Simple Days, Lasting Lessons

It’s been just under a month since I arrived in Nueva Vizcaya, and life here has been both humbling and inspiring. The journey alone to reach the barangay gives you a sense of how far removed this community is—it’s nearly three hours of winding paved roads, followed by stretches of rugged off-road trails.

When you finally arrive, the barangay is small enough to walk across in about ten minutes. Running water and electricity come and go, but the trade-off is breathtaking views of rolling hills, untouched forests, and roaring rivers.

When I first came, I planned to see how best I could serve. I thought a mobile library might be useful here, but I quickly realized that wasn’t the need—the next community is too far away to make it practical. Instead, something unexpected happened: the people here offered a building that could be repurposed into a permanent library. That gesture alone felt like such a gift. Since then, I’ve been gathering books in both English and Tagalog/English to help Family Ministries Philippines stock its shelves. Soon, children and families in the community will have a place to come, read, and learn together.

The schools here have been especially welcoming. Both the elementary and high school teachers have expressed how much they appreciate any resources or tutoring support for their students. It’s encouraging to see how eager they are to create opportunities for learning, despite the challenges that come with living in such a rural area.

One of the highlights of my time here has been working with the youth leaders. In the very first week, I started an English-speaking class with them, filled with role-playing and situational exercises. What started as a simple class quickly became one of the most enjoyable parts of my week. As I spent more time with the leaders, I saw how passionate they were about reaching the teenagers in their community—but they admitted they often struggled to truly engage them.

Together, we began to work on practical tools—writing out messages, crafting thoughtful questions, and finding ways to make their fellowship time more interactive. The first time they tried this approach, something remarkable happened: the young people actually started speaking up, answering questions, and joining the conversation. It was a small change, but it made a big impact in spreading God’s word and love.

Each day here reminds me how much I still have to learn about faith, patience, and service. I feel incredibly blessed to be walking alongside these youth leaders, and I’m praying they continue to grow in confidence and passion as they reach their community with the Gospel.