Category: Kid’s Ministry

Serving children in need continues to be one of Hope for the Island’s most fruitful and rewarding ministries. We are thankful for the countless ways God provide the means and people with a heart to come alongside us to help local kids find hope and life in Christ!

Recently we hand picked kids from each area we serve that were ready to grow deeper as disciples. They stayed at Hope for the Island for a 4-day camp that changed their lives! We were honored to have Sheila Flores from YWAM Philippines come in to teach. Be encouraged by Sheila’s update below, as well as a testimony from 11-year-old Jean and a short video that one of our team pieced together to show the kids at the end of the camp.

Heartline is the kid’s version of Plumbline for youth and adults. It talks about our identity in Christ and was simplified to help them understand. The children discover their own heart through God given abilities to think, feel and make choices. They learn God’s heart for them in that He loves them and can protect them.

They learn His ways & character. Their hearts and minds were opened in regards to the lies that they believed coming from authority figures in their lives like their parents, teachers and friends.

Some of these authority figures did not reflect God in their life or know how to show love to these young ones.

They became aware of the deep wounds, pain and sin hidden in their heart. They also came to see the attitudes that built a wall in their heart because of the fear of being hurt again.

Each of the HOPE team led groups that provided the kids a platform to open up and share their heart. It was an amazing opportunity to watch God work. They received healing, forgiveness and in turn released forgiveness to those people that hurt them. God’s truth came alive as they accepted His affirmation and love for them.

In our last session we talked about the Father heart of God and what it means to overcome through power and character or through Christ when facing darkness, struggle and temptation. The kids learned how to walk in and display God’s incredible love.

Being a part of the Heartline seminar with the kids at Hope for the Island blessed me. It is great to see the lives of the kids being transformed, especially how they see themselves and how God sees them.

I believe that the truth revealed to them will give more confidence & freedom knowing their identity in Christ. The seed, which is the truth, will be their guide as they grow up & learn more from Him. I am hopeful that God will use the kids as instruments for others to know Christ and to be a blessing in their family, community and the nations in the future. I was also glad to see the Hope staff really do a great job ministering to the kids during small group times. What they’ve learned & received in Plumb line in the past helped them to connect especially with regards to the heart issues that came to the surface.  They became more responsible and I’ve seen the burden of God that they have for the kids.

I did enjoy my time at Hope for the Island, the people and the place that brought refreshment to me in many ways.

To God be the Glory!

Sheila Flores

YWAM PHILIPPINES

Click the picture to see the video

Testimony from Jean

Hi my name is Jean and I am only 11 yrs. old. I am so thankful to God for this Heartline seminar. I was able to open my heart and forgive my parents. My parents they leave me when I was still young and I have to stay in my grandmas. I was able to release forgiveness for the hurt in my heart and also see that God does have a plan for my life. I will now live free and in God’s heart for me. I am His child.

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!!

Bailan is a small barangay (village) in the northern part of Siargao Island. We have never done an outreach there and were so excited to work with the local government in the area.

The day was SO intensely hot. As soon as we arrived there was not time to rest, we unloaded eleven bulging door-to-door boxes from our truck. Kids, youth and adults were then registered and put into groups. It was evident the kids in that area were hungry for the Word of God and ready to listen. Our team was excited to see what God would do in the lives of the people in Bailan. We were greeted by youth who were so kind, hospitable and joyful.
I had the pleasure of ministering to the adults who have no access to a bookstore; blog or TV shows on parenting or family. They have no where to turn for advise. I felt honored to be able to connect with them by sharing in their language about what God says in the Bible. I am personally blessed by receiving a weekly phone call from a dear mentor friend.

I was open about my personal parenting challenges as well as insights into parenting issues I see here. Our island is changing as tourism increases and families are opened up to new influences.

Nermilyn (Hope staff) taught the youth and kids about salvation and forgiveness of sins. When asked “who would like to receive Jesus in their heart and turn away from their old life?” every child and youth raised his or her hand! The kids made a cross as a craft to remember the decision they made to accept Jesus and what He did for them. The soil was ready for the seeds planted that day. We pray for fruit from these decisions. We know getting into God’s Word is vital for growth that brings about change in lives.

We thank God for such an amazing time and for those of you who donate items for the door-to-door boxes that are shipped. If only you could see the faces as they receive something from the box!!!

Filipinos love fiestas. It is a special time with friends, a time for fellowship, food and lots of activities. Villagers will always return home even if they are living or working elsewhere. Each year brings numerous fiestas. Sometimes people are busy for weeks preparing for them. Those facing many problems in their day-to-day life set them aside and participate in the festivities. Relatives, friends and strangers that attend are welcomed into homes to eat and even stay overnight. Most often people borrow money that becomes a heavy burden to pay off throughout the year just to beautify their simple homes and prepare food.
The fiesta is of Spanish origin. Spain, being a Roman Catholic country, set aside certain days to remember particular saints with processions and celebrations. When Spanish missionaries entered the Philippines during the mid-1500s, they found that the fiesta was a convenient tool to help teach Filipinos the Roman Catholic faith.
When the Spaniards came, many communities were given names of saints. Nearly all towns have a patron saint to remember. Town fiestas have many faces. They usually feature a mass and a procession. Long after the religious ritual is completed, people eat, drink and enjoy the rest of the day. (more…)