Melanie West Goes East

Centennial

2010-04-30T06:18:00.000-07:00

Last January 17th I received the following e-mail:
Dear Melanie,
My husband & I are from the UK & we are doing our family history. I googled Deaconess Anne Hargreaves & saw your blog and, read with interest all about your work.
My husband has family connections with the Deaconess as she is his great aunt. His grandfather was taken from the UK by Anne, to help out the very poor family he came from, to New York & he stayed with her until he was old enough to come home & work. She was a very big part of his life & came back to see him right up until just before she died.
We have a few pictures of her & St James as it was, as well as the letter from the hospital in the Philippines explaining to Grandpa how she died,we are now presuming he was her next of kin & that's how he got all the pictures, a lock of her hair & other things. I wondered if you would like to see the pictures. I could e-mail you them if you like. I am not sure if you are still there as I wondered if you could take a picture of the cross at her grave for us.
She sounds a wonderful person & as a family, we are very proud of all her amazing work.
With many grateful thanks
Glynis Ellis
Seeing as how Deaconess Ann Hargreaves was a missionnary of Besao back in 1911 who helped to establish St. James High School, I was shocked and amazed at the power of the internet in that moment. Immediately filled with excitement I relied:
Dear Mrs. Ellis,
I am so very happy to hear from you! You and your husband both should know that Besao is steeped in rich memory of Deaconess Anne Hargreaves. Even the small children here know of her as a legend. Of course I will take photos of her cross for you all. This April, St. Benedict’s Parish will be celebrating their centennial, in which they will commemorate the deaconess and her service to Besao. I know that it is a great thing to ask, but we would all be so honored if you and any of your family members would be able to join us in this momentous occasion. People will be coming from all over the world! During the centennial, there will be a photo exhibit and I would love if you could contribute your photos of the deaconess! People would be so thrilled to see them. I would like to send you a formal invitation to the centennial if you would be willing to send me your mailing address. What a blessing it has been to have received an e-mail from you. It truly is a small world! I hope that we can continue to be in communication in the near future.
Sincerely,
Melanie Jianakoplos
These are just a few of the photos which I received from the Ellis’How incredible it is that we were able to find each other. As the months flew by we worked as a community to prepare for our centennial celebration. We found that a lot can happen in 100 years! So much in fact that it took us two full days to celebrate the centennial at St. Benedict’s Parish. On the first day, April 10th, we had a parade from the Municipal Hall to the church, a morning worship service, registration, and cultural dancing presentations. The next day we had high mass, with the Prime Bishop and Diocesan Bishop, launching of the Gowen Foundation for St. James High School, the reading of the history of St. Benedict’s, and the unveiling of the centennial marker.That night we had a great bonfire and danced late into the night. The gongs beating so loud that I’m certain you could hear them in Sagada. The celebration was incredible. People spent hours on end telling stories of the “good ole days” as they shared meals and laughter.The highlight of my week was the friendship that I formed with the Gowen family. Among them were: Geoffrey Gowen and Ann Gowen Combs (The children of the late Rev. Vincent Gowen), Geoffrey’s daughter, Laura Gowen Brisbane, and two of Ann’s sons, Geoffrey and Dave Combs. Geoffrey and Ann were born and raised in Besao until the ages of 8 and 10 when, along with their parents, they were forcibly removed to a Japanese internment camp in Baguio City.When I arrived in the Philippines, My close friend and sponsor, Atty. Floyd Lalwet, gave me a book that changed my life in a way that few books have. It was entitled Sunrise to Sunrise. It is a compilation of the memoirs of the Rev. Vincent Gowen when he served as a missionary in Besao from 1927-1942. In his book, he writes all about the native culture of Besao, its landscape, and its secrets. He had the most wonderful things to say of this cool and peaceful place. In his journal he wrote of Besao:
“It was to be my home, so deeply the centre of my affection that, even after years of separation, no other home can supplant it in my heart, in the love I feel for its people.”
I keep wondering to myself, if father Gowen could have only imagined that 68 years after he left Besao there would be a 23 year old woman from Missouri serving as a missionary at St. Benedicts…
Spending time with the Gowens was surreal. Our time together was filled with stories of mystery and excitement, wonder and praise of this place. A place that only felt like home to a handful of white people, and there we were together, holding hands. We went everywhere together. We ate the Yogurt House in Sagada about ten times. We went to the Lang-ay festival in Bontoc. We took a trip up a sacred mountain and tumbled down it twice as fast as we went up, but that story deserves its own blog. We shared an adventure together!
It was as if I had come full circle. There I was the first lay missionary of the Episcopal Church in Besao since World War II and I had been blessed with the friendship of the descendants of the two most influential missionaries in the history of Besao. And it only took 100 years.
Melanie West Goes…Centennial
If you have the opportunity, read the book Sunrise to Sunrise, By Vincent H. Gowen,

ISBN 142510520-3
It will give you amazing background and perspective of the place where my adventures unfold.

