A Dream Comes True for Six Couples

Dear family and friends,

While six couples getting married at the same ceremony may seem like something from a movie, it was a real-life event that we were privileged to witness and be a part of this past month. Hopefully these pictures and those included on our blog will give a glimpse of the joy these couples experienced as they honored the Lord and He gave them a dream-come-true wedding.

Though not evident from the pictures here, each couple is extremely poor and lives in the squatter community where Kids International Ministries is involved. These couples have been living together ranging from five to eleven years and have established families. Last fall, the Tagumpay Evangelical Baptist Church, which serves this community, offered in a step of faith to help couples get married by assisting with legal and ceremony expenses.

Since deciding to get married, these six couples have bonded through many special experiences: meeting weekly for group marriage counseling and then enjoying a culminating restaurant meal, seeing God enable them to purchase their wedding attire at $16 per couple, enjoying a ladies’ day at a salon in preparation for their wedding, and seeing the church come together to contribute financially and serve with the wedding arrangements. Indeed, God’s blessings are beyond our dreams and imaginings.

Looking like a scene from Arabian Nights, the room for the ceremony was elegantly decorated with sweeping fabric, hanging beads, and beautiful flower arrangements. Our dim understanding of the depths of these couples’ poverty and all that had been invested to make this day possible seemed to enhance the beauty of the decor. Nevertheless, it was the joy on these couples’ faces, starting with each groom walking down the aisle to get his waiting bride and bringing her to the front to make their commitment before God and others, that made this all very moving.

The photos included here read “Maraming Salamat Po!” —a respectful way of saying “Many Thanks!” from the Project Blessing Couples. This was indeed a project of blessing to these six couples, of which you were a part. Visit our blog to see more pictures of the couples at the wedding and in their homes. Please join us in praying for these couples and their future lives together.

God bless you and yours.
Frank, Kaye, and Rebekah Cherry

The Terminal

In the movie, Terminal, Tom Hanks plays the role of a man who lives for a time in a busy metropolitan airport. What a noisy, chaotic experience it was for him. A week at the Yun Jin Lyso Ministry Center, isn’t quite as hectic and disjointed as an airport, but it is quite a stretch from life in Canon City, Colorado. Putting aside the cultural shock issues, which are significant and real in and of themselves, there are amazing stories to be seen and experienced. The YMC is a blessing that followed a tragic story. Twenty days after Yun Jin and Amos were married, she was killed in a car accident. Amos chose to us the funds from her death to make an investment for eternity. So the ministry center was purchased in conjunction with Kids International Ministry.
In the past 6 days, I met Bruce and his partner from Texas. They were just finishing up a 3 day tour of preaching and teaching in several public schools. Then there was a team of 6 or so who had also been sharing in the schools about HIV/aids, from a Christian perspective. In the states we insist on keeping God out of the schools, here it seems to be just the opposite. Then we met Nolan and his basketball team from the US, who have been playing 2-3 games a day with all kinds of Filipino teams. They share their testimonies, the gospel message and Christian literature. Ruth and Paul arrived from Australia about the same time that my wife and I did. They left their cattle ranch to serve for 2 years as the high school chaplain at Faith Academy, the nearby school for missionary kids. 3 Koreans then appeared one morning. One of them, Steve, brought several rebuilt computers for the lab for the community school next door. His mother and sister have been helping in the New Faith Family Children’s Home a block away. It was a real stretch out of their comfort zones. 5 nannies left for the states on Sunday. They had been here for 2 months to help in the Children’s Home nursery. They were a real blessing, to be sure. Pam and her daughters spent a month here helping out wherever they could. They were on break from their school in Korea. Check out the beautifully framed pictures Pam left all around the YMC. Tina and Nate left their 2 small boys with their parents for two weeks to help with computer matters and also in the Children’s Home. They call home everyday to check on their boys. 6 young people from Germany stopped in overnight on their way to Batangus, somewhere south of Manila. They had Bibles with them, but I didn’t get a chance to catch their mission. I met Bill and his daughter, Mary today. They converted part of the YMC into an office for their ministry to publish and distribute the first and only street magazine in Manila. Its purpose is to help those who are impoverished all over the city. Alex and his wife Chris stopped in for dinner the other night. Their ministry sells a hundred thousand thread bracelets every month to help keep the women and young girls out of prostitution on the island of Mindoro. Then Carmine showed up from Utah. He is an architect who is here to help with designs and plans for future expansions with the ministry. Building is a constant way of life here as they rush to keep up with the ever increasing people needs. Then there is Joe and Neil who pop in and out to help wherever there is a need. Christie and Amber who have been living at the YMC, teach classes at the school next door. Chris and Kim stop in for meals occasionally. Kim is the headmaster of the community school and Chris spends his time discipling several Filipinos among other ministries.
The ministry center is not exactly Grand Central Station, but you don’t want to sit still very long or you might find yourself being caught up in the swirl of genuine Christian ministry. It’s not just the name of a building - it’s the activity that takes place in and around this ” terminal” of life.

