- Calapa: A Journey Back to My Roots

 SLIDE 1  TITLE — Calapa - A Journey Back to My Roots

From Grief to Belonging — An Unexpected Gift from God

Presentation for Lakeside Seventh-day Adventist Church

- 1. My first taste of the Philippines

 SLIDE 2  INTRO — Your most beautiful photograph of Calapa, showing the sea, islands and mountains. Add the presentation title.

Good morning, church family!

Today I want to share with you something very special that happened to me this year.

I want to take you to a little community in the Philippines called Calapa.

A place that has become very dear to my heart.

A place where I found friendship, love, peace and happiness at a time when I needed them very much.

But before I take you there, let me tell you how it all started.

 SLIDE 3  FIRST VISIT — A photograph of you with the Adventist pastor and his wife, or one of the churches you visited.

Earlier this year, I went to the Philippines for about a week.

I went for two reasons.

First, to meet a lady I had been talking to.

And second, to meet a lovely Adventist pastor and his wife, who kindly took me around to see churches, schools, missions and projects.

Well, the lady and I parted ways almost as soon as we met!

I suppose you could say it was a very short relationship — but a very long flight!

[Pause for laughter.]

But something wonderful happened.

I fell in love!

Not with the lady.

With the Philippines!

 SLIDE 4  TRAFFIC — A busy Filipino road, unusual vehicles, or a photograph from your long drive.

And one of the first things I discovered was the traffic.

Oh, the traffic!

I have never seen driving quite like it.

I spent about twelve hours travelling through some of the most amazing roads and traffic I have ever seen.

I started calling the Philippines the Free Country.

Because everyone seemed so free to drive however they liked!

A sign saying 20 kilometres per hour?

Well, perhaps that means 120!

Two solid lines around a blind corner?

Apparently, an invitation to overtake!

I thought, these drivers must have tremendous faith in God.

Because sometimes it looked like they were in a great hurry to meet Him!

[Pause for laughter.]

But I loved the country.

I loved the people, the freedom, the busy streets, the simple life and the beautiful scenery.

And I came home dreaming of going back.

- 2. Meeting Jenebel

 SLIDE 5  JENEBEL — A beautiful, natural photograph of Jenebel smiling.

Now, as many of you know, the last few years of my life have not been easy.

There have been many family challenges, and some very difficult times.

During those years, I was thankful for the love and support I received from our Spanish-speaking Adventist church.

And also for the prayers, friendship and support I have received here at Lakeside.

But there was something missing in my life.

Companionship.

You know, the Bible says that it is not good for man to be alone.

And I was beginning to understand that verse very well!

I had met a number of lovely Adventist ladies online, particularly from the Philippines.

But my life was already very busy.

I had children to care for, a home to manage, and many other challenges.

I simply didn't have time for so many conversations!

So one day I prayed.

I said, "Lord, thank You for allowing me to meet these lovely Christian ladies. But I am very busy. Please help me find the right person, and save me all this time!"

And within about two hours, I met Jenebel.

Now, I don't know exactly how God works these things out.

But that certainly got my attention!

 SLIDE 6  JENEBEL IN MINISTRY — Jenebel singing, speaking at church, leading a programme or taking part in worship.

Jenebel was born and raised in a Seventh-day Adventist family.

She loves God, her family and her church.

She sings beautifully.

She is active in church programmes, preaching and ministry.

She is hardworking, loves cooking, enjoys helping people and seems to have endless energy!

And, of course, she is also a very beautiful lady.

I thought, "Lord, You have been very generous!"

[Pause and smile.]

But what really impressed me was something she asked during our very first conversation.

She asked me:

"Would you worship with me every night?"

Wow!

I thought, this is someone special.

And so we started having worship together.

Because of the time difference, when my children were asleep here in Australia, I would have another family worship with Jenebel.

Two family worships a day!

Not bad, eh?

 SLIDE 7  JENEBEL'S FAMILY — A warm photograph of Jenebel with her parents, brothers or extended family.

Jenebel was also very understanding of my family situation.

She knew that I had children.

She knew about the difficult court proceedings.

She listened, encouraged me, prayed with me and supported me through many difficult days.

And she began telling me about her home.

A little community called Calapa.

She told me there were around 800 people, and that most of them were Adventists.

Many were also her relatives!

A whole community with a church, a school, mountains, rivers, rainforest and the sea.

I thought, "Wow! Is this place real?"

I tried finding it on Google Street View.

Nothing!

Apparently, Google had not discovered Calapa yet!

 SLIDE 8  THE DREAM OF CALAPA — A wide photograph of the village, coastline and mountains, ideally showing the church or school.

