Memory lane

Monday, February 13, 2017
Every corner of the city has passageways. We walk around to the street that dead-ends behind our house and it looks like the end of the road.

We've been told there's a passage all the way down to the valley, so we look more closely 

and no kidding ... there is a narrow staircase that stretches out of sight. Each house has a landing

but the steps go down down down. (Look closely to see the houses, blocks away.) And when we look back up to the cul-de-sac, we notice these are not exactly regulation-spaced steps. We're so used to irregular walks on sidewalks, steps, and streets we don't even notice.

Almost at the top of dozens of connected staircases

We're asked for an updated photo by a group in Seattle. W brings his tripod and camera; we wedge that into the calendar. Click. Click. We'll hit "send" a few minutes after we reach home.

Before heading back, we pray for the people whose feet travel this lane every day. May God bring his peace to every household and every neighborhood.

Last week's review: a few more snapshots from the Philippines

Rice in a tofu wrapper. Unexpectedly delicious

Such orderly and spacious streets. Curbs, even! We felt like we were in the USA with the strong American influence

An old Jeepney - these elongated jeeps are the busses of Baguio

The seminary had a traditional shirt made for W -
I loaned them one of his dress shirts

 

And the faculty prayed for us before we left, a sweet moment

 And closer to home this week:
 The neighborhood security guards painted the community garden walls tomato red. Pretty, but after a few nights of heavy rain, they are already getting dusty.

Two 8' tall cacti are blooming along the path. We stop on the way home from church to admire them.

4" blossom vs.

12" blossom ...

 W is teaching a theology course - he starts with a toolkit for understanding scripture. About 20 people show up.

We have an early Valentines meal after a chore trip to town. We decimate the spicy tofu - whewwwwww - hot-hot-hot exquisiteness on the tongue. 

 

The meal ends with a decent gelato. (Not great but we're spoiled. We've tasted Italian gelato in Europe.)

Ironic muzak: Justin Bieber sings, "If you like the way you look that much..."
while a beautiful gal in the restaurant admires herself and her phone

This morning (Monday), I check the calendar. Study and language school. I'll get home about 2. There's no way I can do everything on the list. So my first chore is to clear the calendar of everything that can be postponed and write tomorrow's meeting agenda. 

Nice graffiti on the wall - students paint these each year or two

Movie night is coming up on Wednesday. For the first time, we decide to limit attendees to the first 70 on the list. Within a few hours, 59 have signed up. About 60 is ideal. Tomorrow, IbuA will help me cook 7 kg of chicken, which we chopped and froze last week. There are 4 new kinds of cookies in the freezer from a cooking spree last week. Bake a few Valentine cakes, peel 15 potatoes, cook a few other things,  set the tables ... and we'll be almost ready.

Ok, what can I scrape off my plate for this week?

Read more:

*Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him. Deuteronomy 30:19–20 ESV

*See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God. Isaiah 55:5 ESV

Jesus said, “Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God.” Luke 13:29 ESV

Moravian Prayer: God of all people, may we be instruments of your peace, and spread your good news through our loving deeds. Amen.