Tuesday Evening
Mayo 27

We had district meetings this morning and we have Zone Conference in Iloilo tomorrow morning. The lesson and roll play was great this morning. We talked about teaching the Doctrine of Christ. We planned to haul missionaries to Iloilo and back tomorrow. After meetings, we had nothing planned.

I went painting plein aire with Paulo and Rodell, two men I met in the Centillion Building uptown. We planned to paint last Tuesday, but they had too much work and couldn't get away. They turned out to be much better artists than I. Rodell is studying to become an art teacher and Paulo's mother was an artist. They taught me a good deal this afternoon.

We went to Sibalom and looked at a few paintings by one of Panay's famous artists. I can't read, or remember his name. He was a student of Fernando Amorsolo, one of the Filapino greats. He is nowhere near Amorsolo, but he was good, as can be seen.

This piece, painted in 1975 is an oil. It went through a major flood in 1985 when dams broke in the mountains because of so much rain and it flooded the towns below.

This is another painting by the same man depicting the arrival of the ten kings of Malay that landed on the island and traded a gold head dress for the island. The painting also survived the flood. This painting is about 48 inches by 60 inches and is now bowed. 

We went to the hills outside of town and started painting. The sky clouded up and it became comfortable. Then the rain and lightening started. Lightening struck about a hundred meters from us and we ran to a native hut and kept painting. I felt like a kid hiding in a clubhouse outside hearing distance of my mother. I sat in the doorway and watch the rain pelt the ground and trees all around us. It was comfortable, dry, and cool.

Rodell on the left and Paulo on the right, painting away.

We had a great time and they helped me learn a few new things. I showed them a few as well. We agreed to paint next week near Dao. We agreed to paint the same thing from the same perspective and share our methods and help each other. I loved painting with these two men and look forward to doing so again. They are serious artists. I even hope to share the Gospel with them. It has already started with Paulo.

This is actually a flower that we went to see and paint. I can't for my life remember the name, but it is the tallest flower in the Philippines and has no leaves below the bloom which startes at the green bulb on the lower side. We could only find these two. The second is on the left and amid the leaves.

Paulo is single, and is much like young men in the states. He has little interest in tying himself to a woman when he has all the freedom of a good job and all his time to/for himself. Rodell is married and has a 12 year old daughter and a 9 year old son. I have not met his family yet, but he is a good man. They are both good men.

When we headed back to San Jose, about 3:00 pm, the skies lit up with lightening and rain poured. I got them back to their businesses where they fled into the dry halls and drove through a flood back to our house. We had 6 inches of water in the drive and garage, so I waded into the house. We have a leak in the bedroom ceiling. It stormed like crazy for about an hour, then started clearing.

I took Sister Sessions for pizza. She likes it, but I do not. Pinoy food is not getting any more acceptable to me or my stomach. I am about to go straight fruit and vegetables. . . Good day all in all.

My thorn among two roses. I am not finished yet, but it is not good. Maybe next week . . .