Hello from Lapu Lapu City

Greetings from the future! It is Wednesday 8:42 AM

Well.. 1 1/2 hours from Evansville to Chicago, 4 1/2 from Chicago to LA, 14 from LA to Hong Kong, and 2 1/2 from there to Lapu Lapu City, Cebu.. but I'm here!!! It's amazing! Had Brother Elmer Palacio meet us at the airport; he was very nice.  No one ages here.  I figured he was about 30, but he had 4 kids and the oldest is 14.  It's near impossible to guess ages.  Below is a picture of us going through customs (a lot easier than American or EU customs).

After getting settled in to our hotel, we went out on the town to Cebu City.  The trip there was as interesting as the actual city.  They turn 2 lane traffic into about 4-6 lanes.  There is a line in the middle of the road and other than that, you drive where you can.  On the way there I may or may not have had motion sickness from the hours and hours of plane rides and vomited out of the cab window (the cab only cost about 5 dollars)... 

Some of the poverty was just unbelievable.  I had two little girls, no older than 5, who were picking up trash come up to me and just stare.  I gave them each 5 pesos (about 12 cents in US money) and they were so happy.  Then, another little boy came running and I gave him 5 too.. he just said thank you and ran off happy.  It is so sad.  Some of the houses were just sheet metal slabbed onto whatever can be found.  Then, they bathed in the marshes.  

On the other hand, the mall in the city was overwhelming!  There were 5 or 6 floors and everything from McDonald's to KFC (I've seen more KFC than anything).  No matter where you eat, they have a chicken leg and rice as a meal.  Burgers were as low as 25 pesos (about 60 or so cents).  Below is our dinner at a Filipino restaurant. 

[Top left, rice. Top right, crab rangoon (NOTHING like what we eat; it was a huge hunk of crab. Bottom right, some sort of amazing chicken.  Bottom left, some kind of pudding that taste like meringue. The rolls in the middle were awesome, but I can't remember the name. The cups are sweet and sour sauce.]

This morning (evening for you all), we ate at a continental breakfast (that costs nearly 800 pesos if you don't have a room).  

[blue plate; watermelon and pineapple. White plate; taters, toast with an unknown, heavenly jam, white rice, ponset, bacon, and fish. To drink I had coffee, mango juice, and orange pineapple juice.]

We are about to head out from the hotel.  Our flight leaves this afternoon for Butuan City, where we will get together with the Sunrise Christian College.  

God Bless! [And sorry for the rambling.. after all there's a 13 hour time difference]

In Him,

Audie