Bringing in the sheaves takes on new meaning.

Sugar cane and rice seem to be the industry on this part of Negros island.  Everywhere we drive the fields are either in the process of being planted, growing, burning or being harvested.  As we have watched this process it brings new meaning to "bringing in the sheaves" and it's application to missionary work.  At the crack of dawn, many men, with machetes in hand, converge upon the cane fields to be harvested where they first cut the cane, then strip the cane of the green part of the plant, bundle it and walk it up very small ladders into the semi cane trucks.  It looks to be exhausting work as they handle the cane one by one. 

Sugar cane harvest 

Notice the small ladder and the load of cane he is carrying on his shoulder.

Some use their carabou with a handmade trailer to haul to the semi

There are a few tractors here used in the harvest for hauling.
It is over 100 F. here - notice the kinds of clothes they are wearing.

As you might imagine it gets quite hot here with the sun blistering down on them.  Most wear long sleeves with t-shirts tied on their heads to protect them from the sun.  They even make shelters to protect them from the sun during their lunch hour and break time.

Cane shelters from the sun.  Notice the man sleeping under the one with the shirt hanging for additional shade.

And sometimes the trucks stack the harvest too high, go too fast, and fail to use the side of the road that is flat!  Luckily
no one was hurt but the wind shield was gone and it took hours to reload the cane costing all of the workers time not paid.
The elders say they see this frequently!

 As a child raised in the Baptist church, one of my favorite songs was "Bringing in the sheaves".

Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,

Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve;

Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,

We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

      Refrain:

Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,

We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,

Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,

We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows,

Fearing neither clouds nor winter’s chilling breeze;

By and by the harvest, and the labor ended,

We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

      Refrain

Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master

Though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;

When our weeping’s over, He will bid us welcome,

We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Refrain

 As we serve here in a land "white already to harvest" we are seeing the sheaves literally and figuratively being harvested.  What a blessing to serve in such a country as this where the elect are ready and waiting to hear about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and where we are witnessing this marvelous harvest.

Look at all of the missionaries supporting Sister A. at her baptism.

Siquijor island baptism in the ocean.  What a treat.  We actually could hardly witness it - low tide so they were
way out there.  Some brave soul carried his camera out to get this picture.

This brother and his wife are deaf and were taught by our sister missionaries as well as ASL missionaries
serving in Washington DC.  A recent convert, Brother D., helped us learn to teach him using text
and the ipad when the skype with the ASL missionaries didn't work.  What a blessing to be part of.