Our dive center sponsors a school up in the mountains on this tiny island, Dumaguete . I took several days out of the water to volunteer at the soup kitchen serving the children lunch. There’s a huge landfill at the top of the mountain and people are living in small shacks and tents surrounding the pit. They are allowed to go into the pit, a few at a time, and salvage what they can on certain days of the week …and that’s how they make their living… by taking things that can be resold into town. The children can attend the school, but it’s under the condition that one of the parents helps with the lunch serving five days a week. I noticed most of the children were very thin. I spoke at length with the teachers and was told some of these children were only receiving one meal a day, which was here at the school, and it only consisted of a small chicken wing in some broth over rice. No fruit was served. I found a vendor in town who agreed to serve each child with a piece of fruit in addition to their normal lunch. After my return from this trip, I received pictures from the teachers showing the children holding a banana like it was a popsicle… And later received word that there are much fewer absences as the childrens’ health improved. We get so caught up in our privileged lives that we sometimes don’t realize what a small difference …like a piece of fruit full of vitamins …can make in a child’s life.

The other amazing fact about this community was several of the mothers were taking old magazines from the dive resort and making them into jewelry… Earrings, necklaces, etc. When I returned home, I went to Baylor University’s coffee shop, and noticed they had a small area with jewelry from other countries. I showed them some of the jewelry I had bought and they were excited enough to send a contract buying enough product from this communityfor each family involved to receive enough funds to survive for six months. The contract was fulfilled and future contracts were negotiated.

Swimming with the whale sharks, Cebu Island, The Philippines… No worry, they eat plankton, not people….but that fact doesn’t keep your heart from racing when they’re headed straight towards you with their mouth open. Tommie gets to cross another thing off his bucket list!

One of two types of blue ring octopus…their bite will paralyze, blind and kill a person within minutes. Usually found in Australia … but we spotted this one in about 20 ft of water near Anilao in the Philippines. Pic is courtesy of my dive buddy, Steve Fabian.

BINGO! Found Flamboyant Cuttlefish on TR’s 200th dive. This was our #1 goal we discussed on our flight over to the Philippines.

Harlequin Shrimp found near Anilao, The Philippines. These gentle-looking, inch-long crustaceans are fierce predators. They feed exclusively on sea stars, attacking and eventually subduing animals that may be 100 times their own weight and size. Even the huge, voracious Crown-of-Thorns, which have almost no natural enemies, are not safe around these guys.

Peacock Mantis Shrimp. …Aniloa, Philippines. 4-5″ long… Hides mostly in a hole in the sand. Known as the smasher… Uses his club shaped raptorial appendages to repeatedly smash it’s prey until it gets to the soft tissue. It’s “punch” is over 50mph… Fastest punch of any living animal.