God surprises us...

“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet isready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. ⁹So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ ¹⁰ So the servants went out into the streets and gatheredall the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the weddinghall was filled with guests.” (Matt 22:8-9)

These verses sum up my experience last Saturday, 24 September, as we prepared for our meeting with the youth. In these past weeks, we had been befriending several youths in our neighbourhood. They expressed a desire to know more about God, and their faith and wanted to meet together. It was agreed with them that we would meet together on Saturday afternoon. As the time neared, the ‘bleep’ of the cellphone message alert went off. True enough, it was an apology that said that she could not make it as she had a choir practice! But still there are the others who had agreed to come.

At the appointed hour, still there was no one! We were ready to start but walang tao (nobody in tagalog). So how? No problem. God is always present and we can always worship Him. Our team began to pray and worship. As we prayed, this scripture came to mind and some felt that we should go out to the streets and invite any youth that are there. We did.

Praising the Lord

God is indeed the God of surprises! He surprised us by inviting 9 young men. These young men were hanging around outside, playing, not knowing what to do. They were excited to come, though as you can see from the photos, some of them were younger boys. The younger boys followed their older brothers and friends as they did not want to be left out!

Praying together

We had an afternoon filled with laughter, prayers, games, praise, action songs and short sharing. A small beginning of something new for the youth – the older boys want to meet again and this time,they will bring their peer friends.

Sharing and sowing of seeds

My reflection on this – often times, we plan and prepare for something, and it does not quite work the way we expected. We put in the effort and work. Our temptation would be to give up and cancel the afternoon, yet God had a different plan and worked it for his purposes. It was my first experience of seeing boys coming together, having fun and open to learn and share on their faith. At the end of the afternoon, my heart rejoiced as I believe that the Lord was touching these young hearts, and sowing his seeds of faith!


Be faithful and do not give up even when things are not quite turning out as they should or what we would like. Trust in the Lord,and let him work his ways for ‘his ways are not our ways’ (Isaiah 55:8), they are much higher.

Thank you, Lord that it is a privilege always to serve you. It is never boring and always full of surprises! Thank you to my community, J, D and G for the way you desire to follow and serve the Lord.

Sharing with IYCS youth

Last Friday, we hosted a group of Chinese youth leaders from the International Young Christian Students (IYCS) in our centre. Enroute to Manila after two days in Tagaytay, they visited us for a session on Evangelizing Youth. Ranging from 16 to 20 years old, they hail from Handan, China and are student leaders in their respective schools.

After a brief video clip on the ICPE Mission, we shared the urgency of the sharing Jesus with other young people in China. In our halting Chinese, aided by a student translator,we shared a sign language to the song 'Who am I' followed by a short testimony of encountering Jesus, the One who gives meaning to life.

Towards the end of the session, we prayed with them that they will be empowered by the Holy Spirit, the principle agent of evangelization. We prayed for them to have courage to share and to be grounded in God's love in their lives. As a sign of our unity as children of the Father, we ended our time with the Lord's Prayer, sung in Chinese.

It was a beautiful evening of sharing the Great Commission with our brothers and sisters from China!

Planting and building up youth for Christ!

It was a weekend of renewal and meeting up with the "Freeque"s, the Free to be Unique youth from Manila. They came with their friends from 6-7 August and spent a weekend renewing their faith and commitment in the Lord. We encouraged them to be planted and built up in Jesus Christ through the essentials of prayer and the Word of the Lord.

During our time of ministry, each of them were affirmed in the truths of their identity as loved by God. God continued to speak to us throughout the weekend, affirming also His assurance to the young people not to be afraid in their walk of faith..

We continue to hold you all in our prayers, Freeque and Friends. God bless you as you hold firm in your faith in Christ!

Deepening my friendship with Jesus

Last Sunday we had a day’s recollection for some youth from Manila. Having arrived the previous evening, they were up and raring to go early Sunday morning eager to know what was in store for them that day. Their first session began with a time of praise and worship led by Joan, after which they were introduced to the theme of the day’s recollection, Deepening My Friendship With Jesus. In this session of teaching, Fr. Alliston brought out the different elements that make up a genuine friendship while also sharing his personal journey with Jesus, the friend.

This was followed by a time for personal reflection to see how Jesus, their friend had accompanied each of them in their life’s journey up to this moment and then Joan facilitated a time for sharing with each other in the group which left us edified by what each of them had to share.

After lunch, the youth spent some time in creativity- using arts and crafts to prepare a souvenir of their friendship with Jesus. A time of Eucharistic Adoration gave them an occasion for being in Jesus’ presence, enabling them to come to a renewed relationship with Him after reconciling with Him through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The day’s recollection culminated with each of them Cementing their Friendship with Jesus at the Eucharist. After having dinner with us, they departed happily, having being invigorated by a deeper encounter with Jesus, the friend.

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

Here's an interview with one of the youths...

How have you benefitted from Youth worship nights?
It changes a lot in me. It helps me to be with myself and God more, and makes me realize that I'm worth something, maybe not to all, but to someone, greater than all of them.

How does it help you in your day to day work?
I gain confidence, and it continuously provides me hope, that no matter what happens, I'm not alone and I can make it, it lessens the stress and pressure.

Which part of the whole evening do you enjoy the most… praise and worship? Adoration? Short teaching? Sharing? Reflection? Fellowship with other youths?
Sharing, reflection and fellowship with other youth are my favorite parts. Sharing makes us feel that someone is willing to listen to us and respect our opinions and feelings over a matter. Reflection helps us to think over some things in our life that we often look over and took for granted. During the Praise and worship, it's my time to speak with God alone and I don't take it for granted.


Cressa Morado
Age: 21
Job: communication and promotion associate

Youth ministry - Where have we come from?

After the last few months of journeying and praising God together, it was appropriate to spend some quality time looking back at the year 2008 and looking forward to 2009. We allocated a Sunday for this.

The theme was "Where have you come from and where are you going?".

It is in looking back that we can look forward. So there was a guided time of reflection and journaling, with workshop and celebrating the Eucharist. Each youth made a collage (or picture montage). This helps to better express emotions, events and situations, new/old relationships of the year. The youth were also led to a reflection of what they feel about their hopes and dreams, desires and wishes for the coming year. Now that we have given them the tools, we are hopeful that with this they can better set spiritual goals, physical goals and emotionally goals.

All in all we had a fun and fruitful time together.

Youth Worship nights

We started hosting worship nights every Friday since the middle of September 2008. This was established to give another avenue for young people to hang out on Friday nights to worship God with other like-minded youths. These nights are truly a gift.

The youths who have become regulars are mostly college students, or just starting on their first job.

In the upcoming year, we will focus on formation and building up a group of youth worshippers.

Life in the Spirit Seminar for Youth

May 27-30 saw 28 youths with ages ranging from 14-22. Most were experiencing this seminar for the first time. Unlike the usual praise and worship, sessions, cell group sharings, fellowship, creativity, prayer ministries, there were also games! By and large everyone experienced God's love in a differently new way and wanted an extension! Next year guys!

Life in the Spirit Seminars - MAY 2007

We had an amazing month of May. Three Life in the Spirit Seminars back to back (almost). One for the Balikatan ministry (literally means 'shoulder to shoulder' supporting each other), one in Batangas (a 2 hour ride from Manila), Baguio (3 hour ride from Manila).

We have been privileged to witness big changes in the faces of all the participants. Their lives transformed, they are so much more joyful and enthusiastic about life!

There's so much to say, but a picture speaks a thousand words, so here it is, more later!