It's Time to Rebuild!

Dear Family,

I would rather speak for one hour every day in a stake conference than go through what we have this week.  But I am resolved to concentrate on the blessings we've seen, and not my negative, scary, fearful thoughts.  

The week started fairly normally, although the lockdown became stricter, and we were able to go to a district meeting Monday morning at a nearby church.  Early afternoon we received an email from the Area Presidency requesting the number and location of all foreign missionaries, so we sent them the location of our 89 foreigners. Then we hurried to the office to welcome Sister Poster, a Filipina missionary assigned to New Zealand but unable to go because they closed their borders the day before, so temporarily assigned here.  We did a quick orientation and then sent her with the assistants to her new apartment.  We were informed we had a video conference with the Area Presidency at 5pm.  They announced to us and the other MP and MPW on the call  something we'd been hoping for for weeks:  the Church was evacuating all foreign missionaries, including all senior couples, from the Philippines.   Duterte gave a speech tightening the lockdown and it became Luzon-wide, instead of just Metro-Manila.  Knowing the lockdown will lead to a lot of poverty (most people here literally work for their daily bread) and possibly violence, Stewart had the four missionaries who live in the kidnapping capital of the Philippines, Bagong Silang, move that night to a safer apartment.

The next morning I got a text from Mark that the foreigners had only 72-hours to get out of the Philippines, then all international flights would stop.  All domestic flights were already cancelled, but knowing no one could leave after Thursday night was concerning.  Stewart had arisen very early in the morning and gone through missionary records and found four Filipinos who had computer skills and/or drivers' licenses and sent them to the office to get a little training before the couples left.  Then we received word from the Area that all foreigners should pack immediately and be ready to leave when notified.  We were to arrange a couple of meeting places -- not churches -- where all the missionaries could gather to be picked up.  We spent the morning communicating with missionaries, but with 48  on the other side of the Metro-Manila border, we didn't know how to get them into Manila.  Stewart asked his counselor to call a member who has a water park, and he agreed they could meet there.  The city of San Jose del Monte and part of Meycauayan were being shut down Tuesday night, so the stake presidents arranged for members to drive 27 missionaries from different areas to the water park.  The owner generously fed them and let them spend the night there. We are so thankful for his kindness! The Area said the seniors could choose whether they wanted to leave or not, and the Tohiarikis, who serve up in Baliwag, decided to stay, but the three in the office to go home.

We tried to proceed with exit day as usual, since we had  two sisters completing their missions and returning to the USA Wednesday morning.  It became a bit chaotic when two new elders suddenly assigned to serve in our mission arrived in time for the exit dinner.  Elders Illorin and Salacup were scheduled to fly out that morning when South Africa closed its borders, so were temporarily assigned here.  Stewart sent them to an apartment with two missionaries who'd been here only five weeks to be trained.  Our departing group turned out to be larger than planned, with three senior couples and two assistants and a zone leader who happened to come by to drop something off.  By 8pm we only had two E-tickets and an additional two itineraries for two of our senior couples -- nothing for young missionaries, and the deadline was only 48 hours away.

Very early Wed morning we were relieved  Duterte lifted the 72-hour window and would let foreigners continue to leave.  The shuttle driver came 6am for the Stoddards, but didn't have their passports, so they had to rush to go to area office first.  At that moment I became the mission nurse.  With no E-tickets and 85 more missionaries to evacuate, Stewart suggested in an early morning email to Pres Schmutz that he consider chartering a plane and explained he'd done it several times before in his business.  Elder Schmutz called him immediately to discuss it and said, "I'm going to do it!"  Within an hour we got notice that all our foreign missionaries should go to the MTC.  We didn't know how to get the ones on the other side of the NCR border into Manila, but the area sent three official looking authorizations for each missionary that verified they had an international flight on Delta.  Our FM manager arranged members and vans to bring the 48 missionaries on that side to the MTC.  We had 8 in Valenzuela meet at zone leader apartment and Dennis took them in two trips.  The Area sent vans for the 25 who could meet at the mission home and members brought them as here since there's no cabs or grab or public transportation anymore.  Some were at the mission home in time for a quick lunch Ann prepared, some got out of private cars and immediately into the waiting vans.  About 1pm we got word that the 47 had gotten through the police blockade and would make it to the MTC!  We felt relieved when the last van left, but sad to lose so many great missionaries, most we never saw to say goodbye.  As the last van drove away, Stewart said, "It's time to rebuild!"

He has been indefatigable through this entire ordeal.  He had the four new assistants come to the mission home that afternoon to talk about their duties and assigned them to figure out where the remaining missionaries are in the mission and which apartments to use.  We need apartments in safe neighborhoods close to food and water, since there's no jeepneys, buses or trikes.  We felt a great sense of relief that the foreigners were now safely at MTC and would not become a target if things get dangerous here.  We were notified our Sri Lankan missionaries could not return home and that five Polynesians who couldn't go home would arrive in the mission the next day.

