Mudfish dinner

Jun Jun is proudly holding a Dalag mudfish... soon to become dinner. 

The mudfish come from the muddy wet rice fields – this one was caught when the rice was being harvested. In the dry season the rice fields a completely dry, but after the first heavy rain there are suddenly mudfish in the rice fields again. The locals tell me at the start of the dry season they bury themselves deep in the mud and when there is water in the rice fields again they dig their way up. 

Right now there are loads of them in the rice fields and are easily caught by hand – especially when we're working in the rice fields and they are disturbed.

They are very tasty fish to eat, especially when fried or barbequed, and make a nice addition to the next meal. The kids love catching them and, of course, they end up pretty muddy themselves!

Rice Dance (sort of)

It’s that time again here on Palawan when the rice is being harvested. Once cut, the rice has to be separated from the plant. This is often done with a big thresher machine, but we decided to do it a bit differently this year – and what you see in the picture is the traditional way to thresh the rice, called a Giikan (pronounced ge-ik-an). 

Years ago this would have been a common sight, now it's not done much. We decided to give it a go and let the kids (and all of us) try the traditional way, which is still remembered by a lot of locals. It is a raised platform about seven feet above the ground, made of a wooden frame and bamboo slats with gaps between to allow the rice to fall below. This is to allow airflow, as the wind helps to sort the rice. The rice hull with rice in is heavier and falls straight to the ground bellow. The rice hull without rice inside is lighter and is blown to the side.

The process starts with the rice (still attached to the plant) being lifted up on to the platform. There, the work is done by foot... the rice plant is stamped on, twisted and squashed under and between the feet to separate the rice from the plant. It all looks like some kind of strange dance on a high stage but it is great fun and a good team exercise! The rice is then sieved to remove any other parts of the plant that may have fallen down as well. 

Before it’s ready to cook, it just needs to be dried and ground to remove the rice hull. Then it is ready to be enjoyed by everyone three times a day – because rice is the staple diet here and comes with every meal.

To see more pictures, click here!

A smell of street life

One of my smaller work responsibilities is the Kalakal – recycling rubbish.

Unlike in England there is no government recycling here on Palawan. Instead, rubbish is sorted and suitable materials can then be sold to companies that can use it or sell it on to recycling plants.

This is also the main activity of street kids... begging is illegal here; that doesn’t always stop them but when the police are about they take to the rubbish. 

If ever I am unsure of what can be recycled, I just ask the kids here at the safe home, they are experts because when they were alone on the streets it was the only way they could survive. Nim has told me of how he and other kids would spend all night going through the rubbish so they could eat a small simple meal with rice at a cheap road side canteen. Then finding any kind of shelter to sleep, once they slept under a stage in a park after an event, sleeping on only cardboard. 

Lots of people can be seen going through rubbish during the day but street kids tend to do it at night when they are less likely they will be caught. It is a difficult way to make a little amount of money as the rubbish is not worth very much. It’s a smelly dirty job, but I don’t mind doing it as I get an idea of how difficult life is for those on the streets, especially for the poor kids that a forced into it by desperation. Thanks to God, the kids with us no longer have to live like that.

The bridge: nearly finished

Our building project – a safe walkway through the over-water Badjao village on stilts – is nearly finished!

Badjao men are doing most of the work, with help from our team, under the leadership of Kuya Dong from KNA as project leader. The Badjao guys all live in the village with houses along the bridge. They are incredibly hard-working and want to see the bridge made safe for their community and their families. 

One of guys helping Kuya Joali told me how happy he is it see the bridge replaced, and he is happy to help because he knows it will make life for his son easier and safer. He says when the bridge is complete, it will make it easier to improve his own house and living standard as there will be a safe path to the house. 

The upright posts are stood in the water then sledge-hammered though the layer of mud to rest on the layer of rock bellow. Then they are sawn to the correct length, support braces attached and walk-boards fixed on top. The posts and braces are hidden from above. 

Walking on the new bridge, all you see is a flat platform of walk-boards – much wider than the old bridge and safer as it has no gaps like the old one! We are extending the bridge beyond the length of the old bridge; this is to make space for the KNA centre that we will build there. This however makes it much harder as there is no longer an old bridge that can be used as scaffolding. Instead we are using small boats or floating scaffolding to stand on while putting new posts in place in the deep water. 

It is great working in the village, and all the people are so friendly and grateful. Especially those with children, who were most at risk of falling off the old bridge. It is hard but happy and rewarding work for everyone.

To see more pictures, click here