Preaching the Badjaos Through Community Development
Preaching to the Badjaos has not been easy, their culture is different, their language is different and their way of living is different. I came to the island of Malitam last 1999 with my wife armed only with the Bible and the passion for the lost. The Lord has given us strategies on winning their hearts to God. The pictures below speaks for themselves of how great God has done and how He changed the lives of the Badjao people living in Malitam island.
Strategy 1 - Building Influence With the Community The first step in ministering to the Badjaos people is to form a bond relationship with the chief, the council members and of the community. |
Strategy 2 - Relief and Food Distribution 
The second strategy that the Lord gave us to reach the Badjaos was to provide relief and food to the community, feeding both the adults and children. Christians volunteers were also part of this endeavor. |
Strategy 3 - Health and Nutrition 
We also have a child care center where we supply the babies and children with vitamins. Medicines and vitamins had to be rationed to the children and had to be spoon fed to ensure that all children receive their daily medication and supplements. |
Strategy 4 - Improving Literacy and Education  Badjaos in Malitam island are 100% illiterate,The first thing we did was build a preparatory/literacy school on the island of Malitam. The school is named as "Shining Light Christian Academy". We didn't have any teachers available at first, but through God's grace, He provided volunteers to help teach the children how to read and write. By the end of 2003, we had 19 children who graduated from the school. At the end of the following year 2004, we had 11 children who graduated from the same school. It took a lot of hardwork in the beginning, but this year we have few students who already made it to high school in Batangas City and few who are ready to go to college.
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Strategy 5 - Medical and Dental Assistance 
Thanks to the help and assistance of Christian brethren and through the support of partners locally in the Philippines and partners in abroad, we were able to provide medical and dental assistance to the Badjaos. Christian doctors and nurses came to the island to participate. Medicines were also donated from different parts of the nation and from abroad. |
Strategy 6 - Providing Livelihood 
Badjaos are basically sea farers and depend mostly on the sea to hunt food using their spears, diving coins tossed overboard by passengers of ships and exchanging sea corals or pearls for any food or money. They were never crop growers. We had to teach them how to grow crops and grow themselves. |
Strategy 7 - Providing Water 
Malitam Island,where the Badjaos lived, is located at the delta of Batangas City. Fresh water is not available on the island and had to be transported by boat from the main island of Batangas city. To solution this problem, we dug wells and built water pumps to draw fresh water. Although the water is not really clear enough for drinking, it can be used for bathing, washing and other things in the island. |