Christmas Eve 2012

Malipayon Pasko!!! Unlike in America, the Filipinos celebrate Christmas similar to the way we celebrate New Years (though they do that too), with the big celebration being Christmas Eve, and then celebrating at midnight as well.

For our household, it went this way: Sylvette and Toto got in Sunday night after church. As their rice fields were ready to be harvested, the men went out to inspect them Monday (the 24th), and hire workers to harvest them. Meanwhile, we women did laundry, made lunch for them when the got back, and went shopping for the feast making.

Since refrigeration is very limited, many people actually purchase whatever they are going to purchase on the day of preparation--so imagine the lines at the Mall!! Crazy...

When the men got back, they started taking one of the motorbikes apart--I found out later that though they were thoroughly cleaning it, it was mostly just to get 'experience', as there was nothing actually "wrong" with it. (The Serisolas like to keep busy, and so if nothing else needs done, they often go work on their motor bikes, and learn all the pieces, etc...something Toto especially likes to do! :p)

The plans were that most of the cousins were coming over, which meant we needed a good amount of food. A couple families came early to help prepare:

One way to make a fire here

Preparing the Pork Adobo

Cooking the Lechon

Making Mango Floats and Creme Brule'

Nanay and Lola (her mom)

Making more food at our regular fire stove.

Lechon almost done--they really enjoy this job!!

Still working on the motorbike (around 7pm)

Making Filipino-style Spaghetti ("spag", which is sweet)

Mmmm!! Bordz likes!!

Having fun....

Washing the dishes...

What a beautiful spread!!!

This was hanging in one of the bedrooms, and I liked it so much, I took a picture of it! :)

I helped with most things, but especially made Tapioca Salad.

Happy, happy, happy...funny how much people enjoy food!

Still working on it. ;)

One of the sisters married an Egyptian, who is muslim--no pork, etc.

After everyone left around 11:30pm, we had Sparkling Grape Juice, etc. to celebrate midnight, and stayed up until probably around 1:30am or so continuing celebrating before going to bed...
Next is Christmas Day...

2nd Semana sa Marbel

The Serisolas have a daily visitor, which doesn't seem to bother us inside the house, or the dogs, for that matter..however, they are still a bit pesky: Rats.

There is a collection of about 4 of them, living under a huge crate, and they come out in broad daylight to scrounge.I've tried before to get a picture of them, however, by the time I would go back inside to grab my camera, they got startled and hid. (Although, they would come out if we were just sitting out on the porch.)
We finally got one, and humanely disposed of it.. ;P

I had fun doing my hair like this a lot...my hair got a lot lighter while I was here....lots of natural blond and red highlights! (Probably from being in the hot sun so much.)

 I found this little guy in the sink when I went to wash breakfast dishes. (You see him?? He almost blends in--on the left-hand side.)

 One day, Nanay was preparing lunch, and we were all congregating on the porch, and poor Totoy 2 must have felt overwhelmed..so he retreated to the corner (under the cooking fire)

At Nanay's house...same lunch time. :)

Saturday, we butchered another baboy for the Church's Christmas/Thankgiving Celebration on Sunday:

SO cute...all the little boys discussing the matter with great interest!!

Tying it up

Washing it...

More Washing

Love this mommy chicken!!

Boiling the hair off...

This picture is just plain awesome!! I love the dissection of it (clean cut too!!)

Love these little boys just talking around..

Stripping the Intestines from the muscle and fat

This pig was smiling!! It new it had lived a happy life (of 9 months), and was fulfilling it's life purpose.

However, to keep the flies/rain off, we covered it...and boy is it cute!!!

Lola and I

Sunday, all of the little kids from our church sang the Christmas songs they had learned, and our choir sang 2 songs--Holy is He and I Then Shall Live. I was also asked to sing a special solo, for both services, and I chose "Great is His Faithfulness", encouraging the congregation to join in on the last verse--that was pretty special!!!

A few of us from the choir together.

After church, we had the huge feast and celebration (with ice cream of course!!) and spent all afternoon and evening there... What a wonderful time of fellowship!!!

A few of my 'extended family' :)

Praise the Lord...He is worthy to be praised!!

Children's Christmas Outreach

After church, on Sunday, we had a Children's Christmas Celebration, for all the children Marbel Bap reaches through their Outreach program. There were over 200 in attendance, plus parents who came with.
For that, we made up 200+ meal boxes for the children, with fried chicken and spaghetti, and then dished up icecream and Coke for dessert.

Frying Chicken (as good as KFC's!)

Mixing up the "Spag" (we could have used more!) 

Cooking up more food 

Leading the children in singing and reciting their memory work/Bible verses

This is a video of the kids singing... (I love their antics!)

Pastor Nahor (on my left) and 2 of the elders at Marbel Bap.

This precious little girl is learning to play the recorder--and the girl behind her is her laughing side-kick. ;p

We gave each child a gift, and it was precious to see them up open them up in delight!

This little girl won my heart....I could have totally taken her home...

All the hands serving up homemade icecream!!! (so many helpers! ;p)

Relaxing during the lull

Joy (on my left) and other happy individuals eating their icecream

Afterwards, some of us home buddies played kick ball, and even the baby tried to get involved!!

Most of our team

This was song by one of the little girls..she has an amazing, angelic voice, and her innocence is touching....(sorry the first and last part of the song is cut off.)