I.T. TENDER MINISTRY > NOVEMBER 2013 NEWSLETTER

“Maligayang Pasko!”
By John Coffey

Christmas is just around the corner, but in the Philippines people have been hanging up Christmas lights and playing festive music since September. The anticipation for Christmas by Filipinos is immense and unparalleled. However, many Filipino children have yet to experience the true meaning of Christmas and to experience the love, peace, and joy of Christ. This is why each year we host multiple Christmas parties in Manila – to share the joy of Christ with the street children.

I want to personally thank all of our supporters who have given so generously to our programs at IT Tender, to our sponsor children, and to the Christmas parties. Thanks to your compassion, the children in Manila have an opportunity to hear the message of Christ, to receive Christmas gifts and hygiene supplies, and to receive groceries for their families. My team has been working exceptionally hard this year in preparation of Christmas and I couldn't be blessed with a more dedicated and passionate group of workers. IT Tender aims to provide gifts and parties for over 200 street kids this year. I'm proud of my team for all their efforts this season in my absence. This is the first time in several years that I am celebrating Christmas with my family in Canada while on furlough for two months. Please continue to pray for my team and our programs as they continue empowering the community for God's glory.

Have a wonderful Christmas season. "Maligayang Pasko!" ("Merry Christmas!")

IT Tender Team; 2013
Back Row L-R: Karin Jose, Lorna Carro, Cecille DeJesus, Jizza Magallanes
Front Row L-R: Gabby Malquisto, John Coffey, Jamielyn Torres

Food For Life

By Karin Jose

On November 28^th we started our Food For Life feeding program in Putatan – one of the areas where our Night Life program was launched earlier this year. From running the Night Lifeprogram, which caters to youth, we saw the great need for the children in this community of simple makeshift houses along an active railway. We realized the children needed a program more suited to their age and their needs – food and fun! We also saw that the program needed to be run at a time of day that was more suitable for younger children to attend.

This program runs Wed-Fri between 5:30pm and 7pm and caters to 51 children ages 5-12, almost all whom are considered underweight or malnourished. We run a simple program of singing, games, story telling and feeding. After only one week we can tell the program will be a fun, chaotic adventure but we are so excited that by Gods grace we will be able to continue with it in 2014 and look forward to building lasting relationships with our kids and the community of Putatan.

We offer a special thank you to Action International for sponsoring the food for this program through

Feed My Starving Children

Food For Life clients: Rosary, Ereckson & Chrisantha Mae (Mae-Mae)

PRAISE

·         The opportunity for IT Tender Director John Coffey to spend Christmas with his family in Canada

·         The launching of not only Food For Life Putatan, but also the feeding program of our partner church ‘Jesus Our Hope’. Thank you Ontario Christian Gleaners for providing the food for this program.

·         The opportunity to start working alongside partner organisationsand the local barangay in Sitio Aplaya, Sucat

·         The amazing generosity of friends and partners around the world who have given financially to support our fundraising effort for our Christmas Parties and grocery giving for our clients

·         The visit from Extreme Response International whofinancially supported and personally assisted IT Tender in hosting our Christmas party for the beneficiaries of our educational programs

PRAYERS

·         Peace of mind and financial provision for IT Tender missionary Cecille de Jesus who requires urgent surgery to remove a large cyst (for further information or ways to support Cecille, please contact karin.jose@iteams.org)

·         The upcoming Christmas parties for the clients on our Food For Life and Night Life programs and for strength and energy for the team as they host them

·         Fellow Filipinos living in the areas devastated by Typhoon Yolanda. Although IT Tender was not directly affected, we continue to stand alongside our fellow countrymen in prayer

I.T. TENDER MINISTRY> OCTOBER 2013 NEWSLETTER

CHRISTMAS PARTIES!!

By Karin Jose

‘Jingle Bell Rock’ has been playing in the stores since September and that means only one thing…. Christmas is coming! That also means the IT Tender Christmas Parties for our 200+ clients are on their way and we are pretty excited!

IT Tender believes in a holistic approach to ministry and Christmas allows us great opportunities to care for our clients physically and spiritually. Through our Christmas Parties we are able to share the love and hope of Jesus Christ by teaching the gospel, and it is also a time when we are able to give some physical assistance. Every year we aim to provide a simple gift of groceries and/or hygiene supplies to the children and families we are committed to serving.

