Scattered across the globe,
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Adventist World
Aviation has mission outposts
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strategically
placed in rural locations.
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Often, aviation is the only way
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to reach these remote villages,
tucked away within jungles,
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or scattered
along rural tundras.
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AWA connects the
inhabitants of these villages
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with the care that they
need by employing aircraft.
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Traveling great distances,
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AWA missionaries
become a lifeline
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to those who are in dire need.
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Adventist World Aviation
is dedicated to saving people
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both physically and eternally.
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With aviation,
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AWA can reach those
off the beaten track
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and share the love of Jesus
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to the seemingly
unreachable of this world.
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One of AWA's mission bases
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is located in the Philippines
on the island of Palawan.
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This mission aviation
based was established in 2005.
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The base is centrally located,
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enabling missionaries
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to reach outlying
areas with aircraft.
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The Philippine
Islands are comprised
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of over 7000 islands.
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Some of these small
islands are isolated
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because boats cannot
make the dangerous journey
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to reach them
during typhoon seasons.
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Journeys that
would take a week by boat
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can be traveled in
just a few hours time
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with AWA aircraft.
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For this reason,
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AWA was established here
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to be able to support
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the smaller outlying
islands with aviation,
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and help carry aid supplies
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and pastors to
these remote islands.
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The history of this project
has not been a smooth one.
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A couple years ago,
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this project
suffered some major setbacks
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has been sitting
vacant ever since.
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The LaBore Family
have been missionaries
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with Adventist World Aviation,
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serving in Guyana since 2005.
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When the LaBores heard
of the needs of this project
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in the Philippines,
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they prayerfully made
the decision to relocate
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from their
mission field in Guyana
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to this project
in the Philippines
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and in effort to revive
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this much
needed aviation outfit.
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Our family started
as missionaries in 2005,
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we went to
Guyana, South America.
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And we spent over
nine and a half years there
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setting up a
mission aviation program.
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And we flew over 7,000 people
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in our airplanes,
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affected a lot
of lives down there.
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It was a great work.
We really enjoyed it.
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God, it was a blessing
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and everything
that we did there.
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And it's amazing,
really, that we did,
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it was by His grace alone.
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And when we saw
the Philippines project
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having some
trouble a few years back,
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I talked to the
Pastor Rick Swaningson,
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just mentioning that I
would love to come down
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and just see what I could
do to help get it back on track
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and he thought
that was a great idea.
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You know, and I
felt the experience
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that we gained in
Guyana would apply here
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and we'd be able to
really put some knowledge
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into how we might set
up a good program here.
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And now that I'm here,
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I feel even more encouraged
that we're on the right track.
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This is really
what God wants us to do.
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And we know that we're gonna see
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some amazing things
happen in His timing
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where we have to be patient,
but I know that He has a plan.
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And I expect that
will be gradually revealed
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as we progress in this project.
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So we're pretty
excited about it.
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When the LaBores
transitioned here from Guyana,
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they left the Guyana project
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in very capable hands
of other AWA missionaries,
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Bill, Laura and their family
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are now ready to
embark on a new adventure
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of raising a
project from the ground
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and with God's blessings,
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transform it into a very
busy and active aviation base.
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We're just really
excited to be here.
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We've been
waiting for several years
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to make the transition
from Guyana to the Philippines,
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we saw such a need here.
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Our teammates are doing
wonderful work in Guyana.
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So we're really
happy about that.
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And we're just
excited to be here in Palawan
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and to pick up the project
and take it to new levels.
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The idea that, you know, we
might be able to be involved
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in some small way
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of really bringing
this thing to fruition
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or maybe to the plan that
God originally had for it.
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It is emotional
and it's, I think,
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there's no better place to
be than the center of God's will
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and when you know
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that this is
where God wants you,
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there's a sense of connection
you feel with the Lord
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and that to me it means a lot.
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I just...
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That's why I'm a missionary
to be honest with you.
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I just like that...
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I like to see God work,
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I like to be in situations
where I know I can't do it,
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but God's gonna
have to work and do it,
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and I can see Him
do things that just,
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you just don't get
to see back home often.
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Reviving a project does not come
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without its challenges.
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One of the first
things that LaBores must do
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when they arrive
in the Philippines
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is to find a place to live.
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In essence,
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it's almost as if
they were starting
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the project from scratch.
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When they arrived,
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the LaBores had no
house in waiting for them.
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They arrived knowing
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that they would
need to construct a house
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on the AWA property
which currently lies vacant.
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Making the best
of the situation,
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the LaBores pitched a
couple of tents to live in.
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One for Bill and Laura
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and the other for
their two children,
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Danny and Micah.
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This is their
living accommodations
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for the next couple of months
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until a new
mission house is built.
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Here in Sapangan,
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we are starting
out with square one.
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We are building a house.
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As right now we
have nowhere to stay.
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We're staying in a tent.
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We're living out of a
tent is kind of interesting.
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I mean, you know,
we've done it a lot
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and we've been camping.
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This is the first time
I've actually had to live
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out of a tent
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where I have to work in there.
