Lunch with the Hatamis

Enna-Marie & Carmel enjoying their cake



beautiful 5 months old baby Carina, Carmel's sister

our group photo with Jalal's parents Barbara & Parviz Hatami who are currently visiting the Holy Land.

Visiting Jamak & Thomas

We visited our friends Jamak & Thomas Hueck one lunch time at their place. They are having twins and these two soon to be parents are getting excited & currently busy preparing for their babys' arrival. Below are couple of photos together.

Here all four of us...oops seven of us :-)!

and the two mommies...Menchie at 20th weeks, Jamak at 35 weeks!

Menchie's birthday

daddy & daughter dancing together

EM blowing the candles with mommy

family portrait, EM didn't want to smile...at all!

friends Rhea, Sieni & baby Leily

Moras & Kerstens

as always we take our group photo (EM & Tara are coming down & didn't know that there are 3 shots being taken)

Visiting families and friends to Haifa...

Charlie, Nika & Lilli Wong from United Kingdom visited the Holy Land recently

the Wongs and Schoots with Iman Yazdani sitting in the middle

buddies Charlie & Maarten with EM

Lilli playing in Kat Katim

Lilli & EM playing at home

beautiful daughters of Luster Lai who came for Pilgrimage with their parents. Luster (not in photo) is originally from the Philippines but now resides with her family in Australia

Oscar Domingo (wearing blue shirt) was also here on pilgrimage

group photo with the Mohajer family, Filipino friends serving at the World Centre with their families plus visiting friends & pilgrims

Visit at home
of Fleur & Hamed Sharafizad, kids Anis & Jordane, Flora Sharafizad & Oscar Domingo

lovely couple Fleur & Hamed

EM playing with Jordane, while Anis is busy writing with auntie Flora

reunion of Menchie, Oscar & Arnold...these three were old buddies back home who used to see each other in national gatherings such as national convention, summer/winter schools, youth camp & other youth activities. Oscar presently resides in Australia.

Trip to Masada & Dead Sea

Barbeque party...

Reunion with friends whom I grew up with...

Here are some photos taken last weekend at home with my friends who grew up with me and my siblings in Singalong, Manila. They are the Obispo family. These friends are soo special as we have lots of good memories growing up together.

Standing L-R: my sis Maricel, Agnes, Agnes daughter Aviona, Mina, Alma, Menchie. Sitting: L-R: my mom Ping, Auxie my friends' mom, Annie and Agnes' son.

group pic with Enna-Marie

with Agnes family, Annie & Alma

group pic 1

group pic 2 with my niece Munirih & nephew Nuri

Ayyám-i-Há Festivities

Sorry we neglected to blog as we have been busy this past week due to the Ayyám-i-Há festivities. Starting with Monday, we had a party at our Mother Goose class, then Tuesday was a special day where the children in the Rose Garden and Brilliant Star classes joined together and made cookies for the staff in the Office of Personnel. On Wednesday, we (me and four other moms with our girls) visited our friend Cllyv and daughter Sheehan in Akka. First we visited the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh together, and then headed off to Cllyv's house and had a delicious lunch. We had a good time there and hope to do this again. On Thursday there was no Rose Garden class, but instead brought our kids to Kat Katim indoor play area in the Castra mall. In the evening we had an Ayyám-i-Há party for all the families that was held in the PRC. For the last couple of weeks I have been preparing some materials for the stationery card making that I volunteered to handle during the party. I am glad some children (and even moms and other friends) came to our table and enjoyed making their own cards for different occasions (Ayyám-i-Há, Ridvan, Naw-Ruz, Birthday, etc.). The last party we attended was Friday's party with the Filipino friends where we were only able to participate in the sing-a-long portion and of course another delicious dinner (the friends had exchange of gifts and played some games before we came).

We wish our families and Bahá’í friends a Happy Ayyám-i-Há and a blessed fast!

Yummy lunch at Greg's

Lunch date with Auntie Vanysha

I want to spend more time these days with my dear auntie 'Nysha' as her term of service here is finishing soon. Here's a photo of the two of us when we met in Ben Gurion street one Friday late morning.

then we went to the mall to have some lunch...lekker!

with mama, papa and auntie 'Nysha'

Visit of Siila, Jabez and Fetaui

Siila Knight with husband Jabez and daughter Fetaui recently visited us at home. They were here for their nine day pilgrimage. Just a flashback, when I came to the World Centre more than nine years ago, Siila from Samoa and Jabez from Barbados were serving here as well. That same year, I had a privilege to be part of the "Pacific Night", a presentation of different dances and songs from the Pacific, thanks to Siila for teaching me this traditional hawaiian dance, very simple but a beautiful dance. I kept with me the practice tape, traditional costume and video that she gave me as souvenirs. I remember before they finished their services, they had a beautiful baby girl named Fetaui. Now she's 8 1/2 years old, people she meets get attracted to her sweet, happy and gentle personality. Enna-Marie and I for instance didn't want her to go when it's time to leave our place after we had lunch together (Maarten by the way couldn't join us as he was busy meeting with some consultants who were in town). You can see from the photos below that they really played/liked each other. Thank you for that short visit Siila, Jabez and Fetaui and for the parenting experiences and advices you shared with me.











Siila and I at the Pacific Night more than nine years ago...