It takes teamwork, great effort, and belief in one's self and friends. Today Heather and I joined the beneficiaries and caretaker team of our village, GK Libmanan, for fun and games in celebration of several birthdays, including momma Mary's. When we arrived we were treated to several dances, and of course had to dance ourselves (which was far better than our lame Karaoke attempt that ended the day), coconut milk straight from the nut, and an incredible dose of blessings from about 50 Bikolano children, most under 7 years old. The whole day was filled with food and fun, games and contests. Among our favorites were the Tomato Dance (pictured) and the the pole climbing. Two poles were mointed in the ground the day before. Each is about 15 feet tall, and they were about 15 feet apart. When we first got there, several youngsters, mostly boys, were testing and showing off their strength by quickly scurrying to the top. When it came time for the contest, however, the poles had been coated with a red grease. The boys 7-12 were put on one pole, the boys 13-18 were put on the other. The objective, of course, was to be the first to the top to retrieve the Philippines flag, and thereby claim the cash prize. The result was a solid 30 minutes of laughter, effort, and teamwork. Of course, this activity occurred under close supervision of a medical professional. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME. ............... (PS This is Joel. Guess who's in love with him...)
It takes teamwork, great effort, and belief in one's self and friends. Today Heather and I joined the beneficiaries and caretaker team of our village, GK Libmanan, for fun and games in celebration of several birthdays, including momma Mary's. When we arrived we were treated to several dances, and of course had to dance ourselves (which was far better than our lame Karaoke attempt that ended the day), coconut milk straight from the nut, and an incredible dose of blessings from about 50 Bikolano children, most under 7 years old. The whole day was filled with food and fun, games and contests. Among our favorites were the Tomato Dance (pictured) and the the pole climbing. Two poles were mointed in the ground the day before. Each is about 15 feet tall, and they were about 15 feet apart. When we first got there, several youngsters, mostly boys, were testing and showing off their strength by quickly scurrying to the top. When it came time for the contest, however, the poles had been coated with a red grease. The boys 7-12 were put on one pole, the boys 13-18 were put on the other. The objective, of course, was to be the first to the top to retrieve the Philippines flag, and thereby claim the cash prize. The result was a solid 30 minutes of laughter, effort, and teamwork. Of course, this activity occurred under close supervision of a medical professional. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME. ............... (PS This is Joel. Guess who's in love with him...)
2 comments:
Hi, we have LOTS of tomatoes growing in our yard. What's the TOMATO DANCE??? Can it apply in Chicago?? We'll look forward to reading more. The Filipiaks
Dear Patrick & Heather,
Greetings from St. Louis!!! You have been much in my thoughts and prayers these days. What a delight it is to peruse this blog! It is such a beautiful thing you have been called to do there. Truly, the mission given to each of us by the Lord is an exquisite gift bestowed with unspeakable love, intended to draw us and others closer to Him. I am particularly moved by the mission you have received for this portion of your life. May you be given to see the face of Christ in the poor you serve, and may you rejoice as His Love becomes ever more the reason for your very existence. Thank you for what you're doing and for the powerful witness it provides. Know of my prayers and affection.
(Patrick, I've been meaning to email you, which I will do soon.)
Greetings to Jonathan, Beth, Dianne & Joanne. Keep up the great work!
Your friend in Christ & St. Dominic...and I guess St. Ignatius too,
Br. Timothy
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