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That's where I
do my computer work
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and my correspondence
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and, you know, all
that kind of thing.
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It's exciting.
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I think it's motivating.
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I don't mind having to deal
with living in a tent knowing
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that things are going
to change in the future
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and the work we're doing now
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will be a long-lasting
legacy that we can leave here.
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And efforts to help
the LaBores transition
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into more
permanent living conditions,
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Jud Wickwire,
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Vice President of Operations
for Adventist World Aviation
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has arranged for multiple
teams to travel to Palawan
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to build a missionary house
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on a vacant
piece of AWA property.
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This land will be
the new mission base
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and will have on
it missionary housing,
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an airstrip,
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a hangar for the
aircraft and farmland.
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So the mission house
that we're building here
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is for Bill and Laura LaBore.
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They are,
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Bill is the project manager here
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and Laura is the
pilot for this project.
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We know the LaBores very well,
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and our family worked with them
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in Guyana for five
years side by side so we're,
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of course, we're
very good friends
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and we just are so excited
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to be able to help
them get established here
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with a home to be
able to work out of
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and to launch,
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re-launch this work
here in the Philippines.
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And a huge step forward
with getting the airstrip done.
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A place for them to live.
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A construction crew
from the United States
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volunteered to
oversee the building project.
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They were the first to
arrive before the other teams
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to begin laying the groundwork
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for the construction
of the mission home.
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Before
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the other
volunteer teams arrive,
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this professional
construction group
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needs to prepare
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and make sure
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they have the framework in place
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before the others arrive.
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The team of professionals
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has dedicated
their personal time
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and finances
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to traveling
from the United States
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to make sure that the LaBores
do not have to live in tents
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for very long.
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I'm Jud Wickwire,
I'm the Vice President
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of Operations of
Adventist World Aviation.
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Right now we're in
Barangay, Sapangan,
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which is the location
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of the Adventist
World Aviation airbase
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in the Philippines.
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And we just have
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a really exciting
event happening right now,
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we're building a mission house
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for the mission pilot
project manager family.
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And we have two
groups of students here
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on two
back-to-back mission trips,
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to construct the house
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along with a
number of other volunteers
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to get the concrete work done
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and that sort of thing,
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but it's just been
an amazing experience
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for everyone.
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To encourage
the mission mindset,
00:09:21.42\00:09:23.63
Jud Wickwire has arranged
two separate mission trips
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of high school students
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who will be involved in
the construction project.
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And, of course, the
mission trip for youth
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is far more than just coming
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and building
something for someone.
00:09:34.97\00:09:36.50
It's also a rich spiritual,
00:09:36.54\00:09:40.28
cultural experience for them
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and we want to make that
00:09:42.28\00:09:43.61
as abundant as possible for them
00:09:43.65\00:09:45.25
and a growth that they
can take back home with them
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for years to come.
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The thing about
these mission projects
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is these young
people are getting a chance
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to do something with their hands
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that is gonna impact
God's kingdom and they,
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I believe, often receive
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the seed of
missions in their heart.
00:10:01.70\00:10:03.70
When they see this happen,
00:10:03.73\00:10:05.07
I would not be surprised
00:10:05.10\00:10:06.43
if many of them come
back to be missionaries.
00:10:06.47\00:10:09.24
You know, maybe not here
but other areas of the country
00:10:09.27\00:10:11.97
because of the
experiences they have here,
00:10:12.01\00:10:13.41
so it's pretty cool.
00:10:13.44\00:10:14.78
The first team of
students to arrive
00:10:14.81\00:10:16.88
is from the
Okanagan Adventist Academy
00:10:16.91\00:10:19.18
in Kelowna, Canada.
00:10:19.21\00:10:21.25
This group of
students will arrive
00:10:21.28\00:10:23.25
to help construct the
walls and framework of the home.
00:10:23.28\00:10:27.06
The students might not have
all the knowledge and skills
00:10:27.09\00:10:29.82
that they need
to construct a home,
00:10:29.86\00:10:31.99
but they arrive with
willing and eager hearts.
00:10:32.03\00:10:35.60
The primary work for them
00:10:35.63\00:10:37.17
will to be assist the
skilled construction crew
00:10:37.20\00:10:40.30
and help them lay
cement, block, and mix cement
00:10:40.34\00:10:45.17
for the
advancement of the project.
00:10:45.21\00:10:48.31
When we arrived
here, the construction was,
00:10:48.34\00:10:51.98
it was just bare bones,
00:10:52.01\00:10:53.35
there were just
pillars and a foundation laid,
00:10:53.38\00:10:56.52
just kind of
basically showing us
00:10:56.55\00:10:58.25
the outline of
what would be the house.
00:10:58.29\00:11:00.32
On the first day all
the kids went out there
00:11:00.36\00:11:02.59
and every hand was busy.
00:11:02.62\00:11:06.39
But it quickly became apparent
00:11:06.43\00:11:07.96
that it would be a lot of work.
00:11:08.00\00:11:09.76
At first, it was
a little daunting
00:11:09.80\00:11:11.13
because it was a bunch of
tasks I hadn't done before.