Larry and Joyce Chell
They serve at Christian Family Fellowship in Canon City, Colorado and are in the Philippines visiting their daughter Daisy.

Saying Goodbye

It has been an eventful and productive couple of months. Summer vacation has brought many great teams and individuals across our path. I can remember being kicked out of the YMC at the beginning of my stay here so that we could accommodate 70 students and teachers from Seoul Foreign School. Since then we’ve welcomed guests and volunteers from California, U.K., Korea, Colorado, Australia, Kansas and many places in-between.

Yesterday, I had to say goodbye to a very special team of 5 girls from Tennessee and Mississippi. Kimi, Rebecca, Jessica, Laine, and Amanda (aka the Nannies) who spent 2 months taking care of babies day and night. They also became very involved in the community helping with feeding programs, holding youth nights at the JCCV, and having Bible studies along the street that they did their daily runs. If any one word can describe that team it is "selfless". They jumped into life in Cainta full force and kept gaining speed the whole time. It’s hard to see them go, but their service here will not be soon forgotten.

I can hardly believe that my final week is here. After 12 weeks of life in the Philippines I can’t imagine being anywhere but here. But alas I will be embarking for the States on Friday whether I want to or not. I’d also like to copy those 5 girls and not slow down during my last week here. We didn’t have school today so instead I put on my work clothes and passed buckets of concrete for a couple hours.

This morning, many of the volunteers staying at the YMC got up and went to work. The weather looked promising and we had a floor of cement to pour, so everyone found their spot in line and passed buckets. More than 30 people helped pour cement from 7 am until 1 pm. A job that Jeff predicted would take 10 hours only took 6 because of all the willing workers here!!

I have 3 more days of teaching left with the kids at Cuatro Christian School, and then they will have to adjust to a new math teacher. Hopefully that transition will happen smoothly. I know for sure that a part of me will stay here when I leave. It’s funny how a place can capture your heart, and this place certainly has. As long as God doesn’t have other plans for me, I’ll be back here (soon, I hope!). Until then I guess this is goodbye K.I.M. I have been so blessed serving with you.

Amber

The Nanny Diaries

I am sitting here covered in porridge, rice, water, and soap. While you might think I’ve had a rough morning I am singing praises to God that I don’t have pee on me too like my partner in crime Kimi. One might ask their self what does the life of a Nanny look like? Well I will do my best to describe it leaving out no nasty details (who am I kidding the nasty details are probably the only ones you’re interested in right?)

Recipe for the perfect nanny...

Step 1:

Get up as the sun is rising around 5:30AM. Put your stuff up and take a few seconds for yourself. As the charges start to bang around it is time to get them immediately. Wait two seconds too long and you may end up with a variety of surprises when you open the door. Examples being clothes exploded out of drawers, water and milk dripping from the walls and covering the floor, beds piled on top of each other, or tooth paste covering beds and who knows what else.

Step 2:

Transform to Doctor mode and give out the daily meds. Make sure that you put the right dosages for seven different children all taking different amounts and different medications. DON’T MESS UP-- LIVES ARE ON THE LINE! Console kids to take the “purple stuff,” then strongly encourage them. Finally give up and force it down their throats.

Step 3:

Prepare a meal of mushy stuff for the baby. Feed it to her as she twists turns and wiggles everywhere the spoon is not. Find a lump of it on your shirt 30 minutes later. Stick the other children’s food in the freezer until cooled down. Block out screams from hunger pains coming from 3 highchairs. Continue feeding baby. Take out bowls and run for cover as the food goes everywhere… but in their mouths.

