Hands and Feet UK: 10 Years in the Philippines
Written by Harriet tanteo
I first came to the Philippines as an 18-year-old to explore missionary work. I left behind everything I knew and followed where I felt God was leading me. Two years later, my husband joined me, and together we’ve spent the last 10 years serving in the Bicol region, simply trying to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
Along the way, we’ve been blessed with our daughter, who is now five years old and loves being part of the ministry too. We also set up a charity, Hands and Feet UK, which has enabled us to expand the work and reach even more people.
No two days ever look the same! Some of the areas we’re passionate about include sending children to school, running outreach programmes, discipling young people, partnering with local churches, leading family Bible studies, reaching out to people experiencing homelessness, and showing compassion to communities following times of devastation.
One area where we’ve seen incredible growth is through our children’s outreach programmes. On average, we run around four outreaches every week, and each one looks different. We might be in a slum community, a remote jungle village, in the middle of the city, or visiting churches and schools. Sometimes 15 children attend; other times, we have more than 200.
Each programme includes bible stories, action songs, memory verses and games, and always finishes with a nutritious meal, usually rice or pasta. Every meal is cooked over an open fire in our back garden, often taking between two and six hours to prepare before being packed up and taken out to the community.
One place that has become very special to us is Azucena, a slum area in Naga City. Every week, around 20 to 50 children gather there. Many arrive looking as though they haven’t had a proper bath for weeks, with cuts and wounds that flies constantly land on. Yet, despite their circumstances, the excitement on their faces when they see our Hands and Feet team arrive is something I’ll never get used to. They quickly run over and sit together on the dusty ground, ready for the programme to begin.
One little girl, in particular, captured my heart. She always stood quietly at the back wearing the same worn-out dress, usually alongside her younger brother. Their feet were covered in cuts, but they had the brightest eyes, taking in every word we shared.
At first, they hardly spoke or joined in. I don’t think they knew how. But over time, with a little encouragement, they slowly started dancing, smiling and becoming part of the group.
One day, I visited their home with a pair of sandals and some basic school supplies for both children. Their home was made from sheets of plywood, held together as best they could. Inside, there was almost nothing. There was nowhere to cook and nowhere to sleep properly – just a plastic sheet laid across the floor.
I’ll never forget the little girl opening that bag. She looked at the sandals with complete amazement and couldn’t wait to put them on. Even more exciting for her was knowing that she could finally start school. Moments like that remind me why we do what we do.
Every outreach gives us the opportunity to notice the children who are often overlooked and pushed aside, the ones who need someone to see them, value them and remind them that they are deeply loved by God.
Another place we love visiting is a small school in the jungle community of Cotmo. Last November, a team from CRY joined us there. The school sits high on a hill overlooking the ocean. It’s incredibly beautiful, yet because it’s so isolated, many of the families live in extreme poverty.
Despite everything they face, these children radiate joy. They get so excited whenever we arrive with food, and we spend the afternoon running a programme together before they head home. Watching them is such a reminder of childlike faith. They have so few of the distractions we often surround ourselves with, yet their joy and trust in God are deeply inspiring.
Jesus said in Matthew 18:3–4 that unless we change and become like little children, we will never enter the kingdom of heaven. These children remind me of that every time I visit. Their humility, gratitude and simple faith continually challenge and encourage me.
As we look back over the last 10 years, we are incredibly thankful for everything God has done, but we also know there is still so much more to do. It is a privilege to serve the people of the Philippines, and we are so grateful to partner with CRY as we continue reaching children and families living in poverty with practical support and, most importantly, the hope of the Gospel.
Thank you for taking the time to read a little of our story.
To find out more about Hands and Feet UK, please visit www.handsandfeetuk.org
To find out more about our Partner Charity CRY, please visit https://www.cry.org.uk/
Along the way, we’ve been blessed with our daughter, who is now five years old and loves being part of the ministry too. We also set up a charity, Hands and Feet UK, which has enabled us to expand the work and reach even more people.
No two days ever look the same! Some of the areas we’re passionate about include sending children to school, running outreach programmes, discipling young people, partnering with local churches, leading family Bible studies, reaching out to people experiencing homelessness, and showing compassion to communities following times of devastation.
One area where we’ve seen incredible growth is through our children’s outreach programmes. On average, we run around four outreaches every week, and each one looks different. We might be in a slum community, a remote jungle village, in the middle of the city, or visiting churches and schools. Sometimes 15 children attend; other times, we have more than 200.
Each programme includes bible stories, action songs, memory verses and games, and always finishes with a nutritious meal, usually rice or pasta. Every meal is cooked over an open fire in our back garden, often taking between two and six hours to prepare before being packed up and taken out to the community.
One place that has become very special to us is Azucena, a slum area in Naga City. Every week, around 20 to 50 children gather there. Many arrive looking as though they haven’t had a proper bath for weeks, with cuts and wounds that flies constantly land on. Yet, despite their circumstances, the excitement on their faces when they see our Hands and Feet team arrive is something I’ll never get used to. They quickly run over and sit together on the dusty ground, ready for the programme to begin.
One little girl, in particular, captured my heart. She always stood quietly at the back wearing the same worn-out dress, usually alongside her younger brother. Their feet were covered in cuts, but they had the brightest eyes, taking in every word we shared.
At first, they hardly spoke or joined in. I don’t think they knew how. But over time, with a little encouragement, they slowly started dancing, smiling and becoming part of the group.
One day, I visited their home with a pair of sandals and some basic school supplies for both children. Their home was made from sheets of plywood, held together as best they could. Inside, there was almost nothing. There was nowhere to cook and nowhere to sleep properly – just a plastic sheet laid across the floor.
I’ll never forget the little girl opening that bag. She looked at the sandals with complete amazement and couldn’t wait to put them on. Even more exciting for her was knowing that she could finally start school. Moments like that remind me why we do what we do.
Every outreach gives us the opportunity to notice the children who are often overlooked and pushed aside, the ones who need someone to see them, value them and remind them that they are deeply loved by God.
Another place we love visiting is a small school in the jungle community of Cotmo. Last November, a team from CRY joined us there. The school sits high on a hill overlooking the ocean. It’s incredibly beautiful, yet because it’s so isolated, many of the families live in extreme poverty.
Despite everything they face, these children radiate joy. They get so excited whenever we arrive with food, and we spend the afternoon running a programme together before they head home. Watching them is such a reminder of childlike faith. They have so few of the distractions we often surround ourselves with, yet their joy and trust in God are deeply inspiring.
Jesus said in Matthew 18:3–4 that unless we change and become like little children, we will never enter the kingdom of heaven. These children remind me of that every time I visit. Their humility, gratitude and simple faith continually challenge and encourage me.
As we look back over the last 10 years, we are incredibly thankful for everything God has done, but we also know there is still so much more to do. It is a privilege to serve the people of the Philippines, and we are so grateful to partner with CRY as we continue reaching children and families living in poverty with practical support and, most importantly, the hope of the Gospel.
Thank you for taking the time to read a little of our story.
To find out more about Hands and Feet UK, please visit www.handsandfeetuk.org
To find out more about our Partner Charity CRY, please visit https://www.cry.org.uk/
