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
is located in the Philippines.
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Centrally located on
the island of Palawan
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this mission
base is the second one
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ever established,
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and its strategic location
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is ideal for
enabling missionaries
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to reach the
outlying islands by aircraft.
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The Philippines
is an archipelago
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that is comprised
of over 7,000 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 weeks 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, and pastors
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to this remote island.
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The Philippines is an
amazing mission field.
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There are over 7,000
islands located here.
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Palawan, the island
that we're on right now
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is actually
strategically located
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in a perfect position
for what we want to do here.
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There are over 1000 islands
just around this island alone
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that have people on them
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that not all of them
are inhabited, but many are.
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There are Adventist believers
in some of these areas,
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in some areas they know nothing
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about Three Angels'
Messages or Adventism.
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And we have a great
opportunity to go out
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and begin
supporting these islands
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and working with
the local union mission
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and division
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to start supplying their needs
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and bringing in our people
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to assist in
some of these areas.
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The history of this project
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has not always
been a smooth one.
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A few years ago,
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this project
suffered some setbacks,
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and has been
sitting vacant since.
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The LaBore Family
prayerfully made the decision
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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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in an effort to revive
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this much
needed aviation outfit.
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Adventist World Aviation
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started the project here
in Palawan about 10 years ago,
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and it was a
good project initially
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and then it had a
couple of downfalls
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and hasn't
really been very active
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for about the last
three or four years.
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My family received
the call to come down here
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and start up the project
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and kind of reevaluate
what we're doing here.
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Well, after all the years
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that I've known
about this project,
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and having watched it struggle,
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you know, there's
been various problems here
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we've had to deal with.
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And just the
idea that, you know,
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we might be able to be
involved in some small way
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of really bringing
this thing to fruition
00:04:02.54\00:04:04.84
maybe to the plan that
God originally had for it.
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Yes, it is emotional and it's,
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I think there's
no better place to be
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than in 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 to...
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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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that 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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When the LaBores
transitioned here
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from Guyana,
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they left the Guyana project
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with other very
capable AWA missionaries.
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Bill, Laura and their
family are now ready to embark
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on another 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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transforming it
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into a very
active aviation base.
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Sapangan is a
small town where we live.
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We live in between
where the main road is,
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you cut off on a dirt
road to go into the main town
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and where our
airstrip is in between there.
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The people all got
together and sold us
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pieces of their land
to make this possible,
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which we're very,
very grateful for.
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And Sapangan is very
much more of a poor community.
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Almost all the homes are bamboo.
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And people live
at poverty level.
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And they have a school there
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that AWA was
actually instrumental
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in helping to
build about 10 years ago.
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The area that
we're in right here
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is a very, very
poor remote area.
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There are bamboo
huts all around us,
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that's how people live here
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and there is a great
need for aviation support
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not only in the mountains
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but even on the low
lands on this island.
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When people get into trouble,
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they need to get
money backed out,
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there are snakes
here, there's malaria here,
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there's dengue fever.
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There's a number of diseases
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that sometimes need
serious medical attention
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not to mention maternity cases.
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So aviation support is a way
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that we can ease
some of these problems
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and help people get to
the help that they need.
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Reviving a project
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does not come
without its challenges.
00:06:11.57\00:06:13.87
One of the first things
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the LaBores had to do
00:06:15.27\00:06:16.60
when they arrive
in the Philippines
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was to find a place to live.
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In essence,
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it's almost as
if they had to start
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this project again from scratch.
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When they arrived,
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the LaBores had no
housing waiting for them.
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They arrived knowing
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that they would
need to construct
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a house on the AWA property
which currently lays vacant.
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Making the best
of the situation,
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the LaBore Family
pitched two 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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These tents
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would be their
living accommodations
00:06:50.74\00:06:52.07
for the next six months
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or so until the
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.
00:07:05.19\00:07:06.62
I mean, you know,
we've done it a lot
00:07:06.65\00:07:07.99
and we've been camping.
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This is the first time
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I've actually had
to live 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. I
think it's motivating.
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I don't mind having to
deal with living in a tent
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knowing that
things are going to change
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in the future
00:07:24.54\00:07:25.87
and the work we're doing now
will be a long-lasting legacy
00:07:25.91\00:07:27.64
that we can leave here.
00:07:27.68\00:07:29.24
And efforts to help
the LaBores transition
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into more
permanent living conditions,
00:07:31.75\00:07:34.12
Jud Wickwire,
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Vice President of
AWA for Operations
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has arranged for multiple
teams to travel to Palawan
00:07:38.89\00:07:42.56
to build new missionary housing
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on a vacant
piece of AWA property.
00:07:44.33\00:07:47.96
This land will be
the new mission base
00:07:48.00\00:07:50.60
and will have on
it missionary housing,
00:07:50.63\00:07:53.23
an airstrip, a
hangar and farmland.
00:07:53.27\00:07:57.31
So the mission house
that we're building here
00:07:57.34\00:07:58.84
is for Bill and Laura LaBore.
