International Teams-Philippines Tender Ministry Monthly Newsletter—JANUARY, 2013

Starting the Year with More Hands

Reaching Out to the Poor!

The HAKBANG Sponsorship started the year with a bang!  The program aims to help the children and their families not just in terms of education but also in other aspects of their lives. In order to strengthen the beneficiaries it is important to give them spiritual care. The ministry is very thankful that along came the City Bible Church-Sucat. The church is just new but their desire is to reach out to the people of Upper Sucat Community where most of the beneficiaries live. Ptr. Dino Go Yupo, the church’s pastor, shared their gratefulness and eagerness to work hand in hand with the ministry. They will be the ones who will conduct the Bible Study, bring them to church, and have a weekly fellowship with the people in the Upper Sucat Community.

The partnership was formally introduced to the community during the 10th General Assembly held last January 20, 2013 at Brgy. Sucat Hall, Sucat, Muntinlupa. It was well attended by 80 people who were divided into groups: children, parents/guardians, and youth.  The children enjoyed the storytelling, games and coloring activities while the youth had a blast because of the team building activities and sharing of their ideas and feelings through cell groups. The parents had an opportunity to hear sound teaching about family from Ptr. John Basiwa and were later given a chance to share their learning to other parents.We are hopeful that this will serve as a great beginning for the year 2013. We believe more and more people are willing to offer their lives and talents to help the poor not just through physical and educational needs but as well as through emotional and physical needs.  By:  Jizza B. Magallanes TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY!

A Message of Hope & Dreams that Are Coming True

Marvic (in white Polo shirt) together

 with his partner Rochelle and their

 daughter Eunice.

As a new year opens for the PAGBABAGO (Transformation) Alternative Learning System (ALS), the ministry rejoices because the dream of a former street child is finally coming true! Marvic used to perceive his life as hopeless and that he would always stay on the streets. He used to work as a jeepney barker (the one who calls passengers to the jeepney) and sniff rugby. His life was changed when he came upon an agency which serves street children.  They were the ones who referred him to enroll at IT Tender Ministry’s ALS program last school year. After he graduated in highs chool through passing the Accreditation and Equivalency Examination, he took a vocational course and successfully finished it this month.

Marvic together with his young family and mother joyfully dropped by the ministry to express his thankfulness because of the help and support he received. His graduation was held last January 11, 2013 at Tunasan Sports Complex, Tunasan, Muntinlupa. He shared that he is planning to find a job right after he receives his diploma. He said that he wants to work hard for his
newly born baby girl. He couldn’t believe that his life would be like this looking back to a time when heused to think that his life would forever remain on the streets.Indeed, change is possible if a person is given a chance to improve himself. Hoping, more lives will be similar to that of Marvic which has a message of hope and dreams come true even though it seems impossible. By:  Jizza B. Magallanes  

The Heart Beats Continue...

These children are enjoying

 their meal.

The heart of the IT Tender Ministry beats continuously as it reaches out to the street children in Alabang, Muntinlupa. The ministry sees the Night Life Program as its “HEART” because this is where it all started. Now, a weekly center-based activity is conducted from 10 o’clock in the evening until 1 o’clock a.m. where the street children receive hygiene support and food and have a chance to hear about God’s love for them. These activities help them feel that they are loved and cared for. It is a joy for the ministry that volunteers from Grace Chapel Church joined us even for just one session. These missionaries had a chance to play with them and feed them and let the children feel the love of Christ as they ministered through this program. As of this month the coordinator focused on individual children through home and area visits and identified the basic and urgent needs of each child. We praise God for the knowledge given to us and continue praying for the coming months of serving God through helping children at risk and taking action for each of their needs 

Children playing with

 the visitors.

through the grace of our Lord. By:  Lorna Carro & Gabriel Malquisto
 

Praise for the month of January !!!!

· The ministry joyfully shares their gratitude for all the support and prayer which

made the 2013 Planning and Evaluation possible last December 26 to 29, 2012

in the beautiful city of Tagaytay, Philippines.

· For the visitation of Extreme Response Leaders: Jerry Carnill, Paul Cripps, Russ Cline

and also to the talented photographer Charlie Beck.

· For the ministry exposure of Grace Chapel Missions Team lead by Ptr. Danny

Gardner.

· For the formalization of the partnership with City Bible Church-Sucat lead

by Ptr. Dino Go Yupo in ministering to Upper Sucat Community.

· And most especially to God the Almighty! Without Him we won’t be able to continue serving His people coming from poor communities and the street children. Praise Him for all His generosity, guidance & love!

Prayer Items !!!

· May you include in your thoughts and prayers all the provisions and guidance in implementing the plans for this year resulting from the 2013 Planning & Evaluation.

· Guidance and provision as the ministry is about to start the ALS Summer Computer Class Program.

· Provision for Family Day this coming February 23, 2013

· Guidance for the Sponsorship Case Conference

And also the Staff support for 6 full time staff for only about Php18,000 or $ 500 usd a month to sustain the personal needs of all 6 of them.

· May our God continue to graciously provide our physical needs and keep us safe and in good health.

I.T. TENDER MINISTRY DECEMBER 2012 CHRISTMAS PARTY NEWSLETTER

The 46 Beneficiaries of SACN Christmas Party with Jollibee.

