So my team and three of the other teams have arrived in Tacloban!! It took us 31 hours on a bus and a ferry ride across a section of water separating the two islands, but we have made it. Tacloban is nothing like Manila which is the capital of the Philippines. Tacloban is more spread out and is a whole lot quieter. There is also less pollution and traffic which makes going places much quicker. I have noticed different ministries around here as well, such as Samaritans Purse. They are all over the area. I have seen US Aid signs everywhere as well. Not too far away is also a South Korean base for relief efforts. Fun fact: South Korea was the first to respond to Typhoon Yolanda.
Ministry here is also different from Manila. Instead of there being a childrens’ home we minister straight to the local population of children. They come to the Lighthouse, which is owned by Kids International Ministries. It is a large building where we are staying and outside there is a cement soccer field, which doubles as a basketball court. I will be here for the one-year anniversary of Typhoon Yolanda, which devastated the area and killed at least 6,200 people and left another 1,785 registered people missing.
Ministry
Construction- Every day one team has construction. We are building a wall around the Lighthouse for different reasons. The Lighthouse is located within walking distance of the ocean, so it helps against future typhoons. It will also help keep out intruders and thieves.
Prayer boat- One team each day gets to go out on the prayer boat; they pray for the ministry and things on the prayer list and they also fish.
Cooking and cleaning- All day long the team in charge makes sure the house is clean and the meals are prepared on time.
Night watch- One team each night has to stay up through the night to make sure we are safe and nothing gets stolen. Since the wall is still under construction, that team has to walk around the building and make sure there are no intruders. In the past they have gotten car batteries stolen ( very expensive here) they have also lost a fishing boat.
Feedings- We have feedings to help minister and share the gospel as well as feed the public. So we take a van and go 30 minutes or sometimes even further away to a local community. We fill bowls and cups with Lugaw (soup-like meal with oats).
Community outreach- Playing sport with the kids and going out and getting to know the people.
Worship services- we will be hosting worship at a local church and leading lessons.
I have about a month and a half left here in the Philippines, and I am hoping to make the most of it. Thank you again for all of your support and prayers.
