Training Day Friday - Youth Mission Conference Promo

Tender Ministry - Night Life

Meet the YM Team - Rico Dizon, YM's Property Custodian

(Rico  at Hard Rock Cafe during YM's Team 2010 Christmas celebration)

I’m Honorico A. Dizon Jr., but to my friends and relatives I’m better known as Rico or Unyo (A Filipino short cut for Junior). I’m currently serving as a full-time missionary of International Teams Philippines under the Youth Mobilization (YM) team as the team’s property custodian.

Salvation:

I received Christ as my Lord and Savior in 2004.  Before fully surrendering everything to Him, my life was a total mess.  During my college days, I suddenly lost interest in studying, so I stopped going to school. Moreover, aside from having a lot of vices, I was also always looking for trouble; it seems that my day won’t be complete without doing anything crazy.  My heart was full of frustration and hatred.  I was simply a difficult person to be with.

Then one day, an old friend of mine in high school invited me to come to a party.  I immediately said yes because I thought that it was a birthday party and that beer will be overflowing, just like how we celebrated parties before.  Contrary to what I was expecting, no beer was served, not even a single drop.  Instead my friend brought me to a youth fellowship.  I met new friends and one of them invited me to a Bible Study the next day.

I will never forget that night, I even still remember the title of the teaching and that is “What on Earth Am I Here for?” The church that is leading the Bible Study was using one of the topics of the Purpose Driven Life series. Then, as if there was a screen in front of me, my life was flashed before me.  One by one, I saw the bad things I did.  I suddenly realized that I was created for a purpose and I wasn’t living according to that purpose.  Before the teaching was over, I surrendered my life to Jesus, as the speaker invited those who would like to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  I also dedicated my life to Him promising that by His grace I will bring as many young people to Him as possible.

Calling:

  

(Rico and a kid from an Aeta tribe in Morong, Bataan - Kanawan Mission Trip, March 2008)

I received my calling from God to be missionary in 2006.  I remember that when I was still in elementary school my history teacher taught us about the history of our country. One of her topics was when Spain came to the Philippines along with some missionaries.  She also explained to us what a missionary is – that they are the ones who go from one place to another to share the Gospel to the people, God’s great good news. When I heard that, I said to myself that someday I will become a missionary; I want to go to different countries to share the love and good news of God.

But when God’s time came for me to obey His call, it didn’t come so smoothly. Aside from the fact that my parents may not understand my decision to follow God’s call, I also had fear in my heart.  Where will I get the means to support my needs?  What does it really mean to become a missionary?   Do I have what it takes to become God’s servant?  Many questions flooded my mind. 

In the end, God proved Himself faithful once again – He really can make a way when it seems that we have met a dead end.  He gave me the assurance that He will take care of me and He will teach me what I need to know.  His words in Jeremiah 29:11 say it all, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Until now, I live in the strength of that promise.  God really knows His plan for my life.  He holds everything in His hands and He will be faithful until the end.  He is the one prospering the work of my hands.  Aside from YM, I am also serving as our church board treasurer and also as a youth adviser. As God continues to work out His plan for my life, I am assured of a future full of hope, all for God’s glory.

Looking Back, Looking Ahead - JKKCC's 3rd Anniversary

Time and time again, we are witnesses of God's faithfulness and awesome power.  Looking back as we celebrate Jesus King of Kings Community Church, one would immediately see God's faithfulness.  Who would have known that what was once just a dream will become a reality.  We have already been ministering to a group of young people who were former gang members for quite sometime when Rodel, a former gang leader himself and an YM team member shared his unusual dream.  He said that he saw young people coming out of a building where he could also hear people singing worship songs.  

He couldn't understand the dream then, as short as it was, but deep in his heart, he knew, it wasn't just his own.  God is up to something although it is not clear yet.  During that time our ministry to the street gangs was only through friendship evangelism and home Bible study groups.  Since we have been doing the Bible study for more than a year, we decided to invite the youth to attend church services.  Sad to say, none of them wanted to continue attending, the churches then were not ready to receive former gang members.  Not that they don't want to, but they just were new to the idea of ministering to former street gang members.

