January 2026 Newsletter
January 2026 Newsletter Update!
A Season of Blessings, Community, and New Beginnings
It has been a very busy and incredibly blessed season since our last update in November.
After spending time in Manila beginning the process for Jim’s long-term stay in the Philippines, Adela and Jim traveled to their home in Pangil, Currimao, Ilocos Norte to begin preparations for their November 20th wedding. They arrived in Pangil at 5:30 a.m., and despite the early hour, several village residents were there waiting to welcome Jim. The warmth, kindness, and genuine love shown by the community left a lasting impression — Jim quickly fell in love with both the village and its people.
A Simple Moment That Started Something Big
One afternoon while watching their nephews play basketball at the Barangay Hall, Jim noticed the poor condition of the kids’ equipment. That very night, he ordered new basketball nets, a ball, and additional gear. He also picked up sports equipment for the kids on their street. What began as a simple gesture quickly grew into a bigger idea — doing something special for the children of Pangil for Christmas.
Word spread, and friends back in the United States generously donated to what became the Santa Fund.
From Quiet Plans to a Village Celebration
The original wedding plan was a quiet beach ceremony with close family followed by a meal. However, Adela’s wonderful nieces had other plans — and thankfully so! They organized a beautiful wedding celebration at Casa de Alegria in Pangil, and almost the entire village turned out in force.
Jim was also honored to have close friends attend, including Kevin Montague and Monica McKenna, who flew in from the U.S., and Coast Guard shipmate Michael Landis, who traveled from San Marcelino, Zambales, along with Joan Sunga Del Valle and her daughter. The three couples spent three wonderful nights together at Casa de Alegria.
Adela and Jim were married on November 20, 2025, and their marriage was promptly registered with the local municipal office. While the normal wait time for a certified marriage certificate is 4–6 months, they were joyfully notified on January 5, 2026, that theirs was already complete. The next step is a road trip to Manila to submit Jim’s 13-A Spousal Visa application at the Bureau of Immigration.
Santa 2025: A Christmas to Remember
Planning for Santa 2025 began the beginning of November. As donations continued to come in, the Santa Fund grew beyond expectations. During the wedding ceremony, a Filipino tradition took place where guests presented a “money chain” to the newlyweds. Adela and Jim announced that every peso given would go directly to the Santa Fund, turning a wedding blessing into a community blessing.
What the 2025 Santa Fund Provided
🎅Prep School Visit: Santa delivered gift bags filled with toys, candies, school supplies, and a card sharing the true meaning of Christmas.
🎄Elementary School Program: A special lesson on giving, gift bags for every child, and a Jollibee lunch — the kids’ absolute favorite! The students presented a heartfelt program in thanks to Adela and Santa.
👵Senior Citizen Outreach: 80 food bags were delivered, each containing coffee, milk, biscuits, sugar, 2 kilos of rice, and sardines. The “big kids” enjoyed Santa just as much as the little ones.
⚾Sports Equipment: Baseball bats, balls, and gloves were given to the village kids.
🏊Swimming Team Support: New swim goggles were donated — some children had been swimming without any at all.
Santa on the Road
While visiting Laoag, Jim suited up as Santa and spent time at SM Mall handing out candy and posing for countless photos. The joy wasn’t just from the kids — adults were just as excited to see a “real Santa.”
After the school visits, Adela and Jim planned a quiet two-night beach getaway… but plans changed yet again. Laoag City was hosting its first-ever Christmas Spectacular Parade, with a Western theme. Someone had seen photos of Santa at the mall — and suddenly Santa was invited to perform in a three-day parade with six shows.
The city graciously provided hotel accommodations, and Santa was blessed beyond words to see joy in the eyes of children, parents, and grandparents alike.
The City of Laoag Promotion Video
After three busy nights in Laoag, Adela and Jim finally made it to the beach resort for some much-needed rest — but Santa made one final appearance at the Pangil New Year’s Eve street party. Pangil takes New Year’s seriously, celebrating over two full days!
What’s Next
Jim’s 38 boxes shipped from Broomfield, Colorado are expected to arrive in Manila any day now. Once received, Adela and Jim will travel to Manila to submit the 13-A Spousal Visa application.
The search for land for the glamping site continues. During a recent family outing to Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, they enjoyed a picnic at beautiful Saud Beach. They’re now calling Pagudpud “the Boracay of Ilocos Norte” — stunning beaches without the crowds — and plan to spend time researching the area further.
Jim recently launched a 24×7 Live Beach Cam overlooking Pangil Beach, viewable at CaptJimEd.com.
Looking Ahead
2025 was an incredible year filled with blessings, surprises, and community. 2026 promises even more adventure, and we’re grateful you’re along for the journey.
Please follow us on social media — and a huge favor: like and subscribe to our YouTube channel. It’s free for you and helps us move toward YouTube monetization.
With gratitude and excitement,
Capt Jim & Adela
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