The more she told me, the more I wanted to see this place.

And there was another interesting connection.

The Philippines was under Spanish rule for more than 300 years.

And because I come from Chile, I was fascinated to hear so many Spanish words in Tagalog.

I could recognise some words.

But understanding the language was another story!

And as many of you know, I like talking!

Well, in Calapa I was going to learn how to listen.

And that was not easy!

- 3. Two weeks became eight

 SLIDE 9  THE JOURNEY — A photograph of your flight, airport, luggage or journey to Calapa.

When the family court proceedings finally finished, I had already planned to go to the Philippines for two weeks.

I was going to visit Jenebel and finally see this beautiful community she had told me so much about.

But the court outcome was very painful.

After years of caring for my children, I suddenly had to face life without them living with me.

And I was not allowed to contact them for eight weeks.

I was heartbroken.

I had been through years of difficult times, and now I was grieving the loss of everyday life with my children.

But then something unexpected happened.

The airline contacted me.

My return flight had been cancelled, and I could choose another date.

Well!

I thought, I cannot see my children for eight weeks.

Why not stay in the Philippines for those eight weeks?

And that is exactly what I did!

What was meant to be two weeks became eight.

And somehow, I had just enough money and just enough time.

I saw this as a wonderful opportunity God had allowed me to have.

 SLIDE 10  SIMPLE LIVING — Your accommodation, a basic charging arrangement, or a photograph showing everyday life without modern conveniences.

But I had a little problem.

My phone broke!

And later, another phone went swimming.

Unfortunately, it couldn't swim!

And even my underwater camera decided to stay underwater permanently!

One by one, my electronic things were disappearing.

And in Calapa, charging a phone was sometimes an adventure in itself.

I was slowly losing the comforts I was used to.

And I was also running out of money!

But something interesting happened.

The less I had, the more I began to feel like one of the people.

And I discovered that I didn't need nearly as much as I thought I did.

- 4. Discovering paradise

 SLIDE 11  THE BIG REVEAL — Your most spectacular panoramic photograph of Calapa, showing the sea, islands and mountains. Fill the entire screen.

Now let me show you Calapa!

[Pause for a few seconds. Let everyone look.]

Isn't that beautiful?

Imagine living in a little community surrounded by all this.

The sea, the islands, the mountains, the rainforest.

And beautiful scenery everywhere you look.

As an artist, I was in heaven!

Well, not quite heaven.

But perhaps a little preview!

 SLIDE 12  THE SEA AND ISLANDS — A beautiful view of the sea, islands, shoreline or boats.

I loved looking at the sea.

The islands in the distance.

The changing colours of the water.

The clouds moving over the mountains.

The warm sunshine and the lovely sea breeze.

I never got tired of looking.

And I was surprised that during those eight weeks, I never got sick!

I felt healthier, more relaxed and more alive.

 SLIDE 13  THE RIVER AND RAINFOREST — A river at the foot of the mountains, tropical forest, waterfalls or lush green scenery.

There were rivers, rainforest and mountains to explore.

And everything was so green!

I loved the warm weather.

The tropical plants.

The beautiful light.

And the wonderful feeling of being surrounded by nature.

Sometimes I just wanted to stop and look.

There was beauty everywhere.

 SLIDE 14  THE VILLAGE — Simple houses, small streets, footpaths, gardens and colourful everyday details.

But what I found beautiful was not only the natural scenery.

It was also the village itself.

The simple houses.

The little streets and paths.

The colours.

The things people made and repaired.

Many of the houses were very modest.

Life was not easy for everyone.

But the whole place had a special character.

As an artist, I found even the simplest things interesting.

There was something beautiful around every corner.

And I loved walking everywhere.

Walking was our main transport!

Every walk became an adventure.

There was always someone to greet, somewhere to visit or something new to see.

- 5. Big Camp every day!

 SLIDE 15  THE CHILDREN — A lively photograph of children playing, smiling or gathering together.

Now, one of the first things I noticed when I arrived was the children.

There were children everywhere!

Babies, toddlers, schoolchildren, teenagers.

I began to wonder whether Calapa had its own baby factory!

[Pause for laughter.]

And so many of them were happy to see a visitor from overseas.

They smiled, greeted me and made me feel welcome.

I had arrived grieving the separation from my own children.

And here I was, surrounded by children who were showing me so much love and friendship.

Of course, nobody could replace my children.

But these children helped me smile again.

And that was a very precious gift.

 SLIDE 16  THE CHURCH AND SCHOOL — A photograph showing the church and school, ideally with children and families around.

