Blog entries

Flutes Across The World Mission - May 2010 - Ojai to Brazil

John Zeretzke — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 03:58:21 +0100

Flutes Across The World Mission - May 2010

Ojai to Brazil

John Zeretzke, associate Maggie Cermenaro and humanitarianRead More...

My Last Days in the Philippines

John Zeretzke — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 22:14:35 +0100

My Last Days in the Philippines

We arrived back in Manila on the 25th and everyone was tired. The doctors flew back, but I had a few more days here meeting some VIP’s, visiting a orphanage, seeing a few sites with Ramon and Donna, including a trip to visit the local volcano and lake and the old city of Taal. I was especiallyRead More...

Flutes To Basilan

John Zeretzke — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 07:26:06 +0100

Day Six

Flutes to Basilan

Ed’s quick idea to get military protection so we can go to Basilan, Isabela City, present the flutes program there at a public school and also check out the local community hospital became a reality when we got the thumbs up the night before with the General and his troop support. Our peaceful mission of flutes and cultural exchange can only occur if our team is able to be protected cRead More...

From Jolo back to Zamboanga

John Zeretzke — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 05:56:21 +0100

Day Five

From Jolo to Zamboanga

Now that the Doctors from Operation Smile and our mission were in full swing and really in rhythm, knocking out 6-7 operations for cleft palette a day, Ed, Ramon, Wayne and myself found ourselves hanging out in the two damp jungle cafes on the base run by local Jolo merchants. We could not go outside the wire. I was amazed at the work that these doctors performed. &nbRead More...

Operations and Flutes

John Zeretzke — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:49:09 +0100

Day Four

Operations and Flutes

Too tired to say too much about today. It was busy here. The two operating teams, American and Filipino did over 14 operations, while Flutes Across The World had it's first workshop with school children from Jolo. It was a great day here and everyone was feeling it.

The pictures say so much....

From Zamboanga to Jolo, Sulu Province, Philippines

John Zeretzke — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:26:12 +0100

Day Three

From Zamboanga to Jolo

There was a surreal feeling as we gently lifted off the wet cement pad and easily found ourselves ten feet off the ground. The prop speed of the helicopter idling for 10 minutes or so as the co-pilot ran down his check list fooled my senses into thinking we could not possibly have enough thrust to lift off the ground. I was wrong. We were Read More...

Monsoons and Preparations

John Zeretzke — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 13:46:14 +0100

Today was busy regardless of the 3 days of heavy rain and flooding. Commissioner Moreno, who will be with us on 'Team Hot' as Ed has nicknamed us, was up most the night helping poor flood victims here in Manila. Most everywhere we go, there is a small entourage. Driving around Manila is like driving blind in Boston x 100.

Sir Edward Artis at the wheel..Read More...

Day One - A Military Ceremony...with Flutes on the Side

John Zeretzke — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:30:49 +0100

Friday, July 17th.

After an 16 hour flight from LAX to Manila via a short stop in Guam, I landed in the Philippines. The darkness of night seemed like it would never end, chasing the moon and stars with the sun on the other side of the earth. My knees ached. The price of being tall in a modern era of downsizing, sitting with mostly Filipinos, who generally do not have that problem.

Staff Sargent Bling met me on behalf of Knightsbridge since Ed Artis, Ramone MorenRead More...

Thought Becomes Reality

John Zeretzke — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 04:37:46 +0100

Flutes Across the World was first conceived over Christmastime of 2008. Sir Ed Artis was interested in having the program come to the Philippines where we could align it with a Operation Smile Mission that he was helping to set up. Maggie Cermenaro of Ojai became my right-hand person in helping me to secure funding and create the first program design. A thought started to become a reality.