Amorsolo

2010-04-29T03:35:00.000-07:00

In 1942, when the Japanese forced the Gowen family to leave Besao and live in an internment camp in Manila, the people of Besao gathered the Gowen’s most prized possessions from the rectory. Risking their lives, they snuck off into the mountains, buried and hid that which they had collected, in hopes that someday they would be returned to their rightful owners. Included were: fine china sets, jewelry, birth certificates, baptism, confirmation, and marriage records of St. Benedict’s Church dating back to 1910, and one lone painting given to Rev. Vincent Gowen by his wife.
Years later, when the war had ended, the Besaos went back to the mountains, turned the soil yet again and there emerged the boxes that they had buried that fateful night. They had survived the war together.
Shipped off to the United States, the painting hung in the Gowen family home in Seattle, Washington for the past sixty years.
This April, the painting, informally called “The Lady,” returned home to the Philippines for the Centennial Celebration of St. Benedict’s Parish. Many of the Besaos that hid the painting at the brink of WWII are still alive today, and were so thrilled to see the painting again. A painting that they risked their lives to preserve.We had a reception and blessing of the beautiful piece at Brent International School Reflection Center in Baguio, the Episcopal school where the painting is to be housed.The painting will hang in the reflection center for two reasons. First, because it is a more secure place, and second, because it is more accessible to those who wish to marvel at its beauty.
The Episcopal Church in the Philippines is praying that people from all over the world will be encouraged to donate to St. James Episcopal High School in Besao on behalf of “The Lady” and her incredible story. As a teacher at St. James, I have discovered that it costs less than $100 to send one student to our school for an entire year! If you would like to sponsor a student of St. James Episcopal High School, I would be proud to assist in the formation of that special relationship.
At the reception, the school’s visual and performing arts teacher, Mr. Bob Joaquin, gave a reflection on the painting. This is what he had to say, “When I pulled this painting out of the box with the help of Mrs. Daoey last Saturday and finally saw it, I immediately looked for the famed signature. When I found it and it matched how he signs his works, I just had to do what I was not supposed to do, to touch it, very gently.
It was painted in 1915. Amorsolo was 23. The peculiar lighting of the painting from the inside out was very subtle. Something that took some 15 years more to become his artistic trademark and greatest contribution to Philippine painting.
I have never seen this painting in print so I suggested to Mrs. Daoey to have it authenticated at the Central Bank Main in Manila. That way, its existence will be acknowledged and recorded. Pretty much like people, masterpieces like these don’t exist without ‘birth’ certificates’.
Fernando Amorsolo painted the Filipinas as mestizas with round faces and lively eyes like most of his family members. He never painted them chinky eyed. With ‘The Lady’, we will never know. He rarely painted them dark skinned too, instead, often in blushing peach. I am sure ‘The Lady’, as she is fondly called by the Gowens, was all that when she was younger. The time film on the painting has muted the vibrant colors substantially. And it could have been retouched with much more care. I actually volunteered to retouch the ‘The Lady’ to Mrs. Daoey-going as far as telling her I could replicate her for security reasons.
Amorsolo was educated in the classical tradition and has always rejected the Western ideals of beauty in favor of the Filipino mestizos and mestizas. Nevertheless, he was the favorite Filipino artists of the Americans during the Commonwealth period. To my knowledge there is only one other painting by Amorsolo in Baguio. It depicts General Yamashita’s surrender to the Americans. It hangs in the living room of the American Ambassador’s Palace in Camp John Hay.
Critics are one in saying that Amorsolo’s best works are those of his early days as a painter. ‘The Lady‘, was painted when he was barely 23. And I am pretty sure that unlike his later works, ‘The Lady’, was painted from life.
When a painter paints, he wants to record or preserve what he saw for others to see. Most of the time we painters paint what to us are fleeting moments or scenes we believe are beautiful but aren’t going to be there for us to see for more than a lifetime. We call them endangered scenes. True enough for Amorsolo and his ‘lady’, you don’t see maidens washing clothes in rivers these days, not here, not even in the provinces and certainly not in the nude. Not only are we running out of rivers fit to wash in, ladies would rather leave the washing to machines nowadays.
The most expensive Amorsolo was bought for U.S. $377,947 at Christie’s in April 2002. It was a portrait of a woman. It is humbling to be hanging next to an Amorsolo inside this reflection center. The only other painting in this room being mine.
To the Gowen family, thank you very much. I can’t wait to bring my art students over to meet ‘The Lady’, and the most important Filipino painter of all time.
It’s a great afternoon. It’s unbelievable.”

It is quite an unbelievable story, but this is quite an unbelievable place! The people of Besao have a rich history that is not spoken of nearly enough. I hope that you will read Rev. Vincent H. Gowen’s Book, Sunrise to Sunrise, and become even more amazed at this place and these people who have become a part of me in the way that they were a part of him.
Melanie West Goes…Amorsolo

Holy Week

2010-04-28T02:17:00.000-07:00

I gave up writing on my blog for Lent, but I guess it doesn’t count because it was unintentional and it’s not a sinful act. The truth is, it’s hard to observe the Lenten season when it’s 80 degrees and sunny every day. Not to mention the countless town fiestas and weddings which we attended during those 40 days. When Holy Week came the mood changed. People came together in a more reverent manner.I had the privilege of washing the feet of the 12 representing the apostles of Christ. We performed the passion completely through song, and we stayed in the church for hours and hours on Good Friday. The Stations of the Cross led us on a long walk to a clearing on a mountain which the Besaos have preserved as their very own Calvary.There, a large cross stands among the pine trees. We crowned it with a wreath of bright pink flowers gathered by the old women just after dawn.Easter morning came as gloriously as it should. The bells rang with such zeal and vigor that you felt them shout, “Christ is risen!” The Lord is risen indeed.Melanie West Goes…Holy Week

Lang-ay

2010-04-15T05:21:00.000-07:00

“Lang-ay” meaning to invite your friends and family into your home to eat and share stories, now serves as the name of an annual festival in the Provincial Capital of Bontoc. Showcasing all that is “Igorot” I felt completely immersed in the Cordilleran culture with street dancing, ritual performances, gong playing, and of course, the most delicious of foods. The photos tell the story…have a look.

Melanie West Goes…Lang-ay

Prom

2010-04-15T04:52:00.000-07:00

Well, I never thought that I would be going to prom again, and I never thought I would be going as a teacher! But sure enough, being a teacher at St. James Episcopal High School, I was asked to help chaperone the junior senior prom last month. It was a much different experience than our prom back in the states. First off, there was actually a promenade. Each boy was pared with a girl as they walked across the school yard and presented each other to the audience. As they proceeded to the gymnasium, they showed off their neatly-polished dance steps of ballroom and cha cha, unlike the usual bump and grind of our school dances.It was wholesome and orderly, each song chosen with care and purpose. I crowned Mr. Valentine and was even asked to dance by one of my third-year students during the gentlemen’s choice dance. Brave kid! It was all wrapped up by 9pm and the students were escorted home by their parents and teachers.
Melanie West Goes…Prom

Supo

2010-04-15T03:27:00.000-07:00

Back in early December I went to a truely magical place by the name of Supo which is located in the province of Abra, the Western border of Mountain Province.The 7 hour trip was filled with excitement, sing-a-longs, rough roads, and good friends. There were about 30 of us in all, consisting mostly of clergy and diocesan development staff members. As we were nearing Supo, we came to a river. But quickly did we realize that there was no bridge to cross! Before I had time to ponder how we might get to the other side, they were loading the car onto a homemade raft of canoes, scaffolding, and bamboo shoots, which was to ferry us to the other side! Although I had doubts, we made it. So did the car. We were greeted in Supo with open arms. The people were so warm and light-hearted. They cooked the most delicious foods for us, and for the first time I tasted eel, of which there are plenty in nearby rivers. Throughout the day we went around to bless the church projects that have recently been established in Supo including: gardens, greenhouses, and a fresh water system for the community. While church projects in Supo are plenteous, as of this time, there is no Episcopal Church building in Supo, for lack of funds. As evening set in, the people of Supo put on performances at the elementary school of song and dance in native and modern style. It was a wonderful celebration! At night the young men hung hammocks high in the trees and slept together as if they were the lost boys of Never Never Land. The old men slept around the camp fire, and I joined the young ladies on the love-worn wood floor within the safety of their home. Never before have I seen a community of people work so collaboratively with one another while exuding such joy, love, and mutual respect. If only our larger society worked together in the way that the people of Supo do. The world would surely be a better place!
Melanie West Goes…Supo

E.C.W.

