I Get By with a Little Help from My Friends

Dear friends and family,

Our community here in the Philippines was truly blessed when my childhood friend Nathaniel Hill came to visit us last week. His time was limited, so we decided to forgo all the typical tourist activities in favour of taking "Mr. Coffey's Whirlwind Tour of Programs for the Urban Poor". Nathaniel assisted with a lesson at Educare (our preschool for street kids), he learned all about our IT Tender Center (a drop-in center for street youth and kids), he experienced worship at our small community church, and he brought his own very big smile and personal brand of humour right into the streets and homes of many of our clients and the families we're reaching out to. Through our photos, I hope you can somehow vicariously share in the joy and even some of the pain that Nate felt as he witnessed the love, faith, and hardships of a community in the slums.

As we arrive in Zanzibar Street, the kids are so excited to meet Nate.

In the Philippines, he is a very gigantic and very White child-magnet.

I've watched these kids growing up over the last few years.
I love them in heaps, and I love to share their joy with others.

Tin Tin teaches a phonics lesson in Educare.

Shelley prepares for the SAT's ...the "Shapes and Alphabet Test".

Teacher Tin tests phonics recognition and letter differentiation.

One evening Nathaniel, Tin Tin, and I were walking from our church to the bus that would take Nate and I back to my apartment. As we walked alongside a bustling highway, three children came running up to greet us shouting "Kuya John! Ate Tin!" (in English "Big Brother John! Big Sister Tin"). I often stop to chat with thirteen-year-old Angelica and her younger siblings and friends in the street. Day and night these kids are selling flowers to make a living. The "sampaguita" is the national flower of the Philippines and is commonly sold by child vendors to drivers in traffic to hang from their rear-view mirrors. We chatted for a while in Tagalog with the kids and translated our conversation for Nathaniel. When he found out that Angelica was celebrating her birthday that very day, he decided that he wanted to generously bless Angelica and her friends. So Nate, Tin, and I went to a nearby restaurant called Mang Inasal and brought back a few meals for the kids, including plenty of ice cream for dessert. Angelica was delighted to enjoy a delicious meal and ice cream on her thirteenth birthday. She was also excited to bring food back to her relatives in the street to share it with them. I know she will never forget the compassion she experienced on her birthday, and each time I see her she's already asking where Nathaniel is and when he might come back to visit again.

Angelica (far left) celebrates her thirteenth birthday with
the abundant generosity from a new Canadian friend.

Nate visits the Custodio family (from left to right: Lerma,
Mackie, and my Goddaughter Micah). Mackie built their
humble home with his own two hands using wood and nails.

Nate also drops by Raymond's place and is shocked to see
how many Filipinos usually live together in one small room -
a room which Nate can't even stand up all the way in.

Thanks again for following along with me here in the Philippines! May you be blessed and challenged by what you've seen and read, and may God be with you and your families throughout your own joys and struggles at work, at school, and at home.

Take care!

John

"I live in the mall...literally"

Dear friends and family,

It's true - I just moved into an apartment in a mall. Yeah, I didn't see that coming either! Many Filipinos confess that in some ways they "live at the mall" - spending hours strolling through the air conditioning or enjoying the window-shopping. However, I'm actually settling into a small apartment at the top of a 5-floor mall in Alabang, Metro Manila. I've never been an avid mall-goer, but this is actually an ideal location for me here. Directly across the street is our drop-in center for street children/youth ("IT Tender") where I expect to spend most of my time. Then, in front of the mall are buses I can catch to get to our church and our preschool ("Educare") in Makati. And then of course there's the obvious convenience of having anything I might need to buy just downstairs (groceries, clothing, etc). "Starmall Alabang" is also known as "The biggest bargain center in the South" (...or at least according to their slogan), as there is a large market in the basement where you can barter for just about anything new, used, or imitated (ie, the knock-offs).

In the midst of the bustling traffic of jeepneys and bikes
in Metro Manila is my new home at "Starmall Alabang".

Because I'm now in the final stage of language school, I'm transitioning out of the classroom and back into the community. The latest big move was just one event in a busy month. Just a few weeks ago we held a 3-day, overnight camp for the youth from our small, community church. We were blessed to be able to bring guest speakers, professional counselors, and social workers to the camp. The purpose of inviting counselors and social workers was to provide support for those youth who've been traumatized by physical or sexual abuse. This was a very eye-opening experience. Just as we worried might be true, many of our youth privately admitted episodes of rape and sexual abuse they'd experienced growing up. Our camp was a very necessary time of safety, peace, and relaxation for these youth. It marked the beginning of a long road of recovery for them through the counseling and support of our church and our team. We're also thankful that many of the youth learned ways to release their burdens and forgive others through their discovery of a loving and forgiving God. With proper professional support, a supportive community, and faith, we believe that these youth can experience a radical recovery and a profound freedom from some very oppressing and degrading experiences.

