Matain After the Storm

Kids playing after the storm


 

Waiting patiently for food

Disaster relief is ongoing in our area after the latest series of storms and flooding. The Sewing Center made some custom tarps for shelter and we distributed more PACTEC tarps so families would find shelter from the rain. Rebuilding continues as it does each time the shanties are blown away. We fed families a healthy meal, and they celebrated the goodness of God and the fact that there are people like YOU who care about them!
This is a resilient community of informal settlers. When storms come they can't fish and many are hungry. They are so poor that when the children graduate elementary school, the families can't afford to send them to high school because of lack of transportation money. Babies are dying at birth (two just last month) and mothers are having postpartum strokes because of a lack of health care.

Receiving tarps that they can use to rebuild their homes

Project Life Subic is in the process of reassessing the needs and potential of this community. We are trying to determine which projects would make a lasting impact. Some of the ideas that are being discussed are building toilets (there are NO toilets in this community), more health education, hosting an alternative learning program for out of school youth, and finding a way to transport some to high school. We also want to provide more vocational training to those fishermen who want more work options.

As the women's and men's groups have grown, the members of the community are finding more peace with their neighbors. They are finding a deeper level of understanding of God's Word.

The men's group are missing Sonny as he is home recovering from the knee fracture, but JR and Jimson (from 12th St!) have stepped up to lead. They were so excited last Sunday to report that 27 fishermen attended the Men's group. JR said the men were all so eager to participate in worship, teaching and discussion!

We are seeing great changes here, please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Feel free to email us with any ideas or help us raise the funds to see these ideas come to fruition. Together, we can make a difference!

Children's Christmas Party

The Children's Christmas Party was a great success! The children's workers planned many fun activities that all the kids enjoyed. They laughed, played games and sang. Some of our youth did face painting and emceed the games. Then each grade level performed a Christmas song or dance. Over 200 kids were fed a delicious, nutritious meal and juice, then they received Christmas gifts.

Thanks to those who provided funding and gifts to make all this possible. The children's smiles could have lit up the entire neighborhood!

Project Life Subic also distributed 200 kg of rice to needy families for Christmas.

Week-long Vacation Bible School on 12th St.!

Project Life held our first VBS on 12th St April 25-29. Fifty five children were enrolled and participated in this well planned event! Cathy and Connie had the help of their trained, volunteer workers. The week's program was capped with a beautiful graduation ceremony attended by parents and other family members. The children dressed in their finest clothes (many wore their school uniforms) and the graduation was held in an orderly fashion (highly unusual behavior here at 12th St.!!), including the march of graduates, awards and picture taking. The theme was "the lost world" a jurrassic park type theme complete with a 6 foot tall dinosaur, courtesy of Church of the Risen Christ!