In order to fully invest in the children and have fun with them, IT Tender will be hosting three separate parties this year:

·         November 30: Educational Programs (100+ clients); hosted at Jollibee with gifts donated by and volunteers attending from Extreme Response International

·         December 7: Putatan Night Life and Food For Life (70+ clients); food from Jollibee sponsored by and volunteers attending from The Rotary Club, Philippines.

·         December 13: Alabang Night Life (25+ clients); a simple party at our drop in centre where we are praying to be able to provide a meal from Jollibee

Please join us in prayer as we prepare for, fundraise for, and host our parties. We have a financial target this year of 80,000 PHP/ $2,000 USD but we know that by the grace of God all things are possible and we are trusting in Him that He will provide all our financial needs and for all the needs of all His beautiful children.

It takes only $10 USD/CDN or 420 PHP to provide a meal, gifts, hygeine supplies, and groceries for a child and his/her family.

For more information on how you can support, volunteer or donate for our Christmas Parties, please contact John Coffey (johndlcoffey@gmail.com)

Enjoying spaghetti at Jollibee (Christmas 2012)

Volunteers from Extreme Response giving gifts to
IT Tender Day Care students (Christmas 2012)

Rebuilding The Walls

By:  Jizza Magallanes

“Helping people, helping themselves.” Seeing these wordson a man’s baseball capjust months ago was like a vision for me. In the 3 years I have been ministering to the families of the beneficiaries of Sponsor A Child Now, a desire to help them on a long-term basis has been growing deep inside my heart. Sponsor A Child Now is an educational program which on it’s own is enough to create an impact in our communities, but I believe that there is a great need to start a new program, something that not only involves the children, but the whole communityin order to addressmuch deeper problems. Although it’s a great place to start, transformation is more than just sending children to school. The situation in the Upper Sucat community reminds me of the biblical book of Nehemiah, where God put His plan of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem in the prophet Nehemiah’s heart. The broken walls in our ministry areas are hopelessness and poverty. In reality, street children are coming from communities whose families are trapped in their own broken walls. Studies have proven that lack of essential needs, broken families and bad influences force a child to seek refuge in the streets. With this in mind, IT Tender Ministry is taking on a new challenge of venturing into community organizing with a new project called ‘Nehemiah Asset Based Community Project’. It will be starting in the Upper Sucat Community where IT Tender has been working for 6 years and has already establishedgood relationships with families in the community. Although in it’s early stages, people living in our target community are playing their own part in conceptualizing the project. We have learned that their primary concerns are protection for their children and that they are in need of livelihood opportunities. Please join us as we start this new endeavor by praying for us and supporting this new program.“Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken walls, Restorer of Street with Dwellings.” Isaiah 58:12 (NIV) TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY!

Jizza (middle center) with community members of Upper Sucat during their 1^st ‘General Assembly’ where they discussed the primary problems in their area.

Thanks:

·         For the SBC team from Luton England, who blessed the ministry with their donations and their loving presence

·         For the life of Lorna Carro, our Night Life Street Children Ministry Coordinator, who is celebrating her birthday this month

·         For our new volunteer Amanda Moxley who will help us every Friday; and also for the successful ministry visit of Carly, Poty, and Olivia

·         For the success (and fun!) of our IT Tender 2014 Planning

·         To our Almighty, who always leads this ministry and strengthens us always with His unfailing love, divine wisdom, joy and blessings as well as in our personal needs.

Prayers:

·         For our upcoming Christmas Parties: We are sincerely praying for this and welcome you to join us in praying with us, sharing this message to others or by supporting us. It only takes PHP 420 or $10 USD to bless one child and their family. 

·         Please pray for travelling mercy as IT Tender Director John Coffey goes back to his family home in Canada for Christmas and that the Lord blesses him with wisdom as he shares the vision and burden of IT Tender.

·         The 20 out-of-school youth in our Alternative Learning System program who will take theupcoming Acceleration and Equivalency Examination this coming month of November. Passers will receive a certificate that will give them the same opportunities as a high school graduate. 

·         For regular monthly donors who will financially support IT Tender Ministry helping with our program and operational costs. 