2010-04-15T02:42:00.001-07:00

If you were ever wondering, “How did that get done?” The answer is most likely…The Episcopal Church Women!From the most monotonous of tasks, like slicing vegetables for hours on end, to the most strenuous and overwhelming, you can always find the ECW hard at work. While they are no doubt the ones keeping the church and the community intact, they are not stopping there! They are pushing forward: starting new programs, protecting the environment, educating the children, and ensuring the future of the church. These dedicated women ranging from age 21 to 80 are the ones who make all things possible here in Besao. I am so grateful to be an active member of such a dedicated group. If you are ever in need, call on the ECW…We can do it!Melanie West Goes…E.C.W.

Grace Kirkwood Youth Group

2010-02-15T03:08:00.000-08:00

Dear Grace Kirkwood Youth Group,
How amazing it is to look back and realize how recently I was in your shoes. Mission trips, overnights, the Italian dinner. Those moments made a huge impact on my life and spiritual formation. Grace Church gave me the foundation on which I built myself as I went off to college. It flew by. They said it would. My greatest joy, strength, and refuge through those four years was Episcopal Camus Ministry. For once in your life there won’t be anyone else to make you go to church, but choosing to go is the best decision I made in college. Remember, the church has a lot to offer you, and you have a lot to offer to the church. When I graduated I decided to take some time, and my young unbound energy, and do some service work in the Philippines. I am excited to hear that you all have been reading some of the blog posts and looking at the pictures. All I can say about that right now is that if you ever feel like you are being called to do something with your life…do it! You will be amazed at where God takes you. I have learned that beautiful lives don’t just happen, they are made. Follow your dreams knowing that the church will always be there for you. Make a beautiful life. The kind of life you deserve.
Peace,
Melanie
Melanie West Goes...Grace Kirkwood Youth Group

Church

2010-02-15T01:50:00.001-08:00

The first Episcopal Church in the Philippines was built over 100 years ago. Since that time many others have been made of stained-glass and stone. They have been the foundation that these villages were built upon. They’ve been standing strong and steady all these years, held together by the faithful gathered here. Today about 99% of the people living in Besao are Episcopalian!Allow me take you on a little tour of the Episcopal Churches in Besao.

St. Benedict's, Kin-iway, built 1942

Even the dogs in Besao are Episcopalians!

St. Clements, Payeo, built 1972

St. Anne's, Besao Proper

Melanie West Goes…Church

Christmas

2010-01-30T06:59:00.000-08:00

If home really is where your heart is then I spent this Christmas both away from home for the first time and at home for the first time in Besao. I must admit, I was not looking forward to Christmas without my family, snow, and meme’s mashed potatoes. I told myself, “just let the day pass by as if it were any other day.” I figured if I took that approach that Christmas would come and go in the blink of an eye and I wouldn’t have to feel like I missed out on being home. Well, amazing things can happen when you lower your expectations! We started Christmas on December 15th. For ten days before Christmas the Episcopalians here have sunrise mass everyday at 5am. They call it Mesa de Gallia. Not sure if they have it in the U.S., but I know I never went. It was a beautiful new approach to understanding the meaning of Christmas. There was no mention of Santa Clause, presents were rarely given and never expected. It was delightfully simplistic. By Christmas Eve all of the family members living in the cities were home in the province and the one road in Besao resembled a grand parade. The congregation put on plays, danced, sang, and shared food until the wee hours of the morning that Christmas Eve.We warmed ourselves with bonfires, the sharing of old memories, and tapoy (rice wine). Then, just as soon as it seemed as if all of Kin-iway was asleep, the church bells were ringing again for us to gather for the Eucharist. After mass we went around to the houses of all of our friends. We ate and ate and ate some more and enjoyed the beautiful 75 degree weather that is unheard of on Christmas day in Missouri. I may never again wear a t-shirt and flip-flops on December 25th but I will feel warm inside knowing that somewhere far away in a little village called Besao someone is doing just that.
Melanie West Goes...Christmas

Provincial Meet

2009-12-05T06:43:00.000-08:00

Sports are HUGE in the Philippines. Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao is basically the greatest thing since white rice. Oh did you hear? He is running for Congress! Yes, I’m serious. Anyways, the people here take sports so seriously that student athletes have been excused from school for the past two weeks to train for the provincial meets. A typical day for those who are training begins at 4:30am with a morning jog through the mountains. There are several sports in which to participate including: Archery, Arnis (stick fighting), Gymnastics, Taekwondo, Tennis, Track & Field, Volleyball, Baseball, Softball, Chess, Boxing, Ping Pong, Basketball, Sepak Takraw (A Filipino sport which combines hacky sack and volleyball with a rotund ball), Badminton, and Swimming! For the past 3 months I have been spending my saturdays training 31 swimmers from Bontoc, Sabangan, Sadanga, and Tadian, all nearby municipalities. Finally the time has come for them to compete in the provincial meets! They are competing not only for medals, but for a place in the Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association meet this coming February. For the past three days I have been spending the majority of my time with them. On Sunday more than 2,000 athletes and coaches walked in a parade and gathered for the opening ceremony in the municipality of Bauko. I opted to walk with the athletes from Besao so that I did not choose between the different districts that my swimmers come from. My walking partner ended up being the mayor of Besao.My little brothers Merv and Fengag Alawas (the Bishop’s sons) are also attending the meet. They are both competing in tennis. I was able to catch one of Merv’s games after the parade! He won 8 to 1. I was so proud.My swimmers, co-coaches, and I are having a blast together at the pool. It brings me back to those summer nights as a kid playing around and waiting for hours for our chance to show our speed in the water. Melanie West Goes…Provincial Meet

Ubaya

2009-12-05T06:17:00.000-08:00

Usually, I write blogs about all of the fun adventures I am having in my free time, but I should probably tell you all a little bit about all of the fun I am having at work! The majority of my working days are spent at the Ubaya Food Processing Center. It’s about a 15 minute hike from my house to work where we make organic jam, jelly, chips, juices, and wine! We gather the fruit from around Besao and then we make things from it, and I wish it were as simple as that. My business degree has really come in handy here from accounting to marketing to human resource management. It’s a handful. There are 27 active members. They are all women and all Anglican. That may seem shocking, but that is normal in Besao. In a nutshell we are the…
Ubaya Organic Food Processors and We Make Besao’s Best Products! We are located in Domdomacog, Kin-iway, Besao, Mountain Province. You can E-mail us at ubayainbesao@gmail.com

The Ubaya Organic Food Processors organization was created solely to enhance the quality of life for the people of the Philippines.
In many small villages in the northern part of the country, access to larger markets is nearly impossible. This is primarily due to poor road conditions and inaccessibility to affordable transportation of goods. Thus, the foods that are grown in these villages must be sold in smaller local markets. Unfortunately, the products that do not sell in a timely fashion will spoil and be wasted.
Our goal is to provide such communities with the necessary tools to conserve these foods and extend their shelf life by processing them into other products such as chips, jams, juices, and jellies.
All Ubaya products are made in partnership with The Episcopal Diocese of the Northern Philippines,The Besao Multi-Purpose Cooperative,and the Municipal Government of Besao.Every ingredient used is grown and processed in the Philippines and made from the highest quality products available. We never use artificial coloring or flavoring in our products. Just fresh delicious fruit picked daily!
Healthier Food and a Healthier Life for Filipinos… Mission Accomplished!So, you may be asking yourself, “What is Ubaya?” That is what I said when I first heard the word. Ubaya is a Kankanaey word with similar meaning to Sabbath. Ubaya is a day of rest after the harvest when the elders go to the dap-ay and wait for the people to bring all of their best foods to be given as gifts to God. The women here wanted to name their organization Ubaya because they wanted the foods that they make to be a gift to God.
I have made great friends and great jam in the past 5 months in my work at Ubaya. I can’t wait to see how our business continues to grow and change throughout my time here. Who knows, maybe we all will be able to buy a piece of Ubaya in the grocery stores some day.

