Craigs in Cauayan

39 years ago, as a 19 year old missionary, I received a gift of a pocket handkerchief from some dear friends in my first mission area of Hermosa, Bataan.  Later that year in May, with that handkerchief in my pocket, I attended a special Church conference in Cabanatuan City for the formation of the 6th Stake of the Church in the Philippines.  When the Church is new to an area with only few members of the Church, they form the several small Branches (congregations) into a District, presided over by the Mission President.  When the District attains a size, strength and maturity so that they are truly self sufficient, they transition into a Stake, presided over by local leaders.  Today, I attended another special conference of the Church with that same handkerchief in my pocket.  This special meeting was for the creation of the Philippines Cauayan Stake, the 120th Stake in this beautiful country. That pocket handkerchief has seen a lot.  In May 1982 when I was in Cabanatuan City, there wer

SO HOT!! The month of May has arrived and brought the heat.  May is the hottest month of the year here in the Cagayan Valley, and this year is much hotter than I remember last year.  Our poor air conditioners can hardly keep up.  Every time I step out the door, the heat hits like a great weight, and my knees buckle.  The skies are blue and the sun blazes down to cook us.  It was 38C today, but when you add humidity, I think it felt more like 50C (122F). (The complete opposite of wind chill!). Wearing of masks and face shields is just plain torture. It is still very green here, but anywhere that is not watered soon becomes parched and burnt from the sun.  Many farmers let the fields sit for these hot months, unless they have their own pump for watering.  One type of tree drops its leaves (I think it is just like our trees dropping their leaves in the Fall). Hardly anyone stands out in the hot sun without covering their head.  Many will use a towel or a shirt pulled over their head for a