* Wildlife in the Philippines

Recently my husband was on Taktak road near our house.  He saw a group of people crowded around a truck parked on the road, so stopped to check out what was going on.  Here are the pictures!

This snake, some kind of python, had just eaten someone's chicken.

I can totally relate to the look on this guy's face. :-)

Tying a string around the snake's mouth - a good safety measure.

And into the bag he goes!  Not sure what they did with him after that.

We were recently down in Southern Negros and walked by the market there. 

Tuna fish anyone? 

 

They offered to cut a piece off the tail end and sell it to us (you can see there were previous buyers) but we had no way to get it home. 

 

 

* Odds and Ends of This and That

 

Visiting at Provident Christian Church in Marikina after the worship services.  A few Smits came along that day, while the rest of their family went to Gabaldon.

 

 

The Ibes and Smits came for coffee one morning ....




 







Two little boys had fun playing and looking for bugs together.

 

Our well-stocked "bookstore" shelves.

 

 

Skateboarders getting help for the uphill.

 

Can anyone guess what this is? 

 

 

The Smits are over to play some games.

 

Shopping for brooms at the market.












The family that runs this stall is Christian.  Notice the man studying his Bible.

 

 

There are often beautiful skies this time of year.  Thunderheads building up to drop their moisture on us. 

 
 

* Smits' Furlough 2013

This morning (June 4) we brought the Smit family to the Manila airport for the start of their 2013 furlough to Nth America.  Each of our two missionary families takes a six week furlough every 2nd year, in order to promote our work through presentations (Rev. Smit plans to do 7 of these), to attend synod, to preach in some of our churches, and to spend some time with family and friends.

 

 

All smiles at 4:00 a.m., as they bid farewell to Duke!

 

Away we go to the airport.

 

Time to unload.  Make sure you have your backpack!

 

The first of many line-ups at the airport - this one for security.

We're thankful for the opportunities to have these furloughs and to promote the work.  We're also glad the Smits can spend this time among you in the USA and Canada.  May God keep them safe as they travel, and may He also return them safely here again in mid-July, Lord willing.