What a day it was to celebrate!  The IT Tender Ministry glorifies our Lord for making the two IT Tender Christmas Parties successful! The first one was the Sponsor A Child Now Christmas Party held on the December 2^nd which not only blessed the fifty (50) beneficiaries of the said educational program but also the visitors, staff and volunteers. It was held last Sunday, December 2, 2012 at the Jollibee, Festival Mall, Alabang, Muntinlupa City. The event was well attended by 100 people both children and children at heart.  While the second one was the Night Life Christmas Party held last December 14, 2012 at IT Tender Drop In Center, Alabang. The smiles and laughter that were shown by the beneficiaries are already a gift for those who took in the said party.  Despite the fact that the date of the event was so early, there was an outpouring of blessings in order to make it possible to happen. The children and out-of-school youth were blessed because of the love and support that they felt through the fun entertainment, delicious meals and bountiful gifts which included school supplies and groceries.

The celebrations were filled with joyous Christmas songs, lively dance numbers, exciting games and a magic show provided by the Extreme Response mission team. One of the highlights of the event was the recognition of a 12-year old girl named Gelyn who responded to the challenge of sponsoring a child to be sent to school. She said that she was moved by the goodness of her parents and so she wanted to share the good life that she has. At such a young age, she is now helping a young girl by sending her to formal school. And also the preaching of Canadian missionary speaking Filipino fluently. He taught about the story of Jesus’ birth to the street children. Other praises include that there are 66 children, youth and young adults who responded to the challenge of accepting our Lord as their Savior.  Please pray for them and the follow-up program that will be given to them in order to nurture their desire to live a full life as a Christian.

The ministry expresses its sincere gratitude to all the organizations and individuals both foreign and local who supported this project. Truly in giving we receive so much more….and that is the advent of hope, joy, peace and love coming from the truth of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The children of HAKBANG (Footsteps) 

Sponsorship Program are enjoying

their party meal.

The Youth of PAGBABAGO (Transformation) 

Alternative Learning System of IT Tender Ministry.

These girls are giggling and having fun during their 

games conducted by the Jollibee Game Master.

This little boy gave his big smile as he received his gifts

 together with his classmates in SIMULA (Beginning) 

Learning Center Program.

This girl is excited to find out 

what’s inside her gift bag.

A special SKIT presentation about the Advent of 

Christmas lead by the ALS Learners, sponsored 

children and day care pupils.

The NIGHT LIFE Christmas Party held last December 14, 2012

These boys are loving the gifts they received.

These street children responded to the challenge

of receiving Jesus as their Christ and Savior.

The children were attentive in listening to the 

foreign speaker who speaks fluent Filipino.

I.T. TENDER MINISTRY NOVEMBER 2012 NEWSLETTER

“So that you may be able to discern what is best and

may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ” - Philippians 1:10

Finding Comfort In the Midst of the Street. This family are living under the 

bridge Ala-bang viaduct. These children are sleeping on a ragged foam 

and cartons while their parents are out to do scavenging as a form of living.

Time keeps passing, but one thing I realized is that our time is real and it has a lot of demands. However, in God it perseveres and gives what was lacking to man. We are so lucky that we have a family and furthermore a home that we can lie down in and with which we can do many things for ourselves. On the contrary, we know that we have street children in our land and they need help, but most of the time we ignore them, thinking that someone else will help them.The night life outside gives us a reason to minister to the families living in the street and to the children playing and begging outdoors. We are not capable of doing those things alone, but we are trying our best to do more by God’s grace and to make a difference in the lives of the people in need. The team was formed to help the people in the street ages 6-12 years old. We seek to give them a good intervention and give them the love and joy that God gave to our team. 

The children at the center for film showing 

and intake interview

The wonderful thing that happened was that we had 24 children in different communities of Muntinlupa and we had the chance to interview them and take an intake as part of our data gathering. We also had a chance to show them the movie “Missing”, and this is a fitting story about the street children and God.The meal was really so good and healthy and brings us the opportunity to mingle and to share time and blessings of food. We witnessed how happy the children were. They truly delighted in the food and they allowed us to share the love of God in their lives and give hope for His glory.  By:  Gila T. Basiwa, Intern Social Worker

The Children of Hope

This group won the poster making contest with a

 message of hope for a brighter future

 despite their present situation.

The above title is derived from the group who won the poster making contest during the 2012 Sponsor A Child Now Children’s Camp held last November 9 & 10, 2012. This event is held in order to help the beneficiaries of Hakbang (Footsteps) Sponsorship Program and Pagbabago (Transformation) Alternative Learning System acquire positive outlook in life in knowing that there is a brighter future with God.

 The perseverance that these beneficiaries that are giving in their studies is the impact of the love and support that were given to them. We praise God because through these educational programs, these children who are once felt hopeless now are facing their future with so much excitement. That through the said programs, the children were enabled to study harder and look beyond the ailing poverty that surrounds them. The month of November was filled with mixed emotions since the Acceleration and equivalency exam was finally held. There 15 learners coming from the ministry who took the said examination last November 25, 2012. Waking up as early as 3 o’clock in the morning for

The ALS Learners who took the A & E

 examination last November 25, 2012.

the staff is easy just to show the support to them. May our Almighty bless the dreams of these former out of school youth that they may be able to pass and to finally received the much anticipated diploma in high school.   By:  Jizza B. Magallanes

Responding With Hope

John Coffey and his parents 

rendered a story telling to the pupils.

It was a joy to see major improvements among the pupils of SIMULA (Beginning) Daycare Center. They are now leading in prayers before starting their formal classes or eating their snacks. How great it was to see them racing to lead the prayer. Most of them are also starting to work alone without depending on their
teachers. Though, they still have to improve on their English because their teacher have to speak in Filipino in order to teach the subject what matter was that they are not as mischievous as before. As their very first teachers we are hopeful that God may guide us in helping them achieve their dreams in life. That through our small efforts of helping them write and read and teaching them with Godly values we are cultivating future God-fearing servants of God. That from a simple desire of reaching out to these children a bright future will be awaiting for them.By: Lorna Carro & Jizza B. Magallanes