A huge shopping site in Manila is called Divisoria. It's a bit like Costco if you've ever been there, it has everything cheaper but things are not sold in big bulks/boxes. We took the jeepney (which is like the local bus service) to Divisoria to buy stationery, colouring-in books, art supplies, party supplies, paper, and musical instruments for the Sunday School. The jeepney was very crowded - we were almost sitting on each other's laps and they don't stop completely so you have to get in and out when it is still moving!
There are shops everywhere. Inside the Mall as well as on all the streets outside. Some of the young people from Baseco work at the Divisoria Mall. Roderick and Marilyn (two of the youth leaders at the Church in Baseco) told us how they used to work at Divisoria as little kids selling plastic bags to shoppers. They would rush there after school and work until late in the evening, probably similar to the little boy in the photo above.
An interesting observation is in some of the stores the cashier had a stick with a small basket on the end. They shove this long stick out to the customer and the customer puts their money in the basket. They do this because they don't want to touch people's hands.
We also bought markers so the church leaders could mark the children's ears when they had eaten the de-worming chocolate squares. They do this because they don't want the kids to come back and take more of the chocolate squares. Firstly there won't be enough for other people and secondly if you have too much medicine you can get sick.
It is nice to see the kids using the new supplies purchased!
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