Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Phil. 2 : 4
In March we heard the news that Americans with a 9G Visa could possibly enter the Philippines for a limited time. I reluctantly booked only one ticket as Susan needed to stay back because of severe undiagnosed eye allergies.
After a seven-day quarantine in Manila I returned to Boracay. The island was drastically different – eerily quiet and heartbreaking to see the people in such a state of hopelessness. 95% of the stores and markets have been closed for over a year because of the ban on tourism.
The first thing we did as a team was to ask God to “part the waters” so we could enter the villages to assess the needs. Many zones on both islands were locked down. Miraculously, we witnessed God opening windows to enter the villages . . .
to feed . . .
deliver groceries . . .
share God’s message of salvation . . .
and present Bibles to over 100 families in several neglected villages.
Many Filipino families have been praying for a Bible in the Tagalog language. What a privilege to see the tears of gratitude as they received an answer to their prayers!
Every day we witnessed touching and powerful moments, many of which I wish Susan could have experienced firsthand. One of the most humbling was visiting with a driver who took us from one village to another.
It was 3 pm, and I asked how many rides he had given that day – “You are my first ride today, sir.” The usual fare for a ride is from twenty to fifty cents for longer rides. He had a family to feed, and my heart broke for him.
When the tricycle stopped we prayed for Gilbert and his family and gave him P1,000 ($20). He dropped his head to the steering wheel and sobbed as we parted ways.
So, what about The Caribou?
It’s the national animal of the Philippines, a symbol of strength, power, and perseverance. The Filipinos refer to the caribou as the “beast of burden.”
One morning our team drove to an Ati village on the island of Panay. We saw this Caribou and asked the owner if we could enter his property. Standing in the field, I couldn’t help but try to get as close as possible.
My heart grew heavy as I thought about how this animal does symbolize these precious people who have spent many years under slavery and are presently suffering tremendously.
So the inspiration came to paint a Caribou whose name is Hope. Some of the Ati children near our place helped by putting their handprints on this symbolic painting.
Every person’s imprint matters in God’s eyes. We are called to share the love of Jesus to every nation, every tribe . . .
and this tribe followed me to the Ati village where we started a feeding and Bible study every Thursday evening. Grateful to say our staff continues leading this now!
Because of the Covid outbreak in the Philippines, almost the entire staff of both schools tested positive. Some were hospitalized.
I was informed that the government only wanted local citizens on the island, so I’m grateful we were able to accomplish what we did in two months. Thankfully, everyone on our staff has recovered and continues to faithfully serve the people each day.
Thank you for your prayers and support. Because of your donations, we were able to complete the MASA tribal school rebuild and continue to feed hundreds of families physically and spiritually.
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