Finally a Choice
I can tell you for sure! There is one happy family in the Philippines.
Philip and Vina Le Roux have had some hair-raising travel experiences as they reach out to the Agutaynen people on a remote and isolated island in the Philippines. Best case scenario? 18 ½ hours on two separate ferry boats. You might envision a pleasurable boat ride, but no! The Le Roux endure hours of motion sickness, unsanitary, unsafe, and overcrowded conditions, and just plain fear of shipwreck when the seas are high. Though they sometimes fear for their lives, they persevere. “If I die today,” said one of the Le Roux children, “I’d rather it be us die than the people who do not know Jesus.”
The ferries are just a part of the trip. First, the Le Roux have a domestic flight from Manila to the port town, then a taxi ride to the docks. Since boat schedules never line up and weather is unpredictable, they have days of waiting for each ferry. That’s especially frustrating when traveling with 3 children and 4 months’ worth of groceries, including fresh and frozen items.
Using flight to get to the Agutaynen has always been out of the question for the Le Roux. Their heart for the lost is big, but their support level is low. Even so, they decided that the travel hardships were worth it to reach the forgotten Agyutaynen people.
Recently, though, the Le Roux got to do the trip in the newly arrived R44 helicopter. What a remarkable difference! They made their whole journey – from Manila to the island — by 2 pm. The 18 ½ hours on the boats were reduced to just one hour in the aircraft, and they gained days of ministry time. “I can’t help but be in awe of all the things we have managed to do, that we would not have accomplished if we were still traveling,” says Vina.
“Even more amazing,” she adds, “is that the Lord blessed us through donors who are subsidizing the flight program. It would not be possible for us to use flight were it not for people who love the Lord enough to want to see his work done.” And the work is getting done! Philip hopes to begin teaching God’s Word at the beginning of next year.