Exeunt 2007

Merry Christmas

Here in the Philippines, we don’t think twice greeting people “Merry Christmas”. None of this nonsense about “Happy Holidays” or “Season's Greetings”. December 25 is all about the birth of Jesus Christ. Have a problem with this celebration? Suck it up.

Merry Christmas to all.

God's Three Answers to Prayer

1. 'Yes!'

2. 'Not yet.'

3. 'I have something better in mind.'

New Horizon

There was a transport strike and school was out. The natives said it couldn’t be done, they said we were not in America. But we were determined to drive to Mactan, though mapless a mere 90 miles away as the crow flies. So we set out at the break of dawn for San Carlos City where there was a ferry that would convey our car across the Tanon Strait. There is a previous entry describing this scenic route that cuts through Mount Mandalagan.

While waiting for the ship, a relative in Cebu tried to dissuade us from making the trip citing the difficulties in finding directions. His advice was ignored. We drove the car inside the cargo hold of the 35 year old Japanese freighter and went up to the steerage section. We weren’t about to trade feeling the sea wind for a silly movie in a dark, air-conditioned enclosure in the “Business Class” section.

Just watching our 4 year old shriek with excitement as the engines of the ship bellowed into life and listening to the younger kids shouting at the top of their lungs, copying the foghorn blasts made the trip worthwhile. In 90 minutes we reached Toledo, in Cebu island. The roads were excellent and with the assistance of those indispensable Coca Cola and Jollibee signs we reached Shangri-la in fine shape.

I wouldn’t have felt like Conway if I had taken another way.

There were many high points in this unplanned getaway but one of them was surely when I skyped Dr. Paul and Dr. Todd and I panned the webcam across the pools and the bars and the beaches while it was snowing in 25’ Guymon.

Now the strike is over and the kids are back in school.