Living Letters - our July 2009 enewsletter from the Philippines!

ICPE Living Letters - July 09

Children Educational Sponsorship – empowering children and youth through education!

Contributed by : Joan Foo

We are learning English!!!

The Educational Skills Development programme is our latest effort to empower children and youth through education in Montalban. After two years of providing financial assistance for the children to attend school, we found some children lacking behind academically due to various deficits in their basic educational skills with English as a major difficulty for most.

In May 2009, we started our English Tutorial with 2 groups of children currently receiving educational sponsorship. Held once a week, the tutorial focuses on improving oral English and reading comprehension- two key elements of the language in which the children fare poorly. The children are encouraged to practice their oral English through a variety of activities, games and story telling sessions. Our hope is that through the tutorial, education, the children will receive the basic foundations necessary to fulfill the heights of their ambitions.

Introducing the Foot Socks..

What is it? A pair of socks with an elastic band around the edges that you put on to cover the OUTSIDE of your shoes.

Who wears them? Children attending public school in the Philippines
What is it for? To protect the floors from getting dirty and muddy.

In the Philippines, public schools provide free education for children but the schools themselves bear the cost of school maintenance and the hiring of personnel to clean the school compound. Usually, each child contributes to cover these additional costs. In the lower income neighbourhoods, the contributions are oftentimes insufficient, placing the onus of school cleaning and maintenance on each child.

Therefore, under the Children Educational Sponsorship Ministry, we assist the children in their school contributions like janitorial fees, classroom fees to buy a fan for the class and school items like floor wax (to clean the classroom floors) and footsocks! These footsocks come in one standard size and they are placed over each side of the school shoes to help the students keep the school grounds clean thus avoiding the need for extra janitorial services and help.

Lately they are appearing in multi-colours and fancy designs. What a treat!

Joshua’s Diary - part 2

“I am happy now!” declared an elated Joshua when he found out that he could finally enroll in school. What was even more indescribable was the joy that radiated from him as he received his new school bag, start up Braille set and radio at the Philippines Resources for the Blind on 25 June 2009.

We ended our last blog entry with an entreaty to our Lord to open a new way for Joshua to go to school in view of his visual impairment. Since then, our Lord has continued to take us on a miraculous faith journey, revealing His mighty hand in the doors that have sprung open for Joshua.

Right after the need arose for special education for Joshua, the Lord sent us a volunteer to help to research on the different service providers for the visually impaired in Manila. Through her help, we finally located and visited the Philipines Resources for the Blind (RBI), a non profit Christian organization who provides educational intervention and support for inclusion of visually impaired children in the mainstream schools. To our amazement, they informed us that they had just trained a teacher for the visually impaired at the very neighbourhood school where Joshua lives! All Joshua needed to do was to enroll in the school to receive the services free of charge. As he had never before received formal education, he would begin with individualized classes and, at a later date, be included in the mainstream class, while continuing his specialized education. He would not only learn academic subjects, but other necessary skills like Braille, self help skills and social skills to prepare him for an independent living. Best of all, Joshua would be able to attend school with his siblings in his community!

What providence of our Heavenly Father indeed!

At the RBI, Joshua had a free consultation with the optometrist who specializes in children with low vision. With the results, staff of RBI would liaise closely with Joshua’s special education teacher to meet his individualized educational needs. On that same day, Joshua’s parents were linked up with other parents of children with visual impairment for support and networking. Come 1st August, Joshua will receive a free white cane as it marks the “White Cane Safety Day” in the Philippines. Talk about a conspiracy of events and timing! We believe it is the generous provision of our Father who cares for every detail and need.

Today, Joshua attends special education sessions three times a week in school and he is, in his own words, very happy now.

Interview with members on Staff formation.

What is your main motivation in joining this Staff formation?
My main motivation for joining the staff formation is to fulfill my desire to be a servant of the Lord. I would like to take the step to respond to His call to serve the poor. It certainly is not an easy task to leave the comfort of home to live in another country but learning (through the teachings in Staff Formation) to surrender my own desires and allowing God to mould me to become more God-centered and acknowledging that God is working in me gives me the motivation to be part of the staff formation. - Andrina Tan

Interview with members on Staff formation.

What do you miss most from your home country?
What I miss most is my family. I miss the time spent with them.
Every weekend we would go sightseeing or eat out together, and every morning we pray together as a family. I pray that God will take care of them while I am here in the Philippines and learn to trust God in this process. – Yoo Hana

Interview with members on Staff formation.

What was most difficult for you during your time of discernment?
There were many struggles during my discernment time, many questions have come up:
1)Will I able to stay in other country(Philippines) for two years leaving India for the first time.

2)How will I able to live without my family & friends for two years. As my mother is paralyzed one side, I am also very concerned.

3)How will I raise funds since I have no prior experience.

The most difficult struggle was "how will I raise funds" for the air-ticket, visa, formation fees, monthly contribution for food & lodging and other needs & expenses that will arise during these two years. Since I come from a poor family, for me to think of such a huge amount is impossible and I don’t know any person who would be able to help me.

But Br Fritz, ICPE-Director of India helped me in raising funds for the air-ticket & visa. And also gave some money to pay for the formation fees and for my small expenses. But the remaining expense is still a great struggle for me for it is a large sum in comparison to the standard of living in India.

The only thing I can do is to trust GOD who alone can help me. Because he is my provider HE is "JEHOVAH JIREH". The LORD who call me Is "FAITHFUL GOD" HE will never let me down. HE will complete what he has began. – Denzil Rodriques

Interview with members on Staff formation.

What do you hope to achieve from your experience here in Philippies?

During the next few years here, I wish to get to know God and myself more than before and to be more united with Jesus.

