Praise be to God for the remarkable opportunity to lead a three-part series of Mission Ministries Philippines’ Early Childhood Education Seminar/Orientation in the picturesque locale of Baguio City last March 18-19, 2024.
The inaugural session was held at Doane Rest Ministry, drawing in enthusiastic Sunday School teachers guided by the experienced Teacher Lalaine Clark, alongside dedicated Masteral students from the Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary under the mentorship of Prof. Raposa.
Another illuminating session unfolded at PBTS, graciously overseen by Pastor Onnie Avante, the Chairman of MMP Board, coinciding with the joyous celebration of the 30th anniversary of Jesus Our Life Ministries.
As we reflect on these enriching experiences, we fervently pray that the seeds of wisdom and inspiration planted during these seminars will take root deeply within the hearts and minds of all participants, blossoming into abundant fruit in the lives of the children they passionately serve. May God’s blessings continue to multiply the impact of our collective efforts as we nurture and educate the next generation, all to the glory of His name.
Show of Talents and Kidprenuer Fair by Erlyn B. Isidro
In the spirit of giving and celebration this Christmas season, Mission Ministries Philippines hosted its 20th Show of Talents and Kidpreneur Fair last December 1, 2023 at JFD stadium in San Mateo Rizal. The event was a remarkable gathering where students from 12 partner schools of MMP came together to share their unique gifts in honor of Jesus’s birthday.
One of the most inspiring aspects of the fair was the children’s entrepreneurial skills. The Kidprenuers set up stalls to sell their handmade creations and products. From handmade jewelry, eco-friendly crafts and delicious sweets, even selling of native products from Ifugao, Mountain Province as one of the partners came all the way from the Northen part of Luzon.
Adding to the event is the wonderful performance of the talented magician who captivated both the parents and children, adding an additional element of wonder and excitement. Moreover, MMP invited Pastor Vergilio Lapena, former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of MMP and now one of its International Adviser, to impart the true meaning Christmas and that is the love of our heavenly Father. He sent His Son Jesus Christ to save us. This is the main objective of the event to spread the Gospel to Jesus.
A beautiful smile of one of the partner schools after their performance.
Dr. Philip Paleracio, a Filipino Doctor in U.S. and friend of one of the International Advisers of MMP also graced the event and gave an inspiring message to all present.
The “Show of Talents and Kidpreneur Fair” was a resounding success, not only in terms of talents rendered and products sold, but also in fostering a sense of community, encouragement among the partner schools, the parents and the students. And as we reflect on this joyous occasion, let us remember the that Jesus Christ is God’s greatest gift to us.
A Parenting seminar was conducted by Mission Ministries Philippines and partner school Head Start Learning Center last February 8, 2023, at Bagong Silangang, Quezon City.
Dr. Chonabelle Domingo the speaker of the said seminar, highlighted the purpose of God for creating a family and the challenges faced by parents in today’s fast-paced and rapidly changing world. The lecture covers other topics like Understanding the Behavioral Problems, Nature of the children, and Disciplinary Measures.
During group discussions, participants had the opportunity to express their own thoughts and experiences, which sparked parent cooperation and networking. Parents can impart knowledge and insights and learn from one another during the event.
In the end, the attendees were grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow as parents and expressed their appreciation for the organizers’ efforts.
On March 17, 2023, Kids International Learning Academy (KILA) in Binangonan, Rizal, hosted a seminar on Early Childhood Care, organized by Mission Ministries Philippines (MMP). Ms. Elizabeth Anne King-Santos, an expert in early childhood education and the author of MMP’s Toddlers Curriculum, led the seminar as one of MMP’s on-call trainers and consultants. Ms. Santos is also a preschool owner and homeschool educator, a professor in the Training Certificate of MMP and ATS, and a regular speaker in the annual ECE seminars of MMP.
The seminar covered various topics such as Philosophy in Early Childhood Education, Assessment, Methods of Teaching, Classroom Management, and Classroom Discipline. The principal and part-owner of KILA, Ms. Joan Ong, organized the seminar. Ms. Ong is also the author of MMP’s Math Made Easy book and a former seminar lecturer.
