Monday, May 11, 2009
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Undying Love..
It was a hot day. The sun shown down with the kind of heat that can only be compared to an oven.I had been up before 4am, had hiked 7 hours,spent 45 minutes on a boat, and was adjusting to settle down for another hour-hour 1/2 jeepney ride down the mountain to Mamburao. More people continued to get into the jeepney. I smiled and casually began to make some friends. Finally, the last few people entered the jeepney and the engine roared to life.
We stopped along the way and more passengers crowded into the already full jeepney. Logs were loaded onto the top and I wondered just how long this jeepney could last without falling apart.
Among all the people, an elderly couple captured my attention. They were sitting near the front and the wife was apparently ill, as her frail appearance solicited my sympathy. I guessed they were going to the hospital. They were both very quiet, yet the old man was constantly aware of the comfort of his beloved wife. His work worn hands were holding her, as his arms were gently wrapped around her. Held in his arms she was safe and secure to the best of his ability from the jerking and jolting of the jeepney.
I stared in amazement at the picture of love he was painting in my mind. The romantic sparks of new love was far gone, no flirtatious smile, no sparkling eyes, no youthful beauty, but what is etched in my mind is the stability, the security, the undying faithfulness that had been the result of their many, long years together. Standing by each other through thick and thin, supporting, loving, caring, trusting, working through problems together. It was evident that theirs had been a life of tender love and constant commitment.
His love was a living and breathing example of 1 Corinthians 13, "Love is patient, love is kind..bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things..love never fails."
Soon the jeepney reached Mamburao and stopped outside of the hospital. After that I never saw that couple again but the lesson of love he taught me by his actions spoke louder than words ever could have...
We stopped along the way and more passengers crowded into the already full jeepney. Logs were loaded onto the top and I wondered just how long this jeepney could last without falling apart.
Among all the people, an elderly couple captured my attention. They were sitting near the front and the wife was apparently ill, as her frail appearance solicited my sympathy. I guessed they were going to the hospital. They were both very quiet, yet the old man was constantly aware of the comfort of his beloved wife. His work worn hands were holding her, as his arms were gently wrapped around her. Held in his arms she was safe and secure to the best of his ability from the jerking and jolting of the jeepney.
I stared in amazement at the picture of love he was painting in my mind. The romantic sparks of new love was far gone, no flirtatious smile, no sparkling eyes, no youthful beauty, but what is etched in my mind is the stability, the security, the undying faithfulness that had been the result of their many, long years together. Standing by each other through thick and thin, supporting, loving, caring, trusting, working through problems together. It was evident that theirs had been a life of tender love and constant commitment.
His love was a living and breathing example of 1 Corinthians 13, "Love is patient, love is kind..bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things..love never fails."
Soon the jeepney reached Mamburao and stopped outside of the hospital. After that I never saw that couple again but the lesson of love he taught me by his actions spoke louder than words ever could have...
Pics of my house in the Philippines...
My cozy bathroom!!! Commonly called "CR" for comfort room...
The suprise of my life was discovering that this was my toilet!!!!!!!
It is amazing what you can get used to!!!!!!
My shower!!!! Nice cold water!!!!!
Inside my bathroom :) You can see through these walls can you belive it?!?!?!
This is also where I washed all my clothes by hand!
My stove top and my fridge!
My kitchen/dining room/living room/study :)
I had to keep all my food in plastic containers otherwise all of the bugs in Binuangan would have devoured my precious food!!!!!!