The Self-Reliance program has been going through quite a transformation over the past several months. Salt Lake has literally bombarded us with survey upon survey that has in short created some anxiety and stress among our Stake & Ward Specialists and Facilitators here in the Philippines. I guess the reason for the confusion and yes some frustration came from the urgency Salt Lake placed on their surveys and reporting's that just did not resonate well in the same degree here among the Filipino people. One would wonder if Salt Lake has some concerns about the total effectiveness of the program within the 3rd world countries. Life goes on and we can only do what we can do and have learned to expect only what we get and nothing more. Are we disappointed - hard to put that in words, we as Americans just live in a differently organizational world than the Filipinos.
For Jenee and I our service in the Cebu Temple has been a Godsend giving us a safe haven from the outside world of Self-Reliance. Our Thursdays and Fridays in the temple gives us time to meditate and reflect on our work and cultural struggles we deal with.
Well, NOT PLANNED, the graduation started almost 1 hour late which meant that we did not get away for our piggery meeting until 6 pm. In the dark we drove as fast as Sister Darby could after calling the Chapel and finding that 28 people were waiting for us. It was so dark with not street lights anywhere that we drove right past the chapel and had to back tract about 3 miles. We called to notify them of our difficulty in finding the building so the brother in charge told us he would turn on the lights to the parking lot so we could see the building - REALLY!!!!!!
We got to the meeting only to discover that the majority there are simply hobby pig farmers and not looking to develop a livelihood which is what we are looking for. We spent one hour discussing pig farming and the demo program we discovered and are pattering. By the end of the night I am not sure what we accomplished but I think we made headway with their organizer and will see what happens going forward.
Saturday Oct 3rd finally arrived for our first Bishops Convention. We were to start at 9am but finally got underway at 9:30 with about a 60% attendance. Within 30 minutes others showed up giving us a 80% attendance. Not what we had hoped but under the circumstances we will take what we get.
Last month some real positive developments in Organic Piggery came about after we visited the Pagtambayayong Foundation demo pig farm located in Bogo. There was a follow up meeting between Tony San Gabriel the Area SR Manager and Bimbo Fernandez the President of this foundation who resided in Cebu. A working partnership was developed and agreed upon so we are now in the process of developing our strategy to introduce this plan to the members who are interested in pig farming.
After arriving home from the Convention I received an email from Mary Ann presenting the new model development that Tony San Gabriel had developed surrounding the potential piggery operations. This was the first real step that has been developed since I got to Cebu and from what I see the model program is beginning to move in the right direction. The initial model looks pretty promising but there are still some bugs that will need to be worked out. One of the major positive developments in the Agriculture program is that the PEF loan amount was raised to P50,000 from the initial P20,000. This improvement will certainly make it easier and accessible for the many of the members who desire to participate in the piggery project.
Sunday Oct 4th Graduation in Bogo District. We set out at about 12:00 PM and took a peaceful drive to Bogo to attend their first Self-Reliance Graduation for the District. We have been working with the District Specialists for over a week getting all the graduates information encoded into the new reporting system which forwards that information to Mary Ann Balen the SR Manager to print all the certificates.
Even to the night before we were still trying to finalize everything but not sure we got everything planned as desired. It is Fast Sunday so the District President did not want to serve refreshments.
We arrived at 3:30 PM to find our Specialists running around trying to get things set up. They were getting ready to watch the Women's Conference so we could not set up the chairs until 4 PM. Sharply at 4 PM a number of us got to setting up the 90 chairs and put up the 6 x 6 LDS Business College Banner. This event was to start at 4:30 Pm but our guest speaker called and indicated that he would be 30 minutes late. Mary Ann decided to start with out him as he was way down on the agenda.
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| Ribbon Cutting at SRC Opening |
We had 61 members graduating with 12 graduating in EFBW and 48 graduating in SGMB. The event took 1.5 hours to complete but it was well worth it. The members were so upbeat and elated about their graduation so we just let them revel in this excitement. After the graduation we had the ribbon cutting for the opening of the BOGO Self-Reliance Center.