00:07:58.87\00:08:00.54
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 in Guyana
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for five years
side by side so we're,
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of course, we're
very good friends
00:08:13.49\00:08:14.82
and we just are so excited
00:08:14.86\00:08:16.49
to be able to help
them get established here
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with a home
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to be able to work
out of and to launch,
00:08:21.43\00:08:24.00
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
00:08:32.31\00:08:34.74
volunteered to
oversee this building project.
00:08:34.78\00:08:37.95
They were the first to
arrive before the other teams
00:08:37.98\00:08:40.52
to begin laying the groundwork
00:08:40.55\00:08:41.88
for the construction
of the mission home,
00:08:41.92\00:08:44.19
and they want to have
the framework in place
00:08:44.22\00:08:46.65
before the others arrive.
00:08:46.69\00:08:48.49
This team of professionals
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all dedicated
their personal time
00:08:50.36\00:08:52.19
and finances to
travel from the United States
00:08:52.23\00:08:54.93
to make sure
00:08:54.96\00:08:56.30
the LaBore Family did not have
to live in tents for very long.
00:08:56.33\00:09:00.04
I'm Jud Wickwire,
I'm the Vice President
00:09:10.21\00:09:11.55
of Operations of
Adventist World Aviation.
00:09:11.58\00:09:13.52
Right now we're in
Barangay, Sapangan,
00:09:13.55\00:09:15.88
which is the location
00:09:15.92\00:09:17.25
of the Adventist
World Aviation airbase
00:09:17.29\00:09:18.72
in the Philippines.
00:09:18.75\00:09:20.22
And we just have a
really exciting event
00:09:20.26\00:09:22.19
happening right now,
00:09:22.22\00:09:23.56
we're building a mission house
00:09:23.59\00:09:24.93
for the mission pilot
project manager family.
00:09:24.96\00:09:28.30
And we have two
groups of students here
00:09:28.33\00:09:32.03
on two
back-to-back mission trips,
00:09:32.07\00:09:34.50
to construct the house
00:09:34.54\00:09:35.87
along with a
number of other volunteers
00:09:35.90\00:09:38.47
to get the concrete work
done and that sort of thing,
00:09:38.51\00:09:40.18
but it's just been
00:09:40.21\00:09:41.54
an amazing
experience for everyone.
00:09:41.58\00:09:44.21
To encourage
their mission mindset,
00:09:44.25\00:09:46.55
Jud Wickwire has arranged
the two separate mission trips
00:09:46.58\00:09:50.09
of high school students
00:09:50.12\00:09:52.02
to also be involved in
the construction project.
00:09:52.05\00:09:55.42
And, of course, the
mission trip for youth
00:09:55.46\00:09:56.83
is far more than just coming
00:09:56.86\00:09:58.19
and building
something for someone.
00:09:58.23\00:09:59.79
It's also a rich spiritual,
cultural experience for them
00:09:59.83\00:10:05.53
and we want to make that
00:10:05.57\00:10:06.90
as abundant as possible for them
00:10:06.94\00:10:08.57
and a growth that
they can take back home
00:10:08.60\00:10:10.57
with them for years to come.
00:10:10.61\00:10:13.24
The thing about
these mission projects
00:10:13.27\00:10:15.64
is these young
people are getting a chance
00:10:15.68\00:10:17.88
to do something with their hands
00:10:17.91\00:10:19.41
that is gonna
impact God's kingdom
00:10:19.45\00:10:21.62
and they, I believe,
00:10:21.65\00:10:23.92
often receive
the seed of missions
00:10:23.95\00:10:26.42
in their heart when
they see this happen.
00:10:26.45\00:10:28.12
I would not be surprised
00:10:28.16\00:10:29.59
if many of them come
back to be missionaries.
00:10:29.62\00:10:32.49
You know, maybe not here
but other areas of the country
00:10:32.53\00:10:35.23
because of the
experiences they have here,
00:10:35.26\00:10:36.77
so it's pretty cool.
00:10:36.80\00:10:38.47
In this episode of Off the Grid,
00:10:38.50\00:10:41.54
a second mission
group from Chetwynd Academy
00:10:41.57\00:10:45.01
arrives in Palawan
to continue the work
00:10:45.04\00:10:47.88
and get the new mission homes
00:10:47.91\00:10:49.74
another step
closer to completion.
00:10:49.78\00:10:53.31
My name is Darren Shankel.
00:10:53.35\00:10:54.82
I am the principal of
Peace Christian School
00:10:54.85\00:10:56.65
in Chetwynd, BC.
00:10:56.69\00:10:58.35
We are a K-12 school,
00:10:58.39\00:11:00.32
and the
northern most K-12 school
00:11:00.36\00:11:02.12
in the NAD.
00:11:02.16\00:11:03.49
We place a high
value on mission trips,
00:11:03.53\00:11:05.46
because it allows our
students to see the reality
00:11:05.49\00:11:08.80
of most of the people
that live on this planet.
00:11:08.83\00:11:10.97
One of the biggest things
that we want our kids to see
00:11:11.00\00:11:13.20
is that service is
something that is very valuable.