00:11:11.17\00:11:14.47
But the guys on the
job were really helpful.
00:11:14.50\00:11:16.97
And I learned how
to work with cement
00:11:17.01\00:11:19.27
and I ended up
laying some block,
00:11:19.31\00:11:21.94
which was really
heavy, but it's really cool.
00:11:21.98\00:11:24.91
So I built a couple of walls.
00:11:24.95\00:11:27.22
So we got the
foundation finished
00:11:27.25\00:11:28.98
by the time the
academy groups arrived.
00:11:29.02\00:11:31.15
And the first one came,
we're so happy to have them,
00:11:31.19\00:11:33.92
have more helping hands.
00:11:33.96\00:11:35.42
And they helped lay
more block, mix more cement,
00:11:35.46\00:11:38.69
and we quickly
built up the walls.
00:11:38.73\00:11:41.76
So God has provided
just so many resources
00:11:41.80\00:11:43.80
to make this possible.
00:11:43.83\00:11:45.17
And it's come together
as only God could plan.
00:11:45.20\00:11:49.14
Travis and Michelle
Maloney came in advance
00:11:49.17\00:11:51.71
and began the
groundwork for the construction,
00:11:51.74\00:11:54.34
got the
construction far enough along
00:11:54.38\00:11:56.31
that when the students arrived,
00:11:56.34\00:11:57.68
they all had so many
tasks that they could complete
00:11:57.71\00:12:01.78
and activities
00:12:01.82\00:12:03.15
that they could
really sink their teeth into
00:12:03.18\00:12:05.05
and work hard mixing
cement and laying block.
00:12:05.09\00:12:07.56
Just speaking
from my own experience,
00:12:07.59\00:12:09.69
and I learned to lay blocks
on mission trips years ago.
00:12:09.72\00:12:14.20
And it's a skill
00:12:14.23\00:12:16.03
that I don't
necessarily excel at
00:12:16.06\00:12:17.70
but I can, I can do that.
00:12:17.73\00:12:19.33
And the only
reason I'm able to do that
00:12:19.37\00:12:21.24
is because a
leader on a mission trip
00:12:21.27\00:12:23.51
when I was younger took the time
00:12:23.54\00:12:25.54
to show me how to do that.
00:12:25.57\00:12:28.14
And so, in this case
now with these young people,
00:12:28.18\00:12:32.48
the experienced
construction people
00:12:32.51\00:12:34.18
are taking the time
00:12:34.22\00:12:35.55
to show them how to
do some of these tasks.
00:12:35.58\00:12:36.99
We know,
00:12:37.02\00:12:38.35
they're not going
to be experts at them,
00:12:38.39\00:12:39.72
but at least they
can have the exposure
00:12:39.75\00:12:41.72
to some skills that
maybe they didn't know
00:12:41.76\00:12:43.26
that they can do and hopefully,
00:12:43.29\00:12:45.33
they can apply that in something
00:12:45.36\00:12:47.20
that they do in future.
00:12:47.23\00:12:48.56
The work that
awaits the students
00:12:48.60\00:12:50.07
is not an easy one.
00:12:50.10\00:12:51.47
Working outside in
the hot Palawan sun
00:12:51.50\00:12:54.40
in the dusty
field is exhausting.
00:12:54.44\00:12:57.37
When the students arrive,
they met the challenge head on.
00:12:57.41\00:13:01.44
Each student
excitedly takes a job
00:13:01.48\00:13:04.58
and faces the hard labor
00:13:04.61\00:13:06.88
that comes with
working on a construction site.
00:13:06.92\00:13:09.78
This type of work
is very new experience
00:13:09.82\00:13:12.55
for most of these students.
00:13:12.59\00:13:14.62
So we first got here,
00:13:14.66\00:13:15.99
it was definitely
very flat and very, like,
00:13:16.02\00:13:20.40
looked like
there's a lot of work
00:13:20.43\00:13:21.96
to be done.
00:13:22.00\00:13:23.33
But everybody
was sure what to do
00:13:23.37\00:13:25.50
and we picked up
on it pretty quickly,
00:13:25.53\00:13:27.64
I'd have to say.
00:13:27.67\00:13:29.00
And so we all
just got to our jobs
00:13:29.04\00:13:30.37
and got to work
00:13:30.41\00:13:31.74
and there are
people mixing cement,
00:13:31.77\00:13:33.11
there are people laying block.
00:13:33.14\00:13:34.48
And there are
people scooping the mud
00:13:34.51\00:13:35.84
for the people laying block.
00:13:35.88\00:13:37.21
I think that
everybody came together
00:13:37.25\00:13:38.58
really nicely
00:13:38.61\00:13:39.95
and worked as a team
00:13:39.98\00:13:41.32
to get the house
to where it is today.
00:13:41.35\00:13:42.68
So when we first got here,
we walked over to the job site,
00:13:42.72\00:13:47.46
where there is just a
few pillars of cement,
00:13:47.49\00:13:50.79
and some piles of
dirt and a cement mixer.
