Finding a home in the Philippines

Salome Strache came from Germany and works with OM Philippines in Manila. She worked with OM Germany for a year and then served on the Logos Hope for a year. The sudden end of Doulos was the time that she realised that she had a heart for the Philippines and when asked, “who wants to switch field?” Salome felt God calling her to the Philippines, so she answered.

Now Salome works in Taytay, one of Metro Manila’s many slum ‘barangay’ (villages) devastated by the typhoon in September ’09. Salome said, “You see the poverty all around you”.

She works as a teacher for the preschool with children’s ages ranging from 4 to 6, joins a women’s fellowship and helps in Sunday school with more than 70 students. On top of that she does home visiting and talks with the parents of the Sunday school children.

She did not have any problem adapting to the culture in Philippines, only a little problem with the language, “but that was soon dissolved when God gave me the gift of learning this language really fast!” said Salome. In her area of work she needs a lot of patience, especially with local “assistants” who help her with the children and the students, but she sees God working in this place.  “In the beginning I did not see the fruits of the labour but now, after a while you see the women and kids coming to the church and to the women’s fellowship” says Salome, which encourages her in her work.

“It’s hard work but this is the right place for me to be, God wants me here!”

Salome will work with OM Manila till February 2011.

OM’s role in the Church is to mobilise people to share the knowledge of Jesus and His love with every generation in every nation. OM pioneers and leads initiatives to redeem lives, rebuild communities and restore hope in over 110 countries.