Matt and Ellie Heywood News December 2025

We started the month by returning to Coron from Manila after a brief trip to take care of our visa. While there, we were able to make good use of the time by gathering some supplies to bring back for the church and school. It was wonderful to be back in Coron as we head into the Christmas season, and we were excited to experience what Christmas would look like here in the Philippines.

Christmas Event

We held a wonderful community Christmas event that brought together children from different children’s clubs that we help run around the area. It was a real joy to welcome so many families and to celebrate the season together as one community.

A particular highlight of the afternoon was a special nativity performance by City Gates Academy. Matt and I had great fun working together to write and prepare the script, and it was a pleasure to see the children bring it to life with such enthusiasm and confidence.

The afternoon was filled with memorable performances, shared food, and meaningful fellowship. It was a joyful celebration of Christmas and a great reminder of the strength and warmth of our community.

A New Home:

We’re so pleased to share that this month we moved into our own apartment. It’s been a real joy settling into the area and connecting with our new neighbours, some of who we had met previously through getting our driving licence processed at the local land transportation office. We’ve felt warmly welcomed into the community and are thankful to be getting to know those around us. Thank you so much for all your prayers — God has been so good to us, and this feels like the perfect place to help us get settled here on Coron.

Prayer Requests

• As we look ahead to Christmas, we would really value your prayers as we take a short break over the festive season. This comes at a much-needed time, and we ask for prayer for true rest, refreshment, and quality time together as we pause and prepare for the year ahead.
• We are also having difficulty in receiving a shipment of donations of toys and resources collected and sent from the UK, which is currently stuck at customs in the port of Manila. We pray that any issues are quickly resolved so that we can share these much-needed items with families here in Coron.
• Finally, having been able to convert our UK driving licenses to Filipino, we are now looking to buy a small moped to help us get around here in Coron. This is something that would help give us some personal freedom, but also allow us to grow our own independence in our ministry. We are looking to raise some money through our Elim Missions giving fund, to help make this possible. If you feel led to contribute to this, please contract the Elim Missions Office on missionsfinance@elim.org.uk or use the ‘donate’ button below.