Working Together

We're getting closer to rebuilding a safe main walkway through the village of the Badjao people, built on stilts over the sea at nearby Puerto Princessa. 

A group of Badjao regularly come to the farm to help with the huge amount of work in turning trees into cut planks and posts. Dong and I are busy everyday felling, chopping and slicing trees into planks and posts, but it is a lot of work. Things speed up when the Badjao come and help with the heavy work and I enjoy seeing how everyone works together and the area becoming a hive of activity.

Leftover posts and offcut slabs are very useful to use here on the farm, as well as smaller branches which we can use as cooking wood. Leaves go to the compost. We also collect up the sawdust which will be used for growing edible mushrooms. Larger logs that cannot be used are kept to one side and can be used to make charcoal... none of the wood is wasted!

Around 1,000 planks of various sizes are need to become walkboards and braces for the bridge. Bark has been removed from more than 100 posts and finally all the finished wood is treated before it is ready for use on the bridge. It is a massive project to help the Badjao people and it is great that we can work together on it.

Lots has been completed over the last couple of months and I have finished all the felling and chopping of the trees and most of the slicing, but it will take another one or two months to get everything ready to be moved to their village in one go in several large trucks.

To see lots more pictures, click here

Lock-up... to fun swimming day!

It was a special day for kids from the city refuge when we gave them a fun day out at a local swimming pool. 

This is another part of our ministry here on Palawan – regular activities for the kids from the Bantay Bata, the City Refuge where the government locks up street kids when they get caught. Or they may be orphans... or been abandoned or given up by families that can’t cope... or they have been removed from abusive families. 

It is a sad place – every one of the rejected kids is there because of some terrible past, a range of horrible reasons that led to them being at the Bantay Bata. Each rejected, neglected, abandoned or abused. While at the centre they are always locked in, because some will try to return to the streets, although for others it's to keep abusive families locked out and them kept safe. Either way, it's hard for the kids to have no freedom and always be kept indoors. 

The staff there do their best and are good, but are understaffed to handle what is normally about 30 kids. KNA works with the Bantay Bata with a weekly outreach visit and most of our kids here at the farm have come from there. 

I have been busy recently with the Badjao side of the ministry and can’t get there every week, but Shiela is on the team that goes in every week to do activities. From time-to-time we have a special day out for the kids like this one at the swimming pool, before that they have been here at the farm or we've taken them to a beach. 

It was wonderful to see them so happy enjoying swimming. On top of that we organised lots of games, activities and party nosh to give them a day full of fun and good food. It was a great day for everyone and I loved being a part of it.

This is my work

It's a very busy here at KNA – Kanlungan Ng Ama (The Father’s Shelter) on Palawan. We've had loads of events and outreaches and it's been school summer holidays, so I've been busy doing lots with the kids.

I help with organizing and planning events as well as everyday needs. I am part of the small management team here, with the official title of transport and procurement manager. In that role I handle logistics of everyday life and events, but I have other responsibilities including practical, physical work, and I am one of the house parents caring for the kids. 

We are coming to the end of the hot season and the last few months have been very hot and dry. We are fortunate to be close to the mountains and have a continuous water supply, despite long periods of no rain. The stream that runs through the farm has clean cool water and the kids love to swim and play there as often as possible. 

A busy time but very happy. I love being a part of this work, living at the Children’s safe home and being involved in all the parts of the ministry here.

Camp KNA

Lots of fun and games at our Camp on the Beach, where in the tropical heat it's not cold to jump in the sea!

It's been school holidays here in the Philippine – and we've been busy with plenty of activities to keep the kids busy and happy! Some of the older ones joined clubs for swimming and dancing lessons and there has been other activities for the others, but the main event was a three-day camp by the sea. 

We were able to use a large pavilion right on the beach. It was in an area called Tag Kawayan – not far from the farm – but to get there means travelling on a rough difficult road, on the far side of the island from the main highway. But it's a beautiful big sandy beach with clean, clear, cool ocean... and there is nobody else there. The pavilion was built to attract people to the area, but with the road not yet made it is pretty deserted.

It made a great place to have our camp. There were lots of games and sports for the kids, and of course loads of swimming time. Some of the boys made a long line with lots of hooks and were very successful in catching fish – which made a nice fresh dinner. There was also beach walks, volleyball and different kinds of games, plus times of home church and talent nights in the evenings. It was a very enjoyable time for us all and a highlight of the school holidays. And a delight to spend time in such a beautiful place.