After everything was over, we put the chairs back, straightened back the chapel benches and headed to Queen's Island Golf Resort where we always stay when going to Bogo.
Wednesday October 7th Jenee and I took the ferry to Tagbilaran to attend a Stake SR Meeting with the Stake Presidency and the Stake SR Specialists. Our dear friends the Halladays picked us up at the pier and before the meeting we treated them to dinner. This was the least we could do for all the support they give to us when we go to Bohol.
The meeting was at 7 PM. We spent considerable time discussing the idea of dividing their stake into two Self-Reliance Areas. One would run out of Tagbilaran and the other out of Valencia, a considerable distance up the coast. After some discussion everybody agreed that this was a good plan that would maximize the SR program to all their members who are spread out all over the island. Tagbilaran will be one Self-Reliance Center and Valencia will be another. East area will have the responsibility for 6 wards/branch. A Self-Reliance Assistant Specialists will be called from the Valencia Ward to assist Sister Ferrer the Stake Specialists in managing the Self-Reliance program.
We also discussed in length the PEF - T & PEF ABEL program of which the Stake Presidency was very excited about, as have been most stakes when we introduce these program to. These two programs are an ongoing process. We first need to locate the local Tech/Voc Training Centers and Agriculture Institutions that provide skills training of which our members can avail themselves to. Once the local priesthood leadership identified these units Jenee and I along with Mary Ann will return to Bohol and meet with them to develop a working partnership that will benefit the church membership throughout the island of Bohol specifically the Tagbilaran and Valencia areas. We are heading in the right direction and Jenee and I are pleased with the efforts so far and look forward to a positive outcome in the near future.
PIG FARMING. This has been one of my pet projects ever since we arrived in the Philippines. Over the past 9 months I have been working with Tony San Gabriel the AREA SR Manager to discover a model demo farm which we could use as a pattern to develop a pig raising program for the members. After a lot of traveling and leg work, visiting various existing pig farms and such, we have finally developed a working relationship with Pagtambayayomng Foundation located in Bogo at the far North end of Cebu Island.
Yesterday I was asked to write a Memorandum of Agreement between the Foundation and the church to be presented to the legal department of the church for approval before initiating it between the Foundation and the LDS Members. Hopefully the writing of the Memorandum will be the beginning of something positive in the very near future. There are still some parameters that need to be reached before we seal the deal. I recommended that the legal Department in Manila re-the memorandum to insure that the church is totally protected going into this project.
We are also currently in the process of writing another memorandum involving the Welfare Department of the church and the Foundation wherein the Welfare Department will support the Foundation in building and developing other demo farms in other areas of the Philippines. This is a big step going forward and will be a great development - we are excited to say the least.
This has been a tiring task rest assured, but after a lot of hard work with the assistance of some MLS Missionaries Elder & Sister Bock we are at the forefront of breaking out this program which should be a tremendous boost to the members of the church throughout the northern Philippines.
Just a week ago we discovered a Christian based organization on the island of Camotes that is heavily involved in raising chickens on a large scale. We are currently developing a working program with them, based on the same framework as the Foundation, giving us another option that we can offer to the members of the church who would rather raise chicken than pigs.
We also discovered during a meeting with Mr. Bimbo Fernandez the president of the Pagtambayaong Foundation that they are very interested in moving forward with their free range chicken program in cooperation with the Church. This could be as big if not bigger than the hog farming so we are working closely to develop the free range chicken operations.
Both of these the pig farm program and the chicken farm program are being built on the basis of "Contract Growing" which has such a positive for producing substantial income for the members as we help them towards Self-Reliance.
Saturday October 17th we held the second of our Stake Specialists, Facilitator & Bishops convention. In fact today was a double dose because we held two separate sessions. First was with the Cebu & Cebu Central Stakes, expecting 60 in attendance but ended up with approximately 38. Disappointed in some ways because some of the Bishops we really needed to be there did not show up and the training was really for them. The Second session was with the Mandaue and Talisae Stakes, expecting 60 in attendance but this round we had approximately 55 in attendance. Mandaue Stake won the grand prize - all 31 of those who committed were in attendance. However the Mandaue Stake SR Specialist did not show - a real disappointment. I spoke with their Stake Chairman James Fantone about some of our concerns with this individual and he assured me he would discuss them with this individual.
