And then….we have the amazing ministry opportunities off site to serve the locals. William became involved with the Malaybalay Community Prison last year during his Race. Everyday he goes to visit inmates and work through their cases with them. Along with prison ministry there is an IVCF (Intervarsity Christian Fellowship) group that meets at the local college. We are joining to encourage them and assist in running Saturday youth programs for 300 – 500 local kids at our camp site each week. Last but definitely not least there is a local basketball ministry we have recruited our own Racers to form a team and join as an outreach opportunity. God certainly has us busy, but through the first week we are finding our way and falling in love with the friendly Filipino culture.
We have been told several times in the last few days, “Welcome to your favorite month of the Race.” From contacts, from past Racers, from squadmates who have heard various testimonies from others who have worked with the ministry we are partnered with this month, KIM (Kids International Ministries). Team COOL is one of five teams on the P Squad that shipped out to the island of Mindanao in the Philippines the morning of January 29th after a LONG travel path from Johannesburg to Manila. The area we are based in for February is called Malaybalay. We are settled in the mountains among Del Monte banana and pineapple plantations. Jackpot, Jesus.
We are partnered with past World Racer and squad leader, William Miller. William completed his Race this past April and returned to Mount Moriah Camp in Malaybalay six weeks later to serve for KIM. Our main ministry are the 25 children, nine months to thirteen years old, that live on site here at the orphanage. We have shifts of Racers with the babies to three year olds 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and shifts with the children who attend school during the early morning and early evening hours to help them get ready to leave for school, assist with homework, make sure chores are completed, etc. We are all so in parenthood boot camp this month.
While the orphanage is our first ministry priority, our second is working on various projects around the site. A World Race squad was just here last month (we are the fourth squad to serve here at Mount Moriah) so we get the opportunity to come in to projects that have been started by other squads and bring them to completion. Sodding a soccer field, painting a mural, paving a road and building a church on the property are a few of the tasks that have been tossed to us so far.
