their stories must be told...

How nice it is to be finally back in Puerto... In the last 5 days, I have spent over 30 hours travelling to the different communities. We've flown in a 19-seater plane, sailed in a bumboat, ridden in the back of a dump truck and squeezed in a bus like sardines in a can. These roads weren't easy, and there are many who would not be willing to tread these dirt roads. I myself confess that there is some reluctance in me to repeat the journey, but so often, we sing about how we would be willing to go to the ends of the earth to reach God's people. And if we're going to go to the ends of the earth, we've got to get there somehow.

The funny thing is, just over a year ago, I'd have to be dragged onto that little plane. My fear of flying is no secret. But then when you're doing it for God, it's a funny thing, he gives you the courage to face it.

Coron is a place of poetic beauty and romanticism, where you find your imagination captive to the beauty of nature. The famous lakes, mountains, hot springs and reefs of Coron have attracted many tourists to its beautiful shores. But beneath this glorious facade lies another story, well-hidden from its visitors. As we took the boat to the community, our companions took the time to point out the island resorts on our way there. Yet on nearby shores there are communities plagued by diarrhoea and malaria. Everyday is a struggle to survive. In one community, there was a child not 2 years of age suffering from diarrhoea. Diarrhoea? So what? What a minor ailment it would seem to us. But how my tune should change on learning that the polluted water source and lack of medical supplies or facilities would not afford him more than 2 days to live. Herein lies a land screaming out for help, especially medical help, but their cries are quickly dissipated by the waves, and drowned out by the laughter of happy tourists on neighbouring shores.

This is but one sad tale in the multitude. As we carried on with our work, we found another community who had to be relocated because their island had been purchased by a foreigner to make way for 'greater developments', in this case, a casino. But relocating a community has never been easy, and promises not always fulfilled. As I look at the children playing nearby, I cannot help but sigh. Who will tell them that their future is full of uncertainty? Who will tell them that their home, land and livelihood will be lost to make way for this greedy enterprise?
There are many more stories to be told, not uncommon at all. The last leg of our journey back to Puerto is a 14-hour ferry ride – which gives me much time to reflect and dream. Despite having visited the beautiful Makinit hot spring and Kayangan lake, it is not these places which hold my thoughts. I remember the people I have met and leave behind, each with a story to tell. Maybe a story of woe, of joy, of pain, of laughter too, but each one a story of tenacity and courage.

the last frontier

Having travelled so much on my own, perhaps it would take much to ruffle me. Yet I find that my human nature is still prone to its fits of flurry and panic. I find also that I am often alone in my school of thought, although I admit that this is of little consequence to me. I am referring to the human inclindation of travelling in numbers. Of course, there are advantages of travelling in groups, but panic also tends to multiply in greater numbers. Not only that, it has a tendency to bring on a wave of 'what if's' and 'should have's'. I admit that in my solitary travel, there are moments of weakness where I have much desired a companion, especially to share the responsibilities of travel. However, there is also solace to be found. I find that I tend to rely more on God than on the flesh. It becomes easier to draw on the peace and strength that God has given me. Eventually when the sandstorm subsides, I always have ample time to screw my head back on.

Sometimes others think I have been on 'more than my fair share' of mission trips - at my age no less. Do I deny it? Indeed not! I have been strangely blessed. My age is no limitation to God, He will use me anyway. But I have come to find that God's ministry is like a drug, you can't get enough of it and you want more each time. So what do I mean by 'strangely blessed'? It is the most befitting term for the peculiar way all my trips have begun - things lost, flights delayed and all sorts. But this is just God's way of reminding me that his favour is upon me.

I've just completed the Condensed World Mission Course, and it's been nothing short of amazing. It is so refreshing to find that the dreams you have are nothing new, that there are so many others who have already gone before me. I've found difficulty putting this passion into words, but I found this beautiful article called 'apostolic passion' by Peter McClung, director of YWAM, which describes my exact sentiments, down to the very last letter.

"Apostolic passion, therefore, is a deliberate, intentional choice to live for the worship of Jesus in the nations. It has to do with being committed to the point of death to spreading his glory It's the quality of those who are on fire for Jesus, who dream of the whole earth being covered with the glory of the Lord... If you have apostolic passion, you are one of the most dangerous people on the planet. The world no longer rules your heart. You are no longer seduced by getting and gaining, but devoted to spreading and proclaiming the glory of God in the nations. You live as a pilgrim, unattached to the cares of this world. You are not afraid of loss. You even dare to believe you may be given the privilege of dying to spread his fame on the earth. The Father's passions have become your passions. You find your satisfaction and significance in him. You believe He is with you always, to the end of life itself. You are sold out to God, and live for the Lamb. Satan fears you, and the angels applaud you. Your greatest dream is that His name will be praised in languages never before heard in heaven. Your reward is the look of pure delight you anticipate seeing in His eyes when you lay at his feet the just reward of His suffering: the worship of the redeemed."

Oh I could go on and on about it, but when you have such excitement burning in your heart, could you possibly keep from imagining that someday God might consider you worthy to share in the crown of life? Impossible! I have no desire to be a renegade, a hero, a rebel or anything of the sort. I just want to answer this calling that I have been given. Now I know what it feels like to be a burning coal in the bonfire. And there is no other feeling in the world quite like it. Here there are so many who burn even more brightly than I do, and their fire only seeks to fuel mine. How wonderful it is indeed!

Palawan is well known as 'the last frontier' in the Philippines. Exactly so. Here we are learning about how we need to go to the unreached nations, to be tentmakers, to the very last frontier. There are still thousands of people groups still unreached all over the world today. I am not the first to go, nor will I be the last. But go we must, and go we will.

too young to know...

It's been about 6 weeks since my last post just because I've been too busy to write anything since the exams... These 6 weeks have been such a whirlwind... I've had my exams, passed them by God's grace and also had a wonderful SSC in ophthalmology... My career path still seems somewhat undecided - a hard fight between geriatrics and ophthalmology... perhaps someday soon I won't find myself so torn between the two. I've missed writing entries in my blog, but my time has not been my own and I've been much too busy writing articles to do anything else... The last time I'd worked so hard was probably my A levels... :) Nonetheless, it's been an exciting journey and I have learnt so much. I've had my dream hospital attachment as I'd wanted, and made beautiful friends... Sadly, that journey has to be put on hold for now and I will continue in Philippines where I left off the last time. I don't know what tomorrow will bring, or even the next 6 weeks... nor do I know where I will be going... I just know that as always, the next day will be better than the next! :)

For the past few weeks, my mind has been wandering back to thoughts of the movie 'Amazing grace'... There are two quotes which continuously linger my mind... the first of which is 'we are too young to realise that certain things are impossible for us.' said by Pitt the younger (in the movie). I find that it is indeed a beautiful sentiment, somewhat contrary to what the world has always taught us. The other quote which has been haunting me was said by John Newton, 'my memory fails but two things I remember - I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Savior.' How I pray that when my dementia finally sets in, that these are the truths that will remain with me.

Tomorrow I will fly to Palawan and I am excited to see my friends again, to once again share the dreams and thoughts which caught our passion, to serve those who are in need, to discover more of who I am and who I can become, and of course, to ride a carabao and eat balut!