Family Unity Week

The last few weeks have really been busy! We have been to three District Conferences (Balayan, Siniloan, and Marinduque), three Missionary Zone Conferences (Lucena, LIpa, and Los Banos). Earlier this month we heard about the "Family Unity Week" here in Lucena and asked if we could attend the intial planning meeting - we were so welcome we found ourselves on the board of directors for the various activities. Though this is sponsored by the City of Lucena the Stake Center was the focus of most of the planning meetings and some of the activities. At the end of the first meeting Pres. Bangal handed out copies of the "Proclamation to the World" and the lady who was acting for the Mayor came back the next week and read almost all of to the city officials there. She said' "this is exactly what we need to promote here in Lucena". She was more excited about it than someone using it as the basis for a sacrament meeting talk. Some of our missionary work kept us from a few of the activities, but Fri. we (most of the missionaries in the Lucena area) and the Stake Pres. (Pres. Bangal) went to the local City Jail to visit with the inmates and try to offer them some comfort. We showed the video Finding Faith in Christ and just talked to some of the inmates. Most are women (mostly in their 20's) and most are in for drug use/trafficking. There are 106 inmates of which 67 are women. In the first picture attached are four women I sat next to. The one on the right has 3 years remaining, and the other 3 each have 4 years to go. At the conclusion of the video there wasn't a dry eye in the place. These ladies in the first picture wanted a copy of the picture I took so we have printed them off and glued them inside copies of the Book of Mormon (Aklat ni Mormon) to take to them when we get a few minutes. None of these people seemed hardened or harmful and I actually felt bad for them. Diane talked to one of the guards and she said some of the women are innocent it is their boy friend or husband who is using and distributing, but they were home when the cops came with the drugs in the house.

The next day we went with the youth from the Lucena Stake to a facility the City Social Services run for children who have been abandoned or have been referred to them by the police. They lady who took Diane and I on tour said they frequently drive around town at night and pickup children who are rummaging through the garbage. There are 13 grils and 37 boys in this facility. All of the girls have been physically and sexually abused, all of the boys have been physically abused and most of the boys had been sexually abused too. She told us storeis I won't repeat here. Some how I had hoped this kind of thing was unique to the U.S., but it isn't. Some of the kids wouldn't have anything to do with any of us who are old enough to be an adult until later. Please understand there were groups of kids from all three Lucena Wards, the Lucban Ward, and the Tayabas Ward to perform for these kids. We also had 22 missionaries counting us and some Stake Leaders including Pres. Bangal there. The missionaries got the kids involved in some games and mixed with them during the performances. There were some very tender moments as these kids bonded with the missionaries. Again, the Spirit was so strong there. The people who run this place were amazed that so many young people would come and help these kids. We have been invited back to both places.

Now, if you know of anyone who is looking for a service project these kids could use some hygiene kits. They don't have to be elaborate, but there is a real need at this facility. If you know of anyone who wants to take on a project then give them our e-mail address and we can help them with where to send them and who to contact. These people who are running this facility are operating on virtually no budget at all.

We love you all and miss you. We know it is getting close to Christmas because they have been singing Christmas Carols in Church and playing Christmas music in the malls for about a month now.