Oh the things you will see!!!

This unusual mode of transportation is called a Huliglig. The engine is actually a rototiller that is attached to the body of this 'car' to get around town. It is detached again when they need to till the fields! :-) I love the ingenuity of it!

This sign says, "Your Army in Kalinga is just a text or phone call away to serve you..."! I have never called the Army to do anything for me... I wonder what might occasion it here! :-)

Here are more beautiful views of the mountains during out trip to Bugnay! Here the clouds are low on the mountains.... It turns the view gray and chilly but oh so beautiful!!

Prenatals in Bugnay...

Early the morning after we arrived, we started doing prenatals at our house. The women arrived at our stairs, knowing we were in town for just that. When we unpacked all our stuff, we realized we forgot a very important part- the measuring tape. But it was an easy fix, we just asked all the builders in town if we could borrow the construction one. Every time we brought it out to use that day, we laughed. Instead of a soft cloth material, it was metal... the women didn't seem to mind. And we had a good time trying to use it .... bulky and stiff as it was. :-)

We also did house visits for prenatals and baby checks. This mother had delivered the night before we arrived. So this little guy is two days old. He was such a cutie! As you can see, he had a something little special on his hand- and extra thumb. This is regarded as good luck and is not removed in their culture. All in all, we did well over a dozen prenatals and a half dozen baby checks. It was wonderful going to their homes and meeting their children.

 The women seemed so much more relaxed having us as guests in their homes. I even met one young lady who has my EXACT birthday (day, month, year!). Her name is Angela. I took pictures of us together but they didn't work out. :- ( She is due in the next few weeks, and tells me that if she delivers a girl, she'll name her Stephanie.

Our first night in Bugnay...

This is the entrance into Bugnay. We stopped to say hello to friends on our way to Belen's family's house. We have to step over fences made to keep the pigs in and the trails are made of rocks, cement and mud. The women carry all their packages on their heads. And this little girl is no exception. The homes are made of mahogany and concrete as the men learn from an early age how to be master carpenters.

When we arrived, our first visit was to Belen's home where we met her parents and sister who is visiting from Manila. In this picture, you see Belen's back, her niece Sonia and her father. The woman with all the tattoos, is her great aunt. She incidentally, has no idea how old she is. :- ) This is outside their home. We unloaded our bags and settled in for some native coffee. The coffee grows rather well here and it is served extra sweet! - much like the rest of the food in this country! The Filipinos i know have insatiable sweet tooths!

Again, this is Belen's great-aunt. She is so used to squatting and bending over that she is no longer comfortable standing up straight. Although she tried to do just that for this picture. She is smoking native tobacco, rolled in a cigar. Most of the older generation smokes it. Around her neck, hang very old beads that have been around for generations. Many women wear them. They seem to indicate status (as the older the beads, the more expensive they are). She also has the local tattoos on her arms. This is done for beauty. Tattooing is seen as very beautiful and indicates which tribe they are from. It is rarely done anymore, as the younger generation find it difficult to find work in the city when they have tribal tattoos.

That first night, we attended a viewing of a film made to share the gospel with the native peoples. It is called 'The prodigal Son' and has been made into several different dialects. The church was packed and sat riveted by the depiction. I too, understanding nothing, was riveted. We had a few people explain certain events, but as a whole it was very clear. And best of all, it was well received. They showed two versions that night. We didn't stay for the second viewing, as we were too exhausted from our trip.

BUGNAY HO!

Friday morning we packed our bags and climbed atop a Jeepney for an adventurous ride through the Filipino mountains. Our destination? ... BUGNAY! We planned to stay the weekend, check up on all the pregnant women in town and worship with the But-but tribe on Sunday morning. This picture is of me on top of the Jeepney at the beginning of the journey. At one point, there were 23 of us holding on to the rails and bouncing along the bumpy, muddy road. The views were spectacular! This was the main reason we wanted to be on top of the Jeep instead of inside. For more than 6 hours we feasted on the lush scenery and gawked at the rugged tropical beauty.

What a breath of fresh air from the fumed-filled city streets of Davao City. One mountain in particular stands out. It is called 'Sleeping Beauty'. Perhaps you can see her lying there, sleeping in the distance. Rice is the main crop of the Philippines, i would say. This is a rice paddy up close. It will be ready for harvest in July, I'm told. This is a picture of Belen (our lovely local guide and translator!) and me standing on the bridge leading to Bugnay. The bridge is made of metal and sits several hundred feet above one of the largest rivers in the north. That day, it was raging with brown muddy swells from the recent rain storms. In the distance, you can see some of the houses of the village. I am told there are about 1000 inhabitants in Bugnay. And Bugnay is just one of 5 towns, where the But-but live. I'm told the But-but tribe is one of the largest ethnic groups here in the north.