Our Philippine Trip

For the last couple of months I have been working with a non profit group, Pearls With A Purpose. PWP helps abused and abandoned women in the Philippines in skills of self reliance. The Women are taught how to make pearl jewelry, they send it here to us, then we sale it, and then the money goes right back to them. The money goes to support them and there children. Prior to my going to this job, the PWP had a couple bad hits, which had kept them from making as many orders has they had in the past! Which made pearl work for the women in the Philippines really slow. A few weeks into November we found out that the women over in the Philippines were really struggling! To make a long story short we booked flights, packed our bags with food, vitamins, and whatever else we could fit in we knew they needed. My Mom came with me! She is so great and has such a love for people and I know I couldn't have done it with out her! Yes it was an adventure and it was fun but it was also one of the hardest things to witness first hand starvation and extreme poverty. Friends and Family were so great when they heard what we were doing! I am so Thankful for all of them. They were so supportive which helped me out so much because I was a little scared to see what it was really like over there. One night before I left we were over at Brady's families house and they asked me why we were going over. I told them about the struggles over there with the women. One of which was Lani! She had a little baby that keep getting really sick and had to go to the Doctors. Lani only had a little bit of money and had to spend it on the Doctor. She was able to breast feed little Markenzie but couldn't buy food for herself. She was starving and the baby was getting worse. It broke my heart knowing this and I couldn't help but cry. Caroline the next day brought over a lot of baby formula, food, and bottles for Lani and her baby! Brady's mom made the baby a cute hat and sent me with a blanket she had made when Brady was a baby! When we got there and gave these things to Lani, she was so thankful! She just loved them and couldn't believe they would send these nice gifts. My Grandma Smith sent us with some money for some food for the women and we were able to buy some corn beef for the families. It was amazing because they were starving and the first thing they did after we split it up to each family, they took their portion and split that with families that they lived by who also were in need! Wow! They were so selfless! It was an amazing life changing trip! I learned so many things and met so many people that have made a life lasting impact on my life who I love and miss! I am grateful for Brady for supporting me in this experience he is such a great husband. He is a hard worker who is always helping others and me, I couldn't get any better! I am so lucky! He is my biggest blessing! I am so Thankful for all my blessings and I know that even though the these women struggle and life is hard the Lord is aware of them and love them! And I know that we have certain struggles to make us better! I want to be like these great people who are happy, grateful, and close to the Lord through lives struggles.

Elizabeth (on left)

Elizabeth is 4 and has big beautiful eyes that are always watching! We went to church with Lani's family and while we were sitting there on the benches, she walks in and sits at the end of our bench. My mom was holding one of Peter's little girls, Elizabeth just kept watching us. Soon she came over and stood in front of me. At that point we had only really seen her in the streets, she was wearing a cute little flowered dress it was dirty. I knew it was the best she had and she was trying to look nice. The thing I will always remember about her that day is how she looked at me and my mom! In her eyes you could see a wanting, a wanting for someone to hold her and care about her. I picked her up and gave her a hug! It was so hard to fight back the tears she was so cute. I later found out she had walked to church 2 miles by herself in a place I would dare stand by myself. The bishop told us street children did some times come, but it was usually just so they could take a piece of bread. Maybe that is part of the reason why she came, but I knew she thought there was something special about this place and she felt good and safe there. I learned a huge lesson her small little unspoken testimony!

Lornez-(Lola)

Lornez or Lola (meaning grandma) is the mother and grandmother to many of the workers. You will always find her smiling, a beautiful smile that you see in the faces of her children. She is in her 80’s and is always working around the home or helping with the children. She smiles because she is happy! She has a wonderful family, who love each other and take care of each other. Before her husband died the family had to take turns physically pumping the machines that kept him alive. This was because they didn’t have the money to pay for the other machines . They did this for two months before he died, and when he did the Dr. cried. He said in the Philippines you don’t see families do this, they don’t stay together. This is the kind of family she raised. Even though not all the workers are family, Lornez’s family structure has no bounds. She loves all! She was a great example to me of being happy for all the blessings we have in our lives!

Peter

Peter is a very dedicated hard working father who loves his wife and 4 children. Peter has been out of job for months because of his age. He is only in his early 40's and in the Philippines that is very old in the work force. So he does pearl work with his sisters. Although it is women’s work he doesn’t care, he cares more about his family! We often found out that he would work until one or two in the morning and would be back the next morning at seven. He is a great man!