After the camp, a handful of us church leaders partnered with a team of Filipino doctors and flew to another island in the Philippines for a medical and hygiene mission. Upon arriving in Ilo-Ilo, we spent half a week in the city of Roxas to run the program, then we commuted to the city of Carles to run our program again for a community there. A few members from our church had grown up on that island and thus knew the area well, including "Ate" (Sister) Princess from our team. For the hygiene part of the mission, we taught children the proper way to clean their bodies. We gave them a bath, combed their hair, removed lice, brushed their teeth, cut their fingernails, and also gave them a meal. For the medical program, we offered free services from volunteer physicians, dentists, and an optometrist. We were even able to give out free eyeglasses and medicine to anyone who needed it. We feel blessed that we were able to team up with Pastor Juni and his medical team from "Seed of Love Ministry", and we thank God for making all of this possible.

Tin Tin takes in the breathtaking view of the
Philippine islands during her first plane ride.

Before our medical and hygiene programs
we went out to visit the families in the community. 

Ilo-Ilo is home to some adorable little monkeys (...I mean, kids!).

Leading a devotion and prayer with the workers of the church
who also volunteered to help with the medical and hygiene programs.

Ah yes, the proper wiggle-and-jiggle toothbrushing technique.

Bathing the kids is a humbling experience.

Many of the children had lice, so we helped
pick out the bugs and used special shampoos.

Still hanging around even after the program.

The pastor in Carles gives a short talk before our medical program.

Em Em and I helped by cleaning and sorting dental instruments.

A young girl nervously waits her turn to see the dentist.

We set up a small pharmacy with free medicines for the
patients after they'd received their prescription from the doctor.

We prayed for each patient before they returned home.

Thanks so much for reading my blog. Please pray for the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of of these communities in Ilo-Ilo that we have been reaching out to. And also pray for the youth in our community as well. In other news, Educare just resumed classes this week (June is the beginning of the school year in Manila), and we're thankful for another year to teach and grow with the preschoolers. Also, I will be commuting to language school twice-a-week now until I finish sometime in August. The final stretch of school involves a lot more "out-of-the-classroom" assignments and projects. I'm really looking forward to graduating in just a couple months! Continue to pray for my Tagalog as well.

Take care and continue being a blessing to others!

John

Intelligence + Character = The Goal of True Education

Our DVBS (Daily Vacation Bible School) in Olongapo, Philippines

Dear friends & family,

Here in the Philippines, the kids are currently enjoying their vacation from school until mid-June. The beginning of the school year also marks the beginning of rainy season. During the increasingly hot months before the cooling rains, my team always travels to various rural and urban communities to run a Daily Vacation Bible School (i.e., "Christian Summer Camp") for the kids. Last week I took time off langauge school to assist my friends with the DVBS in a rural area of Olongapo (a 4-hour commute from Manila). We partnered with a church there to provide an enriching and engaging program for kids ages 4-12 in the community. 

During the opening ceremonies of the DVBS,
the kids led a parade through the streets of their town.

A banner inviting each and every chid in the community
to join our DVBS program hosted by "Balikatan Church".

Standing in the entrance of their small but inspiring church.

My home is the city, but my soul longs after these rural provinces!

Our very own Tin Tin was the MC of the DVBS.

One of the reasons why we travel to other communities to host these DVBS programs is to train the youth in their churches to organize and run their own children's programs. In Olongapo, five young workers of the church assisted us in teaching and running the program. Prior to the first day of the DVBS, we held an orientation for those workers to get acquainted with the schedule, songs, and activities. Each evening, we devoted a few hours for debriefing and prayer with the workers. By the end of the DVBS, we were so encouraged by their growth. Even they were amazed at how much they had learned about teaching, leading, and inspiring young children. Consistent with the old saying that advises to "teach a man to fish" (rather than giving him a fish), we successfully equipped the church to lead children's programs without relying on us in the future. In other words, we chose to "teach a man to teach", as opposed to simply running the program ourselves and moving on to the next community. Although it takes a little more time and effort, we know this is the best approach with the future of the community in mind. We pray that for generations to come, their humble little church can continue to run such programs that nurture within their children a strong sense of self-esteem, faith, and trust in God.

The DVBS program included story-telling...

...singing... 

...dancing...

...lessons... 

...activities...

...crafts...

...prayer and worship. 

I've never before seen kids pray quite like this.
We witnessed a real faith in children that cannot be denied.

These children pray with simple and genuine sincerity.

