Last September 26 we hopped into a taxi to go to Manila International Airport to catch our flight to Taiwan. We were to teach in the 3rd Family Ministries School held in Dan Shui Taiwan.
Well our supposedly 30 minute trip turned into a 6 hour ordeal! Due to Typhoon Ondoy we became stranded in our taxi in sudden flooding and stand still traffic. Needless to say we missed our flight to Taiwan and then due to the severe flooding (waist deep) half a kilometre from the airport we had to turn around and go back. By this time water had entered our taxi. However we couldn't get back to our guest house so we looked for alternative accommodation but none was to be found. Finally we ended up sleeping on the couch of a guest house lobby with two drunken Englishmen who were also stranded due to the flood. After 24 hours once the floods had subsided we went back to the airport and caught our flight to Taiwan.
Phew! This was the longest flight we have ever had!
Here is Mel stretching out at Terminal 3 in Manila.
Here is Mel stretching out at Terminal 3 in Manila.
FMS 2009 Dan Shui Taiwan
Once we arrived in Taiwan it was all worth the effort as we had a great bunch of students (27) and nearly all of them were YWAM Staff and Taiwanese apart from two American husbands!
Mel teaching with the Taiwanese Interpreter Darla
We had a lot of fun too!
Here we coaxed the leaders into doing a skit with us on family in missions!
We were the parents and they were our children!
Here we coaxed the leaders into doing a skit with us on family in missions!
We were the parents and they were our children!
Teamwork is a part of Family in Missions..not just the Mother or the Father but the children too!
Here are some of the students doing a skit...this is one way they put the teaching into art form!
Here we are receiving affirmation after the two weeks of teaching..this is a YWAM custom.
One day it stopped raining..(we were getting rain at the same time that the Philippines was being drenched.)
....so we took a walk a few minutes from the FMS classroom..so nice to get out and look around!
On the weekend we went back to 'school leaders Debbie & Len Fischer's home and went out for a special meal in Taipei City
That Sunday we travelled a couple of hours to their son's international church where Mel preached to mostly Filipino overseas contract workers.
So after this great time of ministry we caught our flight back to the Philippines
However when we arrived back we heard through the news report that all roads going into Baguio City were cut off due to landslides. See the two pictures below.
The report said that it could be up to 10 days until the roads would be cleared. As we were going to Thailand in eight days to help set up the first Family Ministries School there we decided to change our flight and go to Thailand a week early and return to the Philippines once the roads opened. So that's what we did!
Thank you for all of you who prayed for us and for the Philippines throughout this very difficult time. While we were away the YWAM Baguio Centre became a relief goods centre and the staff and students there have been very occupied with ministry to the Typhoon Victims.
So after this great time of ministry we caught our flight back to the Philippines
However when we arrived back we heard through the news report that all roads going into Baguio City were cut off due to landslides. See the two pictures below.
The report said that it could be up to 10 days until the roads would be cleared. As we were going to Thailand in eight days to help set up the first Family Ministries School there we decided to change our flight and go to Thailand a week early and return to the Philippines once the roads opened. So that's what we did!
Thank you for all of you who prayed for us and for the Philippines throughout this very difficult time. While we were away the YWAM Baguio Centre became a relief goods centre and the staff and students there have been very occupied with ministry to the Typhoon Victims.
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