The future is here, now

It's a big time in my life at the moment with lots of plans for my future. Shiela and I have started to plan our wedding and are looking for a good location for the ceremony; we have no fixed date yet but will most likely be Feb 2017. Family and friends are welcome to come... although we cannot provide any transportation or lodgings. I will update you all when we know the date. 

We are also currently searching for a small piece of land to buy, where we can build a simple house to live in when we are married. So things are exciting and pretty busy!

XRM

I now have my own set of wheels here on Palawan – a Honda XRM 125 motorbike. It has made a big difference to my life here and it gives me freedom to move around. 

Before going in to town or anywhere was a slow and difficult journey. I used to be trapped waiting a long time for an overcrowded bus, or squash into the back of small multicabs. Now I no longer have to wait and struggle to squash inside public transport. I will soon have a tricycle side car made for it - see the picture below for what it will eventually look like!

Thank you very much to everyone that gave towards my own transport, I could not have brought the motorbike without your help. That was a part of my life here that I struggled with; that's now changed dramatically. Thank you and God bless.

The bridge is finished!

Our six-month project to build a new 120 metres long walkway through the Badjao stilt village is complete!

The new passageway has been named Tulay Ng Buhay – 'Bridge of Life' – by the grateful local community.

There's a T-section at the end of the walkway, on which will be built our new outreach centre. This will help us become even more effective with the Badjao sea gypsies.

To see lots of pictures, click here

To celebrate we had a party on the bridge and held a special dedication. The finished bridge is four feet wide and contains over 1000 planks and 120 posts. It is sturdy strong and safe. It is the main walkway though the village and will benefit the entire population of 660 people for access to their boats and homes. And there are about 220 people living directly along the new bridge. 

The celebration included dancing with performance from the Badjao people as well as KNA team. Speeches from our team, Badjao leaders and the local government official thanked all involved in the project. It was a great chance to share the gospel to the community, and food and fun followed. 

The Bridge project has been a great way to build relationships within the community, and have a positive effect on their everyday lives. At the end of the new bridge we have made a small jetty area for the boats with a ladder leading down to the sea. This is to make it easier for the coming and going boats – and it's become a favourite swimming area for the kids. 

The bridge is extended beyond the current line of houses to allow room for the Badjao outreach centre we will build there. We are planning activities such as adult and out-of-school learning, medical outreach and teaching of new skills, plus Bible study and worship times. 

Visiting the Badjao is no longer a scary, dangerous balancing act along a shaky old bridge, so patched up with whatever they can find that  it no longer looks like a bridge. It’s now an easy walk down a wide safe walkway that doesn’t move. Now this project is complete it has opened the door to be able to work within the community itself, an exciting time.