We had both sessions catered and the food was great and we think everybody who attended got a good filling of information as well as food.
We will rest this week before heading off to Tagbilaran on Friday for next weekend convention.
Friday October 23rd, Sister Balen, Sister Darby, Jenee and I took the two hour ferry ride to the island of Bohol for our third Bishops convention. After checking in we commandeered the hotel shuttle and had them take us to the Bee Farm Restaurant on the island of Panglao. Panglao is a resort island next to Bohol just across the causeway. The Bee Farm sits right on the beach and has a beautiful view over the ocean. All the food served there is organic.
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| Balen, Darby, Jenee and I |
After dinner we retired to our rooms to get a good night's rest before the long day ahead of us.
As you can see from the picture, I am really OUT NUMBERED by the Sisters!!!!!!! Difficult - at times; nerve racking - can be; adventurous - never ending; frustrating - !?!?! in some respects; enjoyable - YES when we agree and work together.
Saturday morning off to the Tagbilaran Stake Center by 8 pm to set up so we could begin at 9 am. The attendance for this convention was GREAT, one of our best and the dialog that ensued showed their desire to learn more about Self-Reliance and their individual roles. The convention went from 9am to 1pm followed by a very nice catered lunch which really capped off the event for everybody. After saying our thanks to everybody and we all went our separate ways we got a ride to the pier and caught the ferry at 2 pm and arrived home a 4:30pm tired and ready for a long night rest.
Just to give you an idea as to how successful the conventions have been we received a letter from one of our Stake Specialists commenting on how much she enjoyed the convention. Without being to presumptuous I thought I would include it here to get a feel of the graciousness of those with whom we serve.
Dear Bro and Sis Uzelac
First of all I would like to introduce myself, I'm Sis Leny Mendoza one of the SR Specialist and facilitator-Education for Better Work at LapuLapu 1st Ward and I would like to extend my warmest thanks for inviting me as one of the participants in the said convention.
Furthermore,in that convention it made me realized that being a facilitator does not only end when we finish the course but its a continued and enhancing experience for us as a whole and much to say I did not only learned the importance of being a role model but a true believer of the course. Indeed the church programs is for the benefit and welfare of the members and you are one of those The Lord made you as an instrument in making sure that his saints will be guided,informed and be educated as we apply the principles of Self Reliance programs in the church.
With the entire participants we would like to thank you for helping us see the whole image of the programs and for always being there when we needed you most in helping us go on with the said courses. Rest assured that we will support you in all your endeavor.
God bless
Sincerely yours,
Sis Leny Mendoza
God bless
Sincerely yours,
Sis Leny Mendoza
It is letters like this that make our mission so meaningful and worthwhile. As you go along day in and day out you really have no idea as to the impact you might be making until you receive a letter like this.
OH, I must share with you the funniest experience I had while returning home on the ferry. The four of us were on the ferry watching the movie when a little old aged Filipino gentlemen came up to me and asked "who I thought the archangel was found in 1 Thes. 4:16." WHAT I said? He repeated his question so I grabbed Jenee's I-pad and looked up the scripture. After reading it I told him that the archangel mentioned was Michael. He looked at me and said, "are you sure, is it not Jesus?" I again read the scripture for his benefit and again told him that is was Michael. Then to substantiate what I had said I turned to Jude 1:9 and showed him, "yet Michael the archangel when contending with the devil ..." and said that in fact Michael was actually Adam. That perked up his interest and he said, "WHO" so I turned to Revelations and showed him that is was Michael who fought with the devil and that Adam was also the same Michael who with Jehovah created the world. He just looked at me and then said, "OK I can accept that" and went back to his seat and sat down.
