(click on map to enlarge) 10,572 miles....One way.
I am about to begin a journey, the end of which is uncertain. I am going to a place I have never been before. I am going to meet a young woman I have never met before. I hope she will be glad to see me when we meet. I hope the monsoon rains there will hold off for 6 days. I hope the mosquitoes that carry Dengue fever will be busy elsewhere. I hope.
If you break down the distance of 10,572 miles into smaller parts, it sounds easier: New York to L.A.- 2500 miles, L.A. to Guam- 6,089 miles, Guam to Manila - 1599 miles and Manila to Dumaguete - 384 miles. Or, about a day and a half including stopovers.
8 years ago, my daughter volunteered with an organization called Little Children of the World (www.littlechildren.org). Their children's outreach progam, located in the central Philippine city of Dumaguete, is called Little Children of the Philippines. There she met a 9 year old girl named Maricar. I soon became her sponsor. Maricar is now 17 and has a family of her own. We have exchanged letters and photos over the years and, if everything goes as I hope, will finally meet each other.
The Visayans, or central Philippines
(click on map to enlarge)
12 comments:
Dad,
This sounds like a wonderful journey. You will have to make memories for both of us while you're there.
Deb
Steve:
You probably are nuts. You should have done this years ago. I think it is exciting to finally meet the child/young adult that you have sponsored over the years. It puts greater meaning into the years you sponsored this child. Have a good trip and stay safe.
Gregg
6920
Not being a person of few words, I figured I used at least two.
Truly Nuts!
Steve,
Remember that "Himself" will be with you in spirit. Have a great and very safe trip. May what you are looking for turn out to be exactly as it seems.
61338
Steve,
Sounds like a remarkable trip for a remarkable man. Looking forward to living vicariously through your blog
Mina
Well, it seems long, but once you are on en-route, it's not so bad, until you arrive Manila! Then, it all becomes blurrrrr, because it is so so HOT!! ;D ha ha, just kidding! You are not nuts! Keiko
JUST MAKE SURE U STAY IN A HOTEL/PLACE THAT HAS A TOILET BOWL...
DEAR STEVE,
YOU ARE AN AMAZING MAN!
DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS SO
MUCH KINDNESS LEFT IN THE
WORLD.
YOUR TRAVEL AGENT,
JEANNE
I shall return!
Douglas McArthur
Remember to take along a sweater, the Phillipines are very cold in July.
Aunt Leah
Anybody who spends one hour each morning looking at a test pattern deserves to go on this trip
Hi Steve, mum passed on the link to your blog so I have jumped in to have a 'squizz' and say hello. You may be interested to have a look at the website of the global volunteering company I work for now www.i-to-i.com
Looking forward to reading the next installation. over & out
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