00:13:50.83\00:13:54.60
And then the next day
when we went out there,
00:13:54.63\00:13:56.30
we found out that we
had to use everything
00:13:56.33\00:13:58.67
and build a bunch of walls.
00:13:58.70\00:14:01.07
Although they are
not exceptionally skilled
00:14:01.10\00:14:03.71
or experienced in
block construction,
00:14:03.74\00:14:06.88
none of the
students feel left out.
00:14:06.91\00:14:09.41
The whole
construction team works together
00:14:09.44\00:14:12.08
as the older
more skilled tradesmen
00:14:12.11\00:14:14.98
teach the young students
how to do the brickwork.
00:14:15.02\00:14:18.35
Brick by brick,
00:14:18.39\00:14:19.72
each wall is laid
on the mission home,
00:14:19.75\00:14:22.89
and students and
teachers work together.
00:14:22.92\00:14:26.19
When I first came here,
00:14:26.23\00:14:27.56
I didn't really know
much of what I was doing.
00:14:27.60\00:14:29.83
At first, I was
just shoveling some dirt
00:14:29.86\00:14:32.53
and then just burrowing
it towards like the floors.
00:14:32.57\00:14:37.31
But then I had some
help with some of the adults
00:14:37.34\00:14:39.81
and they really...
00:14:39.84\00:14:41.24
they were really patient with me
00:14:41.28\00:14:42.94
and they helped me to like,
00:14:42.98\00:14:44.81
lay some bricks a little bit,
00:14:44.85\00:14:46.68
helped me to
cut some outlets out
00:14:46.72\00:14:48.98
and all that kind of stuff.
00:14:49.02\00:14:50.35
Basically I just
asked what I could do
00:14:50.39\00:14:52.82
and then they taught
me as I was going along.
00:14:52.85\00:14:55.69
So, yeah, I'm
really enjoying it though.
00:14:55.72\00:14:59.23
The LaBore Family
are not by standards
00:14:59.26\00:15:01.80
during this process.
00:15:01.83\00:15:03.47
From the very beginning
00:15:03.50\00:15:04.87
they were out there working
00:15:04.90\00:15:07.40
alongside the construction crew.
00:15:07.44\00:15:09.90
Each day the family is out there
00:15:09.94\00:15:11.77
working on the house
with the construction teams.
00:15:11.81\00:15:14.98
They too are
learning construction skills,
00:15:15.01\00:15:17.81
but they join
efforts with the volunteers
00:15:17.85\00:15:20.58
to work on their future home.
00:15:20.62\00:15:22.92
Each wheel barrel of
cement that is pushed,
00:15:22.95\00:15:25.79
each brick that is laid in place
00:15:25.82\00:15:28.06
is one step closer
to reaching their goal.
00:15:28.09\00:15:31.79
The family is encouraged
by all the young eager hearts
00:15:31.83\00:15:35.60
and busy hands
00:15:35.63\00:15:36.97
that surround
them on the jobsite.
00:15:37.00\00:15:39.23
It's been fun
seeing the house built.
00:15:39.27\00:15:42.20
Just to start off with a
piece of grassy dirty land
00:15:42.24\00:15:46.71
and just to see it come
up in 3D form is been fun.
00:15:46.74\00:15:51.61
Fun to see that,
00:15:51.65\00:15:52.98
"Oh, this is where
the kitchen is gonna be,
00:15:53.01\00:15:54.35
and the bathroom,"
00:15:54.38\00:15:55.72
and sometimes you know,
00:15:55.75\00:15:57.09
we'll say our house
was not really our house.
00:15:57.12\00:15:58.52
This house is gonna be here
00:15:58.55\00:15:59.89
for many, many,
many years to come
00:15:59.92\00:16:01.99
and will house many missionaries
00:16:02.02\00:16:03.63
we're praying.
00:16:03.66\00:16:05.16
But it's been a lot of fun
00:16:05.19\00:16:06.53
just to see being
built up block by block
00:16:06.56\00:16:08.96
and we're looking forward
00:16:09.00\00:16:10.33
to seeing the
finishing touches go on too.
00:16:10.37\00:16:12.97
Having the groups out there
working makes me very joyful.
00:16:13.00\00:16:16.77
It's just knowing
that they're helping you
00:16:16.81\00:16:22.28
build your own house.
00:16:22.31\00:16:24.15
It's really exciting.
00:16:24.18\00:16:28.08
It's kind of
exciting to get the...
00:16:28.12\00:16:30.02
see the house
getting built so fast.
00:16:30.05\00:16:33.46
It's gonna be
exciting to have my own room.
00:16:33.49\00:16:36.83
Just as the
LaBores are encouraged
00:16:36.86\00:16:38.83
to see the students work hard.
00:16:38.86\00:16:40.90
The volunteers are
also equally as blessed
00:16:40.93\00:16:43.87
by getting to
know the LaBore family
00:16:43.90\00:16:45.97
and seeing their dedication
to this mission project.
00:16:46.00\00:16:49.14
I don't know,
00:16:49.17\00:16:50.51
we just had to get
started to get our hands dirty.