KILA started as a small preschool in a small space in partnership with MMP in 2000. Over the years, it has grown into a prominent school in their area, offering Secondary education to the children of missionaries. The seminar marked a revival of their partnership with MMP.
The new batch of students of the Training Certificate in Early Childhood Care and Education or ECE modules finally had their first face-to-face get-together last November 26, 2022, at the Peri Peri Restaurant in SM Megamall.
This was attended by some students that have access to the venue since some students of the ECE are from different places as far as Catanduanes from the South and Isabela from the North and even a student from Jakarta, Indonesia.
It was an opportunity to interact with each other personally. Sharing laughter and best wishes to everyone. The group also agreed that this will be just the start of many get-togethers.
In the course of the Pandemic, this program was inactive since there were no students enrolling. In April of this year, finally, students started enrolling and started the program again. This program is being offered online.
The Training Certificate Course in Early Childhood Care and Education, a joint program of Mission Ministries Phil. and Asian Theological Seminary was created in response to the growing need of offering quality Early Childhood Care and Education distinguished by a biblical perspective.
Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it” a banner verse of MMP and its partners. One that has made an impact on a 4-year student of one of MMP’s partners, Praise Rotary Emerald Academy operated from 1999 to 2004. The school was situated in Payatas, one of the underprivileged neighborhoods in Quezon City. Pastor Dante Paule and his wife, teacher Margie Paule, served as its leaders.
And only recently did this former pupil get in touch with Teacher Margie to let her know that she and her brother, who was also a student at the aforementioned school, had just graduated and were now doctors. The teacher was both humbled and proud to learn that the young pupils she had formerly taught were now accomplished professionals in their industries.
The family of the said children was junk shop owners before. They have now alleviated their family income status and were able to send their children to medical school. And what a transformation indeed to the family.
In 2004, teacher Margie and her family moved to another location in Calamba, Laguna, and set up another school named Tech-Grow Kids Developmental School. The former school was then managed by another teacher and relocated to Montalban, Rizal.
From 2004 to the present, The Tech-Grow Kids Developmental School has produced other successful students. One more deserving of mention graduated from U.P. Los Banos, Cum laude, Now a teacher at a Bible school in Calauan, Laguna. Both of the schools’ are Dep Ed recognized.
In addition to producing excellent pupils, the schools also generated students who have become Christians. Their church now counts them among its members and workers.
Preschool can truly be considered a ministry of the church that transforms lives and spreads the gospel.
The amazing tale of this partner school truly embodies the goal and mission of Mission Ministries Philippines, as it is said that “No teacher becomes a millionaire, but our riches are when our pupils or students become successful in life.”
In March of 2020, the government issued a lockdown on most parts of the Philippines. What we thought of as a short-term lockdown has now gone to almost two years of unprecedented events.
This tiny bit of virus has claimed millions of lives and altered the course of life throughout the world. Everyone was affected, and education is one of them.
In the first months of lockdown, Mission Ministries Philippines still hopes that everything will return to normal. But as the days went by, reality set in. For many who are not tech-savvy, we were all caught off guard.
Fear may have paralyzed some of us, but by the grace of God, He gave us courage, wisdom, and perseverance. The pandemic brought changes in the way we do things but we strongly believe that this should not stop our work. With limitations in meeting physically, we find ways to continue on what we are called to do, “TRANSFORMING LIVES THROUGH EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION”, still meeting the needs in Early Childhood Education and strengthening families and communities whatever it takes. So in May 2020, MMP offered its first webinar to its partners about Blended Learning and Homeschooling via zoom. Our speaker Professor Bing Amihan introduced the terms synchronous and asynchronous learning, which most of our partners were unfamiliar with. This method of teaching is being used in western countries. Though there are limitations in the Philippines, it is still applicable. This encouraged most of the partners to continue their preschool operation despite the drop of enrollees. And to further explain and help apply the knowledge learned in blended learning and homeschooling webinars, Mission Ministries supervisors piloted the practical training. The supervisors presented the strategies, materials, lesson plans, online play, and online applications the partners can use to cope with the technology adopting synchronous and asynchronous learning. Shifting into the new platform should not deviate our developmentally appropriate practices philosophy in teaching to our students. As we learned from Prof. Bing “there are still non-negotiable principles like integration of God’s word, Christian values, and good character.
