The Youth Rise

The aquaponics system the youth had built — fish tanks feeding a vegetable garden, years in the making — so impressed a college teacher that they entered it in a science competition. It won at the regional round in Trang, advanced to the nationals near Bangkok, and there took second place out of thirty-eight exhibits, with Tine and Ieang presenting it — one of them, who had once stumbled over his words, now doing so flawlessly. Other colleges now visit the little island college to find out how they won.

A long-held dream came true alongside it. After years of renewing his scuba-instructor licence in hope, Philip watched two Moken foster sons complete their open-water certification — sponsored on the condition that they help with the coral-restoration work — and more Moken are now keen to dive. They also completed a formal coral-planting course at Chum Phon university, and began learning to drive a tractor in readiness for a plot of farmland: a livelihood alongside the sea.

The biggest news concerned his eldest foster son, Wud. Finishing school the following year, he decided to attend a Discipleship Training School at YWAM in Chiang Mai — the entry level of mission work for young people. Philip took him and another foster son north to see the Bible schools and meet believers there, and both were amazed to discover how many churches and young Christians serve the Lord across Thailand, far beyond their small island group and Ajaan Siaan's church. Philip's long dream of the Moken ministering to the Moken was taking on a face and a name.