But we really wanted to teach the youth how to worship God, so we said to ourselves, why not just hold a worship service just for them.  That's one great idea, but the problem is, we don't have a place nor the equipment and the manpower to do so.  Finally, YM agreed to let us use the training room for the worship service.  So in the afternoon of the first Sunday of February 2008, we held our very first worship.  A handful of young people came. Everything was borrowed - the sound system, chairs, instruments and even the instrumentalist, but the worship time was so great.  It is so glorious to see the young people we are ministering learning how to worship God.

(JKKCC'S FIRST WORSHIP SERVICE IN 2008)

Even though the worship service was great, questions still linger in our minds.  Should we continue the service, Sunday after Sunday?  Where will we get the funds to pay rent and utilities?  Who will lead this new ministry since no one in our team knows how to plant a church?  How can we sustain it if it becomes a church since we don't have any workers and even if workers come, where will we get the funds to support them?

Another Sunday came and we held yet another worship service.  Many Sundays came and we lost track of time, and yet, we kept on worshiping God.  Many other young people came until the room became packed.  Mothers came too.  After a year of doing it, we finally saw the outcome - a church was born but honestly no one wants to plant one because no one knows how to do so.  

(THREE MONTHS AFTER - THE CHURCH BEGINS TO GROW)

(JKKCC'S FIRST YEAR ANNIVERSARY)

We came to one conclusion - God uses the foolish to shame the wise.  It is not by man's wisdom that JKKCC was born, but by God's.  Since it is God who made it happen, He will be the one to provide for all the needs of the church.  Funds came for rent, utilities and other needs; and workers one by one came too.  Backed by God's miracles, we have agreed to do one thing - to keep moving forward.  We always look ahead knowing that God's power is available for us.  He gave us the promise to never leave us nor forsake us.          

Now after three years, JKKCC story remains the same - it is all about God's faithfulness and awesome power.  He is faithful to fulfill all His promises - even the dream he showed Rodel many years back.  JKKCC now is renting the 5th floor of a building for its worship services and ministries, the third venue they have used in the last three years.  The two previous ones were in a building too.  Rodel finally understands the dream he had.  JKKCC is the fulfillment of that dream.

The church keeps on growing.  Aside from the worship service, it has a Day Care Center, a feeding ministry and an educational program aside from the ministries to the mothers and the youth.  All of these are testimonies of God's abiding presence and awesome power.  As the church look ahead, everybody is excited for more of what God is doing today and what He has prepared in the future.  The best is yet to come!  JKKCC - Happy 3rd Year Anniversary!!!

Saturday - BK Day Care Plans 2011

Batang Krayola (BK) Plans for 2011

A. Day Care Center

OBJECTIVES:

• To teach the little children about God and for them to grow in their relationship with Him.
• To help them study especially on reading and writing
• To build relationships with their families

SCHEULES:

March

4          -           Graduation Day (School Year 2010-2011)

June

1-3       -           Enrolment

7          -           Opening of Classes for School Year 2011-2012

August

26        -           Family Day

December

9          -           Christmas Party

B. Christmas Parties

OBJECTIVES:

As we hold 8 Christmas Parties this year, we would like:

• To help the partner Church in sharing the Gospel to its local community.
• To share God’s love through giving and sharing with the kids the true meaning of Christmas.
• To Celebrate Christmas with the children.

Schedule:

December 1-10, 2011

C. Ministry to the Partner Churches of YM

OBJECTIVES:

• To empower existing kids’ ministries of our partner Church.
• To set a monthly mission program and send missionaries within our partner church that aims to help their kids’ ministries. We are targeting 11 missionaries per each partner church every month.
• To conduct seminars within our partner church that will develop their kids’ ministries. We are targeting 11 Seminars for our 11 partner Church this year.

Training Day Friday - Paulo's Testimony

Paulo's Testimony (One of the youth leaders who attended many of YM's training programs)

(Paulo Montano, a Nursing Graduate and Youth President of Light Of Men Ministries, Caloocan)

God is amazing because He gave me an opportunity to be part of what the Youth Mobilization (YM) Training Department is doing to the youth leaders of their partner churches!

