Ministering Mercy to the Oppressed, Hopeless, and Homeless - The IT Tender Ministry Story

Feed the hungry! Help those in trouble!

Then your light will shine out from the darkness, 

and the darkness around you shall be as bright as day.

Isaiah 58:10 TLB

In 2000, Pastor John Basiwa saw the plight of the street children living under the bridge of Alabang Viaduct and another group of children and youth meeting in a vacant lot in Sucat, Parañaque to sniff industrial solvent commonly known as “rugby”. Most of them were homeless or driven away from their homes.  Many years earlier, Pastor John, then a young intern staff of his local church volunteered to help street kids through the Lingap Center, a government organization ministering to children at  risk. This is where God stirred up a passion in his heart.

Together with his wife Gila, Pastor John immediately started the Mercy Ministry that soon became the IT Tender Ministry.  Their only desire was to help those street children and youth find new life and hope in Christ.  They began setting-up programs that aimed to bring about total transformation.  These programs included feeding, livelihood programs, youth camps, sports and technical training, just to name a few.  Soon the vision grew and many came to help, and even after a short period of time they saw a lot of positive results, not just in the lives of the street youth and children but in the lives of their families as well.  Many surrendered their lives to Jesus and some even went back to their family to be reconciled. These programs continue to be an effective tool in reaching these young people.  In 2008, God gave them the opportunity to open IT Tender's drop-in center.  Now the kids have a place where they meet, study, eat, take a bath, hang-out, and have fellowship.

Now with the drop-in center in operation for 3 years, the ministry of mercy continues.  IT Tender believes lives of many street children and youth can and will  change, that is why Pastor John and his staff never gets tired in discipling and training them.  They fully believe that in the future, they too would become this ministry’s future leaders.