Philippino Kids

All of the children loved to see themselves in the camera and would pull funny faces and stunts just to have their picture taken! They loved to yell Americano and run away shyly and laugh at my Mom and I's extremely white legs and faces! We had a lot of fun with the kids we took tons of pictures, taught them games, and listened to them read. Even though they didn't have nice things or the best living conditions they all seemed pretty happy!

Amie

Amie is really where the pearl work started! She was found on the floor of her home with her two girls dying, by her visiting teacher, who had a feeling to go check on her. Amie's husband had left them and she had know way to feed her children so she poisoned them and herself, thinking it would be better, because she didn't want them to suffer starvation for weeks before they finally died. I can't even imagine being at that point where you could even come to that kind of choice. It is so sad! The visiting teacher was a wealthy Philippino who helped many people in her country. At that time seeing Amie and her girls she knew she had to "teach these people to fish!" She took them to the hospital and they lived! The one daughter was left handicap and blind! But Amie learned to make pearl jewelry and was able support her family! She is a very strong women and a very loving mother!

Maybeline

Maybeline is in her twenties and helps work with her mom and aunts when she has time away from her other job! She is so sweet and soft spoken! Like the rest of her family she has a beautiful smile but was always covering her mouth because she didn't like her teeth! When she heard my mom had a necklace with her of theirs that she loved but was a little big, she instantly jumped up and found the necklace and started working! My Mom and Maybeline hit it off from the start and Maybeline wanted to show my Mom her gratitude and love by doing this as a gift. It was so sweet!

Jeep'n Philippine Style

In the Philippines most people get around by walking, tricy, or by these sweet stretched out jeeps. I took this picture for Brady and his family because they are big jeepers and I thought these were so cool! The owners paint their jeeps all different cool ways and lots of them will play loud music! This guy was so excited about me taking a picture of his jeep he had to jump in to show us this is his ride! Way to go Dude!

Another Crazy Adventure With Mom & Me

After fews hours on the plane, on our way to the Philippines, they told us that we had to make an emergency landing in Alaska! Yes! Emergency, 911!! We made friends with one of the airline girls, and she told us that the captain was choking and they couldn't get the food out of his throat! It was all very scary and exciting! So the airline had to put all 300 hundred of us up in hotels for the night and feed us! It was crazy cold there when we were packed for super hot weather! The hotel never imagined so many people staying all in one night, so our building didn't have heat! Burrrrr!! By the time we fell asleep it was time to go, we actually almost missed our flight! Crazy White Girls! ( everyone on the plane was from the Philippines, Japan, or somewhere else, they said it all with there looks) We did make it though! It actually worked out perfect, because of our 911 landing we missed our connecting flight in Japan, so we had to get on a new flight! Our new flight had a layover for a few hours!!! So what are a couple of crazy girls supposed to do in a scary country they have never seen before, with people they can't understand !?! Go EXPLORE Duh! Man it was a crazy idea, but we ran with it and it was worth it! Before we could go "explore" we had to go through customs! Yuk!! The line was forever long! I mean really really long! If we stood in the line we would never get out and have time to "explore!" So my amazing, crazy, awesome, Mother, put me into shock when she went up to a lady working there and told her Wendy had a hurt leg and we needed a wheelchair and we couldn't stand in line! Wow, go Mom! We skipped the huge line and Wendy got a free ride, with nothing wrong with her! It was so Hilarious!!!! And again we got the Crazy White Girls looks, I just love my Mom! When you are with her its a party! I have learned from going and traveling with her she is full of surprises! She is a crazy women! I really couldn't have done, be who I am, or live with out her! Thanks Mom you are the best! After that we found the first train out to the airport and we took it! I absolutely LOVE Japan! Totally amazing, it was really to bad we only had a couple hours to "explore!" And I wish Brady and my Dad were there to see all of it, they would love it! We met cool people, one girl from some other country there working was really interesting and nice! We tasted some of the local food ( yum/yuck) and we went to a really cool temple! Time rushed by and next thing we know we are on another train,( luckily the right one) then we were off to the Philippines! Just another crazy adventure with

MOM & ME!