As the world started embracing the digital age, Mission Ministries Philippines explored other possible ways to continue its mission in serving our partners and our advocacy to provide better education to indigent children.
MMP’s thrust that no child is left behind is a must!!! MMP is committed to caring for the children and shaping them into what God created them to be. Providing access to basic needs on their development and enjoying their childhood. Furthermore, the pandemic season made MMP revive its feeding program, but this time with a significant tweak in its feature, thus we call it “Feeding the Mind & the Body” (FMB), where the feeding program is integrated into the existing curriculum of MMP. MMP Partners, are given the option to integrate its feeding program with Sunday school lessons, Remedial Reading or Kidpreneur, or teaching business skills for children via the online and face-to-face platform.
Moving on…. All MMP seminars were geared toward maximizing technology in delivering quality education without compromising our philosophy. Speakers emphasized the importance of building relationships between teachers and parents as they hone their children’s potentials. Resource persons enlightened the use of technology and the danger it brings to the children. Research shows that too much exposure to screen time can hamper the brain development of children. The webinars also laid principles and ways to sustain the school operation.
With all these worries and stresses brought by the pandemic, it is a fact that many have suffered from anxieties and mental health issues. So in response, another webinar was conducted addressing this issue.
Aside from these seminars, supervising the partners was also done online. Partners were encouraged to attend the classes of the supervisors for them to observe the online classes and process them afterward. In the same way, supervisors were able to observe and coach the online classes of partners.
The pandemic may have closed many doors but new opportunities were opened to MMP by God’s grace. Mission Ministries herald to preach the gospel to the children have now intentionally reached even the parents by administering parenting seminars. These webinars not only give guidance for good parenting but most especially in preaching the gospel of salvation.
The pandemic may have momentarily thwarted the course of MMP and yet God used this to flourish and spread its roots to reach others further. Now MMP can now post a new challenging question to possible new partners. Would you like to set up or enrich your existing Early Childhood Program like Preschool, Daycare, SNP ( Supervised Neighborhood Play, Stimulation Center, After class program or tutorial program for children …. What do you prefer ??? Face to face or On-Line?????.
See, I am doing a new thing!Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wildernessand streams in the wasteland. —Isaiah 43:19
In its continuing mission to share the good news of salvation to the parents of partner schools of Mission Ministries Philippines, the 5th parenting seminar for this year is The Path to Success, held last September 18, 2021. Pastor Melita Espanol, teacher and Administrator of JMARS Learning Center in Cavite and pastor of Believers in Christ Church facilitated the seminar.
Pastor Melet said that to be successful is to lay the foundation by believing in God. He should be the center of whatever we will do, especially being a parent. And as God as the greatest foundation we can rely on.
The seminar was attended by 70 participants from 10 partner schools of MMP. To date this is the well-attended parenting seminar conducted by MMP since it started this January.
Mission Ministries Phil. was founded because of its calling to give quality education to the least privileged children in poor communities and most importantly to spread the Good News of salvation. In continuing this mission, MMP launched the online Parenting Seminars which aims to help parents in handling their children and understanding each other as parents. And the most important part of the seminar is evangelizing, through the Word of God.
Ms. Chonabelle Domingo, President, and CEO of MMP was the first speaker for this seminar last January 23, 2021, entitled Parenting in Pandemic. It was attended by over 90 parents from the 14 partner schools who joined.
Ms. Domingo taught of doing this parenting seminars due to the urgency in saving the souls of our students and their parents. Bringing them the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. In these trying times, when hopelessness envelopes the world, Christians must live to the commission of being the light and salt of the world.
