Sometimes You Give, Sometimes you Receive…

This week has been a busy one for Lady Hiva and I—both at work and all the activities afterwards. Do you ever have those days that you try to fit in more than is physically possible? It felt like we were constantly running from one place to the next. Literally. Yet we love it! We would not have changed anything if we had the chance. Let me share a few of them with you, as they taught us, once again, that we are constantly blessed.

On Saturday morning we woke up early to make cookies for an afternoon goodbye party before we went to a site visit for a Stake (collection of five congregations in an area) community service project. (See you can already feel the rushed nature of the day—one or the other of us is constantly reminding us of the time). The service project will be in a few weeks at Smokey Mountain. We will be working with JCI Manila and Gawad Kalinga as always when we go out there. But this time we will add another group—the LDS helping hands!

It was several of the group’s first time to visit Smokey Mountain. You can read older posts of when we have been out doing projects out there. But just a reminder, Smokey Mountain used to be a trash refuse site for years. Then the government created housing so people now live there. The name Smokey Mountain derives from the scavengers sorting trash and burning what they don’t need. It truly is a sobering experience to be there and see how people live three families to one room; and that is the better situation of the families. I always leave with a thankful heart for the things that I have been blessed with and look forward to opportunities to serve others.

The Women that sew to make money for their families and our group

The big mountain on the right is trash

You can see the trash through the dirt

The kids use it so much that the grass dies on the infield

The baseball field and track

Sorting through rubbish

The other experience happened earlier in the week. Lady Hiva received a box from her brother Moana in Hawaii. We ALWAYS LOVE to get packages from Moana because they usually include our favorite goodies from Hawaii. He did not let us down this time either! WOOT WOOT! Lady Hiva was especially happy to see SEES CHOCOLATES. She has been craving them for months. However, although chocolate is great,  that is not the part that was inspiring.

Moana had sent the package as a Mother’s Day box. In the box were several 8x10 photos all taken around the gravesite of our three children. Moana had hand written a note and placed it next to the headstone that read: “HAPPY MOTHERS DAY MOM, WE LOVE YOU! The Children.” It meant so much to us that he was willing to go out of his way to remember us and our children. Most of all to include them in part of our lives still even though we will not see them until we too leave this mortal life and join them in Heaven. Much like the many others that have thought of us in times like these and send notes, texts, cards, or go put new flowers on the gravesite, Moana let us know we are loved. Loved by others and loved by an understanding Heavenly Father that sends earthly angels into our lives to let us know of that love.

So, sometimes you give, and sometimes you receive. But in the end we are blessed either way. We have so much to be thankful for.