SRC Center is responsible for 4 separate Missions which include 24 stakes.  That is a big area but that is how things go here in the Philippines due to transportation etc.  It was decided that we would divide the are into three parts.  Sisters Murry and Darby would cover the Cebu Mission, Elder & Sister Uzelac would cover the Cebu East Mission, and Sister Balen would cover the remaining 2 missions.  That gives each of us (greenies) 6 Stakes and Districts and Sis. Balen 12.

The Cebu East mission includes the northern part of the island of Cebu plus the island of Bohol to the east of us. Cebu has 4 stakes and Bohol has two districts.  One district in southern Bohol is soon to be made into a Stake.

We were also introduced to the CRM Management program which is connected with the Perpetual Education Fund Program. This program tracts everybody on the PEF program and follows their progress.  They will be updating this program within the next couple of weeks, so we just went over an introduction by the area office staff to get an idea as to what it is like and how to use it.  We will address this once the new program is downloaded.  With this program we are to visit those within our assigned areas who are on PEF to follow up any who might be delinquent in their payments and try to assist them in finding ways to become current.  We also follow-up on their progress in relation to  their educational pursuits to see if they are on tract for their expected graduation or if they have reached the point where they might need renewal of their loan necessary for further studies.

We will be holding Career Workshops on an on-going basis for all the Cebu and Cebu East Missions departing fulltime missionaries leaving for home the next day or two. This is to prepare them in the proper steps to finding employment once they return home.  The Jenee and Sister Darby also conduct 2 days a week an American Accent class helping the Philippine people in better pronunciation of the English language. This class lasts for 4 weeks.

Tuesday afternoon we attended as temple session at the Cebu City Temple with the Mission President and two couples who are returning home in a week or so.  The temple is beautiful and it was so good to be there to feel of the spirit and get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life here in the Philippines.  Afterwards we all went to the Mission President's home for dinner and a short send-off for the two couples leaving for home.

President and Sister McCurdy are absolutely the most wonderful people, so full of enthusiasm and love towards the mission work and the fulltime and Senior Missionaries. We look forward to being with them more as our mission progresses.

 

Cebu - We finally arrived.

Friday March 6th after two days of frustrations with Immigration and the Drivers License departments, we finally, at 4 PM left for Cebu.

Manila Airport - departing with other missionaries



One hour later we landed to be greeted by Pres. McCurdy, and office brothers Nelson and Vickroy. It took me about 20 minutes to find the suitcase that got delayed between Tokyo and Manila; it arrived late Wednesday evening and Delta shipped it via Cebu Cargo where I picked it up.

It took us approximately 45 minutes to get from the airport to our apartment which was about 3.5 miles away.  We understood that the traffic in Cebu was much better than Manila but rest assured - IT WAS NOT!  We got checked into our apartment at about 7PM, tired and ready to get some sleep.

 

We were assigned to a substitute apartment until the Mather's leave for home on March 30th.  We will then take over their apartment, 206 which is a little nicer place.  The only negative about all apartments, no running hot water ,except for the shower which has a "hot water by demand" system. There is no washer or dryer in this apartment but in 206 there is a clothes washer.  No dryers anywhere because of the cost of electricity.  We think most everything will go to the cleaners which is very cheap with a two-day turn around.

Saturday the 7th the Mather's took us around to see the malls and the S&R which is Cebu's COSTCO.  We did come grocery shopping and ended up with more than we could get into the car so Jenee and I took a taxi home.  It took us about 40 minutes to get approximately 2 miles back to our apartment. But Jenee is happy - roasted chicken there!

Sunday the 8th we went to church and enjoyed ourselves.  The people were great, greeting us with such love.  No air conditioning but they have fans in the celling which made the meeting beareable.  We all joined the choir to practice for the upcoming ward conference and Seminary Graduation.  Later that evening we drove to the Stake Center located on the Temple Complex for another 2 hour practice.  The Stake Center had air conditioning - IT WAS GREAT!

Elder Mather and I went driving to give me the opportunity to drive on the Philippine roads.  Sunday the traffic is not as bad so it was a piece of cake.  I drove to the office and the Temple Complex to get used to the directions.  Between our apartment, the office and the Temple Complex is not more than 3 miles apart.

Monday we set out for the office finding that the traffic was not really that bad, we made it there in approximately 15 minutes. I am sure that will change as time goes on and we get into heavier traffic.

Our SRC Manager was out of town today so there was not really a lot for us to do. The Mather's had to fly to Manila to be finger printed to comply with immigrations. With everybody gone we jus got acquainted with the office; I am sure we will be spending the next three weeks working alongside the Mathers, learning the ropes as fast as we can. They leave for home March 30th.

Across the street from the SRC office is an extremely large four floor high-end mall which goes in every direction and has about everything one could ever want or need. It reminded Jenee and I of the malls in Johannesburg - BIG AND BEAUTIFUL.  It has anything you want from restaurants, clothing stores of every kind (many American name brands), electronic stores such as IStore and even a True Value Hardware Store, Payless, not to mention a high-end grocery store, Rustans and a large grocery store, Metro. If you were not careful you could easily get lost; it will take us at least 4 hours to get thru it all (oh, darn)!