3-29-10
We traveled north to survey the drought caused by El Nino. It didn't look like a long journey on the map, but traveling in the Philippines is very different. The larger highways stop not too far outside of Manila, and it is narrow roads and small cities. What we thought we could accomplish in a day took two. Communities with irrigation were okay, but dry farmers were in bad shape. I am including a story of a typical farming family that we met. This is part of my report that I submit when requesting funds.
During our trip we met Brother Hector Calayan and his family and we took a few pictures. His story is typical of so many of the white corn farmers there. He gave us permission to share these pictures and his family's story. He is a strong member of the church, he serves on the high council, and his wife is a returned missionary. They have three children, Helaman who is 6, Elijah who is 4 and the
baby Ruth is 3 months old. They live in a humble hut Brother Calayan built himself. Brother Calayan is a subsistence farmer, who provides for his family on about two and a half hectares of land that belonged to his father. One picture shows him indicating the height of the flood water that washed away his first crop this past fall. Shortly after the flood his father passed away and he took care of the funeral expenses, his wife then had complications with the birth of their baby and with that their financial resources were depleted. He had to borrow money to replant his corn crop. The drought has now decimated that crop, and the family has been left with no resources. (Picture of Brother Calayan standing by what is left of his corn crop) Brother Calayan is considering leaving his family and looking for work outside of the Philippines.
baby Ruth is 3 months old. They live in a humble hut Brother Calayan built himself. Brother Calayan is a subsistence farmer, who provides for his family on about two and a half hectares of land that belonged to his father. One picture shows him indicating the height of the flood water that washed away his first crop this past fall. Shortly after the flood his father passed away and he took care of the funeral expenses, his wife then had complications with the birth of their baby and with that their financial resources were depleted. He had to borrow money to replant his corn crop. The drought has now decimated that crop, and the family has been left with no resources. (Picture of Brother Calayan standing by what is left of his corn crop) Brother Calayan is considering leaving his family and looking for work outside of the Philippines.
On the way home we visited the rice terraces of Banaue. This is called the 8th Wonder of the World. Here rice is grown on terraced mountain sides. Water from the high springs is used in a complicated method of aqua ducts to flood or withhold water from each terrace as needed down the mountain side. Some terraces are said to be 2,000 years old. It was beautiful and so peaceful. I enjoyed the one night we spent there.
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