And indeed as we sow, God gives us harvests. One of the partners, Children’s Den testified that 5 of their parents who attended the seminar accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior. They have been ministering to these parents and God used the seminar for them to fully accept Christ as their God and Savior.
With that good report, MMP aims to continue conducting parenting seminars. So last March 20, 2021, the second parenting seminar entitled “The 5 Love Languages” was facilitated by Ms. Aida Aquino.
MMP included these seminars in the year-round activities.
Mission Ministries Philippines Joins Medical Ambassador Philippines, Inc. in Health Awareness
“A Must for Mask” a project of Mission Ministries Philippines, Inc. in its contribution to help fight the coronavirus. It was initiated sometime last year and the masks were given to its partner schools. This project is one of the ministries of MMP being revisited in its philosophy of a holistic approach. As the organization not only aims to nurture the cognitive and spiritual of the students but also their physical and health aspects.
This project made viable in partnership with Medical Ambassador Phil. Inc., a Christian non-profit medical mission organization with the mission to see churches and organizations that follow Christ’s mandate, establishing effective health ministries and evangelism to the poor, vulnerable, and among the least reached people in target communities.
In the recent event, Medical Ambassador Phil. Inc.(MAP, Inc. ) conducted a seminar entitled “ Kaalaman at Siyensya ng Bakuna” last March 19, 2021. This seminar is to propagate awareness about the vaccines for the coronavirus. The resource person is Dr. Romelei Camiling – Alfonso.
MMP participated in this event as its initial seminar with MAP, Inc. There are plans of training and other seminars for partner schools to equip them in terms of health issues.
Bringing KIDPRENUER On-line
Here’s a report on Praiere Rose Academy for Youngsters, a partner school of Mission Ministries Phil. that continued teaching KIDPRENUER and bringing it online. Teacher Precy Vallente, school Administrator, and Teacher Kezia Vallente recall how they were able to administer the Kidprenuer curriculum online this school year. Here is what they have to say:
“Kidpreneur Curriculum is one of the immense life molding tools MMP had provided for us. Our school had been using it since the time this curriculum was launched. For years now, it has always been an interesting part of our school’s endeavor to encourage children on entrepreneurship that even parents enjoy its challenges.
Every year, we see to it that we do a culminating activity that will lead every child to a pathway of kidpreneurship. We do a “Palengke Like This Program” which before was called “Munting Palengke sa Loob ng Paaralan” until such time that we moved out to a covered court near the school.
This year we did not allow this pandemic to hinder culminating and enhancing children’s interest as they learned stories about young entrepreneurs and their disciplines. We had the so-called “KidPRAYneur” online business where children were asked to advertise their products online. They were also asked to be part of the preparations and even selling of such.
This then had become a motivating gem to the young minds. Some of the children’s reactions are: – “It’s enjoying, I was able to share my clothes with others” because they did an ukay-ukay thing. Actually, there were two of them who did such. – “Happy… because I have money to buy a speaker” and he encouraged his Mom to continue selling. – “Happy…” because of the experience of selling and earning money out of it.
There’s the spirit of sharing, a plan where to use the money, and the joy of knowing that there’s a good fruit out of it.
Such kinds of experiences won’t be forgotten. As they grow these will be part of their honing moments and good memoirs.”
Truly there will be no barriers in pursuing education and changing the mindset of today for tomorrow’s success.
When God closes a door He opens windows. And Mission Ministries Philippines witness how God made this statement true once again. This pandemic closes doors and yet God opens windows of opportunities and reviving dormant ministries.
It takes one good heart, one stretch hand, and one step to make a difference. In recent news, Mission Ministries Philippines together with people with generous hearts made these projects possible. A simple act of kindness made it viable to feed the hungry and alleviate a community.
Feeding the Hungry, Feeding the Soul, Feeding the Spirit
In its mission to address the needs of children holistically, Mission Ministries Philippines conducted a feeding program in partnership with its school partners who cater to the less fortunate communities.