00:16:50.54\00:16:52.21
And once we did that,
00:16:52.24\00:16:53.58
then I think we
were really excited
00:16:53.61\00:16:54.94
to continue our jobs,
00:16:54.98\00:16:56.31
and once we met the
people and the families
00:16:56.34\00:16:58.35
and so, whoever,
who you were helping,
00:16:58.38\00:17:00.72
then it was easy to be excited
about it and to work hard.
00:17:00.75\00:17:06.32
The students worked diligently
on the construction site
00:17:06.35\00:17:09.16
day after day.
00:17:09.19\00:17:10.63
Each day that passes,
00:17:10.66\00:17:12.13
the walls on the mission
house raise higher and higher.
00:17:12.16\00:17:15.96
Slowly, the sandy patch in
the middle of an open field
00:17:16.00\00:17:20.20
transformed
00:17:20.24\00:17:21.57
into a
recognizable building structure.
00:17:21.60\00:17:24.47
The exterior
walls now stand tall
00:17:24.51\00:17:28.01
as the shape of a
house starts to form.
00:17:28.04\00:17:31.71
Interior walls
are also beginning
00:17:31.75\00:17:33.72
to take shape.
00:17:33.75\00:17:35.65
Many hands work
harmoniously together
00:17:35.68\00:17:38.45
to erect this mission house.
00:17:38.49\00:17:40.92
After a full
day's worth of work,
00:17:40.96\00:17:42.66
one would think
00:17:42.69\00:17:44.03
that the students would
be worn out and exhausted
00:17:44.06\00:17:46.70
from their hard day's
labor on the construction site.
00:17:46.73\00:17:49.66
However, after construction,
00:17:49.70\00:17:52.23
the students' days
are only half over.
00:17:52.27\00:17:55.20
In addition to the building,
00:17:55.24\00:17:56.94
we had the privilege of
doing a vacation bible school,
00:17:56.97\00:18:00.84
and that ran for a few
nights or almost an entire week.
00:18:00.88\00:18:06.01
And we sang songs with the kids
00:18:06.05\00:18:08.05
and taught them a
little bit about Jesus.
00:18:08.08\00:18:10.29
We've been running VBS
at a local school here,
00:18:10.32\00:18:13.72
an elementary school
00:18:13.76\00:18:15.09
with over 80 kids
that come every night.
00:18:15.12\00:18:20.03
And we just share our,
00:18:20.06\00:18:21.70
the love of God with
them in any way we can
00:18:21.73\00:18:24.47
through having fun through games
00:18:24.50\00:18:26.13
or crafts that
symbolize God's love
00:18:26.17\00:18:29.54
for the story of the day,
the lesson, the object lesson.
00:18:29.57\00:18:34.01
They're really pure and innocent
00:18:34.04\00:18:35.64
and they know
00:18:35.68\00:18:37.21
how to brighten your day so fast
00:18:37.25\00:18:39.68
after a long day of work.
00:18:39.71\00:18:41.95
When you get there
and see all the kids
00:18:41.98\00:18:43.95
and see how happy they are,
00:18:43.99\00:18:45.62
it really does make it worth it.
00:18:45.65\00:18:47.62
No matter how
exhausted you feel.
00:18:47.66\00:18:49.89
The Vacation Bible School
is the highlight of the day
00:18:49.92\00:18:52.79
for most students,
00:18:52.83\00:18:54.30
any fatigue that
they might have felt
00:18:54.33\00:18:56.33
after a hard day's work
00:18:56.36\00:18:57.70
is quickly erased
00:18:57.73\00:18:59.30
as soon as they see
the young village students
00:18:59.33\00:19:02.20
waiting for them
and for VBS to start.
00:19:02.24\00:19:06.68
Throughout the day, I
mean, it's hot, very hot,
00:19:06.71\00:19:09.24
and we get tired and sweaty
00:19:09.28\00:19:10.98
and we feel
00:19:11.01\00:19:12.35
like we don't
really want to do anything.
00:19:12.38\00:19:13.72
But then in the evening,
00:19:13.75\00:19:16.25
we get to go and
be with the kids.
00:19:16.28\00:19:18.82
So I think that in itself
just re-energizes all of us,
00:19:18.85\00:19:23.02
is such a great
experience to be with the kids
00:19:23.06\00:19:25.73
and get to just be a
part of what they like to do.
00:19:25.76\00:19:30.13
And they teach us
games and we teach them games
00:19:30.17\00:19:32.43
and it's just a
great experience.
00:19:32.47\00:19:34.34
It's nice to see
all the little kids
00:19:34.37\00:19:36.24
have their
smiles when they see us
00:19:36.27\00:19:38.14
and when they get to
play games and make crafts.
00:19:38.17\00:19:40.48
So I'm definitely gonna
take back their smiles with me.
00:19:40.51\00:19:43.75
The Okanagan students
gain a renewed sense of energy,
00:19:43.78\00:19:47.88
as they happily conduct
00:19:47.92\00:19:49.52
each evening's
Vacation Bible School.