00:11:13.23\00:11:19.41
Anytime that we can encourage
a student to see something
00:11:19.44\00:11:23.01
other than themselves
00:11:23.04\00:11:24.75
and the joy and the reward
00:11:24.78\00:11:26.68
of doing
something for somebody else.
00:11:26.72\00:11:29.15
That's a big goal
00:11:29.18\00:11:30.55
that we're hoping to
achieve with projects like this.
00:11:30.59\00:11:35.19
When the students arrive,
they are eager to get to work.
00:11:35.22\00:11:38.66
Right away they dive
straight into the hard labor.
00:11:38.69\00:11:42.13
As you can imagine,
00:11:42.16\00:11:43.50
these high school kids
do not have much experience
00:11:43.53\00:11:46.37
when it comes to laying
block or construction work.
00:11:46.40\00:11:49.90
Each student works alongside
00:11:49.94\00:11:51.57
one of the more
experienced skilled tradesmen
00:11:51.61\00:11:54.64
and assist them in
the bricklaying process.
00:11:54.68\00:11:57.95
The older, more
experienced workers
00:11:57.98\00:11:59.95
mentor and teach the students
the tricks of the trade.
00:11:59.98\00:12:03.79
With great
teamwork playing a key role,
00:12:03.82\00:12:06.52
the construction site
00:12:06.55\00:12:07.89
is a constant buzz of
activity and progress.
00:12:07.92\00:12:11.76
So God has provided
just so many resources
00:12:11.79\00:12:13.73
to make this possible.
00:12:13.76\00:12:15.10
And it's come together
as only God could plan.
00:12:15.13\00:12:19.13
Travis and Michelle
Maloney came in advance
00:12:19.17\00:12:21.74
and began the
groundwork for the construction,
00:12:21.77\00:12:24.37
got the
construction far enough along
00:12:24.41\00:12:26.24
that when the students arrived,
00:12:26.27\00:12:27.61
they all had so many
tasks that they could complete
00:12:27.64\00:12:31.78
and activities
00:12:31.81\00:12:33.15
that they could
really sink their teeth into
00:12:33.18\00:12:35.08
and work hard mixing
cement and laying block.
00:12:35.12\00:12:38.32
Just speaking
from my own experience,
00:12:38.35\00:12:40.46
and I learned to lay blocks
on mission trips years ago.
00:12:40.49\00:12:44.96
And it's a skill
00:12:44.99\00:12:46.80
that I don't
necessarily excel at
00:12:46.83\00:12:48.46
but I can, I can do that.
00:12:48.50\00:12:50.10
And the only
reason I'm able to do that
00:12:50.13\00:12:52.00
is because a
leader on a mission trip
00:12:52.03\00:12:54.27
when I was younger took the time
00:12:54.30\00:12:56.27
to show me how to do that.
00:12:56.30\00:12:58.91
And so, in this case
now with these young people,
00:12:58.94\00:13:03.21
the experienced
construction people
00:13:03.24\00:13:04.95
are taking the time to show them
00:13:04.98\00:13:06.78
how to do some of these tasks.
00:13:06.82\00:13:08.15
We know,
00:13:08.18\00:13:09.52
they're not going
to be experts at them,
00:13:09.55\00:13:10.89
but at least they can have
the exposure to some skills
00:13:10.92\00:13:13.12
that maybe they
didn't know that they can do
00:13:13.15\00:13:14.76
and hopefully,
they can apply that
00:13:14.79\00:13:17.43
in something that
they do in future.
00:13:17.46\00:13:19.16
Adventist World Aviation
00:13:19.19\00:13:20.63
strives to always
bring meaningful change
00:13:20.66\00:13:23.47
to people's lives,
00:13:23.50\00:13:24.83
wherever the project might be.
00:13:24.87\00:13:26.94
Most of these students
00:13:26.97\00:13:28.30
have not
traveled internationally.
00:13:28.34\00:13:30.44
So to them this mission trip
00:13:30.47\00:13:32.41
is a new and
significant experience.
00:13:32.44\00:13:35.48
Once I found out
00:13:35.51\00:13:36.85
that our school was
planning on a mission trip,
00:13:36.88\00:13:38.61
I thought it would be great
00:13:38.65\00:13:39.98
since it's my
last year at the school
00:13:40.02\00:13:42.48
to get on board with it.
00:13:42.52\00:13:43.85
And I was super
stoked when I found out
00:13:43.89\00:13:45.75
that we were
coming to the Philippines
00:13:45.79\00:13:47.82
because I've never been
to the Philippines before.
00:13:47.86\00:13:50.46
So we did a few
fundraisers to help us get here
00:13:50.49\00:13:53.23
but here we are.
00:13:53.26\00:13:55.06
My school has been
going on mission trips,
00:13:55.10\00:13:56.73
like every
about two years or so.
00:13:56.77\00:13:59.27
And I heard about this one
and I had the opportunity to go
00:13:59.30\00:14:01.90
and I was really
excited about it.
00:14:01.94\00:14:03.54
I've haven't traveled very much.
00:14:03.57\00:14:06.14
This is the first time
I've even seen the ocean.