In the past, I often felt that there is a something blocking me from getting close to God. I realized that I had a wrong concept of God in some areas in my heart because of my past hurts. And this caused a gap in knowing God more deeply.

First of all, I want to know who God is in my life and which area of me is blocking me so that I can come to know the truth. I want to be healed by God's love and I want to be fulfilled by God's Grace and i hope that I can love God and myself more than before, so that I can better share this love to others. – Caroline Song

Interview with members on Staff formation.

What are your expectations of being in Staff Formation?
At first, I was a little hesitant about living in a new environment because of my age. Also many people say that it is not easy to be a lay missionary and to belong to an international community. But when I joined the School Of Mission conducted by ICPE in Indonesia 3 years ago, all that changed. The last 2years have been spent waiting for the start of the staff formation. Finally I am able to join the Staff Formation by God’s great mercy. I don’t think I could come here now without God’s leading and help, sorting out my financial affairs, health, language, my married life etc. Now God has already began to give me various challenges and many opportunities to grow in Staff Formation everyday. I am sure that God is inviting me to his deep well of love and deep intimacy with him in the concrete… now. Therefore I expect that God will make me grow more now than ever before as a missionary, as a husband, as a God’ beloved son during the Staff Formation. – Domisiano Kim

Manila sights!

We had the privilege to go on a sight-seeing tour around Metro Manila led by Bro. Jun. It was a beautiful day of being with the locals. For best resuls, click on the extreme right button to 'Toggle Full Screen' :D

Manila Sights

Testimonies on the Choice Program for youth!

Contributed by: Theresa Choong

We have been running the Choice program for the youth who attend our weekly prayer meetings. June 14 marked the end of the Choice program, we all have been blessed by the program and by the sharing of stories and lives. Here are a few testimonies of how the program had touched them...

How have you benefited from the choice program?
The choice program helped me a lot in terms of growth and maturity. Attending the weekly sessions helped me discover who I really am and how’s my relationship with others going. Before, I was afraid of showing my real feelings to others for the thought of being ignored or rejected. But now I realized that by just being my self, not pretending to be somebody or playing any games would give me freedom to express what I really feel without hesitations. - Jonalyn


What touched me the most in the choice program?
The one that touched me the most in the choice program is the letter-writing portion. In this portion, I have reflected almost all of the topics that we have encountered. I have brought out my feelings especially to my father through letter, which I have not done before. Doing this letter, I realized how important are my friends and my father to me. When I was writing I felt like God is guiding me so that I could express my appreciation to them. I also realized that I am so blessed for God has given the gift of my family and friends. Through them, I always feel the love of God for me. I always feel how worthy I am. Building a good relationship with them makes me feel closer to God.

Thanks to ICPE team especially to Ate (elder sister) Therese for introducing us the choice program, a lot of changes happened to our lives… - Jonalyn

How has the Choice program impacted your life and how has it influenced your relationships?
The Choice Program opened up my mind and heart to all valuable and precious things in my own life. Where do I truly belong?-that’s one of the striking question that I encountered in the program, I never thought that life will be as simple, but after weeks and months under this program things became clearer to me. I became true listener, value commitment in a deeper sense, learned to accept myself as I am. Moreover I started to treasure and thank my family, friends and people who been to my formation all these time. Most of all, I am able to take a big step to know GOD as my father, CHRIST as my friend and started to make a decision to be with God’s love and grace forever.

Words will be never be enough how can am I blessed and spiritually gifted in the CHOICE PROGRAM. TO ICPE especially Therese who inspired us in her own precious way , from the bottom of heart MARAMING SALAMAT PO! - Key Ann

Children's ministry testimony from our team members

Since March, two new community members from Korea, Hana and Carol, joined the children ministry. Since then, they have been part of the different activities we organized for the children and also a Easter Family celebration. Let’s hear …

…..from Carol who shares about the Easter Family Event attended by about 50 families :

“ During the family event, we organized games, skit, activities, teachings and action songs. I saw more joy in the faces of the families and children on this day compared with our weekly ministry. It is meaningful to experience God's presence through them. At the end of the programme was a family activity. Each family had to make a ‘paper house’ together, which acts as a candle holder. On the outside of this ‘paper house’ family members drew their faces. The session ended with a prayer, asking God for new hope in our families. I felt the holy presence of God. When I was a child, Easter was a time for us to share eggs. Now I know that Easter is not just about sharing eggs, but about sharing the new hope we have in Christ. This new hope can be experienced in our hearts and families. It was a great opportunity to learn the new meaning of Easter.”



…..from Hana about her experience teaching children:

“I’ve been part of the children’s ministry for 3 months. At the beginning, I felt that our team was too small compared to the numerous children who came for our ministry. This challenged me especially when I had to prepare for a teaching. On one hand, I felt joy and excitement when I was tasked to prepare for a teaching, but on the other hand, I was fearful because this is my first time planning for a session. I relied on Jesus for his guidance and assurance. I asked Jesus many times “Do you think I can do that?”

I also shared my fears with the team, who prayed for me. As I relied on God to lead me, I felt inspired about the teaching and saw His marvelous work during the session as many children enjoyed the session and listened to me attentively. I could see the Holy Spirit’s working through their eyes and attitude. I was very touched by the children’s enthusiasm to learn, zeal for God and purity.

What I’ve learnt from is that God works in simple ways. His invitation to us is to simply be in His presence and spend our time with Him like children. My attitudes have also changed. After giving teachings about ‘listening’ and ‘courage’, I was able to listen more to others and God’s voice; and had courage to confront the distractions in my life. I felt as if the teaching was for me.”

Back to School mass for children