Participant Blogs

We all know, whether we’re parents or not, the need for our children to have a safe and secure place to learn, play and just be kids.  We take this for granted and think that a basic need such as this is available everywhere.  On Olango Island, in the Philippines, this is not the case.  But with your support, it can be!

 

    After all our adventures in all the different parts of Indonesia, we had to leave the country for a while, before returning to come to Bali and Lombok. We couldn’t stay in Indonesia, because our Visas were only for 30 days. We were planning on going to Papua New Guinea, but there is currently a lot of unrest there. Tourists have been shot by snipers on the boarder and it sounds like a civil war is about to break out, so we didn’t have peace from God to still go there. We looked for the cheapest flight tickets...

Someone wise (Sam) once explained it to me like this…   “Christianity is a love story . It’s not a 12-step program, it’s not a course that I’m taking. It’s not a puzzle I’m working out. It is a relationship, a love story – a messy, complicated, difficult, beautiful, heart breaking, freeing, healing love story. And I can’t earn it, I can’t control it, I can’t even completely understand it. I can only trust that it is real. And I don’t have to be afraid because He is in control!”   And this was what I discovered to be true through...

The waiter approaches... the waiter hands PJ a tray... on it... 3 envelopes!!!! THE FIRST CHALLENGE! My first thought... CAN THIS REALLY BE HAPPENING?! We were on the ferry on the way back to Manila from Cebu island! What we thought to be a time of rest that was coming up before we fly to Kuala Lumpur, was now South Bound's first challenge!!! At that time i actually just wanted to jump overboard... we were all exhausted! The Philippines was a very busy and intense time! It can be summarised in one word... CRUSADES! 11 crusades in 11 days! The...

I often think of how it would be to explain this year to family and friends when I get back home. I can't wait to show them the pictures and tell tales about the food, people, places and travel. The stories that made us laugh until our bellies ached, like the time the pig on the roof of the taxi peed on me. The times that I almost pulled my hair out with frustration: like bargaining with taxi drivers, and when your host serves supper at 01:00 am (technically, at such a ungodly hour, it is not supper any more,...

  If I were to ask you to think of the most favorite gift you have ever received, what would your answer be? I am sure you have quite a few just like me but if I were to name but one it would be my time in Spain. I was given the immense privilege to not only give a gift but to receive one much greater than I myself could have hoped for.    Our adventure started in Tarifa. A quaint little seaside town overlooking the glorious mountains of Morocco. Coming from a country where Christianity and Bibles are...

Farewell to the Amazonas [video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1XslAdDL0g 480x480]

I love Ephesians 3:17-18: "And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ." Being ROOTED and ESTABLISHED in love. That is so cool to think about. I spent most of my life believing I was not worth being alive. Having felt so much rejection from a mother who chose addiction over her children, a lie was planted in my core. Even after I had been placed in a loving foster family, the devil...

Why are you (me) doing this year????? People still ask the question: "Am I my brothers' keeper?"... (Gen 4:8-9) Are you going to be brave enough to say YES? Levitcus 19:18 clearly tells us to love our neighbour (people) as we do ourselves... but do we? The LORD himself gave these commands! As the body of Christ we need to be more concerned for our brothers and sisters... We are so guilty in that we see the anguish of their souls and do nothing!!!! The book of Acts is a good model of a caring community... "And all who believed...

Hi Everyone After our month in the north of India working at dwarka Orphonage, we made our way to the south of India to catch our plane. After a 50 hour train ride we arived in Chochin and made our way to the closest beach. After a few bus ride and a tuk tuk we arrived at Chirai beach and the Indian Ocean. Me and a few of my team mates couldn't resist and dived straight in. Some were less reluctant after seeing the rivers in India and opted for the sun bathing option but everybody enjoyed the relaxing atmosfere. The south of...