Melanie West Goes…Ubaya

Sunset

2009-12-05T06:08:00.000-08:00

The sunsets are absolutely beautiful here. Of course they are impossible to capture in a photograph, but I thought I might try. The Besao sunset is often bright red! One word…breathtaking. Melanie West Goes…Sunset

All Saints Day

2009-11-04T18:10:00.000-08:00

Unlike the U.S., Halloween is almost non-existent in Besao. Dressing up and going house to house in search of candy is a custom that made the Igorots laugh as I described Halloween to them. All Saints Day, however, is a magnificent sight to behold. We had a mass baptism at the church at which I became a godmother (ninang) for the first time. Erin, the little girl who lives next door is now my goddaughter. We baptized her as Maurice Ernestine Almario. After the service, we went to the cemetery for a picnic lunch. People here do not see cemeteries as spooky graveyards filled with dead people, but rather, a spiritual place that honors all those who have gone before us. At 3pm we had another church service in which Padi Brent and Padi Johnny read the names of all of the people who were buried in that cemetery, blessed the graves, and lit a great fire.From the initial fire set, the people ignited their kindling (saleng) and spread the fire around the cemetery to be placed at each grave.Within minutes, the entire cemetery filled with black smoke and it became hard to see and even harder to breathe.When the smoke cleared, we were covered in black soot and made the trek home to take a bath before the evening feast.

Melanie West Goes… All Saints Day

Hong Kong

2009-11-04T16:56:00.000-08:00

I was so blessed to be able to spend the last week of October in Hong Kong with my good friend and fellow Y.A.S.C.er Maegan Collier. You can check out her blog by clicking on her link on the right hand side of this page, but wait! Please read mine first. I had six days to see all of Hong Kong, and I was determined to cram as much in as possible. On my first day there, I was instantly overwhelmed with the fast paced and fast speaking people of Hong Kong. I guess living in the mountains for a few months makes one forget the technology of this world. I must have experienced a bit of culture shock on that first day because I wanted so bad to be out in nature that I asked Maegan if we could go to the ocean the following day. We rode the ferry to one out the outlying islands, and then took a bus to reach our destination. We spent Saturday at the beach, relaxing, reading, and rock climbing. Okay, the rocks were not that big, but they sure were beautiful.On Sunday morning Maegan took me to Mass at the Cathedral of St. John’s. It was absolutely breathtaking. Old wooden single seat pews and decorative linens filled the sanctuary. The ambiance was wonderful and I felt quite comfortable with the overwhelmingly Anglican service. I love to experience all of the “bells and whistles, incense included” of the church from time to time. Sadly, in the past few months, Hong Kong has been overwhelmed by the threat of H1N1 (Swine Flu). As a result, the church service at St. Johns had a few awkward moments for me. First, no one would shake your hand at the Peace. Of course, Maegan and I gave each other a huge hug, but no one else would touch us. Then, during communion, you had to dip your bread in the wine. They do not allow you to drink from the chalice for fear of spreading germs. Luckily, I am an avid dipper, but I know some people that would be extremely perturbed by this. After church, Maegan ran off to work at the Mission for Migrant Worker’s Office while I socialized in the parish hall with some of the parishioners. Something I noticed right away was how closely the parents were watching their children. Similar to big cities in the U.S., people do not often let their little kids just run around unattended. I would have never noticed this before living in Besao. In Besao, the little kids (4 years old) walk themselves to school and neighboring villages. They scrub the floors, play with “dangerous” objects like fire and glass, and even walk inches from the edge of the mountain. The women in Besao say, “that is how they learn how to be Igorots. If we are too protective of them, then they will never learn how to take care of themselves.” After an hour or so I met up with Maegan for lunch. We ate at “the square” a local hang out of the Filipinos who are living in Hong Kong. It is actually just the outdoor ground floor of the HSBC building, but there are hundreds of women there. When we arrived, they were holding a campaign rally to raise money for the victims of the recent typhoons in the Philippines. When they realized that I had witnessed this devastation first hand, they immediately asked if I would go to the front and speak on the microphone about what had happened. It was an emotional moment for me as I described to all of the people what was happening in the place in which I now live. The floods and landslides had killed so many, and the largest impact was on the poorest of people. I had to be the one to tell them how it all happened and why those people really need their help now more than ever before. Monday was a public holiday so Maegan and I ventured off to the Man Mo Temple, which was filled with coiled incense hanging from the ceiling, and then we headed to the outdoor market. That evening, “The All Most Reverend” Peter Ng, who is the Asia-Pacific Partnership Officer at The National Church Office of the Episcopal Church U.S.A., took us to dinner at his favorite Chinese restaurant in Jordan. It was delicious! By far the best Chinese food I have ever had. Big surprise; I was after all essentially in China.On Tuesday morning, Maegan went to work at the Bethune House, and I met up with her there in the afternoon. She showed me around and told me a little more about her work there. Bethune House in Jordan on Hong Kong’s Kowloon side provides temporary accommodation for domestic helpers who have been wronged by their employers and are seeking justice through the Labour Tribunal, the courts or both. It is very common for residents of Hong Kong to have a non-family member living in their house who will do the cooking, cleaning, and child care. There are hundreds of thousands of domestic workers in Hong Kong and the majority of them are Filipinos. I spent the afternoon talking with these women and listening to their stories. It was heartbreaking. Some of those women have gone through the unimaginable and it makes you wonder how any human could treat another human that way. Those are the type of people who we really need to pray for. On Wednesday, Maegan went back to work at the Bethune House while I explored Hong Kong on my own. It was a day filled with walking. I went to another temple, the public ports, Stanley market, and the Peak for a great view of the city.After all of that, I decided it would be a great idea to try to walk back to the mid-levels, which was actually much further than I thought. After a couple hours of walking, I jumped in a cab, only to realize that I was only a 5 minute cab ride away from reaching my destination. Maegan and I were both exhausted from the day so we invited some of her friends over to watch a movie, and order in food. Thursday, we got an early start as we checked my bag at the airport express and headed off to the far side of the island to ride the cable carto the Po Lin Monasteryto get a glimpse of the largest Buddha in the world!We had a great day and the weather was perfect. As the evening was nearing, we took a bus to the airport and said our goodbyes. It was tough to leave. Hong Kong was a great adventure shared with a great friend, and I can’t wait for her to visit Besao!

