*Tagong Isla

the view one afternoon at the island's fort

Are you ready to bring the Gospel to the unreached people in hard to reach places? If so, let’s go to* Tagong Isla!  (Hidden Island).

our ride to the island  for 8-10 hours that took only 6hours!

Tagong Isla (not its real name) is a group of islands, south- east of Palawan. It is really hidden in the eyes of many travelers and ferries and only those who are from there would know the way to get there. 

Sometimes you would not even find these islands marked in a Philippine map!

"can i take your picture?"

But the island is really beautiful and the people so friendly. They are devoted to the religion that they know but they long to know  to know the God that they hope they serve. They have been waiting.

As we walked around the island and visited some islands, we saw both beauty and pain. this is a paradise! Every where we look displayed the beauty of God's power. The believers gathering  in the only church in this island continue to be joyful, persevering in prayer and getting involved in bible training and improving the Bible in their language. But the island has 7, 000 people that need to hear the gospel and many of them live in villages and islands far from the church. 

Countless shells like these and others adorned the walls , window
 frames and the altar of the island's religious facility.
 Each big and tiny shell placed by hand. 

water would have to be fetched from deep wells.
Rain water is their main drinking water.
when we came, it has not rained for 6 months. 

kids would gather in the afternoons in the villages' chapels to
offer prayers and flowers. they have been taught this since they
are very little and could now gather even without any of the older
villagers leading them.

After 4days, we were ready to go but it took 8 more days before a passenger boat was available and allowed to travel because of an incoming typhoon. 

upon reaching the main land,  we could finally meet this pastor who has served in the Island for over 20 years and corresponded with us for 2 years. He said, “For years we waited and waited for people from our group to come and help us. There is the means to go, but no one was willing. Then three years ago, we asked the Lord for any evangelical- bible believing workers to come, and you responded. And so we welcome you. Help us. Let us work together for it seems like we have been forgotten.”

leaving the island on a sunset. we were on the boat
for 20 hours.
the island that you see in this photo does not have
a church either. 

Do you hear the pain in the heart of this Pastor? He had felt like they had been forgotten. Maps may. People would. But the Lord could not for he hears the cry of his people. He has opened a way. Finally after 3 years of waiting, Hidden Island had been surveyed and several areas have been set up. 

We are going and we need you to go with us. Will you accept the invitation and respond to the call for help of this Pastor to serve in this hidden place? Don’t just be amazed by the photos or touched by the story. Get up, set your feet and start moving into going!

-        -    with Maribel

Franchise Leader, Supervisor

Palawan Nehemiah Teams