00:19:49.55\00:19:52.35
Night after night,
00:19:52.39\00:19:53.72
they teach
young village children
00:19:53.76\00:19:55.36
to sing songs about Jesus,
00:19:55.39\00:19:57.56
they play games with the kids
00:19:57.59\00:19:59.59
and most importantly,
00:19:59.63\00:20:01.10
they share the love of
Jesus with these young children.
00:20:01.13\00:20:05.63
The Vacation
Bible School program
00:20:05.67\00:20:07.47
not only leaves
a meaningful impact
00:20:07.50\00:20:09.37
on the young village children,
00:20:09.40\00:20:10.74
but
00:20:10.77\00:20:12.11
also on the
Okanagan students themselves.
00:20:12.14\00:20:15.38
Something that's impact me
00:20:15.41\00:20:17.08
has definitely
been the kids again,
00:20:17.11\00:20:19.15
like when you tell
them or ask them like,
00:20:19.18\00:20:21.28
do you know
that Jesus loves you?
00:20:21.32\00:20:22.65
And all their hands
go up and they're like,
00:20:22.68\00:20:24.02
"Yes, yes, we know."
00:20:24.05\00:20:25.55
And that is
something that I think
00:20:25.59\00:20:26.92
I definitely remember
for a really long time.
00:20:26.96\00:20:30.43
The young village
children capture the hearts
00:20:30.46\00:20:33.36
of the AWA volunteers.
00:20:33.40\00:20:35.76
For many, this is their first
international mission trip.
00:20:35.80\00:20:40.00
This experience leaves a
lasting impression on them.
00:20:40.04\00:20:43.04
It's been a really
like eye-opening experience,
00:20:43.07\00:20:45.47
to see things I haven't seen
00:20:45.51\00:20:47.81
and talk to people
00:20:47.84\00:20:50.75
where there's a
language barrier.
00:20:50.78\00:20:52.31
I've never
really spoken to anyone
00:20:52.35\00:20:53.98
who hasn't
fluently known English
00:20:54.02\00:20:56.99
as well as a different language
00:20:57.02\00:20:58.45
if they did
know a different one.
00:20:58.49\00:21:00.29
So it's been a
really interesting
00:21:00.32\00:21:02.19
and eye-opening
experience for me,
00:21:02.22\00:21:03.73
when I've been quite sheltered
I feel like all my life.
00:21:03.76\00:21:07.76
This trip has taught me
00:21:07.80\00:21:10.30
that even though
others may have little,
00:21:10.33\00:21:12.57
they have much if it's with God,
00:21:12.60\00:21:15.60
and that's a really huge concept
00:21:15.64\00:21:18.37
that we
sometimes miss back home.
00:21:18.41\00:21:20.61
I am really enjoying that.
00:21:20.64\00:21:22.24
That is one of the
highlights of this trip.
00:21:22.28\00:21:24.61
The smiles on
those children's faces,
00:21:24.65\00:21:27.05
it just warms my heart
every evening to see that.
00:21:27.08\00:21:30.22
I think they'll look
back on this experience,
00:21:30.25\00:21:33.79
positively and,
00:21:33.82\00:21:36.16
you know, be proud of the
fact that they've built a house.
00:21:36.19\00:21:39.49
I think they'll be
quick to remember their time
00:21:39.53\00:21:42.16
with the kids that they spent
00:21:42.20\00:21:43.70
at the Vacation
Bible School events
00:21:43.73\00:21:46.97
that was almost an afterthought,
00:21:47.00\00:21:48.74
the main project
here was building,
00:21:48.77\00:21:50.94
but I'm so glad we
were able to include that
00:21:50.97\00:21:53.04
because it was very memorable
00:21:53.07\00:21:55.01
and whenever we
said it was time to go
00:21:55.04\00:21:56.85
to Vacation Bible
School that night,
00:21:56.88\00:21:59.21
the kids, our
youth were very excited.
00:21:59.25\00:22:01.65
So I think
they'll take that away,
00:22:01.68\00:22:03.72
just the joy and
the kids you have.
00:22:03.75\00:22:08.79
The students have built
meaningful relationships
00:22:08.82\00:22:12.03
through the nightly VBS program.
00:22:12.06\00:22:15.30
At the week's end
00:22:15.33\00:22:16.67
all the students
welcome the Sabbath.
00:22:16.70\00:22:19.70
On Saturday morning,
00:22:19.73\00:22:21.07
AWA volunteers gathered
to worship in the community
00:22:21.10\00:22:24.97
in a small single room
bamboo church in Sapangan.
00:22:25.01\00:22:30.01
The simple bamboo
church is overflowing
00:22:30.05\00:22:33.31
as it is packed
00:22:33.35\00:22:34.68
with an internationally
diverse congregation.
00:22:34.72\00:22:38.02
Curious members
from the community
00:22:38.05\00:22:39.85
come together
00:22:39.89\00:22:41.22
as the Okanagan
students lead out
00:22:41.26\00:22:43.46
in the worship service.