Melanie West Goes… Hong Kong

Bontoc

2009-10-21T01:31:00.000-07:00

My weekends begin on Friday around 11am when I catch the jeepney to Bontoc, an urban center located on the Chico River. It is about an hour long drive to the city filled with beautiful scenery and often hilarious conversations with the local people. No matter how loud we are or how distracted we may be, the Igorot people never fail to practice a moment of silence when passing a portion of the road near Dantay. Many people have been the victims of vehicle accidents at this place and some even believe it to be cursed by the anito (evil spirits of the ancestors). Although I have some trouble understanding the full influence of the anito on the Igorot people, I too observe the silence out of respect for the deceased. The fare is 60 pesos. That is equivalent to about $1.30. Upon arrival I head straight for the Diocesan office. I have lunch with the development staff including: Sarah, Mileatte, and Mariza who are about my age. We travel together often and have become good friends. I work at the office in the afternoon and then I go to the Bishop’s residence to stay with my Filipino family, the Alawas’. There is Bishop Brent, Auntie Shirley, Merv, and Fengag. The Alawas’ have three other children, a daughter, Joanne, and two more sons, Erwin and Challikis who are closer to my age. Their daughter is an optometrist and their sons are studying in University. I love to sip coffee and chat with the Bishop, or go around the Diocese with him visiting far flung communities. Auntie Shirley is a great cook and so easy to talk to. Merv is in High School. He is very committed to his school work and volunteerism. Fengag is the baby of the family, just like me. I call him Baby Brent. He is very popular among the boys his age and is leading them to a strong interest in preserving the traditions of the Igorot culture. It is so cool. He is often the one leading the playing of the gongs. The Alawas’ have made a room for me there in their home where I sleep on Friday nights. Saturday morning I get up early and head to the pool to coach swimming. I stay there all day and by 3pm I catch the last trip back to Besao. Then I do it all again the following week.

Melanie West Goes…Bontoc

Landslide

2009-10-15T19:43:00.000-07:00

I know that many of you have been worried about me with the recent calamities in the Philippines, so I want you all to know that I am safe. There was mass flooding in some parts of Manila after typhoon Ondoy. The poorest of the poor were displaced from their homes mostly because they are living in shanty towns on the edge of the rivers. People are doing what they can to pitch in, but with 80% of the population living in extreme poverty; it has been a challenge to adequately disperse the available resources. The mountain province was not adversely affected by typhoon Ondoy. It was the typhoon that soon followed, Pepping, that caused problems for us. Bishop Alawas and I were in in his truck (picture below) when the land came crumbling down around us.

We lost power for 8 days, water was scarce (we had to collect the rain), and there were some very serious landslides that left more than 40 dead and many others injured in nearby villages. I will be traveling to one of the hardest hit areas this coming Sunday with other church members and Bishop Alawas to bring supplies and comfort to those families. The people of the Philippines need your prayers.
Melanie West Goes...Landslide.

First Timers

2009-10-15T19:23:00.001-07:00

In the past three months I have done a lot of new and exciting things. Some of which, I had never imagined. I want to share with you some of those things which I had never done in my life before, but which I have now experienced. It was my first time to…
1. Using toilets with no seats. The bathrooms here are a new experience in and of themselves. They call them a C.R., short for comfort room. Flushing is by way of gravity and you have to dump a bucket of water in to get it to flush. Don’t forget to bring toilet paper when you travel anywhere that is more than ten minutes from your house, because most people don’t use it. They use water, and it is not usually available for those who do. I won’t go into too much detail about how to use the C.R., but let’s just say that I have extremely strong leg muscles now. 2. See a coffin inside a house. Imagine there were no funeral homes. Where would you take you dead relative if you wanted to have a visitation service for other friends and family members? Well, in the Philippines, they take the coffin to the family home. Funerals last about 10-12 days and the dead is never left alone during this time. I have been to two funerals here in Besao so far. Both of the deceased where men that I had never met before. In the U.S., It would be very rare for people who did not know the deceased to go to their funeral, but it is normal here. It is very important that everyone in the community attend at least one day of the funeral, and everyone give a gift. Typically, a gift would consist of: food, money, or flowers to the family of the deceased. It is considered disrespectful if you chose not to attend. At first, it is strange, but I have actually come to respect and possibly even prefer the way that the Igorots honor their dead. The people sing, tell stories, and jokes, and of course they eat! The family has a lot more time to cope with the death and they have people around to comfort them; instead of the way we do it where three days after your family member dies, you might be all alone. Another interesting thing about coffins here is that some are not buried, but rather hung on the sides of the cliffs. It is less common now, but in the past, the Igorots believed that this was the best way to keep the wild dogs from digging up the graves of their loved ones. 3. Eat sweet spaghetti. My dad would consider eating sweet spaghetti a sin, but the Filipinos love it! I can’t wait to have some good Italian food on The Hill in St. Louis when I come home. 4. Use a typewriter. I didn’t even know that people still used typewriters, but they have them at the Diocesan office so I took the opportunity to write my parents a letter (It’s in the mail mom and dad, so you should be receiving it in a couple of weeks). It was actually sort of hard to type on because you can only use two fingers. It is very time consuming and you can not erase your mistakes. It was fun though. It reminded me of those old 1950s films where all of the women are in a big room on the typewriters. 5. See people eat dog. One day some of the ladies and I were standing around talking at Edila’s storefront when a rabid dog came running down the street. We all scrambled to get behind the counter and the gate and grabbed the little kids, but a few people were bitten, including two kids. The men came running with clubs and 2x4s. I looked away as they beat the dog until it lie dead on the street. I was sad, but I was more concerned about the children who were bitten. We rushed them to the municipal hospital for treatment, but the vaccine was not available so everyone bitten was taken to the city of Bontoc (about a 2 hour drive) to receive the rabies shot. They are all doing well now and are fully recovered. When I asked the men what they would do with the dog, they replied, “We will eat it!” I couldn’t believe it. They were going to eat the dog that had rabies. I tried to talk them out of it, but they would not listen to me, and they laughed and joked, “Okay, cut off the head and cook it extra well. Melanie is afraid that we are all going to get rabies!” It was a lost cause. They were going to eat that dog no matter what I said. I went home in disbelief as they enjoyed their feast. 6. Ride on the roof of a vehicle. Okay, I know this sounds dangerous, but it can actually be safer than riding inside the jeepney. In fact, the survivors of most jeepney accidents are those who were riding on the roof, because they are able to jump off and out of the way of danger. Plus, the view is amazing! 7. Swim in a cave. I have been swimming since I was a baby, but I never swam in a cave before. It was cold! Reminds me of early morning water polo practices at Lindbergh High School when the water was so freezing cold that coach Lombardo had to literally push us in. The cave was beautiful though, and the water was clean and clear. You could see right to the bottom. 8. Stand up and introduce myself in the middle of a church service. Sadly, at most churches you could come and go and most people would not know if you were there or not. Well, that is not the way that it is here. Everyone knows everyone else and they know if you are not at church. If you are a newcomer, they will ask you to stand up and tell them a little bit about yourself.9. Spend the night in a hospital, as a patient. To make a long story short, I drank some unclean water and ended up with a bacterial infection in my stomach and intestines. I will spare you the details. The important thing is that I am fully recovered, and I learned a very important lesson. When you are in a developing country, don’t drink water that you don’t know where it came from. 10. See a DVD that contained 18 movies for less than $2. I am sure that pirating DVDs is very illegal but they are everywhere in the Philippines. I didn’t know that it was even possible to fit more than one movie on a DVD, but apparently it is.
11. Feel homesick. Since before I can remember, I was always ready to go on trips that led me away from home. My sister Stephanie was the exact opposite. She didn’t even like to go to our friend’s overnight birthday parties, and I think she was in High School before she would go to the grocery store without me. I, on the other hand, was eager to get out and have an adventure and I didn’t mind if I was all on my own. I would make new friends wherever I landed. Even at the age of three I begged my mom to let me spend a few days with my uncle Danny and aunt Debbie at their house in Terre Haute without the rest of the family. I’m not sure if it the vast distance or the fact that I have not seen home for over 3 months, but recently I have been feeling a little homesick. All of the people here would like for me to extend my stay, and I told them that if I could bring my friends and family to Besao I could stay forever, but I can’t do that, so I can’t stay for more than a year. I can’t wait to see you all again and share the stories of my adventure with you.

