Hope For The Island

Category: Youth Ministry

  • Hope October Update

    Hope October Update


    Hope for the Island Youth Ministry – Transformed by the renewing of mind! (Rom 12:2)

    Hope Staff and Assistants

    In this update I will only feature our youth ministry. What we are witnessing here, I pray will be experienced by churches that are praying for and serving this struggling generation. In the last few weeks we have seen the fruitful result of months of prayer and diligent effort to lovingly serve and preach to the youth over the summer. We had floods of youth coming through Hope for the Island attending our gatherings, summer camps, sports clinics and our growing tutorial program.

    The youth found a safe place at HOPE to process their internal struggles and find refuge from the barrage of tempting influences. In the name of the Lord we sincerely loved them in word and deed. We opened God’s word with them at every opportunity. We were expectant and believed God to fulfill His good purposes according to His word in their lives. Now into October we praise God because those seeds of truth found place in many hearts ready to receive it. The Spirit convicted youth of their sin.

    They repented and courageously responded in faith and obedience!! It was a reminder just how critical it is to declare God’s goodness and the good news of His salvation day by day (Romans 2:4; Ps 96:2). God drew to faith those who were not seeking Him. Faith came by hearing the life giving word of God regularly. (Rom 10:17,20; John 6:44; Ps 65:4). Baptisms were held last Sunday on the beach in front of Hope for the Island. Those baptized have committed themselves to God and to godly leaders to be discipled. These and many more we pray will rise out of the darkness that permeates society. We pray they are equipped with every good thing to do His will. God is working in them what is well pleasing in His sight, through and for the glory of Christ (Heb 13:20-21).

    Jerbie meeting with a parent

    It is for freedom that Christ sets people free. It is in that true freedom we can stand firm (Gal 5:1). Truth is found alone in Jesus Christ. Truth alone breaks through the confusion and lies that prevails in the world. It was especially rewarding to see some young men from this new batch of disciples break free of the lies and pressures they had succumb to in relation to gender transitioning. These young men are now secure in who God designed them to be as men and eager to learn and walk in His ways for them!

    Seven youth disciples have committed themselves to learn alongside our leaders. They will help assist our Kids Ministry leaders each Saturday. When visiting the disciples parents, each of them were thrilled with changes they have witnessed in their child and supportive of their commitment in the Lord. Praise God because most of the parents are not in faith yet.

    We are one month into High school classes resuming. With that has come the restart of our Campus Ministry. It is great being back inside the school opening God’s word with the senior high students. The faculty are thankful for the positive impact we have had in the short time working with their struggling students.

    Although they may not be aware of the spiritual fruit we have experienced with many students, they see and testify to changes in behaviour and in academic performance. Our tutorial program ran through summer months and takes place inside and outside the classroom.

    Additional Praise Reports:

    -Brison is healing quicker than what Doc’s expected. He is even back to some work. Thanks for prayer.
    -Hope staff Jerbie and Irene are pregnant!

    • LoveJoy has joined our HOPE team!
      -Donations allowed us to buy an initial batch of much needed bibles. We don’t want anyone to be without a bible who needs one.

    Prayer:

    -Jenn and I are in some pain and healing from rib injuries after a motorbike accident a couple weeks ago.
    -Provision for Jenn and I to make a trip back to Canada Dec 10-Jan 10 to spend much needed time with our kids and to share about growing ministry needs and updates on typhoon restoration plans.

    • Christ’s name always be magnified in all we do @Hope for the Island.

    Thanks and God bless guys!

    Derek and Jenn

  • Hope for the Island August Update

    Hope for the Island August Update

    Hi friends and family, thanks for prayer covering over the last month! Please keep us and the ministry in prayer. It has been incredibly fruitful yet very challenging. Below is our latest update…

    This is the season we have been anticipating when kids and youth have no classes. Lots of time and effort went into creatively planning camps and sports clinics. Our HOPE team has been going strong conducting these summer programs and at same time hosting a large team. All the while in a big staffing transition. Thank God for His strength and sufficient grace!!!

    First things first please meet Rodelyn. She is our newest members to HOPE family. Interestingly Rodelyn was discipled by a man my mission team shared the gospel to back in 1998. This man grew in faith, served the community and discipled Rodelyn and other children. Rodelyn now has years of experience in ministry and recently graduated with a community development degree. She has a long standing connection with Hope for the Island and was thrilled to be led by the Lord to come back to serve with us full time!   

    God brought us a large team of Jesus loving Filipino students from a ministry up in Manila called Youth Lab. YL is a Ministry under Kids international Ministries (KIM). Mutual friends connected us with KIM last year and a great long term ministry partnership is emerging. 

    YL Team at the Mayor’s Office

    YOUTH CAMP – It has been great to keep momentum going over the summer by creating opportunities to pour into the youth that regularly come to HOPE. 

    The YL Team addressed the real struggles and needs resulting from many radical changes the island faced with extreme lockdowns, a super typhoon and the islands rapid increase In tourism. With that a massive culture shift has taken place and new ungodly influences. The 70 youth attending the camp were encouraged to return to the word of God where life is found in the true vine. Hope is found in no other than Jesus and He calls each one to repent for the remission of sins and to believe on Him. We are thankful for the impact the gospel is starting to have on our local young people. Through Christ freedom will come and with Him the power to overcome!  The theme of the camp was Run with purpose. Much of teaching times focused on 1 Cor 9:24-27. They were all challenged to ready themselves in faith and through obedience run well and for the right purpose. As we overcome victorious in faith endeavors we have His promise of reward – imperishable crowns for the faithful! 

