Silliman University Church

The group went to Silliman Church on Sunday, where Evans preached and the group met with leaders of Habitat, the church, ministers of the church and the president and his wife of Silliman University. The church was founded in 1901 along with the university with ten thousand dollars to be a technical school, and is now part of a larger campus that includes medical facility, divinity school, nursing facility, social work, business and a whole lot more. We hope to form a stronger and lasting partnership with the church, particularly in the areas of prayer, book distribution, sharing of resources, utilizing university contacts and keeping in touch. We were invited to the president's house on Friday and Evans will meet with Cobbie Palm, the PCUSA missionary representative here in the Philippines and based in Dumaguete, to talk further about the relationship.

Dentists at Work!

Bob and Kathy are hard at work pulling teeth!

Rehabilitation or "Prison" Visit

Hank, John and Evans visited the provincial prison today. The pictures here show the prison and how open the grounds are where inmates roam free. Inmates are allowed out of their cells at 6 am and free to eat, work, play all within grounds until 5pm. The men sleep on wall to wall bunk beds with no mattress, the women on beds with mattress side by side on separate beds.  

They are called not prisoners but boarders by the prison guards and volunteers. Many are here 5-7 years waiting for a hearing, with most being acquitted or already serving their time. There is a Need for books, bookshelves, games, Weights? Anything for families: clothes, shoes, books, school supplies, Tools and equipment. There is a literacy 

program, too. 

We met some great pastors involved with Silliman and the Provincial Rehabilitation Council, and hope to partner with them to meet some of these needs. 

Rehabilitation "Prison" Visit

Hank, John and Evans visited the provincial prison today. The picture here show how open the grounds are. Inmates are allowed out of their cells at 6 am and free to roam the grounds until 5pm. The men sleep on wall to wall bunk beds with no mattress, the women on beds with mattress side by side on separate beds.

They are called not prisoners but boarders.

5-7 years waiting for hearing
Need books, bookshelves, games,
Weights?
Anything for families: clothes, shoes, books, school supplies
Tools and equipment
Literacy program

Bert will be contact through Silliman
Ben will be a facilitator, especially
They will take pictures, report back: Callum will help coordinate, but he is not present. Bert can do feedback.

Many churches work together. Have a council.
PRC - Provincial Rehabilitation Council
Issue: elections in May

--
Rev. Evans McGowan
Sent from my iPhone

Dirt

Today, I (Evans) joined in on the digging of the septic tank behind the community center we are building. I'm told its going to be 6 feet deep, as tall as I am!  

As we were digging and talking, I couldn't help telling the locals that Adam comes from the Hebrew word, adamah, which means ground or soil. Essentially, we are dirt people, I said. So what makes us different from dirt?  One said nothing; the others couldn't tell me or didn't understand the question, but when I said it was God's breath in us that makes us different, they understood. I then said that we should still treat the earth with respect, as life comes from the soil (pointing to the trees and plants all around us).  

It's fun to combine manual labor, or what Jeff called "good honest work," with ministry!

Evans 

Sent from my iPhone

Traffic and Transportation

Here are some photos to give you a sense of the traffic here in Dumaguete!

Children

There is a day care center right next to the community center we are building. Here are some pictures of the children, who we often see during our breaks!