·         That our God may continue to provide us with our needs - both ministry and personal.  That He will guide us with His immeasurable wisdom, and to keep us passionate as we share our lives with street children and children from poor communities.

I.T. TENDER MINISTRY CHRISTMAS PARTY 2013

Join us as we bring children to their

journey on the real meaning of

Christmas...

2012 Christmas Party with the 

Beneficiaries of Sponsor A Child Now

1st Event

When: November 30, 2013

Where:  Jollibee, Junction, Alabang, Muntinlupa

The participants in this party are the sponsored children of HAKBANG (Footsteps) Sponsor A Child Now, out of school youth of Alternative Learning System and pupils of the SIMULA (Beginning) Learning Center.

Meal is fun with friends wherever you are!

During our activity in Putatan Area

 2nd Event

When: December 7, 2013

Where:  Fresnedi Building, Putatan, Muntinlupa

We are inviting 110 children from the Food For Life Program and street youth and young adults from the Night Life Street Children Ministry-Putatan Area.

During our Friday Night regular

 session at the drop in center.

3rd Event

When: December 13, 2013

Where:  Tender Drop In Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa

We will party with over 30 street children at the ministry.

Aside from praying for financial and material donation, we are also inviting volunteers who will help us in packing groceries this coming December 18, 2013. For those who are interested please call us at 401 91 63 or 0909 324 5282 and look of Jizza.

We are having grocery giving this coming December 20, 2013 to all the families of beneficiaries of the ministry.

For your donations and other concerns, please contact John / Karin

Email:   johndlcoffey@gmail.com  /    karinjosephilippines@gmail.com

I.T. TENDER MINISTRY > SEPTEMBER 2013 NEWSLETTER

Play Hard. Sleep Hard. Toddlers do it well.

By John Coffey

Nobody understands the seriousness of play like a toddler. I'm excited to have finally launched our new Early Childhood Education Center for children ages 1-3.

Entitled "SMART Kids", this is the latest addition to our educational programs for street kids. "SMART" is a Tagalog acronym that describes how our students actively learn and grow. Parents are also an active part of each class as we seek to simultaneously train and empower them.

In the orientation for the parents last Monday, I explained how my intention is not to take any responsibility away from them as caregivers. During the program, the parents themselves feed their children, assist them in potty training, and engage them in educational learning and play.

Along the way we guide and train these young parents to help them develop greater confidence in their role as the primary caregiver.

A Glimmer of Hope

Jizza Magallanes

A lot of people believe that sponsorship is simply about sending a child to school, but in reality, helping a child is like lighting a single candle in the middle of a dark room.  Education is so important for a Filipino family - it gives them hope that a bright future is more possible.

The HAKBANG (FOOTSTEPS) Sponsor A Child Now Program of IT Tender was born form the outcry of the parents as they struggled to send their children to school. Now in its third year, there are so many stories of transformation from the lives of the beneficiaries and their families.. Together, we partner and endure all the obstacles and share their victories; whether their children get sick causing them to be absent in school or their children receive an outstanding honour from their class.

One of the community children in our ministry area of Sucat

Currently the program is exploring the possibility of a livelihood project for the parents which will aim to help them become more self reliant and eventually, open more doors leading them to wider opportunities for them to earn more, reach their dreams for their children and allow them to recognize that by Gods grace they themselves can stand up from the poverty they are now in.

Thanksgiving:

•   For the lives of John Coffey and Gabriel Malquisto who celebrated their birthday this month
• F or the two new donors of HAKBANG Sponsor A Child Now program
• For our new volunteer Miranda who is sharing her gifts and her life with the street children every Friday
•  For the successful opening of our SMART Kids program
• We praise God for His graciousness and faithfulness to us and for keeping us strong and joyful as we serve Him.

Prayers:

•     For the preparation of the Food For Life Program as we hope to formally being in Putatan in October and for our partner church Jesus Our Hope in Sucat, also hoping to commence their program this October
• ·    For travelling mercy and a successful ministry exposure this month for the team from  Stopsley Baptist Church, England
• ·   For wisdom as we will have our 2014-2015 Annual Planning this coming October 28 to 30, 2013.
• · For regular monthly donors who will financially support IT Tender Ministry; helping with our operational cost. We are praying to be able to continue paying the rent and other utilities for our drop in center
• ·  That our God may continue to provide us with our needs both ministry and personal, to guide us with His immeasurable wisdom, and to keep our fire burning as we share our lives and talents in helping the street children and children from poor communities.
• 
  

I.T. TENDER MINISTRY > AUGUST 2013 NEWSLETTER

During the month of August IT Tender Ministry had British missionaries Johanna Browning & Joe Brook visiting from England.  It was a privilege working with them and they were a great encouragement to the staff and clients who are part of our different programs. This is their experience in their own words….

