YOUTH

I'm really glad about what God is doing in FMI especially in SLG Student Groups. 

Before it used to be just me teaching the youth and it was not an easy task. God is good, the same youth I invested my time with are now teaching other youth.  I am really very blessed.  As the saying goes, "patience and hardwork always has its rewards". 

Now I have 17 SLG groups with leaders and assistants.  We have our small group leadership training schedule every Saturday between 3-5pm.

 

We have SLG groups at different times according to the availability of the leaders.  We have Monday afternoon groups, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday from 1:30-2:30pm and Sunday groups from 5-6pm.  Then each week I schedule to visit a group.  I go to each of their member's homes.  I oversee all the 17 groups.  Whenever the leader or assistant is not available that week to teach then I fill the gap.  That's why I am able to do other ministries like the Bahay Pari outreach.

STUDENT GROUPS

 

Each SLG is strategically located, from one end of the village to the other end.  Right now I have a slight problem.  There are two groups that have 18 members each.  They have become friends and they don't want to divide.  I'll deal with this when I get back.  There are groups that only has 6 or 9 members.  

 

In our Saturday meetings before we begin our training we begin with praise & worship then afterwards we'll have leaders give testimony of their experiences in teaching that week.  God is really doing marvelous works in SLG.

 

 

PRAYER MOUNTAIN

I have one youth leader who lives by the Prayer Moutain and his SLG is in Lambahan (outside of Barahan).  You know even when it rains this youth would still go either on foot or bike even though its quite a distance.  I am amazed at this youth dedication so I asked him what he plans to do with his life in the future.  He said he would like to be a missionary.  I told him to study hard now and when he graduates his High School he can enroll in our SOM.  

Now there are more 4th year high schoolers who want to become missionaries.  There were 3rd year students who also want to become missionaries and they're active in their group.  There were 4th year students who expressed their desire to me to form youth groups wherever they will study in College.  I told the Lord these are the youth that God will raise up to harvest in His vineyard.

 

MINISTRY SCHOOL

Here are the ISOM grades and the old class pictures.  The reason it took me a long time to do this is because I had those who got fail - low grades for the first semester repeat their exam.  The others with low grades were content and did not want to retake the exam.  

But I had most of them retake the 2nd trimester exam because they were really low.  What I will do for the 3rd trimester is to read the exam questions to them and translate it in Tagalog so they'll understand.  Two pastors were offended that they were asked to retake so I went to visit them and explained to them the reason why and that you gave the instruction to give them another chance.  So now they understand.

 

 

I find the 3rd trimester lessons very appropriate to what we are doing here now especially the topic on cell groups.  Even the pastors are finding this topic interesting.  They also want to multiply so they are enjoying the lessons.

 

Right now, after the video lesson we have an overall Q&A discussion.  We no longer break out into smaller groups because our place is too small and there is no room to form small group discussions.  So what I do is read the question to everybody and everyone would share their insights and opinions.  Some of the FLG members come to sit-in and listen.

 

We only cover two lessons every Monday nights.  My schedule shows that we'll finish the 3rd trimester on December 19th.

 

PURE REVIVAL

Sometimes in our meetings there would be a deep experience (revival) of prayer where everybody would cry and wail.  I would ask them to pray for the people that they want be saved, for their parents, for their neighbors, their classmates.  

All the while they would be crying for these people.  One time I asked them if they want to be filled with the presence of God and have the boldness to preach the Word and they all said yes so we would worship God.  

Some of them would fall, some would just keep crying.  By the time our meeting finishes their eyes are all swollen.  I am amazed at what the Lord is doing in their lives.  I am moved to tears at what God is doing to them.  To God be the glory!

 

MEDICAL

Our Red Cross training is every month to update and keep the emergency team sharp.  That's what we agreed on last month. Other's were busy looking for food because of the famine period.  

There was a meeting in the Barangay to have a rescue team for Barahan.  The Brgy Captain requested that those who have been trained by the FMI Red Cross be the team.

MALNOURISHED

The next deworming schedule for HRP 1st Batch will be on January 2006.  The 2rd Batch will be scheduled in November.  

The deworming medicine is very expensive.  Last month what I did is I asked the center for the medicine because what I bought wasn't enough. 

With God's mercy, all of the HRP children were dewormed.  

Then I gave them each a bottle of Ferrous Sulfate.  Ate Millet suggested that it's not enough to give the mvitamins but to add Ferrous Sulfate so the mvitamins will be more effective.

 

TAGAYTAY

I went to Tagaytay yesterday in Hee Young's church. Praise God, she gave us 30 t-shirts for the children. I plan to raffle them on Christmas because we have so many children. Hee Young said that she and Ate Millet will visit Barahan MC for 3 days. I plan to take them to Bahay Pari Outreach, to the youth and children's fellowships, and FLG. 

VILLAGE TEACHERS

I told Hee Young what God is doing among the elementary teachers in Barahan.

Many of the teachers have joined FMI except for Ninang Lina because she is so busy. It only started with Ma'am Mendoza. She said she saw the good testimony of her fellow teacher who is part of the FLG so she decided to form an FLG group for teachers only. So last week they formed the group.  The teachers said that the children involved in FMI are different - they are good students and fast learners. So they are encouraging the other children to join FMI too.

 

We made a good impression in the elementary school that's why the teachers' group was formed.  The High School will be next.

 

ADULT GROUPS

We have so many FLG groups that Pastor Boyet and I jokingly said to each other that we can't open anymore groups because the heavenly doors are temporarily closed because of the magnitude of people entering!  

Pastora Zeny is having a hard time right now because only a few committed to teaching although each group has its own designated leader but they don't teach yet. They only visit their group members.