Step 4:

For shower time try to make it seem like it will be fun. Try and convince yourself of this too. Note for a novice: watch out for pee as the diaper is removed. Dump ice cold water onto the charge to start the extravaganza. Mix in a little bit of soap and then repeat the water. Be prepared to get soaked in the process. After dress the children, brush their teeth, and wipe sweat from your brow. Beware of small clothed children trying for a second round in the shower while finishing the washing process.

Step 5:

Play, read, play, scold, play, read, scold, scold, play.

Repeat as necessary.

Step 6:

NAP TIME!!!!!! Sleep if you can.

Step 7:

Repeat step 3, 4, and 5(x2).

Step 8:

For bed time clean up the mountain of toys sprawled all across the floor. Next make three bottles of milk and 4 sippy cups of milk. Do not forget the milk, or you will be sorry. Place screaming kids into bed and watch them run away. Try again. Watch them run a second time. Third time will be the charm if you can manage to close the door fast enough. Do not sit back and relax, the night is not over yet.

Step 9:

Make a pallet for yourself on the floor outside their room. Find many fans and make them all point directly into your face. Take a few minutes for yourself to recap the day and laugh at getting peed and spit up on. Pass out asleep.

Step 10:

Thirty minutes later wake up to a screaming baby and make a mad dash to find bottles. Try and get some rest after this. You have all this to look forward to again tomorrow!


Written by: The Nannies in Manila
(serving June & July 2009)

Medical Mission

It was a special day in the community of Cuatro, Philippines on July 2, when over 150 volunteers gathered at the JCCV to offer a free medical and dental clinic, as well as the opportunity to hear God’s Word, to the members of the village. The clinic, sponsored by the First Filipino Baptist Church out of Bayonne, NJ, in the United States, is a continuation of a ministry that was started in 1997 by Pastor Ulysses Marino, known as the ‘Blessed to Bless Medical Mission’. During the day, 460 adults and children of the Cuatro community were served and 218 made a decision to follow Christ.

The FFBC ‘B2B Medical Mission’, which served several Filipino communities from June 27- July 4, started with a vision. Pastor Uly, as he is known to his congregation, and a native-born Filipino, took a suitcase full of medical supplies up into the mountains of Mindanao in 1997 and came back home with a few stories to tell and plans for future visits. The subsequent trip, which occurred two years later, included 16 members of the church he serves in New Jersey. And today, nearly half of his church membership comes to the Philippines to offer medical supplies and care every other year. “We are part of a foundation of four organization and I am so encouraged every time I come back,’ said Medino. ‘We have already far surpassed any goal we set out for ourselves this trip. Our first day we served over 1000 people and over 600 were saved.”

“It has been a real blessing to work with Jeff Long and all the volunteers at the Kids International Ministry here in Cuatro,” said Pastor Uly. “I am always so moved to see people from all walks of life come together for a greater purpose – to reflect God’s love for all. And it has been such a blessing to witness first-hand God’s own hand in so many seemingly random coincidences, but are really no coincidences at all,” he said with a smile. “One day, I was sitting in the local mall waiting to meet Steve Mirpuri, the local pastor in Cuatro, when a young girl approached me asking if I would like to buy the street magazine, Jeepney. I told her I was very interested in the magazine, bought a copy and put it aside. When Steve joined me, he told me of all the amazing work that God was doing in and through the Kids International Ministry, including sponsoring and homing the Jeepney Magazine. The minute he said it, he looked over and saw the copy that I had purchased and hollered, that’s it, that’s the magazine I’m talking about. I love those kinds of ‘coincidences’ because you realize God’s reach is far and all-encompassing!”

Accompanied by a team of doctors, nurses, dentists, spiritual counselors and other volunteers, the medical mission goes into some of the most desperate of communities here in the Philippines. On July 1, they went into the slum known as Payatas, in Quezon City, a place where over 300,000 people live and fight over the trash that serves as the foundation for the shanties they have erected for their families. These shanties are built in and around the trash ‘mountain’ where nearly 6000 garbage trucks dump their haul each and every day. Eva Medalla, a registered nurse with the mission saw the reality of the last trip and her life was forever changed by what she saw. “I am burdened by the desperation around me here and I can no longer live without telling everyone I know what is happening. This is awful to recount, but I saw a little boy who, when he coughed, coughed up a worm. I couldn’t believe it. It broke my heart. This reality must change,” said Medalla. Nay Santa Ana, a first-time volunteer to this mission echoes Medalla, “After seeing the conditions in Payatas, I am convinced that if we do not give to missions, we are sinning. I can never again complain about anything. Whenever there is a chance to help, I will challenge others, with all my heart,” she added.

