Trip Calendar

Carl & Michelle Gormley

Carl and Michelle Gormley have served as missionaries for over 30 years in San Jose del Monte, Philippines. He came to the United States to go to Bible College where he met Michelle. After college, they married and moved to the Philippines and planted their first church, Calvary Baptist Church. Since then, they have planted more than 20 churches in the Philippines and started Calvary Christian Academy and a Children’s Home, Bahay Sibol. Carl now pastors Hope Baptist Church which is located on the same property as Bahay Sibol. He also supervises and teaches at the Bible Institute, as well as teaches high school science at CCA. Michelle serves as the administrator of CCA and director of Bahay Sibol. 

They have 4 biological daughters, Kassie, Courtney, Kayla, and Chloe. The oldest 3 have moved to the United States, and Chloe still serves with them at Bahay Sibol and Hope Baptist Church. They have also adopted 2 sons, Carlo and Luis, and a daughter, Joy.  

There are several good hospitals and clinics in our area, however, they cannot meet the needs of our already explosive and always growing population. Finances of course are a challenge for a huge segment of the population, so going to the doctor for most families is usually the very last option. They are excited to use medical missions as an opportunity to reach further into the community and build a stronger bond as a church that cares for all of their needs… physical, mental, and spiritual. 

Connect with them:
https://www.facebook.com/BahaySibol
https://www.facebook.com/MichelleHendleyGormley
https://www.bahaysibol.org/

Email them to sign up for their newsletters here: [email protected]

The Republic of the Philippines consists of over 7,500 islands, making it the largest archipelago on the planet. Filipinos are renowned for their hospitality, respect for elders, humor, and generosity.

Filipinos traditionally eat three main meals a day plus morning and afternoon snacks called merienda. Filipino cuisine centers around the combination of sweet (tamis), sour (asim), and salty (alat). A traditional Filipino breakfast might include some combination of cheese, fresh fruit, egg, rice, and meat. “Merienda” is a light meal or snack, and may be coffee with pandesal (small bread rolls), sticky rice, or fruit. As in most Asian countries, the staple food in the Philippines is rice. It is most often steamed and always served with meat, fish and vegetable dishes. Popular dishes include lumpia, adobo, lechon kawali, sisig, various noodles, fishballs, and balut.

Roads are the dominant form of transport. “Jeepneys” are a popular - and iconic - public utility vehicle, and the roads are full of buses, taxis, and motorized tricycles (a motorcycle with a passenger cab attached). Traffic is a significant issue in Metro Manila, so prepare for drives that take longer than you think they will!

The Philippines is a secular state with freedom of religion, and an overwhelming majority of Filipinos consider religion very important. Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion at about 80%; other Christian denominations make up about 10% of the population and Islam comes in next with about 5%, mostly in the southern islands.

The Spanish colonized the country in 1565, then ceded it to the United States during the Spanish-American War. It became independent after World War II. Both Hispanic and American influences can still be felt throughout the Philippines. Spain left the dominance of Catholicism and prevalence of Spanish names, whereas American influence is evident in the use of English and the consumption of both fast food and American films and music. After independence, the country was wracked by political turmoil, but after more than a decade of authoritarian rule under President Ferdinand Marcos, that regime was overthrown in 1986, and a democratic government was restored.

While the Philippines has emerged as one of the fastest growing economies in the region, many Filipinos are being left behind. There is extreme wealth alongside tremendous poverty in the Philippines. In urban areas, wealthier residents typically live in two- or three-story single-family homes, but the poor occupy any vacant piece of land they can find and build their homes from bamboo, wood, sheet metal, and other scavenged items. These slums usually do not have regular access to running water and electricity or to sanitary services.

 For more country information, click here https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/philippines/

Bradley’s advice for getting ready for Philippines:

• Be prepared for patients full of life (lots of loud talkers with tons of laughing!)
• Be prepared for amazing sunsets and gorgeous landscapes.
• Be prepared to meet a sweet church family that loves their community and sharing Christ’s message of hope & love through the Gospel!

Our plan is to offer medical, optical, and physical therapy care to this community. Every patient who receives care will hear the gospel from a member of this local church.

Note: At this time we are only considering applications for optical/non-medical, or P.T. professionals.

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