I'm so thankful Dennis and Ann could still come to help.  Dennis and I went to the condominium complex nearby where the couples lived and we started emptying apartments.  One couple had a LOT of stuff--two van loads full of food and laundry.  After our first load returned to the mission home and greeted, fed and welcomed three missionaries from Kiribati.  (In order to return home they have to go through Fiji which requires a 2-week quarantine so they came to our mission.) Sister Baraka was already serving here, and Sister Toneaka and Sister Raibati came from other missions.  Two of the Filipino assistants brought them and one asked me, "Am I really an assistant?  I don't think the other missionaries respect me!" and the other confided he didn't sleep the entire night, he was so amazed at what happened.  I didn't have the heart to tell them, "It's because you're the only ones with drivers' licenses!" but just counseled them to be humble and obedient to gain the respect of the other missionaries.  They took the sisters to a nearby apartment and we went back to clean out the couple's apartment who make Grandma Hughes look like a minimalist.  Doing physical work really relieved my anxiety and I returned home very tired.  Ann and Dennis were happy to divide up the food from the apartments and went home very happy!  Stewart cooked dinner for us and while we were eating he got a text from the Crosses saying they wanted to return to the mission.  After two days at the MTC they changed their minds and wanted to return! Stewart told them to really think about it -- they're in their mid-70's with some serious health problems--and let him know in the morning.

That night I got my first serious nursing call at midnight from Sister Baraka, who said her new companion was feverish nauseated, dizzy and had a severe headache.  We'd forgotten to give them 72-hour kits and they had no medication, so at 2 am Stewart broke the curfew and took them the medication Mark recommended.  He got through the blockade with sleeping guards and was thankful he'd assigned them to an apartment only 15 min away.  Friday morning we learned that the church hired another jet (six total) and that we might be evacuated, too.  For a couple of hours I thought we were going home, but when I learned we were staying, I actually felt peace.  The Crosses decided to return to the mission and we were so happy and relieved since they are mission secretary and financial secretary and know more than we do about how to take care of things. We had to tell them we'd given away all their food and the clothing they left, but they were good sports about it and seemed genuinely happy to be back.  

Stewart worked with the assistants to divide the all the wards in the mission between the remaining 89 missionaries so each companionship is assigned to one or two wards. He notified  the stake presidents and suggested the bishops work with the missionaries, assigning them to work online with members who need strengthening, to share lessons via video chat and share Come Follow Me lessons. Sometimes they live in the ward they are assigned to, sometimes they don't, but it doesn't matter since they cannot leave their apartments anyway.  He made three video he sent to all the missionaries, explaining the strategy and encouraging them to get really good at making videos where they teach the gospel and do all the good they could from their apartments.  They need to have something to do and he motivated them to get going on it!

Saturday morning I woke up with vertigo, the four sick missionaries who'd texted me were all feeling better, and I soon was, too.  Stewart sent out an audio recording to all the missionaries and worked online with the assistants on organizing the mission.  The missionaries (and us) are allowed to leave our homes to buy food.  The malls are closed and only groceries, pharmacies and some hardware stores are open.  We went to S&R to fill our freezer with meat and the only bread left on the shelves were bagels, which we bought for the sacrament.  Sister Poster is homesick and wanting to go back to her family.  As the mission nurse, I called and tried to comfort and encourage her, but finally told her, "You can't go home!  You live on in Bacolod and there is no domestic or sea travel allowed, so you are just going to have to stay for now!"  

Stewart arranged for elders to take the sacrament to sisters inside the NCR, some sisters outside the NCR live near bishops or members they can go to.  The Tohiarikis drove zone leaders to two apartments of sisters in the Bulacan and Stewart decided we would try to go to the Bocaue sisters who live far from any other missionaries or members, on the other side of the NCR.  I was worried that even if they let us out, we might not be able to return.  The drive was eerie.  No traffic!  We went 60 KM/hour down a street that is usually a parking lot!  When we reached the checkpoint for the NCR Stewart explained we had to go out to check on some of our missionaries.  They stared at him and his badge awhile and then motioned us to go through and one said, "Yes President!"  We made it to Bocaue and finally found their apartment and they were so happy to see us.  We prayed, sang a hymn, and Stewart blessed and passed the sacrament.  I felt such a feeling of peace come over me during that sacred ordinance.  The pit that has been in my stomach all week dissipated.  The sisters all had tears in their eyes.  We had a closing prayer and visited for awhile, discussing their concerns.  While we were there, the local government came by and gave them a pass and informed them that only one of them could leave the house at a time, and only to buy food.  So much for always staying with your companion!  We tried another route back to Metro-Manila and again had no problem getting past the check point, which is good news.  

One day a friend reminded me of this scripture in D&C 123:17:  Therefore... let us cheerfully do all that lies in our power; then may we standstill with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of the God and for his arm to be revealed.  I have seen my companion cheerfully lead this mission with calm confidence and innovative new direction.  And I've seen the arm of God revealed in small and large blessings all week.  I've also seen my weakness in becoming anxious and fearful in this crisis.  This morning Stewart gave me a blessing and one of the things he promised is that I would be blessed and supported through the prayers of my family.  So thank you for those prayers and for your future prayers.  

I'm very thankful Dallin and Hannah made it to Singapore this week before the airport shut down.  So many blessings!!

Love,

Mom

Photos

Sisters after Sacrament ordinance

No traffic!

New sisters from Kiribati (I forgot to take photos of the ones reassigned from South Africa)

Departing Foreign Missionaries