My First Week in Calapan

Dear brother & sisters, friends and family,

Greeting from Agnes again! Writing from Calapan, Mindoro Island.

Time flies by, it is now 1 week in Calapan. Thanks for the praying and all well wishes, the trip from Manila to Calapan (about 5hrs) was very smooth and safe!

Bonbon, the mission home in Calapan is very nice. Especially the sea view, it is absolutely wonderful! The mission home is built on top of the small hill, so we can see the boats coming and going and also sunset and sun rise (if i wake up early enough!). Very quite environment and the mission home manager (a Scottish couple) are absolutely lovely persons. They spoiled me v much there with good accompany and good food! :)

My first night in Calapan experined a big lighting and thunders --- it was so loud as if all electricity was going to be off and black out! Luckily... it wasn't..but certainly it was a experience of the nature!

On my 3rd night,i was staying alone in the small house of the mission home as other were away or not around. I have a simple single room there. But... thinking of staying alone and all the "nature" might happen plus the "friendly" creatures ....e.g. lizids, mosquitos,.. frogs... hahahh... it did take more than a courage to stay there by myself....! But thank God, it did had a good night sleep and now... i take it as a priviliage that i'm "living" a whole small home myself!


I've visited the local community already and host families... they are all very friendly and kind. The city itself is easy to get to and it is just like a town. You can easily walk to town in 15mins and other families in walking distance.

Most of the urban poor families live along the costal line/ beach... their home are v simple... sometime, when the rain is a bit more heavy... rain might go thru their "roof"!
The children there are very cute and kind too. :) They always thought i'm a Filippino and speke to me in Tagalog.... but of course... i can only speak v little Tagalog at the monment BUT... they are all very GOOD techers to me!! The children taught me simple word and even CORRECT my pronuciation!!!! haahh... it is fun!

It is really a privilage to visit them and spend time with the local families. Their simply living but yet strong faith in Christ really make me humble. Most of them do struggle with getting food enough to feed whole family. Especially, if one of the family member get sick/ill and need medications... it will certainly put the whole family in financial strain.... At most, their daily wage is about200-300 pesos (GBP 1 = 90 pesos; HK$1 = 5.6 pesos)... so you can understand how much they can earn (if they do get a job) per day and ususally, only 1 person get the earning but need to feed a family of 5 or even more!!!!! Therefore, by their standard, we - (those from West and developed countries) ARE all rich by default. One meal we spend back home could be their monthly weges!!!
So... i do thank God for this experience i had and be able to part of them to understand more... and yet, when i spend time with them, they always thank God for all provision, whether it is just noodle or rice with nothing else.

So... coming Tueday will be my 1st Tagalog lesson with my language teacher. And Wed-Sat i'll be staying with a host family. She is my language teacher's home. I will be joining her family of 10. :)

Pray that i'll be a good witness to her family and be their blessings.
Pray for protection from evil and illness
Pray for wisdom and grace when start learning new language


Miss you all... for those from CCiL, i pray that you'll all have a good Mission Conference this year! I know it is a good one, so don't miss it! :) The local team in Calapan is praying for the Mission Conference too!!!! :)

Speak soon.. and take care!


God bless,
agnes