Melanie West Goes…First Timers

Water Buffalo

2009-09-30T00:58:00.000-07:00

Warning! This post may upset some vegetarians. In the past few months I have been introduced to a variety of new foods while living here in Besao. Most of them are delicious, and everything is sweeter than you would expect. The Filipinos put sugar in almost everything. The one that surprised me most was the sweet spaghetti. A dish which my Greek father would never eat. He might even liken the act of eating sweet spaghetti to sinful behavior. I eat tons of fruits and vegetables and rice is a must at every meal! Meat is a whole other issue. The people here grow and slaughter their own meat (mostly chicken and pig), so if you don't know how to do that, then you don't eat meat. Hence, I have been a semi-vegetarian for the past three months. I did learn how to scale and gut fish, so I eat talapia from the river about once a week. Anyone want to take me on a fishing trip when I get back? Today was a special day in Besao. One of the village elders passed away and so the other men slaughtered a caribao, or as we call them in the U.S., and water buffalo. I decided to give it a try telling myself that it was just like beef. It was tasty! It was also organic! Also cooked was rice and pancit. The family of the deceased fed approximately 1,000 people. It was amazing. Igorots came from everywhere to eat this special meat and pay their respects to the family. Funerals last for about 10 days here, and are filled with ancient ritual, some of which I was invited to experience. Other rituals are kept private, only to be practiced by the elders. They bring the coffin to the family home and sing music and dance and tell stories. The body is never left alone. All through the night there are people there. It is an amazingly elaborate tradition that requires the work and energy of the entire community. Please pray for the family of Joseph Ayeo-eo.
-Melanie West Goes...Water Buffalo.

Cave

2009-09-04T00:54:00.000-07:00

We took the road less traveled, and it made all the difference. Janice Cadiogan, her friend Erwin (our guide), and I went to the caves in nearby Sagada and let me tell you, it was absolutely amazing! I am from Missouri, so I have been in a cave before, but this was no Meramec Caverns! There are no lights, no paths, and no shoes. If you lose your kerosene lantern to the waterfalls you are in big trouble because it is pitch black in there, and you might not be able to find the way out. Best to take a head lamp along just in case.Before we went down into the cave, we had an American style breakfast with Janice's aunt, and when we came back up, she fed us lunch! I love these Filipinos, they are always feeding me.
Once you enter the cave it is time to take off your shoes and walk/crawl through a couple inches of slippery bat poop. Sounds gross, but trust me, it's worth it!
Touch all you want. Your footprints even stay behind you on the limestone under the water for a few seconds. It looks really cool.

There are waterfalls and pools everywhere inside the cave. We got soaking wet.

They call this formation the king's curtain.
Repelling down this rock seemed scary at first, but the rock was not slippery there, so it turned out to be a lot of fun.

I can't wait to go caving again. I am going to take anyone who visits me here!
-Melanie West Goes...Cave.

Baby

2009-09-04T00:21:00.000-07:00

Don't cry mom, I did not adopt a child. This is my friend Brenda and her baby Adrian! He was born the same week that I came here to Kin-iway and we have been experiencing this new world together. Neither of us have any clue what people are saying and we are both growing rapidly! It is a beautiful thing.

This cloth sling used to carry the baby is called an Eban. All of the women here have been using these for decades and they really work! You can hold the baby for hours without your arm getting tired.
-Melanie West Goes...Baby.

Birthday

2009-09-03T23:53:00.000-07:00

August 30th was my 23rd Birthday and I celebrated here in Kin-iway. Here in the Philippines, if it is your birthday, you do the work. You throw the party, cook the meal, etc. So, I invited all of my neighbors over and baked the cake mix that my mom and dad sent from the U.S. It was devil's food with chocolate icing and sprinkles! They loved it!I asked Roland what he was doing with his hand to which he replied, "Manange Melanie, I am being handsome!"Top Row from the left: Padi Brent Quinnes, Brett Hearthorn, Salude, Sylvia (Erin on lap), Nancy Longatan, Padi Danie Longatanl, Brenda (holding Adrian), and Fadila.
Bottom Row from the left: Rodel, Precious, Roland George (all children of Fadila), and Cresencia Dongalen (Auntie).-Melanie West Goes...Birthday.

Medical Mission

2009-09-03T23:25:00.000-07:00

Last week we had some visitors from the U.S. and Canada who set up a medical mission here at the covered gym in downtown Kin-iway. There was free medical care for all and so all were there. No one worked that day just waited in long lines to get their eyes checked, teeth pulled, and free check-ups too.This man is the chief of the council of elders of Besao. He made that hat himself.This is the line of people waiting to have their teeth pulled. Dental hygiene is very bad here in the Philippines, so many people's teeth rot away or need to be pulled.Sit down here in this chair, and let me give you a shot to numb your mouth.Lean your head against the concrete wall, it will only hurt for a second.Wallah! No more teeth! You can wipe your bloody hands on the wall... Next!-Melanie West Goes...Medical Mission.