What is Mission?

Johanna Browning & Joe Brook

Over the past four weeks, God has given us the privilege of serving with all of IT Tender’s ministries; Daycare, Alternative Learning System, Food For Life, Sponsor A Child and Night Life. We have had the opportunity to serve the Night Life (street kids) ministry greatest, really learning what mission is about.

Our backgrounds in evangelizing at University had placed great emphasis on meeting the spiritual needs of those around us, but here we have learnt that a much more holistic approach is needed. The physical and emotional health of the children needs to be met before sharing Jesus. This is not to say that sharing Jesus with them is not the priority, this is always at the forefront of our minds, but rather an unloved child without food for the day has Jesus at the bottom of his priorities. We have loved loving them holistically!

Cooking lugaw (porridge) for the feeding programs, and giving medicine to the children at the rubbish dump in Putatan and here in Alabang has shown the kids we love them! One Friday during the Night Life program at the IT Tender center, a boy came in with a deep wound in his ankle, others wolfed down two or three servings of food; they know that IT Tender is here to love them.

By giving a hug, acting as a human climbing frame, holding hands, affirming children of who they are in God’s eyes with our limited Tagalog, a smile is put on their face and they feel loved, special and important. By saying a prayer over dinner, reading a Bible story, telling them that we’re Christians, relationships grounded in Christ are built.

The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. The work and mission done here is done through faith and hope that the Lord will provide that which He has called you to do.

Jo & Joe in action at our Night Life programs

Above: At the IT Tender drop in center
Below: In Putatan

ALS Update

Gabi Malquisto

For the month of August 2013, we are blessed and thankful to our Lord Jesus Christ that we have 15 registered learners from Alternative Learning System who are now getting ready for the upcoming Accreditation and Equivalency exam on October 2013.  These learners are doing their best and giving all their efforts in reviews, essay writing and more for the academic subjects. We continue praying for their studies that may God continue sharing wisdom to these out of school youth. To God be all the Glory.

Also this month, as part of their developmental activities,the learnershad an art contest where they had to make a poster portraying their understanding about “The Education in the Philippines”.  They gave their best in their art skills and each explained their views from the posters they had made.  The winner was Rechelle Lizardo, a 15-year old girl who stopped her studies because of family and financial problems and chose to continue her education through the ALS program and is willing to give her best to achieve her dreams and help her family.

May our Lord Jesus Christ bless hard the working learners. We are thankful that through the ALS Program more out of school youth have been reached out to and can live out their hopes and dreams for a good future by God’s grace.

THANKS

·         For God's blessing of protection, as the staff and the beneficiaries from our ministry areas survived Typhoon "Maring". We thank God that no one was severely affected by the typhoon

·         For the lives of Johanna Browning and Joe Brook who choose to share their lives in the ministry for the month of August

·         For the three new donors of the HAKBANG (Footsteps) Sponsor A Child Now Program

·         For the ministry visit of Russ Cline and Ptr. Ellis Pitman of Extreme Response International

·         To our Lord who graciously gives us wisdom as we minister to the street children and for all His wonderful blessings

PRAYERS

·         For more donors for our Sponsor A Child Now Program. Join us in dreaming for a brighter future for our children.

·         May you include in your prayers also the Night Life Program; we are in need of PHP 2,500 or $60 USD a month to support its needs and monthly hygiene materials like soap, shampoo, toothbrushes etc. for the street children.

·         The upcoming program SMART KIDS; we are aiming to help children aged 1 to 3 years old and their families. We believe that sharing God's love to children as young as them will enable them to have a stronger foundation in life.

·         For regular monthly donors who will financially support IT Tender Ministry helping with our operational costs

That God will continue to guide us always in our ministry, to bless us with the blessing of protection & good health