5 minutes had not expired when this little old mad came up to me with two scriptures on a wrinkled piece of paper wanting me to explain who was being referenced in the scriptures. One scripture was from Proverbs and the other from Isaiah. Both had reference to the term "Lord God." I again looked them up on Jenee's I-pad and then explained that the scriptures were making reference to Jesus Christ. He looked at me again, waited a second or so and said FOR SURE, I replied YES, he then said "OK" and went back to his seat.
The four of us were being entertained by this little gentleman and thought the entire incident was cool and cute. Then after another 7 or so minutes there he was again standing right next to me and asked me to explain another scripture found in the New Testament, I cannot remember the exact scripture it was but I once again grabbed Jenee's I-pad, looked up the scripture which made reference to the children of God. I explained that the meaning of the scripture had reference to all of us here on earth as children of Heavenly Father and explained that we also believe in a Heavenly Mother. He looked right into my eyes and said "A Heavenly Mother" I responded YEP without questions. He smiled, thanked me for my answers and went back to his seat. I did not hear from him the remainder of the boat ride. We did not ask his intentions as we were so caught up in his smiling, laughing character. What a sweet little old Filipino gentleman he was.
October 29 - 31 This week has been a barn burner to say the least. Not only did we have our 4th 2015 Stake Specialists, Facilitators & Bishops Convention but on Tuesday we were notified by our Manager that we had been invited to present Leadership Training in Toledo, a 1.5 hour drive to a group of 54 girls at a combined stake girls camp on Thursday morning. As if we did not have enough on our plate for the week with the Bishops Convention but we already had scheduled a YSA Conference in Tanjay on the island of Negros, a 4 hour car & boat drive, for 45 young adults on Friday as well. We literally spent from Wednesday to Saturday evening on a boat or on the road.
Here are some pictures of our eventful week.
We will start with the Young Women's Camp. After Sister Darby and Jenee had the girls play several different game activities with the girls, we gathered them up and I gave a presentation to them on Self-Worth as the concluding event.
At the end of my presentation as we were getting ready to leave a number of the girls came up to us and mentioned that our portion was the highlight of their camp. It is always good to know that you are appreciated.
Here are some pictures from the YSA Conference.
As for the Bishops Convention, we were all so busy we neglected to take pictures. So any pictures would be no different than what we have previously shown from other conventions.
On our way to Tanjay ("tan-hi") on the island of Negros we made arrangements to stop by a hog farm in CarCar which was on the road going to the pier. Mrs. Marifa the owner has a remarkable story to tell. As a child she was raised on an organic farm where her parents grew organic vegetables. However in 2013 her family was hit by Typhoon Yolanda like thousands of other families and lost everything. Shortly after the clean up began in 2014 the Pagtambayayong Foundation built and started up their demo farm in Bogo where the devastation was the worst. The goal of the foundation was to help the poorest of the poor in how to start a hog farming business. To make a long story short Marifa was one of the first into the program and has now become a poster child for the Foundation. She and her children, working together started out with 1 pig pen and 10 piglets. The growing cycle is 4 months so after 4 months she sold 9 of the pigs and kept one to raise as a sow. She continued this process ever since and today she has a hog farm now consisting of 40 pigs, 5 sows, 1 boar. She and her son have built all the pig pens you see in the pictures. Her son did all the welding and cement work to save on labor cost. As you will see from the pictures her hog farm, by Filipino standards is quite something. Because of the efforts of this lady and her family, she has been able to send all three of her children to college.
During all of this she and her family have no house to live in, just this open shack with a wood floor and a flat piece of plywood serving as the beds for everybody. This make-shift home was clean and tidy, something to be proud of. It is her plan that once her last child graduates from college, they will build them a nice home. She has been so successful that she is now training local people how to get into and become successful in hog farming. A remarkable lady to say the least. We were just so happy that we were able to meet her and hear her magnificent story. We just came to love and appreciate her for all she has accomplished that we gave her PHp1000 as a donation to her efforts.
As you can see a remarkable hog farm and story - from nothing to a highly profitable business.
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