Melody Del Rosario, the church’s music director, came with her whole family. Even her youngest of her 3 children had roles to fulfill during the mission, helping out in the pharmacy. “Our church’s heartbeat is missions,” said Del Rosario, “everyone takes part. We have a membership of 90 and yet we serve over 100 missions and seminary students. More missions are supported than we have members.”

It takes 2 years for FFBC and its other partners to raise the funds for the mission, but everyone takes part in the fundraising and they organize many fundraising events such as the ‘Sacrificial Dinner’ where a dinner, accompanied by skits, music and a special program presented by the children of the church is offered.

The next mission is scheduled to take place in 2011 when they will again visit Cuatro with their offers of medicine, care, love and God’s Word. You can find out more by visiting the First Filipino Baptist Church website at http://www.ffbcnj.com/. There you will find a link with all the information pertaining to the “Blessed to Bless Medical Mission”, including how many were served as well as the number of people who came to know Christ’s love for them and made decisions to follow Him.
by: Pamela Arzel

Nannies in Manila

I am a 20 year old from Nashville, TN and I am living here at KIM for two months this summer, along with my team of four other girls. We are working at the orphanage in the nursery on daily shifts. At times I wondered if how I spend my summer would be effective at all, but when you are here and when you are with the kids, you realize that even just spending time with them does matter. A lot of times I feel like I am working a daycare or a kids camp, but when I am giving a child a shower, or staying up with them at night because they have a fever, I am then aware of the reality that these kids who are very young and very precious really don't have any parents that are coming to pick them up. It's times like those when all I really know to do is make them laugh or hold them real tight.

Last week a little 20 month old boy fell and cut his head open. We had to take him to the hospital which was very different from any hospital I have been to back home. Understandably so, this little boy did not want to cooperate with the x-ray technician or the surgeon who put 3 stitches in his head. After a lot of screaming and a lot of nurses holding him down, he was all put back together. He slept very well that night! This once again made me realize that there was a hole in this scene and that he should have a mother or a father there to help him through this long day. It also made me realize, however, how great of a staff and how great of a ministry KIM is putting out here in Manila. Even though these kids are truly missing out on a lot of things that I consider very common, like a family, I am very thankful that the staff here is loving and providing for these kids like they are. I don't really know where the children would be if they were not here.

To Know the Truth You Must Believe

I have been so blessed to be working with KIM for the last 3 weeks. I was very nervous 2 weeks ago about helping with 2 kids camps, but the camps turned out to be a huge blessing for me and for the older children in the home. The first camp was a two day camp that took place at the JCCV(Jesus Christ Church in the Valley) which is right next door to the Yun Jin Ministry Center. During the first day, about 90% of the teaching, talking, and instructions were in Tagalog and I couldn’t understand a word of it, but I could tell that all of the 62 children there were having a blast. So I pulled up my boot straps and bunkered down for a few more days of Filipino language and culture.

In those first 2 days, the children learned a memory verse, Mark 12:30 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Each child was provided a journal and they were encouraged to write about what the Lord has been teaching them. They played soccer, basketball, and other fun games, had times of worship, and most importantly, they studied the word of God. I ended up being paired with a few of the 13 year old girls to discuss the Bible story which I was nervous about but turned out to be great fun.

At this point I was still nervous about going to the second camp in Zambales-the mango capital of the Philippines, until I found out that some of the other Filipino volunteers I had met would also be going. After a 6 hour bus ride, we arrived at the camp. The theme was X-Files “To know the Truth, You must Believe”. There were nearly 1,500 teen-age students at this camp and it was a little overwhelming but very high energy. There were 3 sessions(all in Taglish-a mixture of Tagalog and English) each with a different speaker. They addressed current issues faced by many teens in the Philippines with sermons and dramatic skits. The students enjoyed praise and worship time and the extreme games such as a giant water slide and a zip line challenge over the pond.

I had the blessing of explaining one of the skits and talking about salvation with Joi Ann, a girl from the community near the children’s home. The kids from the children’s home had a great time, but were very tired after 2 long bus rides and 2 camps filled with fun activities and Bible lessons. Praise God that I had the opportunity to share this experience with the kids and I even learned some Tagalog!

Amber