I was blessed just to be a part of the program.
I also had the opportunity to sing the Philippine national anthem.

My main role at the DVBS was to lead the activity center. This was great practise for my Tagalog. At the same time, I offered the youth many opportunities to lead the activity themselves. I adopted the role of a mentor to them - encouraging them and offering advice on how to manage the children's behaviour while simultaneously keeping them active and engaged in the learning.

April (one of the youth at the church) really cares for these kids,
carefully picking for lice after the day's program has already ended.

Raymond fills a bucket with water for a bath. Us boys slept in a
church without running water, so this is how we got our water for bathing.

Summer camp is a place where friendships are strengthened!

On the last day of the DVBS, we held a "Graduation Ceremony" complete

with certificates, awards, and special numbers. No program in the Philippines

is officially complete without a graduation. Children wore their finest (or only)

dress and/or favourite outfit, and we invited parents to enjoy the celebration.

We opened the festivities with this dance number. Enjoy the video!

In other news, I just completed another written and oral exam in language school this week. It went great, thanks to God's guidance! I'm also excited to spend the next three days at a Youth Camp for our own church. I was asked to be one of the counselors. I see this as my chance to build stronger relationships with the youth in our church (as most of my work has been with children), and also of course to further develop my Tagalog skills. Immediately after camp, my team and I will fly to another island in the Philippines to do a mission trip in a place called Ilo-Ilo for seven days. We are excited to partner with local doctors to run a medical mission, and also to run various outreach programs for the children and families there. Please pray for my team with those events. We will return from Ilo-Ilo on June 3.

God bless, and continue being a blessing to others!

John

"Who dares to teach must never cease to learn"

A two-week teachers' seminar at the Institute for Foundational Learning

Dear friends & family,

Last Friday I returned from a two-week training seminar for teachers out in the province of Laguna, Philippines. There I accompanied four of my Filipino teammates and friends (Tin Tin, Toph, Rico and Raymond), each of whom also teach or volunteer in our Educational Daycare for street kids (aka "Educare"). The seminar was organized and subsidized by a non-profit Christian organization called the Institute for Foundational Learning (IFL). Specifically, the training was an intensive crash course in Early Childhood Education (ie., preschool to kindergarten). We were so thankful for the opportunity to equip and formalize "Educare" with a more extensive curriculum and a qualified staff.

Toph, Raymond, myself, and Tin Tin in the training hall at IFL.

Actually, to call the training "intensive" seems like an understatement. In just two weeks we completed 100 hours of lectures in addition to various oral and written exams, teaching demos, and other written assignments (including a 1,500 word essay). For my teammates who hadn't completed any post-secondary education, this was an immense challenge. In addition, everything had to be done in English! In Manila, Tagalog is spoken in the home and in informal conversation, but English is the language of formal academics and business (thus English fluency is considered essential for most Filipinos hoping to get a good job). The majority of the lectures at IFL were also in English or "Taglish" (Tagalog/English). I was particularly proud of my teammates for stepping up to the challenge and even receiving praise from many of the IFL staff for their hard work and gifted teaching skills. Some of the staff were shocked to discover the very humble upbringings of my teammates. Even though my teammates had grown up in poverty themselves and had no formal training in teaching, they were gifted teachers because of their love for children, their faith and determination, and their volunteer experience in our daycare.

Experienced teachers observe and critique a teaching
demo from Tin Tin - our head teacher at Educare.

Rico and I demonstrate what we've learned regarding how
to teach a "three-period lesson" through one-on-one instruction. 

Let me paint for you a picture of a typical day at the IFL training seminar, just so you can better imagine what we experienced. Almost 200 trainees attended the conference, and we were divided into groups at night where each of us slept on a mat in a room with 18 other trainees. The key to getting a decent sleep was trying not to think too much about the heat. We woke up each morning at 5 am for a devotional before breakfast at 6. Then we had lectures all day until 9 or 10 pm. Late at night was therefore the only time to work on assignments and to study for exams. Most of us typically didn't get to bed until 2 or 3 am, and so after a few hours of sleep we were already rubbing our eyes and finding our way back to the lecture hall to do it all over again the next day.

Raymond double checks the word count in his essay.
Forget the convenience and luxury of personal computers,
each assignment at the conference had to be hand-written.

Literacy was one of the main components of the
seminar. Each day we practised teaching phonics.