Swimming

2009-09-03T23:10:00.000-07:00

Every Saturday morning at 6am I catch the bus to Bontoc. After a bumpy two hour ride, I coach swimming at the closest public pool to my house in Kin-iway. With about 40 students and only myself as the instructor, I usually end up staying until 3pm. We eat lunch family style with a big spread of food on the banana leaf covered tables. The students are great, and so eager to learn. I have no doubt that they will be fierce competitors in this year's provincial meet! The beautiful mountains surround the pool which make for great scenery. The sun is hot though, so SPF 30 is a must.-Melanie West Goes...Swimming.

Church in a Mall

2009-09-03T23:04:00.000-07:00

Okay so I didn't really go in, but I saw this church inside the SM MegaMall in Manila, and I think I went into shock. When I asked why the church was there inside the mall, the reply was... "If the people won't go to the church, then the church will go to them." Wow, now that's mission! Just thought I would share some wacky Asian culture with those of you back in the U.S. -Melanie West Goes... to church in a mall.

Mountains

2009-08-16T00:36:00.000-07:00

When most people think of the Philippines, they think of the beaches. If only they could see the beauty of the mountains that surround me each day. They are a true gift from God.
This mountain is named "sleeping beauty." The Igorots call it that because its profile resembles that of a sleeping woman. Also, there are many waterfalls flowing from this mountains sides which the people here see as a symbol of birth and renewal of life, which is one of the most precious gifts of a woman.

The terraced sides of the mountains are planting rice, which is the staple diet of the people here. When the rice crop turns a bright yellow-green color, it is ready for harvesting.

-Melanie West Goes...Mountains.

St. James High School

2009-08-16T00:05:00.000-07:00

In 1913, the first Anglican resident missionary in Besao started St. James High School with the help of St. Benedict’s parish. She was a British woman named Deaconess Ann Hargreaves. She devoted her life to the church and to the school, and is a hero among the people here. She is buried in the Kin-iway cemetery.
These are a few of the St. James High School girls. They are members of my Episcoposse in Kin-iway.

Mass for St. James High School students is held at St. Benedict’s every Thursday at 8am. However, only half of the students can fit at once, so they alternate each week by grade.

On St. James day each year, the students at St. James High School (ranging from age 12-16) celebrate by acting out a play reflecting the life and ministry of Saint James along with cultural dances and food. On Thursday’s I attend school mass and teach Economics, English, Christian Education and Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) classes at this High School.

The traditional clothing of the Igorot people (people of the mountains) is worn here by the High School students during their cultural dance on St. James day. The boys wear gee-strings and play gongs, while the girls wear a skirt called a tapis.

-Melanie West Goes...St. James High School

Parishioners

2009-08-15T23:47:00.000-07:00

I want to introduce you all to some of the other parishioners of my church, St. Benedict's, in Kin-iway. This is a photo is of the senior E.C.W. (Episcopal Church Women) group. My Auntie is in the middle row on the far left-hand side. The women are wearing their traditional clothing called a tapis. These women are the most honored and well-respected members of our community.These are a few of the male parishioners of St. Benedicts. Second from the left is the Rector of St. Benedicts, Brent Quinnes. Third from the left is the Mayor of Besao, Wellingtone Pooten. Fifth from the right is the Senior Warden of St. Benedicts, Ronald Padalla. -Melanie West Goes...Parishioners.

Butbut

2009-08-15T23:05:00.000-07:00

I took a day trip with the Bishop to another Municipality called Kalinga in a village named Butbut. People here live very simple lives, with no modern housing, no indoor plumbing, and minimal electricity. They live off of the land, and occasionally engage in tribal warfare with nearby villages.

Community structure is very different in Butbut, as the people here operate as a whole community, and not as individual families. This structure is especially prevalent at meal times when the men eat separately from the women and children.Wild pigs and water buffalo roam around in the village and are only eaten on very special occasions.
This one-room house is typical of the housing style in Kalinga, and is how the people of Kin-iway lived about a hundred years ago. The woman who owns this home took me inside where she was cooking with an open fire and drying her rice above by way of the rising heat and smoke from the fire. Before the rice is dried it is called pa lay.The Anglican Church is spreading Christianity to Kalinga. While I was in Butbut, the Bishop blessed this Church as St. Luke’s and confirmed about 20 young people! Our church is alive and growing here in the mountains. -Melanie West Goes...Butbut

Kin-iway

2009-08-15T22:50:00.000-07:00

This is the view of my barangay (neighborhood) from St. Benedict’s Church. The name of the barangay is Kin-iway. It is the capitol of the Municipality of Besao and about 97% Anglican! Besao is located in the western part of the Mountain Province of Northern Luzon in the Philippines. There are about 300 people who live here in Kin-iway. There are no street names or house numbers here because everyone knows everyone else, where they live, and who they are related to. If you look you can see the barangay of Banguitan in the distance on the mountain side.This is the downtown area of Kin-iway which includes the municipal hall, post office, police station, hospital, shops, and elementary school. Our Market day is Sunday, so I head there after church! It is only a five minute walk from my house.

This is Besao Central Elementary School in downtown Kin-iway.

-Melanie West Goes... Kin-iway

St. Benedict's

2009-08-15T22:37:00.000-07:00

St.Benedict’s Church was founded in 1910. There will be a centennial celebration this coming year! The Church, built in 1942, and is one of the oldest buildings in Besao, as it is one of the only buildings that survived the bombing during World War II. The Japanese made the church and its rectory their home base in the mountains during their occupation of Northern Luzon.

This is a picture of the gate to my house. As you can see, the church is very close. It takes about thirty seconds from front door to pew!
-Melanie West Goes... St. Benedict's

Auntie

2009-08-15T22:22:00.001-07:00

This is my landlady, and dearest friend in Besao. Her name is Cresencia Dongalen , but I call her Auntie. She is a retired school teacher and widow. The house that we live in belonged to her parents and is where she grew up. The house has a rich history. Many of her family members were born in that house, including her! Also, it was occupied by Japanese soldiers during World War II. Auntie was just a child, but she remembers the day that her family left in the middle of the night and climbed through the mountains to find safety and escape from the Japanese. She is a great storyteller. We laugh and tell stories while we eat dinner together on most nights. We have truly been enjoying each other's company.
-Melanie West Goes...Auntie

Puppy

2009-07-30T21:32:00.000-07:00

Her name is Bean. I named her that because they eat dogs here. Keep reading...They have a lot of beans, and I told them that they should just eat those, but people prefer to eat the dog meat. I named her Bean so that, as a joke, people would not prefer to eat her. It seems sort of morbid, but everything is a joke here. You can't take life too seriously, or you won't survive.

