As the Philippines reopens, public schools have also opened up, allowing us to access them across the country. However, we must not take this opportunity for granted. There is a risk that schools may close again due to political differences, leadership changes, or other reasons. Therefore, we are working hard to take advantage of this opportunity and develop our campus missions work.
During the Coronavirus lockdown in the Philippines, there was a lot of trauma experienced by many. Studies conducted on the campuses we work with have revealed that 70% of students have had thoughts about suicide. These findings were discovered by teachers who helped develop the Value curriculum for their respective campuses.
Although it is concerning for the future, there is also an opportunity for us to provide a divine solution for the Philippines in the coming years, even decades, with this generation. By acknowledging the adverse effects of the lockdown and witnessing the redemptive power of God within it, we can potentially transform the nation quicker than ever before.
We need to take the open door to the mission field seriously and act urgently. If we don’t, we may miss out on a huge opportunity for a great harvest.
We will include the following in all of our campus work:
- Committing to a partner campus for one to two years, regardless of which campus we choose.
- We plan to work with local churches to begin a discipleship movement in schools by joining forces with teachers, principals, and students.
- Our goal is to offer a Christian-based curriculum to public schools, with a curriculum designed by Christian teachers.
We have formed partnerships with national leaders to achieve Kingdom Impact. For instance, we have collaborated with 19 campuses in a particular city, with a total of over 17,000 students. This partnership involves the superintendent of the school district, the city’s mayor, and ministerial leaders of the church network.
Our school ministry has opened doors for us to reach many unreached people groups in the Philippines, particularly those who practice Islam and Animist tribal religions and reside in mountainous regions in Mindoro and Mindanao. These groups are often overlooked by churches and humanitarian organizations. To reach out to them, we use medical, compassion, and education initiatives. The campuses across the country are important for our outreach efforts because they reach a significant portion of the population. As of now, there are still 15 million people in the Philippines who have not been reached.
Please pray with us as we navigate through the aftermath of the coronavirus lockdown, both personally and as a nation. As the country reopens, we are seeking guidance from the Lord. We understand that spiritual battles and significant spiritual harvests often come at a high price.
During the pandemic, I felt hopeless and overwhelmed by the intense situations and difficulties. It was hard to imagine a light at the end of the tunnel. However, it’s amazing to think that God used someone as broken as me to bring hope and victory to others. This isn’t a testimony of a person overcoming obstacles but rather a testament to what God can do when we believe and say yes to Him, despite feeling unqualified or facing seemingly impossible challenges.
Through our experience, we learned that running away from difficult times is not the solution. Instead, we must use these times to seek God’s will and draw closer to Him. As a result, our love for the Lord has grown deeper as a family, team, ministry, and movement. Now, we are able to share hope, love, and faith with those who haven’t received Jesus. This is an encouragement for anyone facing tough times. God has a solution, a way, and a will. We just need to seek God’s presence to understand His plan. By doing so, we can overcome any obstacles with God’s power.
Thank you for your support as our family navigates through these challenges and successes. We’ll make sure to keep you updated on our progress.