00:14:06.17\00:14:08.71
And I'm from British Columbia.
00:14:08.74\00:14:10.35
Like it's nice to
see different cultures,
00:14:10.38\00:14:12.41
I've never been
anywhere like international,
00:14:12.45\00:14:14.95
so it's nice having
a different experience.
00:14:14.98\00:14:17.39
I thought it would be
a really good experience
00:14:17.42\00:14:21.39
just to be able to see...
00:14:21.42\00:14:25.29
I don't know, a
different way of life.
00:14:25.33\00:14:28.73
I think just like
seeing how lucky we are
00:14:28.76\00:14:31.83
to live in the place that we are
00:14:31.87\00:14:34.27
and just seeing the poverty here
00:14:34.30\00:14:36.20
and the attitudes,
you know, people here,
00:14:36.24\00:14:39.47
they're living in
such poor conditions,
00:14:39.51\00:14:42.34
but their
attitude is just so upbeat
00:14:42.38\00:14:45.31
and so happy and
just way out there.
00:14:45.35\00:14:49.78
They don't have
the same attitude
00:14:49.82\00:14:52.65
we do in Canada.
00:14:52.69\00:14:54.76
Definitely a
different appreciation
00:14:54.79\00:14:56.69
and perspective.
00:14:56.73\00:14:58.16
You realize that the people here
00:14:58.19\00:15:00.96
don't have very much,
00:15:01.00\00:15:02.33
but they're just so
happy with their lives
00:15:02.36\00:15:05.63
and what they do have.
00:15:05.67\00:15:07.27
And that's just
something refreshing
00:15:07.30\00:15:09.90
from the North
American lifestyle.
00:15:09.94\00:15:12.91
One of the team leaders
on this trip is Donovan.
00:15:12.94\00:15:16.14
He is an example
00:15:16.18\00:15:17.51
of how mission
service in his teen years
00:15:17.55\00:15:19.81
helped shaped the
course of his life.
00:15:19.85\00:15:22.18
In 2005,
00:15:22.22\00:15:23.89
Adventist World Aviation
00:15:23.92\00:15:25.35
organized a similar mission trip
00:15:25.39\00:15:27.22
to build a school in
this village of Sapangan.
00:15:27.26\00:15:30.99
Donovan was one of the students
00:15:31.03\00:15:32.59
that came on the mission trip
00:15:32.63\00:15:34.63
and his experience
on that mission trip
00:15:34.66\00:15:36.83
greatly impacted him.
00:15:36.87\00:15:38.83
I'm Donovan Diminyatz,
00:15:38.87\00:15:40.44
and I'm here
00:15:40.47\00:15:41.80
in front of the
Sapangan Elementary School
00:15:41.84\00:15:44.44
in the Philippines.
00:15:44.47\00:15:45.81
Well, about 10 years ago,
00:15:45.84\00:15:47.88
myself and a big group
from the BC Conference came
00:15:47.91\00:15:51.58
and we built this building here.
00:15:51.61\00:15:54.88
It looks a little different
now but pretty good to see.
00:15:54.92\00:16:00.46
So the reason we came
in front of the school
00:16:00.49\00:16:02.42
is because in the
community of Sapangan
00:16:02.46\00:16:06.49
are right in the
middle of the airfield,
00:16:06.53\00:16:09.00
where Adventist World Aviation
was gonna build their strip.
00:16:09.03\00:16:12.17
There was a pig farmer
00:16:12.20\00:16:13.54
who had a little
piece of property
00:16:13.57\00:16:14.97
that he didn't want to let go.
00:16:15.00\00:16:16.74
And so we came
and build the school
00:16:16.77\00:16:18.77
and we did some
medical clinics and VBS work.
00:16:18.81\00:16:22.38
And we did that to build
goodwill in the community.
00:16:22.41\00:16:25.61
And it worked out.
00:16:25.65\00:16:27.98
The pig farmer sold his
piece and Mary LaBore actually,
00:16:28.02\00:16:32.39
I believe,
bought a piece of land
00:16:32.42\00:16:34.16
right beside the field as well.
00:16:34.19\00:16:36.46
She was so excited.
00:16:36.49\00:16:38.49
It's really nice this time
00:16:38.53\00:16:39.86
to be on the
other side of the trip.
00:16:39.89\00:16:41.60
When I came, I was in
grade 12, a high school student.
00:16:41.63\00:16:44.87
Not sure what I was gonna
do with myself and in my life.
00:16:44.90\00:16:48.34
And I suppose in some
ways that chip shaped me
00:16:48.37\00:16:52.21
to be who I am today
00:16:52.24\00:16:53.58
and it's great
00:16:53.61\00:16:54.94
to be able to bring
kids with me this time
00:16:54.98\00:16:57.61
to see the same places
00:16:57.65\00:16:59.18
and experience
some of it I assume,
00:16:59.21\00:17:01.35
incredible
experiences once again.
00:17:01.38\00:17:03.72
Now it's
fantastic to be back here,
00:17:03.75\00:17:05.65
I never imagined I
would be able to come back.
