March
 

As most of you know, Zachary Morrice and I will be on our way to the Philippines by the time you wake up on Monday, March 8.  We will join a tour organized by the UU Partner Church Council, and visit Unitarian Universalist village churches on Negros Island.  Zachary will meet with youth in several parts of the Island, and he and I will both talk with leaders of the UU Church of the Philippines, including the Rev. Rebecca Sienes who is the daughter of the martyred founder of the UU Church of the Philippines, Toribio Quimada.  The CUC website has material about Quimada’s life and work.

Sunday, February 28, Richard Ford, who has done livelihood assessments in Philippine villages including our potential partner Doldol, will be with us to speak about his perceptions of the Philippines.  And on March 7, we will be collecting notes and questions that you might want to send to adults and children in Doldol.  We would also gratefully receive any contributions you might want to make to defray the expenses for Zach’s travel.  And if anyone would like to contribute a used laptop in good working condition, we would joyfully take that to the leaders of the Doldol congregation.

I am not sure how often Zach and I will find internet connection, but when we can, we will be in touch.  I will post to my BLOG on the website, and both of us will put messages on Facebook.  But even when we are not in touch, you can think about us as we make the following progress:
     Monday, March 8     Flight to Manila, via Seoul, Korea
     Tuesday, March 9     Flight to Dumaguete, Negros Island, and time to rest there
     Wednesday, March 10     Visiting congregations in Nagbinlod, Caican, and Banaybanay
     Thursday, March 11     Bus to Culipapa and the beach at Hinobaan
     Friday March 12     Travel to Doldol to see the village and meet people.
     Saturday, March 13     RE workshop, with Doldol teachers in Malingan
     Sunday, March 14     Worship in Cabiguhan and then to Nataban and San Carlos City
     Monday, March 15     Aquino, Canlaon City, and back to Dumaguete for the night
     Tuesday, March 16     Return to the US, via Manila and Seoul, jet-lagged, but happy!

We will be back in services on March 21, and I will look forward to seeing all of you on that day, which is also the Canvass Brunch.  The theme for the month is Truth, and I am excited to think that my sense of truth will be a bit deeper because I have seen our UU congregations across the Pacific.  

Rev. Carol