00:22:43.49\00:22:45.59
Worshiping together here,
00:22:45.63\00:22:47.10
it was easy
00:22:47.13\00:22:50.17
just having a
commonality with the people
00:22:50.20\00:22:52.23
and we all know the same hymns
00:22:52.27\00:22:55.30
and even the kids at
Vacation Bible School,
00:22:55.34\00:22:57.67
I don't even
know how they learned
00:22:57.71\00:22:59.04
some of those songs,
00:22:59.07\00:23:00.41
but we all just sang
together and worshipped together
00:23:00.44\00:23:02.88
and it's powerful
knowing that there's people
00:23:02.91\00:23:05.25
around the world that
we have a connection to
00:23:05.28\00:23:08.08
because we all love Jesus.
00:23:08.12\00:23:09.45
So I thought that was
really, it's really powerful.
00:23:09.48\00:23:12.19
That's one of my
favorite parts of mission trips,
00:23:12.22\00:23:16.52
especially for our young
people to take them to a church,
00:23:16.56\00:23:20.30
an Adventist Church in a
completely different place
00:23:20.33\00:23:22.86
and obviously,
00:23:22.90\00:23:24.40
very different
environment and circumstances.
00:23:24.43\00:23:28.50
But it's interesting how
many hymns were the same,
00:23:28.54\00:23:31.71
you know, and, of course,
00:23:31.74\00:23:33.07
we're reading out the same Bible
00:23:33.11\00:23:34.44
and we share the same message.
00:23:34.48\00:23:36.44
And so, to me,
00:23:36.48\00:23:37.81
that's one of
the primary reasons
00:23:37.85\00:23:40.72
for mission trips,
00:23:40.75\00:23:42.08
is to give kids a
glimpse of what God is doing
00:23:42.12\00:23:44.99
in His church around the world.
00:23:45.02\00:23:46.65
I really enjoy
worshiping with other people
00:23:46.69\00:23:48.96
from around the world.
00:23:48.99\00:23:50.73
Even though
there's a language barrier
00:23:50.76\00:23:53.09
or we're from
different parts of the world,
00:23:53.13\00:23:55.23
we can still come together
as one and worship our Lord.
00:23:55.26\00:24:00.00
One of the chaperones on
this trip is Rob Folkenberg.
00:24:00.04\00:24:04.27
The Folkenberg Family
has had a long history
00:24:04.31\00:24:07.08
with Adventist World Aviation.
00:24:07.11\00:24:09.28
In fact,
00:24:09.31\00:24:10.65
Rob's grandfather was a founder
of Adventist World Aviation.
00:24:10.68\00:24:15.85
Rob carries on his
family's dedication
00:24:15.88\00:24:18.45
to mission service.
00:24:18.49\00:24:20.06
As a minister,
00:24:20.09\00:24:21.42
he oversees the
spiritual content
00:24:21.46\00:24:23.96
of this mission trip.
00:24:23.99\00:24:26.43
My grandpa helped found
Adventist World Aviation
00:24:26.46\00:24:30.43
but until now,
00:24:30.47\00:24:31.80
I really haven't
known very much about it.
00:24:31.83\00:24:33.70
I'm not a pilot,
my dad isn't a pilot.
00:24:33.74\00:24:36.84
But coming here
00:24:36.87\00:24:38.21
has got me very
excited about it.
00:24:38.24\00:24:39.57
I kind of want to go
get my pilot's license
00:24:39.61\00:24:42.38
and I definitely
want to keep hearing
00:24:42.41\00:24:44.81
what God is doing
through this organization
00:24:44.85\00:24:47.12
because they're doing
things all over the world.
00:24:47.15\00:24:49.45
And it's exciting to see
how God uses different talents
00:24:49.48\00:24:53.19
and interests including aviation
00:24:53.22\00:24:55.76
to further the gospel.
00:24:55.79\00:24:58.13
As part of the worship service,
00:24:58.16\00:25:00.10
Rob delivers a powerful message
00:25:00.13\00:25:03.00
that is directed
to both the students,
00:25:03.03\00:25:05.87
as well as the local villagers
00:25:05.90\00:25:07.94
that are worshiping here today.
00:25:07.97\00:25:10.01
The worship service
here in the Sapangan Church
00:25:10.04\00:25:13.41
is a reminder
00:25:13.44\00:25:14.84
that no matter
where you might travel
00:25:14.88\00:25:17.05
around the world,
00:25:17.08\00:25:18.41
fellow believers
can always come together
00:25:18.45\00:25:20.82
and worship.
00:25:20.85\00:25:22.18
Despite language barriers,
00:25:22.22\00:25:24.42
believers have a way of
transforming any obstacle
00:25:24.45\00:25:28.46
and worship together as
one unified body of Christ.
00:25:28.49\00:25:32.39
For the Okanagan students,
00:25:46.98\00:25:49.24
this week of service
is drawing to an end.
00:25:49.28\00:25:52.41
Their time here in Sapangan
has been a fruitful one.
00:25:52.45\00:25:55.78
All of the walls
on the mission house
00:25:55.82\00:25:57.69
have been constructed.
