Hot and Dry

We are in a drought here on Palawan. There has been very little rain in the last four months. December was the last time it properly rained. As you can see in the pic on the left, even the hardy bamboo is struggling and all the grass is brown.                                                                                                              

Most of Puerto only has water for a few hours a day as the water board timeshares the limited water around. Out in the sticks, many don't have water and have to collect it from wells or other water sources. 

Praise the Lord we have water. Our mountain spring-fed water pipe that provides water to the local area continues to provide water.

When water is short you relay understand how important it is and are great-full to have it.

Feeding Hungry Kids

Shiela and I are at the Badjao village weekly for the Feeding program. 

21 of the most in need children from the village receive a cooked lunch at the community centre. First we cook their meal, then there are a few activities when the children arrive. We teach them the importance of personal hygiene, tell Bible stories and songs with actions. Then we eat with the children before tidying up.

Home Grown Coconuts

Here I am husking our own coconuts.

 We are blessed to have 6 of our own Coconut trees. Here I am husking a few to use for cooking. The removed outer layer makes a great slow burning, smokey insect repellent.
A bunch of our Coconuts have sprouted leaves, we will plant these seeds to have even more coconut trees. They call Coconuts tree of life as every part of it has a use. They are great trees to have.

Updated "About me" page

My wonderful wife Shiela and I are living here on the beautiful Island of Palawan in the Philippines. I can speak the local language of Tagalog, which is great and it is a huge help for everyday life, and also sharing and teaching the good news.

Shiela and I have a small house on our plot of land, Our house is a native style light materials house built up on stilts. Life here is simple but happy. I'm a Dorset boy from England now a resident of the Philippines.

We both work for a charity called Kanlungan Ng Ama (KNA), The Father's Refuge.

KNA was started by Duncan and Sara Kellard. I am the Supporting Services Manager, my work is varied and challenging.

The KNA safe home is very close to our house on a farm in a rural part of the island. Kanlungan Farm has animals and grow crops and vegetables. Part of my work is handling the logistics of transport and procurement in everyday life and events. I have many other responsibilities including practical chainsaw work and IT. The children at our safe home have come from difficult backgrounds but are safe now in a secure family environment.

We are also very involved with the Badjao people group. They are a sea gypsy people that that make their living mostly on the sea by fishing or collecting pearls. They are a poor people living in houses built over the tidal flooding mudflats. Shiela and I are there weekly for KNA's feeding program, feeding 22 of the poorest children and other activities.

I now head our ministry to the "Bantay Bata" City Refuge government-run safe home. It's part of the city social services for street kids, orphans or kids removed from unsafe families. We regularly visit them taking our "Home Church" of basic education, fun, games and food. We take and eat a cooked lunch with the 30-plus children. I love visiting them and can see from their faces that they enjoy our time with them.

We'll soon be on our way

Great news… Shiela now has her passport and visa, so we’re on our way to the UK for a holiday – and for Shiela to meet the British side of our family!

We will arrive on May 18 and have over six weeks to meet all our friends and family before leaving on July 1. If you’d like to get together, just send me an email at samdowding@googlemail.com and we’ll arrange it nearer the time.