Day 5--The Grand Tour

     Today began kind of strange.  When I got up, Molong seemed ready to get going.  He asked me if I was going as I was, which was the normal shorts, t-shirt, and sandals (yes, sandals, everyone wears them here). I asked him where we were going, but he wouldn't tell me.  So, I took cues from his own dress, and put on some shoes and better shorts.  We took off on his little Yamaha Packard Bell motorbike through the congested and fume-filled traffic.  

      We drove a long way, through Cebu City, then up a mountain.  Then, we went over a couple more mountains, passing little towns, roadside shacks, chickens, dogs, goats, cattle,  and more.  We stopped at a roadside produce stand and he picked up three ears of corn, and we continued on our way.  The air was cooler on the mountains, and vehicles of all kinds, including other cycles with up to four people riding on them, were passing us, or we were passing them.  Finally, we arrived at the top of this mountain, where there was a cafe overlooking a beautiful valley.

You could see the cable from another zipline cable ride, that Molong proceeded to tell me that his wife, Lisa, got stuck on because of the strong winds.  The view was fabulous!!  We ordered some food, and Molong took out the raw corn-on-the-cob and we began to eat it as we waited for our food.  As we waited, we spoke more of what God is doing in our lives, and how he has changed how we think about and do church.  We both lamented that it is often difficult to explain our position and what exciting things the Lord is showing us, and what great results are coming from true disciple making.  If only the church could recapture the vision of making disciples as Jesus did, and also His disciples after Him.

     After we ate, we continued back down the mountain.  

We headed back to through Cebu City, where we stopped to see several museums that told of some of the history of the Philippines, especially Cebu.  We stopped at an old prison, which we later found out had been built with the bricks of a torn down catholic church.   (Selah, I had to pause and think about that one.  Molong and I both looked at each other when we heard it.)  Ninety percent of Filippinos are Roman Catholic.  Everywhere along the roads in the mountains, and even in the neighborhood where Molong lives, are little chapels where mass is served and people gather for religious observances or festivals.  In our museum visit, we saw how Magellan, one of the first Spanish explorers, brought the "baby Jesus" to the Phillippines, so statues of the baby Jesus are part of the history of the country and the culture itself.  Shrines were made in homes and elsewhere, where money offerings can be left.  

We toured two of the oldest houses in the Philippines, and rode on the oldest street as well.  We even visited some places that Molong didn't even know existed right in the downtown.

     Cebu city,  itself, is crowded and noisy.  Cars, motorcycles, pedestrians, street vendors, shacks next to hotels, small food shops, along side McDonalds and Burger King. It was all quite fascinating, but after a while the fumes began to get to me a bit.  I was thankful for our clean air policies in the States!  On the way back we stopped at the mall to get out of the heat and the traffic.  Molong showed me some of the power tools that they are needing for their store that will greatly increase and enhance the production of their hammocks and their bamboo cell phone speakers that are hand made by Jomie and Albert.  One time they had an order for sixty hammocks from Australia.  Each one takes six hours to make, and only two people working on them with a used electric sewing machine.

     As we left the mall, the sun was getting lower, and I could tell Molong was a bit hungry.  We saw a place selling Lechon, with the roasted whole pig in the window.  So, we stopped and he ordered some. Lechon is pork roasted over a fire and seasoned just right. It is tender and juicy without bones, served with rice and a special dipping sauce we put together ourselves using lime, vinegar, soy sauce, and crushed hot peppers.  As we ate, I heard the clerks snickering as Molong and I ate. I soon realized they were laughing at me because I was eating the lechon like a Filippino--with my hands.  White people who visit the island don't do that, but when in Rome, right?  

So, needless to say, when we returned to the house, we were both pretty tired.  What an unexpected day.  Cebu is quite the beautiful place with mountains, beaches,  cities, towns, modern, old, and more.  

      Tomorrow is day six,  and it marks the halfway point of my trip. We are going to do some work at the mountain apostolic hub this weekend, as I understand it.  Meanwhile, time to take some time and simply rest and reflect.   

       Thanks for taking time out to read this today!