00:17:05.69\00:17:09.76
The mission trip
organized by AWA in 2005
00:17:09.79\00:17:13.90
had lasting effects
on both the community
00:17:13.93\00:17:17.00
as well as the
students involved.
00:17:17.03\00:17:19.30
Donovan fondly
looks on the school
00:17:19.33\00:17:21.97
that he helped build
00:17:22.00\00:17:23.47
and sees the great impact
00:17:23.51\00:17:25.37
that the school has
had in the community.
00:17:25.41\00:17:28.38
As he walks the
campus reminiscing,
00:17:28.41\00:17:31.21
he spots a concrete slab
where he engraved his name
00:17:31.25\00:17:34.65
more than 10 years ago.
00:17:34.68\00:17:36.45
This moves Donovan,
00:17:36.48\00:17:37.99
and he preferably
wishes for his students
00:17:38.02\00:17:39.92
from Chetwynd
00:17:39.95\00:17:41.29
to experience the same joy
00:17:41.32\00:17:42.99
that he did when he was younger.
00:17:43.02\00:17:45.09
After a full day's of
hard work in the hot sun,
00:17:55.14\00:17:57.94
one would think
00:17:57.97\00:17:59.31
the students would be
worn out and exhausted
00:17:59.34\00:18:01.51
from their hard labor
at the construction site.
00:18:01.54\00:18:04.31
However, after construction,
00:18:04.35\00:18:06.65
the young volunteers' day's work
00:18:06.68\00:18:09.25
are only half over.
00:18:09.28\00:18:11.75
Even after a hard
day of laying blocks
00:18:11.79\00:18:13.79
and wheeling cement, and
all the other hard labor,
00:18:13.82\00:18:17.29
the kids are able to
clean up and go and conduct VBS
00:18:17.33\00:18:20.16
at the school for the children.
00:18:20.20\00:18:22.26
And they're just,
00:18:22.30\00:18:23.63
they come back so excited
00:18:23.67\00:18:26.23
to be singing
songs and doing skits,
00:18:26.27\00:18:29.37
and just helping these children,
00:18:29.40\00:18:32.97
these happy children
learn more about Jesus
00:18:33.01\00:18:35.24
to learn the stories.
00:18:35.28\00:18:36.95
And, you know, they
come here, of course,
00:18:36.98\00:18:40.82
to reach out to the children
00:18:40.85\00:18:42.18
and to help them to
know more about Jesus.
00:18:42.22\00:18:44.19
But I think the children,
00:18:44.22\00:18:45.55
the little children
teach our youth as much
00:18:45.59\00:18:47.56
about enthusiasm and
growth as they teach them
00:18:47.59\00:18:51.89
and it's just
really exciting to see
00:18:51.93\00:18:56.23
the interactions that
they have and they come back
00:18:56.26\00:18:58.60
and just these kids are so cute.
00:18:58.63\00:19:00.00
And when we drive to the village
00:19:00.04\00:19:01.50
and all of those
children, we're waving at them.
00:19:01.54\00:19:04.64
Just so much enthusiasm
00:19:04.67\00:19:06.01
and we're just so
happy to be able to connect.
00:19:06.04\00:19:08.54
Vacation Bible School time
is the highlight of the day
00:19:08.58\00:19:11.41
for most of the students.
00:19:11.45\00:19:13.31
Any fatigue they might
feel after a hard day's work
00:19:13.35\00:19:17.12
is quickly erased
00:19:17.15\00:19:18.49
as soon as they see
the young village students
00:19:18.52\00:19:20.99
waiting for VBS to start.
00:19:21.02\00:19:23.32
The Chetwynd students
gain a renewed sense of energy,
00:19:23.36\00:19:26.90
and they happily conduct
00:19:26.93\00:19:28.33
each evening's
Vacation Bible School.
00:19:28.36\00:19:31.07
The evening VBS program
is held at the same school
00:19:31.10\00:19:34.40
that their leader Donovan
00:19:34.44\00:19:35.77
helped to build 10 years before.
00:19:35.80\00:19:38.21
Night after night,
00:19:38.24\00:19:39.57
they teach young
children songs about Jesus.
00:19:39.61\00:19:42.24
They play games with the
kids and most importantly,
00:19:42.28\00:19:45.41
they share with the kids
just how much Jesus loves them.
00:19:45.45\00:19:49.42
The Vacation
Bible School program
00:19:49.45\00:19:51.22
not only leaves
a meaningful impact
00:19:51.25\00:19:53.22
on the young village children,
00:19:53.25\00:19:54.59
but
00:19:54.62\00:19:55.96
also on the
Chetwynd students themselves.
00:19:55.99\00:20:00.16
Back at the new mission
home construction sites,
00:20:00.20\00:20:03.00
the last of the
bricks have been laid.
00:20:03.03\00:20:05.27
Jud and a few
of the crew members
00:20:05.30\00:20:07.17
begin the next step
of the construction,
00:20:07.20\00:20:09.97
building forms on top
of the wall structures.
