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“The Latest Glimpse of Hope”
THANK YOU to our friend Derick Sebastian from Hawaii for his gifting on the ukulele with a rendition of Hope for the Island.
Month: May 2016
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4 Powerful Days
4 day Youth Discipleship Training Camp
Over the last few years, Hope for the Island has been praying about ways we can creatively adjust to the drastic changes that have come to our once sleepy little island.
The surf has drawn in people from around the world. With the influx of tourism centered on the party and bar scene, incidence of crime and other negative influences has skyrocketed. This has created a strong lure for the kids and youth we serve each week.
Unfortunately we have seen many lives destroyed because of naive choices and boredom. Easy Internet access with no parental guidance has also added to the temptations these young ones are bombarded with. Continue to pray for us as we seek to be relevant to the staggering needs surrounding us.
From Jing:
A 4 day Youth Discipleship Training Camp was coming up. We searched out different places throughout the island to find a quiet place, without any distractions, where we could focus fully on the Hope for the Island youth.
We prayed for a place away from their home so they felt free to let down their guard. Most places are crowded over the summer, but with God’s favor, we found a place far enough away from Allegria beach where we do weekly Kids Ministry. On the property there was a small 2-person room. We squeezed 15 girls inside and the rest slept in tents. The boys slept in hammocks, tents or under the kubo (a small roughly built hut) where we had our teaching sessions. It was perfect, especially that the weather cooperated and there was no rain. God is good!
Monday morning was orientation followed by the lecture time. Topics covered during the camp were Quiet time with the Lord, Why do I exist? Forgiveness, Praise and worship, Fear of the Lord and the final day was on Baptism. Each day the youth grew deeper in their understanding of life changing Biblical truths and it ended with us going to the ocean where 11 young people chose to obey God in baptism!! It was an amazing time!
During ministry time at Hope for the Island we always make time for personal testimonies. It is important to declare what God speaks to us and give opportunity to apply God’s Word. It not only solidifies what God is doing, testimony declares God’s goodness and encourages those listening.
The topic of forgiveness was heavy to receive and there were few willing to share. Some who had breakthroughs with walking out in forgiveness did eventually share. As God worked, we patiently waited. Some gathered the courage to open up about deep hurts and wounds that are ongoing in their family. Many tears were shed and hearts opened to the power of forgiveness.
As is our practice, we will do follow up visitation with the youth. We will privately help them walk through this process of healing. Follow up visits will also be done with those who took the bold step of baptism.
We are so grateful for the anointing and wisdom God provided for us to teach and guide these vulnerable youth to newness of life.
Hope staff are very thankful as well for God’s goodness and for Him using people to support ministry opportunities like this. Budgets for each ministry enable us to hold these events. These are times that these young people will never forget. Seeds of truth were planted and they encountered God in fresh ways.
One youth girl asked us to thank people who give so generously. She said without help to attend she would not have experienced God in such a real way. Glory, honor and thanksgiving to our God who made all things possible!!
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Leadership Filled
Hope for the Island is located on a small island with little to no opportunities available for training or seminars. Our leadership has been praying for ways for the team at HOPE to receive further equipping and training that will in turn grow the ministries entrusted to them. God answered prayer through a friend who invited Hope for the Island to Surigao City for ministry training focused on kids’ ministry, performing arts and worship. God not only provided the means for our staff to attend but we were able to bless all the youth assistants who volunteer each Saturday with an all expenses paid trip to attend as well. Praise the Lord!
Here are some testimonies from our team…
Janece:
This seminar was an important experience for me and challenged me really hard. 200+ participants attended and there were only 2 comfort rooms (toilets) and no water most of the time. We had to go out each day at 4 a.m. to find a place where we could shower. Food portions were very little and we sleep on a floor together with everyone. The whole seminar was very challenging and I am so thankful to experience that struggle because God reminded me how very blessed I am at Hope for the Island.
I need to be more grateful with everything
God provides for us each day personally and for the ministry. Thank God I was able to lead a group teaching children during our outreach. We had such a blast during the praise and worship. It was amazing to worship God with so many others who are also involved in ministry like us. Thank God for people who supported us in prayers and finances that enabled us to go!!
Mary Grace:
I thank God for the opportunity to grow in my giftings and be used to lead a group during outreach. We met many new friends that share in God’s call for missions!
Leah:
I was so blessed, refreshed and encouraged through all the topics that we’ve learned through the training seminar
Nerm:
God rebuked me hard this time when we went through the topic of facing the giant. Most of the time that I face something big my normal reaction is to run away or react, but God reminded me to face the giant with Him. That is what I am called to do. I was challenged and rebuked. I thank God I was also one of the leaders of a group. I initially thought I was only going to be one of the participants but God allowed me to lead in His strength. Thank God for opportunity to share my life and lead other youth that I met for the first time!
Angel: During seminar God spoke to me through the life of David. Although he was only young God used him mightily. And so like David, I too am only young and God reminds me to make myself available to be used by Him. That is great!
Jing:
God is always faithful! He sees the heart of His children and He reminded me through the training that He is the I AM THAT I AM. The training was a great time of being filled up, restored strength, and refreshment in His presence. I learned more about being a leader. I enjoyed the opportunity to meet other leaders who have also been leading for a while. We were able to pray, encourage and counsel one another. Thank God for the way He allowed me to lead out in new ways and serve where there was need. It was a great time for us all to experience such incredible ministry equipping. My prayer is to send more youth to this training next year.
Some great testimonies that bless my heart as their leader at HOPE! It encourages me to continue to seek ways for our team to grow for His glory. With that said a new and grand opportunity was provided that would only fuel the fire even more! Our family will be taking the ministry staff from HOPE up to Manila the first week of June. We will be attending a massive discipleship conference that has international speakers coming in from around the world. Check out moveydc.org for details and be praying for us!
Blessings!
Derek