    KIDS CAMP – was a hit as well! Although only catering to children that surround our ministry center we had 150 plus kids register!They came full of energy and so thrilled to be attending a camp all together. Each received a very nice practical educational gift to help as they get ready to go back to school. During the teaching sessions the kids were incredibly attentive. Faith is rising strong in many of these young hearts and minds as they learn and apply truth from God. 

    SPORTS CAMP – we had a Christin professional basketball player from Taiwan contact us wanting to serve and teach locals while visiting the island. Stevo came in with his wife and brother and had a great day teaching the kids and youth new techniques and most of all encouraging them to seek God and trust Him alone in the high and low times. Thankful for the many godly influences this summer break! 

    Jenn and I are officially empty nesters as the saying goes. We went up to Manila last week to say goodbye to our daughter Makana. She has scholarships needing used and within a months time enrolled and packed up to go to Trinity Western University in BC. Praying for both our kids as they learn and grow outside of our home. 

    Please especially lift Brison up in prayer. He had a significant brain injury a month ago that slowed life down considerably. He is recovering slowly but still struggles. Not being able to work and accomplish final schooling tasks is cause for some strain and discouragement. We are asking the Lord to work His good purposes through these circumstances! 

    While in Manila we got to see Jing and Randy. After leaving HOPE from almost 20 years serving, they hit the ground running in Manila. They stepped in to help a church recover through many unsettled trials. It was great to see them full of faith despite the hardships and new tests being faced. 

    We also reconnected with the family that first received us in Manila 20 plus years ago. We had great times of sharing Gods word and in prayer together. One sister is a Supreme Court judge. Her and her sisters do prison ministry as a way to prevent further offenses / relapse. Many lives have been set on right path and in faith. Jenn will be helping judge formulate the first of its kind recovery program. It is based on principals that were successful for those in recovery that we worked with 2017-2021 while in Canada. Makana, Jenn and I went into the women’s dormitory section at the Manila City jail. We went in with Judge, Jing and Randy. We were warmly received by all the guards and given freedom to preach boldly the gospel and minister openly with the women incarcerated. It was evident that ongoing ministry is happening inside those walls because of their clear hunger for truth and witnessed fruit. 

    Our last report shared the  struggle many widows have with their strength really fading. These last weeks we have celebrated birthdays with and even danced together with some of our widows. It is a blessing to see some renewed strength and joy resurface in their eyes and smiling faces. 

    We are thankful for your continued prayer for us and each person being ministered to through HOPE. We rely on Holy Spirit to enable us and trust God for provision each week for ministry needs to serve our communities. God truly is faithful!!

  • April and May at Hope

    April and May at Hope

    April and May have been fruitful months at Hope for the Island. With the monsoon wind and rains behind us, our team has taken advantage of opportunities to gather people and serve outdoors. It was a blessings hosting a large 3 day Youth Camp with local leaders. It was great to see these young people break free of covid and typhoon fatigue. There was much joy and encouragement as they set their hearts afresh on the Lord!

    There is an extra measure of urgency felt amongst our team as well as our Pastor friends to seize opportunities to share the gospel whenever and wherever possible. This has been happening regularly with individuals and with large crowds on the streets. This has been our focus with islanders waiting in travel terminals and with passengers on boats. It has been exciting!

    John the Baptist was faithful to his calling preparing the way for Jesus. He preached repentance and baptized all who responded. We too are called to be like John preparing the way for Jesus’ soon return. We have a responsibility like the watchman in Ezekiel 33. The watchman trumpets warning of approaching danger. Those heeding the warning prepare, find refuge and live.

    There is no greater joy than choosing to boldly and unashamedly proclaim the Way, the Truth and the Life drawing souls to God and Salvation. 

    Please continue to pray for the elderly and widows we serve weekly. Many of them are very weak and sick. With no care facilities to support the aging so many are afflicted with health concerns. It’s a blessing to pray, serve and ease burdens for those God loves dearly.

     

  • Unashamed

    Most of the youth we have the privilege of connecting with and serving each week come from despair, extreme poverty, broken homes and neglect. Sadly many youth walk down the familiar repetitive cycle of destruction as a result of deeply rooted wounds and no role models. In spite of the beauty of Siargao Island and the many smiles seen by visitors, there is an underlying hopelessness that is a very real struggle the kids and youth face.

    Our staff knows very well the ongoing battle because of their very similar heart wrenching past. By God’s grace our staff have walked through the process of healing and restoration! They know the power of being forgiven and forgiving others and move forward daily in the freedom, identity and purposes of Jesus. It has been an honor to be a part of their redemption stories coming to pass. Even greater is to see the cycle go full circle, as our staff who we used (more…)

  • BREAK THROUGH!!!

    This summer we had 130 youth ages 13 and up attend our Hope for the Island Youth Camp. It was a camp unlike any other we have had.

    We have been praying for years for some youth we knew needed to surrender their bad habits and sinful lifestyle to God. Our prayer was for them to be saved and truly follow Him with all their heart.

    God used His Word to convict hearts. The final evening was a life changing moment for so many. Jing offered the youth a chance to surrender their life to the Lord. She reminded them of the fact that many have been coming to youth group for years. They confessed to be Christians, but they were living defeated lives, bound by their addictions and poor decisions.

    When the final challenge was given, no one responded and no one came forward to be prayed for. Praise God for Jing’s boldness. She kept challenging them to examine their lives and to accept the embrace of God who was pursuing them. (more…)