00:20:10.01\00:20:13.07
Okay, so we've placed all
the block walls down below
00:20:13.11\00:20:17.28
and the cement columns.
00:20:17.31\00:20:18.71
And now this is
called the bond beam.
00:20:18.75\00:20:21.05
So this is the cement beam
00:20:21.08\00:20:24.19
that goes around
the top of the walls
00:20:24.22\00:20:25.85
and then once this is placed,
00:20:25.89\00:20:27.96
and then we'll
pour the cement floor
00:20:27.99\00:20:29.89
across the top of this
opening with all the gray stuff,
00:20:29.92\00:20:32.46
with plywood
00:20:32.49\00:20:33.83
and with a whole
bunch of braces underneath
00:20:33.86\00:20:35.73
to keep it from sagging,
00:20:35.76\00:20:37.20
we apply where
the cement sets still.
00:20:37.23\00:20:41.07
These forms
00:20:41.10\00:20:42.44
are temporarily
screwed together as a mold
00:20:42.47\00:20:45.41
that will run along
top each of the walls.
00:20:45.44\00:20:48.54
Rebar will be
placed in each form
00:20:48.58\00:20:50.88
and then filled with cement.
00:20:50.91\00:20:52.81
The rebar will
reinforce the form
00:20:52.85\00:20:55.32
making it more
durable and strong.
00:20:55.35\00:20:57.92
Once the cement
is cured and dried,
00:20:57.95\00:21:00.76
the wooden mold will be removed.
00:21:00.79\00:21:02.92
These forms are
needed to help support
00:21:02.96\00:21:05.43
the concrete floors
00:21:05.46\00:21:06.80
of the second
floor from caving in.
00:21:06.83\00:21:09.70
Each step of the process
00:21:09.73\00:21:11.17
must be meticulously
and precisely measured
00:21:11.20\00:21:14.34
to make sure the
structure can support
00:21:14.37\00:21:16.30
the weight of the second floor.
00:21:16.34\00:21:19.14
The rebar for the forms
must be cut to exact lengths
00:21:19.17\00:21:22.44
in order for them
00:21:22.48\00:21:23.81
to be properly
fit into the mold.
00:21:23.85\00:21:26.31
This is done with
an electric handsaw
00:21:26.35\00:21:28.35
just beside the
house construction site.
00:21:28.38\00:21:31.19
The whirling saw blade
sends sparks all around
00:21:31.22\00:21:34.29
as the blade
slices through the metal.
00:21:34.32\00:21:37.13
As one of these rebar pieces
00:21:37.16\00:21:38.99
is being cut to
size catastrophe happens.
00:21:39.03\00:21:42.46
It is currently
the dry season here
00:21:42.50\00:21:44.73
on the island of Palawan.
00:21:44.77\00:21:46.63
It has not
rained here in months,
00:21:46.67\00:21:48.97
so all the
fields and rice paddies
00:21:49.00\00:21:51.01
are nothing but dry straw.
00:21:51.04\00:21:53.64
One of the sparks from the saw
00:21:53.68\00:21:55.34
catches a piece
of dry grass on fire.
00:21:55.38\00:21:58.65
Within seconds the
flames engulf the area
00:21:58.68\00:22:01.95
and rages through the field.
00:22:01.98\00:22:04.55
By the time he calls for help,
00:22:04.59\00:22:06.45
the fire has overtaken the area.
00:22:06.49\00:22:08.96
The flames are
growing with an intensity
00:22:08.99\00:22:11.99
and within one minute
the small spark has grown
00:22:12.03\00:22:15.23
into an uncontrollable wildfire.
00:22:15.26\00:22:17.87
All the crew
members grab shovels
00:22:17.90\00:22:19.83
and anything they can find
00:22:19.87\00:22:21.57
to try to extinguish the flames.
00:22:21.60\00:22:24.11
There is no water in the area
00:22:24.14\00:22:25.81
that can be used
to fight the fire.
00:22:25.84\00:22:28.34
The only hope they have
00:22:28.38\00:22:29.71
is to smother
the fire with dirt.
00:22:29.74\00:22:32.15
In mere moments,
00:22:32.18\00:22:33.52
the whole airstrip
is covered in flames.
00:22:33.55\00:22:35.95
The dangerous fire
00:22:35.98\00:22:37.32
rushes across the dry field
00:22:37.35\00:22:38.69
engulfing
everything in its path.
00:22:38.72\00:22:41.26
The fire climbs
high into the trees
00:22:41.29\00:22:43.99
and crosses over the street.
00:22:44.03\00:22:46.09
This situation has
now become very dangerous.
00:22:46.13\00:22:49.13
Now that the fire
has jumped the road,
00:22:49.16\00:22:51.27
there's no barrier to stop it.
00:22:51.30\00:22:53.44
This fire could now
burn without restraint.
00:22:53.47\00:22:56.30
When it was contained by
the roads on the airbase,
00:22:56.34\00:22:59.21
it was manageable.
00:22:59.24\00:23:00.58
But now that it has spread,
00:23:00.61\00:23:02.81
there is nothing in
its path to stop it.