The church and school are at the heart of Calapa.

So much of life revolves around them.

There is always another church meeting.

Another worship programme.

Another gathering.

Another activity to prepare for.

People look forward to these meetings.

They prepare together.

They attend together.

And they enjoy being together.

It reminded me so much of my childhood in Chile.

Church was a very important part of our family and community life.

And in Calapa, I found that same feeling again.

 SLIDE 17  WORSHIP AND SINGING — People singing together, a choir, family worship or a church programme.

And did I tell you that they love singing?

Oh, they love singing!

They sing at church.

They sing at home.

They sing at gatherings.

They seem to sing everywhere!

And because Tagalog is quite easy to read once you know the sounds, I started singing along.

This caused a little problem.

Some people thought I could speak Tagalog!

I could sing the words, but when they started talking to me, I was lost!

[Pause for laughter.]

But little by little, I began recognising more words.

And towards the end, I could even understand parts of conversations.

For someone who normally does most of the talking, this was a great achievement!

 SLIDE 18  BIG CAMP EVERY DAY — A large church or community gathering with many families, children and shared activities.

Now, how can I describe this community to you?

I think the best way is this:

Imagine Big Camp.

You know, the fellowship.

The church meetings.

The children.

The singing.

The shared meals.

The visiting.

The happiness of being together.

Now imagine that every day!

That is what Calapa felt like to me.

Big Camp every day!

Except nobody packs up their tent and goes home on Sunday!

I loved it.

And I began looking forward to every new meeting, every visit and every chance to spend time with the people.

 SLIDE 19  BEACH CELEBRATIONS — A beach gathering with food, music, games, singing and people enjoying themselves.

And they love a good gathering!

Especially by the beach.

Lots of food.

Lots of rice!

Sweets, music, games, singing and laughter.

All surrounded by the beautiful sea and mountains.

It reminded me of the simple parties we enjoyed when I was young.

You didn't need expensive entertainment.

You just needed people, food, music and a place to gather.

And Calapa had plenty of all four!

- 6. From Sir Jonathan to brother

 SLIDE 20  THE WELCOME — An early photograph of you being welcomed, seated at a gathering or sharing a meal.

When I first arrived in Calapa, people treated me like a king!

It was always:

"Sir Jonathan!"

"Sir Jonathan, come here!"

"Sir Jonathan, sit here!"

The best seat.

The best food.

The best of everything!

I almost felt embarrassed.

I thought, please, I'm just Jonathan!

But as the weeks went by, something wonderful happened.

I stopped being the special visitor from Australia.

I became their friend.

Their brother.

One of them.

And that meant so much more to me.

 SLIDE 21  JENEBEL'S FAMILY — A happy group photograph with Jenebel, her parents, brothers and other relatives.

Jenebel introduced me to her family.

And what a family!

A large family, with so many relatives living close to one another.

Her parents welcomed me with love.

Her brothers became my friends.

And little by little, I began feeling like I had another mama and papa, and two more brothers.

Jenebel helped me become part of their everyday life.

We walked together.

We visited people.

We ate together.

We worshipped together.

And we enjoyed the simple things in life.

I loved her love for God, her family and her community.

And I loved the way she welcomed me into that world.

 SLIDE 22  FOOD AND HOSPITALITY — A shared family meal, people cooking, or a table full of food.

Now, let me tell you about the food.

Rice!

Rice for breakfast.

Rice for lunch.

Rice for dinner.

Sometimes I wondered whether they might serve rice with the rice!

But I loved the meals.

Not only because of the food, but because we were eating together.

People shared what they had.

They made room for others.

And there was always someone to talk to.

Even when I couldn't understand what they were saying!

 SLIDE 23  RECYCLING AND SIMPLE LIFE — Clever repairs, reused containers, handmade objects or examples of creative recycling.

Another thing that fascinated me was how little people wasted.

Almost everything had another use.

A container could be reused.

Something broken could be repaired.

Old materials could become something useful.

I saw so much creativity.

People could make wonderful things out of what we might call junk!

As an artist, I loved it.

And again, it reminded me of my childhood.

In Chile, especially when we lived in the Andes mountains, we lived a very simple life.

We repaired things.

We reused things.

We made do with what we had.

And later, when I lived at Freemans Waterhole Caravan Park, I experienced another kind of simple community.

I like to call it the Free State of Freemans Waterhole!

It was a rather run-down place.

Not exactly a five-star resort!

But it had something special.

People knew one another.

People spent time together.

And life was simple.

Now, decades later, here I was in Calapa, feeling like I had gone back to my childhood.