One of the devastating results of the pandemic is the lost of income to the families. Families that depend on a hand to mouth existence. And losing jobs of parents hardens it more. The basic needs of the family like food have been jeopardized because of this.
At present four of MMP partners implemented this endeavor. More than 180 children benefited to this project. They were given healthy, nutritious and delicious food. Parents of the children also helped in the preparation. Making this a conjugal effort between the parents, school and the church. This simple act of kindness made a difference.
Aside from feeding the physical needs, the most important of the project is to feed the soul and spirit. Part of the feeding program is to share the Good News to the children and to their families as well. Bible stories were told and the love of God to us, giving hope especially in this chaos and uncertain future.
God commanded us to feed the hungry and Mission Ministries Philippines together with the partners are responding to this.
Small Rice Enterprise To Variety Store From Small Seed
“It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” Matthew 13:32
The Bible verse above simply describes how the Lord blessed the seed money given to Pastor Rodel and Teacher Jocelyn Alcantara. From a small seed, now grown into a larger plant. It was September 2019 when one of MMP’s International Advisers, Bro. Hal McNaughton, together with the team, made a visit to Pastor Rodel’s church and learning center. During the visit, we were able to witness how the teachers run the preschool class. The preschool children showed off their talents in music and movements, while some recited their memory verses.
The MMP team offered additional coaching to the teachers while Pastor Rodel shared his ministry’s humble beginnings— from one church that he started in Barangay Macabud, he planted another church in Barangay Udiongan in the same town of Rizal. After listening, Bro. Hal asked Pastor Rodel about how he was able to sustain his ministry and family needs, knowing the unfortunate condition of the community that he is serving and him doing fulltime ministry. Pastor Rodel replied with a smile and said…”We simply depend on God’s provision. It is all by God’s grace that we were able to do His work.
The ministry’s resilience and dependence to God touched Bro. Hal’s heart. He offered help by giving seed money for them to start a livelihood to sustain their needs. Pastor Rodel and his wife started their business enterprise with just five (5) sacks of rice and sold it to their community. A small portion of the learning center became their rice storage space.
After a few months, the Lord multiplied the seed money entrusted to them. From a small rice enterprise, it bore good fruit and now became a variety store. They were able to set-up the store just beside the church. Their income now supports the feeding program of the church and other needs. Faithful friends and donors like you who trust and continually support God’s work made a difference to the lives of many people.
Through your generous support and prayers to MMP ministry, we are encouraged to move forward and keep going. To God be the Glory!!
Deep Well Project at Eastgate Fruitful Life Learning Center
“Dreams become REALITY when we put our MIND to it.”
It was early 2020 when one of Mission Ministries Philippines’ (MMP) friends, Bro. Michael “Mike” Villa-real from First Congregational Church of Anaheim (California, USA) and the MMP team visited one of our partners, Eastgate Fruitful Life Learning Center in Brgy. Macabud, Rodriguez, Rizal. The purpose of the visit is for Bro. Mike and the team to have a concrete preschool exposure, to see the learning development of the children, and to meet the teachers. During the visit, Pastor Rodel Alcantara, the school administrator and head pastor of Eastgate Fruitful Life Community Church, shared his vision and dreams of his church and learning center. He also shared the current condition of the community where he is serving.
The families living there have limited access of water for drinking and other household use. The community has only one (1) deep well to cater hundreds of families. Pastor Rodel, along with some of his church members, uses his tricycle to transport all their water containers to the deep well area and have it refilled. It usually takes them several hours to be served due to the long line. Pastor Rodel has been in the community serving God for fourteen (14) years. Upon seeing the plight in the community, Bro. Mike’s heart was greatly moved. He then shared his visitation experience to his congregation, addressing the needs of the community. By the grace of God, He used the leaders and members of the First Congregational Church of Anaheim to install deep well to the said partner learning center and church.
The installation of deep well project started last February 1, 2021, and after one (1) month, the deep well is completely finished and fully operational. The DREAM of Pastor Rodel became a REALITY because of faithful donors and prayer warriors like you.
”For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants”. Isaiah 44:3