For me though, the biggest struggles were actually more cultural than academic or physical. As the only foreigner at the conference, I felt a bit isolated at times and had to fight the temptation to hide away. When I'm most comfortable, I'm very outgoing and I crave just being with others, so it was hard to overcome that dissonance between my naturally sociable side and my struggle to fit in when immersed 24/7 in the culture. That part is hard to explain, but anyone who's lived in a very different culture for an extended period can surely relate. Believe it or not, the other most difficult part of the seminar was eating rice three meals a day! Around two-thirds of a typical Filipino meal is white rice, while the other third consists of meat, fish, and/or vegetables. I've had the luxury of cooking Western foods in my own apartment these past several months, so my belly is still not quite accustomed to eating so much rice. But thanks to IFL, I'm getting there!

In fact, all of these struggles were really blessings in disguise. I have nothing to complain about when I remember how blessed I am to experience trials for the wisdom and experience gained in return. Each of the trainees came out of the conference with much more knowledge, strength, and resilience than before. The training was really a "trial by fire", but we came out on "cloud 9" (...sorry, cliche overload). I remember two specific moments during the two weeks when I was reminded of exactly why I was there and why I had nothing to complain about. The first was during a lunch break when I wandered outside to the playground to visit the kids from the orphanage. Besides the training facilities, the IFL compound has an orphanage for street children, a farm (where most of their food comes from), an elementary school, a high school, and even a college! After just a few minutes of simply playing and laughing with the kids, all my worries and frustrations felt so small in comparison to the joy of a career in teaching and loving kids like these. Over the next few days, I also took the time to learn some sign language to communicate with the hearing impaired students.

We'll never forget Mirasol (left). Her and I would sing songs together
and joke around during our breaks. On the last day, she squeezed me
tight and shouted "I won't let you go! I love you Kuya (brother) John!"

The IFL training hall, school, and orphanage
are surrounded by beautiful gardens and farmland.

The second experience that reminded me of how much the blessings of the seminar outweighed any costs was when we had a worship night with all the trainees and staff. Instead of an evening lecture, we all came together and sang worship songs in Tagalog and English for countless hours. Everyone's energy seemed to be miraculously renewed, and we didn't want to stop worshipping into the morning hours as we continued praying and worshipping out in the hallways when we were dismissed. I distinctly remember God reminding me that nothing is impossible for Him, and that He will use trials and sufferings to develop greater faith and wisdom. Nothing is impossible. Somehow God can take people like me (from another culture and language) and people like my teammates (from such humble beginnings in the streets) and He can use us to share His compassion and wisdom with little children in Manila.

We were stretched and inspired alongside many other Filipino
teachers, pastors, and administrators. These are just a few of the new
friends we met (left-to-right: Michelle, Tin, me, Pastor Ariel, Jowell).

Finally, the most memorable day at IFL was the last day. We had a complete graduation ceremony with certificates, awards, and speeches. I was even asked to share a testimony of my experience at the training. My teammates and I won the first place award for best original song composition (we wrote and taught an educational song for a science lesson on body parts). I also somehow won an award for "best male dancer" at the conference - yes, I am just as surprised as you are! Each day we did morning exercises through singing and dancing as part of teaching physical education, and the staff kept an eye on the style and enthusiasm of the trainees. Now, while I still believe that "white guys" truly can't dance compared to Filipinos (I know it's a stereotype, but rightly so, as there's just too much embarrassing evidence for it), I was nevertheless glad to somehow be the exception to the rule, even for a moment.

Let's be honest, great teachers love to fool around just
as much as kids ...of course, only when it's appropriate...

After all of that, the best moments of graduation day were yet to come. One particularly unforgettable moment was so deeply spiritual that it's difficult to put into words. It happened after the grad ceremony when Rico waved the five of us towards him. We stood together in the middle of the crowded training hall and naturally placed our arms around each other in a circle. At that instant, tears begin flowing from all of our eyes, and I recall Rico praying in Tagalog "Who are we to deserve this blessing? God, why did you choose us?" We all gave thanks because we felt that together we were receiving a divine calling to care for the street children through education. Somehow, that same day, support came in from unexpected places to fund our curriculum materials. All five of us had revelations of how God would use us if we continued to trust Him. Raymond, for instance, has experienced years of abuse and belittlement from his father for choosing to volunteer in the church instead of getting a better paying job. However, He finally felt a real sense of pride in his new vocation as a teacher. Rico's past role for Educare has primarily been picking up and dropping off the kids with our team van. However, now he's equipped to teach as well, and he amazed me with his leadership skills and his teaching talent at IFL. Toph and Tin Tin also grew in leaps and bounds. I couldn't be more proud of them and of the compliments the IFL staff gave to both Tin, our gifted head teacher, and to Toph, our inspired administrator.

Whew, that was a lengthy blog entry! I'll keep it more brief next time. There's been many things to be thankful for. Please pray for Educare as we prepare for the upcoming school year which begins in June. Also pray for me as I'm back again in Tagalog school for the next few months.

Take care and God Bless,

John