00:23:02.84\00:23:05.61
Even worse,
00:23:05.65\00:23:06.98
the village of Sapangan
00:23:07.02\00:23:08.92
is just a few
hundred yards away.
00:23:08.95\00:23:11.65
The bamboo homes
and huts in this village
00:23:11.69\00:23:14.09
do not stand a chance
00:23:14.12\00:23:15.52
of surviving this
ravenous, uncontrolled fire.
00:23:15.56\00:23:19.33
All the team prays for a miracle
00:23:19.36\00:23:21.76
to stop this fire
00:23:21.80\00:23:23.23
as they battle the
flames with their shovels.
00:23:23.26\00:23:25.70
All it would take
00:23:25.73\00:23:27.07
would be one strong gust of wind
00:23:27.10\00:23:29.20
and the entire village
and all the homes in it
00:23:29.24\00:23:32.21
would be engulfed in flames.
00:23:32.24\00:23:34.38
AWA missionary, Edgar
00:23:34.41\00:23:36.21
brings all the drinking water
00:23:36.24\00:23:38.21
that they have in
barrels to help fight the fire.
00:23:38.25\00:23:41.32
It's not much
00:23:41.35\00:23:42.68
but they have to
try everything they can
00:23:42.72\00:23:44.59
to keep the fire from
reaching the villages.
00:23:44.62\00:23:46.72
In a hurry,
00:23:46.76\00:23:48.09
he begins to unload
the barrels from his truck.
00:23:48.12\00:23:50.59
One of the barrels
00:23:50.63\00:23:51.96
which weighs well over
several hundred pounds,
00:23:51.99\00:23:54.56
slips and lands on his foot.
00:23:54.60\00:23:57.20
Immediately blood
begins gushing from foot,
00:23:57.23\00:24:00.77
and he for an instant worries
00:24:00.80\00:24:02.87
that his toes
might have been severed
00:24:02.90\00:24:04.84
from the impact of the barrel.
00:24:04.87\00:24:07.01
He's immediately
taken back to the compound
00:24:07.04\00:24:09.81
away from the firefight
00:24:09.84\00:24:11.58
for nurse Laura to
look after his injury.
00:24:11.61\00:24:14.78
The rest of the crew
00:24:14.82\00:24:16.15
continues to fight
the fire for hours.
00:24:16.18\00:24:18.75
Miraculously,
00:24:18.79\00:24:20.12
they're able to keep it at
bay and away from the village.
00:24:20.16\00:24:24.03
Without a doubt,
00:24:24.06\00:24:25.39
God's mighty hand
protected the village that day.
00:24:25.43\00:24:28.80
Finally,
00:24:28.83\00:24:30.17
after hours of
fighting the flames
00:24:30.20\00:24:32.23
and everyone is
exhausted, help arrives.
00:24:32.27\00:24:36.60
A fire truck from
a few villages away
00:24:36.64\00:24:39.07
has come to help.
00:24:39.11\00:24:40.78
Governmental infrastructure
00:24:40.81\00:24:42.18
is not fully
developed in this area.
00:24:42.21\00:24:44.78
So often emergency
response is very slow
00:24:44.81\00:24:47.88
and often nonexistent.
00:24:47.92\00:24:49.75
Thankfully today,
00:24:49.78\00:24:51.12
the fire truck did arrive
00:24:51.15\00:24:52.52
and was able to
extinguish the damaging flames.
00:24:52.55\00:24:55.76
The truck sprays all
the water it can spear
00:24:55.79\00:24:58.69
during this drought
00:24:58.73\00:25:00.06
unto the fields
00:25:00.10\00:25:01.43
and is able to put
out most of the flames.
00:25:01.46\00:25:03.50
There still remain
00:25:03.53\00:25:04.87
a few patches of
smoldering trees and grasses.
00:25:04.90\00:25:07.80
So all the mission team stays
00:25:07.84\00:25:10.11
to continue to extinguish
the smoldering patches
00:25:10.14\00:25:13.17
with their shovels and dirt.
00:25:13.21\00:25:15.21
A fire that started before noon
00:25:15.24\00:25:17.68
runs late into the evening
00:25:17.71\00:25:19.51
before all the team members
come back to the mission house.
00:25:19.55\00:25:22.75
It was a very dramatic
00:25:22.78\00:25:24.12
and devastating
day for everyone.
00:25:24.15\00:25:26.15
Thankfully,
00:25:26.19\00:25:27.52
God's protective hand
that was over everyone,
00:25:27.56\00:25:30.23
and no one was seriously hurt.
00:25:30.26\00:25:32.63
Even Edgar
manages to escape the day
00:25:32.66\00:25:34.80
with just a few broken toes.
00:25:34.83\00:25:37.17
God protected this
mission base today,
00:25:37.20\00:25:39.80
as well as the
entire village of Sapangan.
00:25:39.83\00:25:43.51
Even with the devastating events
00:25:43.54\00:25:45.51
of the day,
00:25:45.54\00:25:46.88
everyone could still see
God's merciful intervention.