-Melanie West Goes...Puppy

House

2009-07-30T18:24:00.000-07:00

Here it is! The place where I lay my head at night. I live on the property of a woman named Cresencia Dongalen. I call her Auntie or Lola which means grandmother. She is a 67 year old widow and retired school teacher. We have really been enjoying each other's company. I live in a barangay (neighborhood)called Kin-iway. It is about 97% Episcopalian! Everyone here is very nice.They have been teaching me the language (Igorot). They do not speak Pilipino (Tagalog) here in the mountains. As you can see, I wash all of my dishes and clothing outside by hand, and I shower from a bucket. I am getting better at it. All of the exterior walls of my house and all of the floors are made of concrete,and everything else is made of wood. Besao is a peaceful place filled with wonderful people. It is starting to feel more like home.

This sink is where I do my dishes and laundry.

Okay so it's not MTV cribs material, but I like it. Hope you enjoyed the tour.

-Melanie West Goes... House

Jeepney

2009-07-19T15:45:00.000-07:00

Traveling to the small city of Bontoc in the back of a jeepney proved to be a rough ride. The mountain roads remain unpaved and very rocky. Combine that with the altitude, sideways movement, and hard benches and you have a recipe for disaster. With each passing moment I got closer to losing my breakfast. There were about 16 people there with me on the benches who looked fairly carefree. I, on the other hand, looked franticly for a place to discreetly toss my cookies. I took a couple of motion sickness pills, but it was too late. I tried to sleep, but it didn’t work. So there I remained in a miserable state of dizziness for the whole one and a half hour trip. I thank God that I did not throw up there in front of all of those strangers. We arrived at the offices of the Bishop and I looked at my traveling companion with a pale face. She laughed and said, “first time in a jeepney, huh?”-Melanie West Goes… Jeepney

Besao

2009-07-19T15:34:00.000-07:00

At 6am on Monday morning we left Manila and drove north toward the Cordillera Mountains. We stopped three times throughout the 14 hour trip to eat and stretch our legs. It seemed as if we would never make it there. The farther we drove from the city, the worse the roads got, and the more beautiful the scenery, until it became dark. We had made it to Besao, but not yet to my barangay (neighborhood) of Kin-iway. I couldn’t see the mountains for it was pitch black, but the others assured me that they were there. We spent the night at the Besao Multi-Purpose Cooperative and drank coffee and shared stories with the women who greeted us upon our arrival. I woke up early in the morning to the sound of roosters crowing loudly, and that is when I knew, I wasn’t in Kansas anymore, as the saying goes. We took my bags from the car and walked up the road to my new house. This is the view from my back yard.The rain had just stopped, and the clouds began to lift. As they rose they revealed the beauty of the mountains and their terraced sides, used for planting rice.

-Melanie West Goes… Besao

Manila

2009-07-19T15:19:00.001-07:00

Well, I made it to Manila safe and sound with all of my belongings and my health. The driver for the National Church office picked me up from the airport. On the way to my hotel he showed me the city. I stayed there in Manila from Friday July 3rd to Monday July 6th, and took it all in while getting to know the staff at the National Church office. I also had the opportunity to attend the Sunday service at the Episcopal Church in the Philippines National Cathedral. It was beautiful. The walls were lined floor to ceiling with open windows and the light shown in as the incense poured out. Beyond the church grounds, the air is thick with pollution as there are many cars and many people packed tightly within Manila’s borders. The poverty was overwhelming to me. It was unlike anything I had seen before. Children bathe naked and barefoot in the streets while the rain pours down. Along the rivers, the shanties are stacked high atop one another. People hang their clothing outside to dry and everywhere people sell what they can to live day by day. Tears welled up in my eyes for I had read about this kind of poverty before, but I had never really understood it. I never truly will.
-Melanie West Goes… Manila

Hong Kong

2009-07-10T03:22:00.000-07:00

I flew from St. Louis to LA then LA to Hong Kong. It was the longest flight I have ever been on. It took about 24 hours in total, and I still had another flight and a 14 hour drive ahead of me to get to my town. I would leave in a few hours to go to Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. While I waited, I looked at the beautiful view from the Hong Kong airport. My friend, and fellow Y.A.S.C.er, Maegan will be moving here next month and I can’t wait for her to see this beautiful view. I flew Cathay Pacific Airlines. It was a nice flight. The food was very good and I was able to nap and watch a couple of movies. Although, I have to admit that I teared up a little when I thought about the magnitude of the adventure that was before me. I already missed the ones who had taken me to the airport just the day before, and I thought to myself, can I do this? I knew the answer when the man sitting next to me on the plane asked if I was traveling alone and I answered yes. He quickly corrected me saying, “No, do not think that you are alone. God is with you.”
-Melanie West Goes… Hong Kong.

Packing

2009-07-10T03:05:00.000-07:00

On July 1st, 2009 I packed my bags and left my home in Missouri to move to the Philippines for one year. Here are the things that I brought: 4 pairs of Shoes, Back Pack, Sun Screen (SPF 30), Water Purifier with water bottle, Bug Spray with Deet, Headlamp, Medications, Bed Sheets/ Pillow Case, Tooth Brush, Tooth Paste, Extra Zip-Lock Bags, Q-Tips, Gorilla Tape, Nail Clippers, Journal, Ink Pens and Pencils, Eye Glasses, Contacts and Solution, Bible, Book of Common Prayer, Swim Suit, Rain Jacket, Rain Pants, Towel , 5 Pants (2 nice and 3 casual), 3 Shorts (1 nice and one casual), 8 Shirts (2 nice and 6 casual), 1 Fleece, 1 vest (black zip-up), 1 Dress, First Aid Kit, Flashlight, Adaptors (power and plug), Passport, and a Blanket. I fit it all into these two bags. Combined they weighed 82.5lbs.
-Melanie West Goes...Packing.

Y.A.S.C.

2009-06-12T20:22:00.000-07:00

This past January I applied for the Yong Adult Service Corps of the Episcopal Church. I had spent the previous year formally discerning my call of ordination to the priesthood, and was furiously planning my life after graduation from the University of Missouri. I had a huge decision to make. Would I stay in Missouri and keep my part-time job at Starbucks, or would I move to another country for a year without my family, friends, and love. It was the hardest, and the easiest decision that I have ever made. Once the application was complete, I called for references. They must have written raving reviews, because three weeks later I received a call from the Missions Personnel Office. They asked which airport I would be flying out of for my interview. I jumped up and down in my parent's living room as the excitement filled every ounce of my existence. I was off to Florida in February where I met the other perspective members. They are all such beautiful people, and my most treasured new friends. Months later, we are together again. Here in Toronto, Canada preparing for our adventures in the coming year. The others are off to: Ecuador, South Africa, Haiti, Hong Kong, Tanzania, Japan, and Colombia. I am off to the Philippines!
-Melanie West Goes... Y.A.S.C.