00:25:57.72\00:25:59.52
It is a stark contrast
to when they first arrived,
00:25:59.55\00:26:03.32
where there was
once an empty field
00:26:03.36\00:26:05.23
now sits a formed house
00:26:05.26\00:26:07.96
that will be used
for mission service
00:26:08.00\00:26:09.93
for many years to come.
00:26:09.96\00:26:12.73
I feel happy that God
has blessed us so much
00:26:12.77\00:26:15.00
to allow us to get so
much done in so little time.
00:26:15.04\00:26:18.31
It's, yeah, it's
quite amazing really.
00:26:18.34\00:26:23.04
Well, it makes me
feel kind of accomplished.
00:26:23.08\00:26:25.91
Now seeing it
standing and it's like,
00:26:25.95\00:26:28.32
you can tell it's
a very good house,
00:26:28.35\00:26:29.82
it's gonna be
standing for quite a while.
00:26:29.85\00:26:31.85
The house isn't
complete when I leave right now,
00:26:31.89\00:26:34.32
but we do have all the walls up.
00:26:34.36\00:26:38.26
The house has come a long
way since we first started.
00:26:38.29\00:26:41.56
It started out
just as a foundation
00:26:41.60\00:26:43.37
and we've got all the dirt in
00:26:43.40\00:26:45.97
and basically the
first floor is done.
00:26:46.00\00:26:49.30
It's ready to go
on to the second,
00:26:49.34\00:26:50.81
so I'm pretty happy.
00:26:50.84\00:26:52.51
This house is now ready
for the next team of students
00:26:52.54\00:26:55.58
to arrive to continue the work
00:26:55.61\00:26:57.71
that the
Okanagan students started.
00:26:57.75\00:26:59.85
Although the house still
has much work to be done,
00:26:59.88\00:27:03.15
the leadership, students,
00:27:03.18\00:27:05.05
and missionaries
are all very pleased
00:27:05.09\00:27:07.36
with the
progress made this week.
00:27:07.39\00:27:09.66
The impact that this
trip has personally made
00:27:09.69\00:27:12.26
on the students
00:27:12.29\00:27:13.63
is equally if not more important
00:27:13.66\00:27:16.46
to the work that
they accomplished
00:27:16.50\00:27:18.27
on the construction site.
00:27:18.30\00:27:20.24
While progress
on the mission house
00:27:20.27\00:27:21.84
is always wonderful,
00:27:21.87\00:27:23.27
Adventist World
Aviation always seeks to have
00:27:23.30\00:27:26.24
long term
effects on individuals.
00:27:26.27\00:27:28.88
This trip
undoubtedly has long term impact
00:27:28.91\00:27:33.28
on many of the
students who came here to serve.
00:27:33.31\00:27:36.85
What impacted me personally
00:27:36.89\00:27:38.39
is just the whole
concept of being a missionary,
00:27:38.42\00:27:41.92
going to people,
00:27:41.96\00:27:43.29
complete strangers
that you don't know,
00:27:43.32\00:27:45.29
and stepping out
of your comfort zone
00:27:45.33\00:27:47.96
and just reaching out to them
00:27:48.00\00:27:50.90
and telling them about
how much God loves them,
00:27:50.93\00:27:53.94
especially the kids.
00:27:53.97\00:27:55.30
I love the little children.
00:27:55.34\00:27:56.94
Well, it's my
first mission trip.
00:27:56.97\00:27:58.91
So I'm sure I'll take on
a lot of memories of this.
00:27:58.94\00:28:02.54
And really, I enjoyed
the whole time I've had here.
00:28:02.58\00:28:05.68
So it's been a good experience.
00:28:05.71\00:28:07.85
Mission trips are important too
00:28:07.88\00:28:09.22
so you can go out and reach out
to other people in the world.
00:28:09.25\00:28:12.12
And it's not like
00:28:12.15\00:28:14.62
you're giving more
than you're getting.
00:28:14.66\00:28:17.23
It's also you
get a lot from this
00:28:17.26\00:28:18.83
and maybe even take back
more than you have given.
00:28:18.86\00:28:21.83
This trip has
definitely impacted me
00:28:21.86\00:28:23.47
in many ways.
00:28:23.50\00:28:25.10
I love spending
time with the kids
00:28:25.13\00:28:26.67
and it just really
puts into perspective
00:28:26.70\00:28:29.07
what we have at home,
00:28:29.10\00:28:30.64
and to just
remind me personally,
00:28:30.67\00:28:33.04
to be grateful for what I have.
00:28:33.07\00:28:35.94
God has really blessed
me while I've been here,
00:28:35.98\00:28:39.45
and He's opened my eyes
00:28:39.48\00:28:40.82
to see this is
what I want to do.
00:28:40.85\00:28:42.38
I want to go
places and help people.
00:28:42.42\00:28:45.39
I want to be a missionary.
00:28:45.42\00:28:46.76
Now I used to want to
be biologist or something
00:28:46.79\00:28:49.39
but, yeah.
00:28:49.42\00:28:51.29
So that's one of the
things I'm taking home.
00:28:51.33\00:28:55.10
God has a plan for
me and this is His plan.
00:28:55.13\00:28:59.53