 SLIDE 24  VOLLEYBALL — A lively volleyball game, preferably showing the players, spectators and lighting.

And I must tell you about volleyball!

These people are amazing players.

And they take their games very seriously!

Sometimes they played at night, using a generator for the lights.

And the losing team might have to pay for the fuel.

Now, when that fuel can cost someone a whole day's wages, you can imagine how seriously they play!

Suddenly, every point matters!

But there was still so much laughter.

People cheering, joking, teasing and having fun.

I loved watching them.

 SLIDE 25  COMMUNITY LIFE — People walking, visiting, chatting, sharing food or gathering outside their homes.

What impressed me most was the feeling of togetherness.

People were always visiting one another.

Families were always around.

Children were everywhere.

And there was always something happening.

Of course, life was not perfect.

People faced sickness, accidents, loss and difficult times.

But when someone suffered, the community came together.

They prayed.

They visited.

They helped.

They grieved together.

And I began thinking about our lives here in Australia.

We have so many comforts.

Beautiful homes.

Cars.

Televisions.

Phones.

Fast internet.

But sometimes, I wonder whether we have become too busy for one another.

In Calapa, many people have very little money.

But they have something very precious.

They have one another.

And I began to feel that sometimes, the simpler our lives become, the more room we have for people.

And perhaps more room for God too.

- 7. From grief to belonging

 SLIDE 26  A PEACEFUL MOMENT — A beautiful sunset, calm sea, quiet mountain view or a place where you felt peaceful.

Now, I want to finish by telling you what Calapa really meant to me.

Many of you know that the last few years have been very difficult.

I have experienced family breakdown, years of court proceedings, and the pain of losing everyday life with my children.

There have been other losses over the years too.

Some dreams and opportunities I had to put aside while raising my family.

And some things I still find very hard to understand.

I don't always know why God allows difficult things to happen.

But I believe He understands.

I believe He sees our tears.

And I believe He walks with us through our pain.

When I arrived in Calapa, I was carrying so much grief.

But little by little, something began to change.

The smiles.

The children.

The warm sunshine.

The sea breeze.

The walks.

The singing.

The worship.

The shared meals.

The kindness of Jenebel and her family.

The love of the whole community.

All these simple things began helping me relax.

And after a while, I realised something.

I was genuinely happy.

Not because I had forgotten my children.

Not because my problems had disappeared.

But because I was discovering that my life still had room for happiness.

I had found a place where I belonged.

 SLIDE 27  A NEW FAMILY — A warm photograph of you with Jenebel and her family, showing genuine happiness and affection.

I arrived in Calapa as a visitor.

People called me Sir Jonathan.

But I left feeling like a brother.

I came with grief in my heart.

And I left with new friends, a new family, wonderful memories and new hope.

And something else happened when I returned to Australia.

Not long after coming home, I was asked whether I wanted to have my children for ten days.

Ten days!

Earlier than I had expected.

What a wonderful blessing!

Praise God!

And my children have now had the opportunity to get to know Jenebel.

I am so thankful that they have become comfortable and friendly with her.

I know that my journey is not finished.

I still miss my children very much.

And I still have difficult days.

But I am thankful that God has given me a new chapter in my life.

 SLIDE 28  THE CALAPA CHURCH FAMILY — A beautiful group photograph of the congregation, children, school or whole community.

There is a verse in Psalm 68:6

KJV 6 God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

NLT 6 God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

that says:

"God setteth the solitary in families."

And I feel that God has allowed me to experience something of that promise.

In a remote little community, far away from Australia, I found a family that welcomed me.

And I discovered that our worldwide Adventist family is something very special.

The people of Calapa may live very differently from us.

They may have fewer comforts.

But we share the same faith.

The same hope.

The same love for Jesus.

And I would love for Lakeside and Calapa to get to know one another better.

Perhaps one day our two churches could become sister churches.

Who knows what blessings might come from that?

And rather than simply telling you how wonderful these people are, I have a special greeting from them to share with you.

 SLIDE 29  GREETINGS FROM CALAPA — Play the greeting video or audio message from the Calapa church.

[Play greeting. Allow the message to finish.]

Thank you, Lakeside, for your prayers, friendship and support.

And thank you to my dear brothers and sisters in Calapa.

You helped me find happiness again.

You reminded me of my childhood.

You reminded me of the beauty of simple living.

And you reminded me that God can bring wonderful blessings into our lives, even during difficult times.

I travelled halfway around the world.

And somehow, I found myself back at home.

Thank you, and God bless you all.

End of presentation.