During the summer season Hope for the Island Preschool goes on break and so do our teachers. Well not really a break! All our preschool teachers enjoy setting aside their uniforms and curriculums to creatively plan and minister to the kids and youth. Thus far the summer has been very fruitful and God honoring! Let me explain…
Youth Camp
Our “Making Jesus Lord” youth event was spectacular. All games, activities and teaching sessions focused on our theme. Our goal was to help youth understand that being a Christian means that Jesus should be not only their Savior but also their Lord.
I was amazed how attentive and involved the 12-20 year olds were for such an intense topic. It was an answer to prayer to see them taking in each lesson. Even those who normally tend towards joking around and distracting others were glued to the message.
The last day of the event was awesome! The air was thick at Hope for the Island, not only because of the high humidity but also because the Holy Spirit was at work. As Derek closed his message, he challenged the youth to take a bold stand and confess Jesus as Lord. To stand before their friends and say yes to Jesus by allowing Him to reign in their hearts and lives. To our amazement everyone in the room shot out of their chairs in unison!! With surrendered hearts, 83 youth prayed with our staff and confessed Jesus as Lord of their life.
By coming into agreement with the truth of who Jesus is and our new nature in Him, God was honored. Please continue to cover all in prayer as we connect and disciple these youth. We declare together with Paul, “I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal 2:20)
Kids Ministry
Some of you know I broke my leg in November. I just started walking again and I was really excited to visit Allegria, a neighboring village. I missed the Christmas programs and didn’t want to miss our Summer Shine Kids Camp. Allegria is a special place for me because I led an adult Bible study there for two years and from that ministry the kids outreach was formed. Years later I can see the harvest of God’s word there.
I saw a girl named Theresa who was only 3 years old at the time I started the Bible study. I remember how I used to make efforts to keep Theresa entertained so that her mom would be happy and continue attending each week. When we started Kids Ministry there, Theresa was too shy to come and didn’t want to leave her mother’s side. She stayed and listened as I shared God’s word and attempted to speak the Visayan dialect. Seeing her again was such a joy because she now actively attends the Kids Ministry each week. I was so blessed to hear her speak Scripture that she memorized. I loved seeing her excitement as she followed along as our staff led them through the verses for Summer Shine Kids Camp. I never would have expected that she, little Theresa, would grow up to be the one boldly sharing Bible verses even to her neighbors and family who do not know the Lord!
Our HOPE staff and youth volunteers do such an amazing job loving on the kids and leading them to Christ. Over 400 kids participated in our Summer Shine Kids Camps where we discussed the ABC’s of Salvation – Accept, Believe, Confess. Pray that the message these kids learned will be carried into their homes and that God will use their genuine faith in Him to impact their families just as He did with Theresa.
Mercy
Cristina is enjoying exercising her faith as she reaches out with care and compassion to many of the elderly that come to visit Hope for the Island. They are not used to people giving them attention or concern. Many times they don’t know how to handle love because all they have known is hardship.
Cristina recently asked one elderly widow we have known for some time if there was anything we could pray about with her. Her request was straight to the point, “God please hurry up and take me. All of my sisters are with you in heaven and I want to go too!”
Ministry to the elderly is a challenge as so many of them really suffer. Because there have no access to adequate care facilities, medicine or nutrition so many fall victim to poverty. Please pray as Cristina takes on this new role, helping to oversee the Mercy Ministry. This calls for a special kind of love, grace and patience for these seniors. We have an amazing Hope team!