My church, Light of Men Ministry is one of YM’s partner churches. Last March 14-15, YM held an Overnight Modular Training (OMT) in our church. This training touched on visioning, character building and organizing youth ministry. It helped us to be more fruitful, organize, and passionate in handling and leading the ministry as well as helping us to make smart and achievable plans. Aside from helping us see God’s vision for our lives and putting those visions into programs, the said training created a great impact in our personal lives and it united us. We became so on fire that we were able to organize an evangelistic concert in our community in Caloocan. We held this concert last April and it was a successful one.

(Paulo reporting during the OMT held at Light of Men Ministries Inc, his mother church)

After the OMT, YM continued to encourage youth leaders to participate in other training opportunities they are offering to churches. They invited our church to send two of our youth leaders to participate in their mission conference called Windows YP. The theme of the 3-day youth mission  conference held in Makati last October was “Fusion for Explosion”. Even though I had work on those days, I really wanted to attend. So I decided to file a leave in my work and if ever they will not approve it, then I will resign. Also, I was wondering if my church will be able to support me financially so that I can attend the conference. I was so blessed to see that God made a way - my leave was approved and my church supported me financially. God gave me the opportunity to participate in that conference which I considered a big thing because I know that God will use the conference to bring my service to Him to the next level. Also I was eagerly looking forward to learning things about missions.

(Paulo in Malaysia with other youth leaders and two YM staff)

As I attended the conference, God opened my heart to the reality that there are many people out there who are in need of love and care that we already have in Christ Jesus. Not only that I heard the call to bear fruit - fruit that will last, but also to reach out for more souls and to bring change in this world. I realized that for change to happen in this world, change must first start in our own personal lives. We must leave our comfort zone, and we need to go out and share His love to other people. Moreover, God wants us to move, live and operate in His power. Realizing this, I then asked myself, “What are our big problems compared to how big our God is? Surely He is greater than everything we have and what we can do. God is so big, so strong and so mighty!

To God be all the Glory!

IT Tender Ministry - Anjo Rivera (Another Reason Why We Should Sponsor A Child)

(Anjo Rivera, 5 years Old)

(Where Anjo and his family live in Sucat, Parañaque)

Anjo Rivera lives in one of the poor communities in Sucat, Parañaque City.  Since birth the child was in the street with his family. Together with his two other siblings, his father Joel and his mother Joan, they beg in order to provide for their daily needs.  One day, Joan his mother was invited to join a women’s camp and in that camp, one of the problems she mentioned was about her child Anjo.  She wanted Anjo to enroll but they don’t have enough money to do so.  As a result, one of the counselors donated an enough amount of money so that Anjo can enroll and buy school supplies and other requirements needed in the school.  The child was so excited when he heard that he can now go to the school.  On the other hand, Joan his mother was really thankful that the Lord heard her prayers.  Furthermore, she willingly accepted the rules and guidelines set by IT Tender Ministry for its Educational Assistance Program. She showed her full commitment and participation in the program by submitting all receipts, by helping Anjo with his daily homework, and by attending meetings required by the school.

 Last July 12, 2010, IT Tender Ministry staff visited Anjo in his house and in his school located at Upper Sucat Day Care Center.  Anjo proudly wore his uniform and Joan told us about how Anjo is really excited go to school everyday. On our way to school, I noticed that Anjo walks rather in an awkward way.  Apparently, he is still adjusting to his new shoes, because all his life, this is his very first time to wear shoes. At that very point, we realized that we are witnessing a dream of a child coming true.  It is indeed the start of big changes in his life.  What used to be one of the street children is now in school. Indeed, we praise God for what he did in the life of this child.

(This post is based from the article written by Gila T. Basiwa, IT Tender Ministry's Administrator, entitled "Case Study of Anjo Rivera")

(Anjo in his new uniform and his Mother, Joan)

(Anjo at the Day Care Center)