Exploring a New Community- Visiting Homes and Learning People's Daily Life

Good day everyone! Another day, another story to tell.

Sharing words of comfort from God’s word has always been a part of my week together with my zealous brothers and sisters in faith. We always go to different communities to share good news of hope to all kinds of people, visiting them from their houses. In every community, we get to explore different corners and even shortcuts, we get to to know what most people usually do in the community. Through this volunteer work, we get to learn people's anxieties and daily life struggles. Based on that, we would like to comfort them of how God’s word could help each one of us at the present and what hope is there in the future.

Today, we visited the community of Pikas, which is located at the end part of the municipality of Culaba. The location of this community is recognized by the narrow bridge which separates it from the municipality’s central area. It is a community located by the shoreline. And yes, given the location, you can guess the people’s primary livelihood. Most of the men in this community are fisherfolks. Families relies on fishing as their primary source for everyday needs.

This is even the place where you could buy fish at cheaper prices before they are delivered to the the market. Aside that this place is known for its narrow passage. The people here or should I say each families are truly hardworking.

It truly amazes me how supportive each family members are with the fishing livelihood. Most fisherfolks do not use net in fishing rather they use baits and hooks which in the local language is called “kitang”. Kitang is a big a box full of many hooks in all sides, and each hooks has fish meat as baits for bigger fish. By talking to people, I learned how complicated it is to make a “kitang”. You have to arrange it neatly and properly making sure that the thin white ropes in which the hooks are connected are not entangled. This has to be made and arranged everytime before the fishermen go fishing. Thus, “kitang” has to be made every single day by the other family members. We usually see wives and even children helping their moms in doing this. According to them, this takes time, as they usually start early in the morning and usually end in the late afternoon. Yes, it is really a tiring thing to do but people in this community are already used into this kind of life.

Thus, whenever we move to the next house, we would see another person making a “kitang”. For many this has already been a part of their everyday life as this helps them sustain as well for their everyday needs. According to many, they no longer have to worry for the viand for each meal except for the rice. But of course, it is another story during bad weather or typhoons which they consider as their great enemy on this livelihood. And the worst, all of the people in this community are always subject to force evacuation during typhoons.

Another thing I appreciate about the people in this community is their helpfulness especially when it comes to carrying the boats from the sea to the land and vice versa. Three to four people has to help in carrying the boat as one person can’t do it alone.

Also despite being busy, I also appreciate the people here as they welcome us and still ready to listen. It was terribly hot today, but we ended the work with happy hearts for meeting the people in this community.

Photos are mine and edited with Canva.