mission trip in Philippines 09'

Mission Trip Philippine: 19 May – 25 May 2009

PRELUDE
Even though I have been a human being for almost 30 years (This coming 14 October will mark the exact 30 years in planet earth. Purposely mentioning my birthday to everyone... coming soon ahh!!), yet I have no idea what it mean to live. What is the exact value of being a human?

Eventually, we are teaching the new generation that studies and exams were their life, and as they grow up then work will become their life. Is that all the reason to be born into this world? Is life all about getting a good career or to get good grades? If that is the ‘value of life’ that we are teaching our children today then until their 30 years old (like me!!) he or she would still have no idea what life is all about?

In the mission trip in Philippine, I see human’s life in a new light? Being a human is never about ourselves, but it is always about others. The world sucks and that is the truth. Poverty is happening, people are being killed, crimes are rising, people lost their loved ones, children are starving, woman are being abused, a father lost his job, a mother lost her unborn child; with all these pain and hurdle of life, if we are teaching the young generation that life is all about themselves and let’s not care about the matters of the neighbor then human being holds a very sad future. You and I will be living in a very sad world.

*selah

I see life when a 2 years old boy (almost) who has not been eating for 2 days or more was being provided noodle for that evening. It was probably the first solid food he ever tasted since that week.

I see life when the starving parents who also have not been eating any solid food for the week came to the feeding center after we left to eat the leftover.

I see life when a pastor and his wife sacrifice their life, their sleep, their dream and their saving to set up more feeding center so that more hungry children will be fed.

I see life when a sad rough young boy smiled and laughed at the puppet show that was put up by sis Grace and myself. (That smiled melted my heart)

I see life when we kneeled in prayer with these children asking Jesus to save and help them.


DAY ONE (19 May 2009)

The seven of us reached Diasdado Macapagal International Airport at about 10:30AM. Chuan was nearly quarantine in the airport because he had some cough and flu haha.. and the news few months back about the Abu Sayyaf kidnapped the Redcross workers in Philippine are still wondering in my head. I was both excited and thrill of the adventure.

Once we were there, we were being greeted warmly by Pastor Tabadar and his wife, Brother Reuben and his wife Phoebe and also Pastor Titus and his wife. Even before we have the chance to breathe-in the air in Philippine, we were ferried to the first Feeding Center in Amsic, which lead by Pastor Felix.

Pastor Felix explained to us the poor living condition of the villagers in Amsic, some of them even cook with kerosene because they are too poor to buy gas or charcoal. Pastor Felix expressed his concern for the teenagers especially those young ladies who grow up to work in pub or as prostitute. It is because this helps them to earn fast money.

As we were traveling to Amsic we saw many pubs along the way and there were many young ladies who are working for the pubs. As such age, they should be given education and a bright future should have been awaiting them. Unfortunately, because of poverty they don’t stand a chance for both.
Psalm 9: 18 “But the needy will not always be forgotten,
nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish.”

We also visited AMG Skilled Hands Training Center in somewhere that I do not know where. It is a vocational school for teenagers, in giving them training for work. Some of them learn to fix electronic items and some are trained for construction works.

The huge number of girls that are taking the electronic classes impressed me. Wohohoh Girls rules!! Can u imagine when the TV spoiled and the wife said ‘No worries hubby, I can fix it in a minute time! While the boys watched and be amazed FUYOHHH!!

I was truly blessed by the friendliness of the girls in the training center. We had some good time chatting and we shared a common interest together, which is taking pictures!! I think girls all over the world would have this common interest; we just love to take picture. Pose, pose, and pose, Girls!!

By the time we reached Brother Reuben’s house it was almost 12 midnight.

DAY TWO – (20 May 2009)

Brother Reuben was late in picking us up!!! Hehe =) It was ok... grace and I had more time to take more pictures.

We had fast food “Jolibee” for breakfast. I would think that Malaysian is a fan for rice but I realized people in Philippine are not just a fan but they are crazy for rice!! And man, they would eat rice for breakfast, lunch, dinner, tea time, supper and all the time!! Yup, so you can guess what we had for breakfast that day. RICE in a fast food outlet!!

We are truly blessed to meet with the missionary Brother Bill Ossion and his wife. The wife was sharing her experiences and love for the people in Philippine with Sis Vivian, Grace and I. It was a blessed time to hear from her. Her heart is for the Muslim in the Philippine, she shared how much these people need Jesus but sadly the workers are few.



Matthew 9:37 “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into the harvest field.”