Working Hard

We awoke early in Davao to make the morning drive to Kidapawan and to the Southern Philippines Methodist Colleges. The views are spectacular. For perspective, Manila is on one of the northern Philippine islands, Davao is about 500 miles southeast on the island called Mindanao. Where we are working is Kidapawan a city of roughly 80,000 people in the hills some 70 miles due west of Davao. To get there, it is about a two and a half hour trip on a road which twists and turns around inlets and rivers fitted between luscious green meadows lined by banana and coconut palm trees. Just as soon as we hit the outskirts of Kidapawan, we made a right turn immediately after a bridge over a small brook that outlines the property.

After a short lunch, we were welcomed to the Colleges in song. A music class was waiting for us and students were very happy to see the visitors from Texas. Dr. Ed Lynch set up a make shift medical clinic to administer physicals to the students in one of the dormitories. He was to see the women first, but when the nurse assigned to help him had another responsibility, he began examining some of the men. In only a few hours, Dr. Ed had seen 13 patients finding several medical issues which will need further attention.

Most of the team started digging. It is hoped the school can add a two story facility on the site in nine months to a year. But the finished product has to start with a foundation, and that means taking a shovel and moving a lot of dirt. There are already cries from the mission team to rent a backhoe, but in this situation, as with so many third world construction projects, the cost for renting heavy equipment is far more expensive than manual labor; especially when the labor is volunteered by a team from Chapelwood. The soil is thick, pasty and heavy, especially after a good soaking which comes regularly in the early afternoon. In fact as I am writing this, a thunder cloud has just sounded, a not so gentle reminder that any time you are working in a tropical climate, rain can be moments away.

I have to admit I didn’t get my hands dirty today, as I spent most of the time taking pictures and producing a short video which will be shown this Sunday at the special July 4th service at Chapelwood. Even in the hills of Kidipawan, the world wide web works, so the video has been sent to the communications department at Chapelwood and we hope you will enjoy it on Sunday.

I will be digging tomorrow, and I hope I can lose some weight. You see I had a battle during dinner tonight with an avocado colored green resin chair, something you might find in white at Lowe’s or the Home Depot. Let’s just say the chair lost. It’s now lying wounded in the corner in about five pieces. Falling to the floor, the only thing I injured was my pride, which can always be humbled. I am now sitting in a much sturdier wooden chair.

Carleton Cole