Greetings from El Nido! What an
exciting first week here in El Nido! God has literally placed my team
in the middle of paradise! It is so beautiful here. We are currently
working with a local ministry called I.C.M. (International Care
Ministries). It is a great organization, they help with poverty and
health in the community as well as creating unity amongst all the
different church’s here. This last week we have been doing
construction on 4 houses that will be used to move family’s out of
the slums into new clean housing that is on the beach…YES
beachfront property for free to family’s…and the view is worth a
billion dollars easy! So although we work hard and sweat all day when
there we have an amazing view to stare at all day and an ocean breeze
to cool us off.
We have also been visiting local pre-schools to pray
over the children and sing songs with them and hang out with the
kids. We met one child that walks 5 hours to class everyday and 5
hours home for his education. Also we got an opportunity to go visit
a High School here as well, and I was asked if I would pray for the
students and the school! I was so excited, because this would have
never happened in the U.S.A. I got to pray at a non christian school
and speak truth and blessings over the entire student body and
faculty.
Another ministry here is doing home visitations to the sick
and for special medical cases. We visited several homes and prayed
with the sick and there families and one of my team mates did
physical therapy training with one of the patients. This week for our
team fun day we decided to go island hopping and see the many islands
that make up El Nido Philippines. All I can say is that we were all
in shock and not at all prepared for the adventure we had together as
a team. The area is covered in beautiful stunning mountains, beaches,
caves, lagoons, and coral reef to snorkel in. all day we traveled to
breath taking view after breath taking view. We even went to a
“secret beach” that you have to swim through a cave to get to
that is also full of coral reef. I got to touch some living coral,
and I even held a clown fish in my hand (like finding nemo) and
touched a blow fish, we also saw flying fish jump out of the water,
and large star fish, I think we saw just about every color of the
rainbow under water when snorkeling. I also was able to conquer my
fear of swimming and ended up swimming and snorkeling without a life
vest after half of the day and it was so cool to feel that
freedom!
Since we have arrived I have been praying for god to
give me his heart for the people of El Nido. And he has been breaking
me more and more each day for his people here. The children are
beautiful and loving. The adults are very curious of us and want to
befriend us all quickly. We have been making friends and building
relationships with store owners and bike drivers, and restaurant
owners all over the beach. The longer we stay here, the more and more
I want to move here and live here!
It has been a great month of learning
more and more about my teammates and growing together in community.
We have started sharing our complete testimony’s with each other
each night and it has been a great place to get real with one another
and learn more about each other…our struggles, our strengths, and
where we praise god in our lives!
I cant wait to see what exciting
adventures God will bring me and my team this week! Please keep me
and my team and prayer as we seek the lord in what he would have us
do to further his kingdom this week in El Nido! Blessings to you all
Love
Ryan
