Our latest Sunday

Cebu – Philippines

Well we have been moored at the port of Cebu since Thursday. Cebu is the main city of Cebu Island where they speak their own language. The island is an idyllic holiday location in parts but poverty is round the corner in many places.

Let me describe the reception we received at the port – the ship sailed 2 days to reach the port having left Manila on Tuesday. A line up team goes to a port some 3 – 6 months in advance of the ship’s visit – this is to gain necessary permissions – link up with locals and generally get the whole thing together. On the day of arrival local churches will often prepare a welcome – the ship appears over the horizon from the port and the crew hang over the decks with all their national flags. This ship has been to Cebu 4 times previously over the last 20+ years and many folk were expectant about its arrival.

We got a big welcome in Cebu – a drum band, classical orchestra and worship band all were on the quayside with banners and dancing from local kids and a cultural group. The ship was involved in establishing a ministry among street kids last visit and about 30 from the day-care centre danced for the ship. It was all quite moving – a family from the ship came from the city so there was a big banner welcoming them and their family alongside. A local Pastor addressed us all over the tannoy and the worship band did their thing!

I had to break off in the middle to start getting the book exhibition ready – I am detailed to work there for the next few weeks – you work on shifts (in uniform). The book-ex (jargon) caries 6000 titles and sells great titles at huge knockdown prices. The split is 50-50 secular spiritual and gives the local population for miles around access to literature at an accessible price – westerners just take this for granted.

It takes a full day to prepare for the visitors the shelves need replenishing – vast quantities need to be retrieved from the hold – the lift is 90 years old – a lot is basic manhandling. I am hugely impressed at the young 20 somethings who run it all with military precision often working 10 hour shifts. Clear up and replenishment sometimes goes on ‘til 2-3am to v=be ready for the next day.

The books are really good and great value – the marriage section has loads of titles we have never seen and it is really excellent. There are cookery books – kid’s books – Christian living titles – devotionals – atlases – history – classics – just masses.

So we do a big opening with dignitaries – First time in the Philippines it was President Marcos who opened the exhibit – people dress in national costumes – there are 54 nationalities on board at present. There is a grand opening function – then the invitees hit the book-ex. Of course all the time we are looking to engage with folk and share what makes a group of folk like us want to live together in a metal box that floats.

The main exhibition opened on Friday with a bang – 12000 people came through the exhibition – that is a lot of people. This port 10000 school kids are scheduled to come through – there is programmes for them and pastors and all sorts of groups – teaching and fun and tours etc. So all the kids at this port will get a clear Good News presentation.

On Sunday I joined a team to preach at a local church in Talisay City. It was a real honour; I went with a Malaysian girl, a South African grandmother and an American. I preached in the main service and they did a kids programme. The church runs a programme feeding local kids on the dump site – we went with them to run fun games and a presentation for the kids. After the presentation the kids are fed a meal which is their only regular meal. Other food they have to work the dump for which I can assure you is a shocking existence. Their families live there and the church project has an amazing impact on their lives.

They were great kids – bright excited and excitable! Just hungry, not the scrawny bloated belly African near death hunger but hungry enough for huge excitement around a pot of stuff I would have died eating.

It all affects you – the Pastor explained a local businessmen supplies 4 chickens a week and a bag of rice a month and that’s how they afford it – 4 chickens £12 x 52 – 12 x £5 = £700 per year approx to make a huge difference to a whole little community. The amazing part of being involved – is when we go – they know someone cares about them – maybe its less practical than the local Pastor – it really carries some clout though.

Compassion has some 24 centres on the island where children from poor homes are supported by monthly western donations – turns out the little girl we have been supporting for 8 years is on this island – so we are going to see if we can find her….This church runs the scheme and it is quite something to see the kids that actually benefit – clean, clothed, healthy and every bit as happy as a child should be at that age.

Well this is enough for now – today I (Keith) had the experience of helping the team unload a 40ft container of books – we have 2 at this port – some 30+ pallets of books after the crane lifts them to the deck each box has to manhandled to storage – I am wrecked and sunburnt!