Category: Children

Hope for the Island Kid’s Ministry has been greatly affected by Covid restrictions set for gatherings. During the last brief break in restrictions, permission was given for kids to assemble with their neighbourhood friends. The children were so excited for the brief freedom to worship and be taught God’s Word.

Siargao Island’s average household has 6 children and a typical neighbourhood consists of your cousins, siblings, grandparents and aunts and at Hope for the Island.

Cristian led a group of children at our Hope for the Island ministry center. Leah led another small group in the community.

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Hope for the Island Kid’s Ministry has been greatly affected by Covid restrictions set for gatherings. During the last brief break in restrictions, permission was given for kids to assemble with their neighborhood friends. The children were so excited for the brief freedom to worship and be taught God’s Word.

The five other Kid’s ministry locations also met in small home groups homes.  Each child was so attentive and expressed missing weekly times to grow together. This weekly gathering of the kids, as the church to study scripture and learn spiritual disciplines, has helped sustain them through these times. In the video Leah is sharing how Jesus miraculously calmed the storm. It was a timely message for these kiddos to look beyond the wind and waves that are building in this world to the peace, security and hope found in Jesus alone. 

Please continue to pray for these future leaders.

 

We are very excited and motivated about KIDS MINISTRY.  The grade 6 elementary kids have been encouraged by our leaders to lend a hand with the younger children during ministry time.

It is an opportunity for us to evaluate who has the right heart and attitude needed to be future assistants.  It is such a joy to see those with a desire, participating as an assistant. We believe it is important to provide for them a way to step out in faith and be used by God.  These real life encounters with loving God and others, directs them down a path of obedience to God’s Word and possible leadership.

They look forward to moving on into Youth Ministry once they enroll in Grade 7.  Current Hope for the Island staff such as Marygrace, Janise, Gina and Leah also started out as assistants in grade 6.  They know full well what life is like for these kids as they overcome obstacles, find hope in the love of Christ and discover His purpose for their life.

We feel as leaders, that Kids Ministry is a huge opportunity to invest in the upcoming generation of future leaders and parents in this community.  We know God has a plan for each one of their lives.  What can compare to being a part of guiding these impressionable kids into a secure identity as God’s children and witness them bear fruit for God’s glory!

Hope staff testimony:

“These are the children in my Kid’s Ministry.  They are praying for each other.  I’m thankful to God because I was able to see these kids do something that usually only adults do.  They really have their own faith already in God and we can see it lived out.  Glory and honor belongs to God”

We did a Kid’s Ministry lesson that brought about some touching moments.

David chose not to react by hurting Saul even though Saul kept on attacking David.

The children were touched by God’s Word and decided to put into action what they learned. They wrote this message on a piece of paper:

“Even if you hurt me, still Jesus loves you and so do I”.

They then took brave steps to give this piece of paper to those people who hurt them. One girl gave hers right away to one of her friends whom she couldn’t forgive for a long time. Although nervous, she approached her friend and handed her the paper. They wept and forgave each other! At a young age these young ones are learning how to obey God and strengthen relationships.

It is never an easy thing for someone to step out of their comfort zone and be bold in their faith. It takes knowing and trusting Jesus and a resolve to obey God.

Children in the island are often persecuted for their faith and shamed if they take initiative. Within scripture and even in many parts of the world today we see how persecution often causes a believer to be strengthened in faith and opens doors for God to move. I would like to share about 2 girls who are rising above adversity and walking out their identity in the Lord. 1 Tim 4:12 reminds us “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity”

Derek

Two young girls Laika and Janna, from our Kid’s Ministry recently attended the Heartline Seminar weekend at Hope for the Island.  See A Child’s Heart

Both of them were impacted deeply and were challenged to rise up in faith as God’s children. They have since been used by God to heal another girl who was sick. They felt God telling them to pray for the girl and before their eyes she was healed!

On another occasion they stepped out in faith and prayed for an elderly woman. She shared with us how blessed she was by these little angels.

Laika and Janna also gathered kids in their neighborhood throughout the week and taught them what they learned from the Heartline Seminar. Without any prompting, they took it upon themselves to share the fruit of what God did in their heart!

Pray that God will continue to use these and other children to bless the island. Please pray as well for Leah (Hope staff) who is mentoring them.