00:25:46.91\00:25:52.85
As this week comes to an end,
00:25:52.88\00:25:55.08
the mission trip
comes to completion.
00:25:55.12\00:25:57.72
The students were
able to make a big impact
00:25:57.75\00:26:00.36
on the progress
of the mission house.
00:26:00.39\00:26:02.89
The next step in the
process is installing the roof.
00:26:02.92\00:26:06.49
It's been fun
seeing the house built.
00:26:06.53\00:26:09.50
Just to start off with a
piece of grassy dirty land
00:26:09.53\00:26:13.94
and just to see it come
up in 3D form is been fun,
00:26:13.97\00:26:18.84
fun to see that,
00:26:18.87\00:26:20.21
"Oh, this is where
the kitchen is gonna be
00:26:20.24\00:26:21.64
and the bathroom, "
00:26:21.68\00:26:23.01
and sometimes, you
know, we'll say our house,
00:26:23.04\00:26:24.71
was not really our house,
00:26:24.75\00:26:26.08
this house is going to be here
00:26:26.11\00:26:27.45
for many, many,
many years to come
00:26:27.48\00:26:29.15
and will house many missionaries
00:26:29.18\00:26:30.82
we're praying.
00:26:30.85\00:26:32.35
But it's been a lot of
fun just to see being built up
00:26:32.39\00:26:34.56
block by block,
00:26:34.59\00:26:35.92
and we're looking forward
00:26:35.96\00:26:37.56
to seeing the
finishing touches go on too.
00:26:37.59\00:26:39.93
The students were able
to make a lasting impact
00:26:39.96\00:26:42.46
on this new mission house.
00:26:42.50\00:26:44.37
But more importantly,
00:26:44.40\00:26:45.80
the students left
Palawan feeling fulfilled,
00:26:45.83\00:26:48.77
and spiritually revived.
00:26:48.80\00:26:50.84
Adventist World Aviation's work
00:26:50.87\00:26:52.97
is not only using aircraft
00:26:53.01\00:26:54.94
to accomplish the gospel,
00:26:54.98\00:26:56.64
many times, ministry is done
00:26:56.68\00:26:59.18
simply by using the
talents and strengths
00:26:59.21\00:27:02.55
that God gives each person.
00:27:02.58\00:27:05.19
Well, if you summarize it,
you know, a project like this,
00:27:05.22\00:27:07.62
you know, what is
the ultimate goal?
00:27:07.66\00:27:09.12
I mean, it's really very simple.
00:27:09.16\00:27:11.19
I mean, the whole
idea behind all this,
00:27:11.23\00:27:13.33
it's not about airplanes,
it's not about medical work.
00:27:13.36\00:27:16.20
It's not about even outreach,
00:27:16.23\00:27:17.60
all these things we
have to do, it's important.
00:27:17.63\00:27:20.60
But the idea is to show people
00:27:20.64\00:27:24.94
that there is a
God that loves them,
00:27:24.97\00:27:26.68
and through our actions,
00:27:26.71\00:27:30.81
not just by thumping
a Bible over their head,
00:27:30.85\00:27:32.58
but by actually demonstrating
that we care about them,
00:27:32.61\00:27:36.22
and we're here to help
them, we're here to serve them.
00:27:36.25\00:27:40.12
That is
00:27:40.16\00:27:41.49
what's going to
break down barriers.
00:27:41.52\00:27:42.86
The goal is to take
as many people with us
00:27:42.89\00:27:45.39
as we can to God's kingdom.
00:27:45.43\00:27:47.10
I mean, there's no other
reason for us being here.
00:27:47.13\00:27:49.70
If we're not doing
that, we're just wasting time.
00:27:49.73\00:27:52.20
It boils down to the fact
00:27:52.23\00:27:53.60
that we want to
share God's love.
00:27:53.64\00:27:56.30
And we have to
do mission aviation,
00:27:56.34\00:27:58.17
medical work and
outreach to do that,
00:27:58.21\00:27:59.87
well, then that's
what we're going to do.
00:27:59.91\00:28:01.24
And I believe that
is the ultimate vehicle
00:28:01.28\00:28:02.71
that we will use.
00:28:02.74\00:28:04.11
But I know for a
fact that there are people
00:28:04.15\00:28:06.92
all over these islands
00:28:06.95\00:28:08.38
where the Holy Spirit
has been working with them.
00:28:08.42\00:28:11.29
Ultimately, that's what we want.
00:28:11.32\00:28:12.65
We want to bring
peace to people's lives.
00:28:12.69\00:28:14.12
We want to help them understand
00:28:14.16\00:28:15.49
that there's a
God that loves them
00:28:15.52\00:28:16.86
and in fact God
Jesus is coming back again.
00:28:16.89\00:28:19.19
And He's going to take
all of us home to His kingdom
00:28:19.23\00:28:21.96
rich and poor,
Filipino, American,
00:28:22.00\00:28:23.87
doesn't matter who you are,
00:28:23.90\00:28:25.23
or what's walk of
life you come from,
00:28:25.27\00:28:27.67
He loves us all.
00:28:27.70\00:28:29.10