The Philippines is an archipelago, which means a collection of islands. The Philippine government claims 7,107 islands, many of which are little more than large rocks above the waves of the South China Sea. 700 are inhabited. The country is bounded on its watery borders by Borneo, Taiwan, Palau and Indonesia.

The tropical climate is hot and humid. We experience average temperatures of about 84F degrees and 85% humidity. Much of the land is rainforest, it has many active volcanoes and is struck by an average of 19 typhoons annually, although Mindanao, on which we are based, is nearly typhoon-free. The Wali area receives more than 100 inches of rain each year.

The country has had many influences and, at various times, has been a colony of Spain and the U.S.. Many of its early settlers came from China. Today, the country is a self-governed republic, but still showing signs of its Spanish and American influence in many ways, including laws, traditions and religion.

Mindanao

Mindanao is the southernmost major island of the Philippines. Archeological evidence suggests it was inhabited by humans back to at least the iron age. It was principally a land occupied by its earliest inhabitants until the 1300s when an Arabian sultan arrived.

Spanish conquistador Ferdinand Magellan landed on the island and claimed it and all of the Philippines for Spain in 1521.

The Muslims of Mindanao, though constituting less than 10% of the population, claim the island as their own and have led a militant effort to gain control of it from all previous governments. An estimated 50,000 people have died in recent years due to this conflict. The U.S. State Department claims that 13 international terrorist organizations, including Al Qaeda, exist, train and operate on Mindanao.

Communist rebels control portions of Mindanao, primarily in the Eastern part of the island. The number of communists is small, but they make every advantage of terrain to remain hidden.

The Philippine government battles the Muslim terrorists and communists on a daily basis in many parts of the country, but especially on Mindanao.

Wali

Wali is in the rain forest. About 3/4 of the land is cleared and farmed (rice and corn), the balance remains forested or jungle, supporting stands of coconut, banana, guava and mango trees. The land is inhabited by various wildlife, including monkeys, deer, wild pigs, many varieties of birds and several varieties of snakes. The most notorious among the snake population are Cobras, including the King Cobra, which is the second deadliest snake on earth. We've learned through research, that the average person has approximately 16 seconds of life remaining after being bitten by a King Cobra. This is also true if the snake spits its venom into an open wound or body cavity. The King Cobra is also unique in that it is an aggressive snake, known to chase people when discovered.

Wali is populated about evenly by T'bolis and other Filipinos (descendents of emigrants from the main islands decades ago).

Mission location