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EVANGELISM

Our students, graduates and staff continued to proclaim Christ’s gospel in the campuses. From September to November last year, we had 96 Evangelistic Bible Study (EBS) groups attended by 867 students (426 high school & 451 college). A total of 2,187 students (1,086 high school & 1,101 college) nationwide heard the gospel through IVCF. And 336 students became Christians. Praise God! And we are excited for the 539 new members we recruited this second quarter. We also conducted 13 Evangelism Training Events attended by 203 college students.

Regional Reports

Southern Mindanao: God is reopening ISCF in Davao City! In Davao City National High School, 71 first and third year students heard the gospel. And there were 113 college students who heard the gospel mostly through Evangelistic Bible Studies and through friendship evangelism. Praise God for 73 students who became Christians this quarter.

Bicol: The evangelistic work of IVCF Bicol students grew through inviting unbelievers to the Large Group Meetings every Thursday afternoon. Praise God for giving our students wisdom for effective evangelism. Last September 18, Street Mime Presentations and Tracks Distribution were held at Bicol University, in partnership with Campus Crusade for Christ. The gospel was creatively presented again to students through mime presentations. They also had an opportunity to be the Lord’s ambassador by performing in front of the indigent people in Tabaco, Libon, Sto. Domingo, Polangui, Ligao and Bacacay, Albay this time in partnership with Food for the Hungry.

Testimony from Caraga

Before I become a Christian, I have never gone to any church. I didn’t know how to pray. And worst of all, I didn’t even know who Jesus really is. I belong to a “Banwaon Tribe” who doesn’t praise God, but praising the elements of nature instead. For almost 18 years, I’d spent my life enjoying and living in a very sinful way. I thought it’s just okay to live a life of my own style, being gay. I couldn’t count and name those things that I have done. Many times I really loved the world and I obeyed the Satan’s will. Many people advised me to change my life, but I didn’t listen to them!

My board mate, an IVCF leader, kept inviting me to join their group but I kept refusing. Then I gave in to his invitation. I never thought that tears would fall down from my eyes and it really felt down like a flowing river. I couldn’t help but to cry out ’coz I found out who God really is. God touched my heart and embraced me during that time. But a lot of questions filled up my mind. Why I’m like this? Who am I? I started hating myself, being a gay.

I started attending the fellowship, prayer meetings and small group meetings, even though I was still ashamed, ’coz I can’t relate to the other people. What kept me joining was the acceptance of the IVCF people of who am I. My small group helps me as my support group while being ridiculed by my former barkadas. I can now prove that God is really working towards my spiritual growth. I know now how to pray, not only for myself, but also for my family, and other people too. I can also manage myself and even my emotions. I am now in love with a girl. Glory to God! The Lord had just proved that I am changed by His power. By: LITO G. MANSELIOHAN, 2nd year BEED student of ASSCAT

DISCIPLESHIP

IVCF Philippines currently have 1,385 active members. Most of these members participated in our Discipleship program activities.

Discipleship Program Activities Number of groups or meetings High School students attendance College students attendance Total Attendance

Cell Groups – 139 155 751 906
Large Group Meetings – 41 559 790 1,349
Prayer Meetings – 41 56 311 367
Discipleship Trainings – 32 83 1,068 1,151

Regional Reports

Metro Manila. Discipleship among college students usually happens among themselves (peer to peer) as in the case of SVCF Diliman. They adapted the practice of assigning older or more mature SV members to specific younger members for intentional discipleship or mentoring.

Western Visayas. Our discipleship and mentoring effort was extensive this 2nd quarter. Student leaders were able to established relationship for them to disciple and mentor fellow students. This second quarter we started to talk to the students on a deeper sense.

Story by Eumir Villamor (Bacolod Staffworker)

Ma’am Recto is our ISCF adviser in Bacolod City National High School. It is in her advisory class that we held ISCF meetings every Friday morning. A student (anonymous) who used to attend the fellowship was absent for more than 4 meetings already. She visited him in a far-flung barangay of Bacolod. She learned that the student was not able to go to school because of financial reasons. Her heart was broken. She left a small amount of money for that student so that he can attend the class the next day. She challenged her class that if they really learned what they were taught in ISCF they would respond to the need of this classmate of theirs. The class agreed to show love to this classmate, not only in the emotional sense, but also in a practical way. There are 31 of them in the class, including that absentee student. Each one pledged to give Php 1.00 everyday, so that this classmate can go to school.

As a staff, all my clamor of getting up a little extra early during Fridays faded (meeting is at 7 am). All the late night preparations were worth it, seeing how these ISCFers responded to the need of their classmate. I asked one student, “Why would she give her P1 when you are also poor?” She answered, “It was nothing to what Jesus sacrificed and did on the cross for me.” Hearing this, I said to myself, “I still want to be a staffworker, to walk alongside these leaders of the future.”

MISSION

IVCF Philippines had 14 Mission events in Metro Manila, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central & Eastern Visayas and Southern Mindanao. Three hundred twenty-three (323) students attended those events.

Regional Reports

Metro Manila

For this quarter, there were two Mission Training Programs held in the region. One was in UP Manila. MTP (Missions Training Program) was held last Sept. 19 with around 10 participants. Ivan, Jhune, Cherry, Jo, and Lorah (Missions Team) joint forces in running the campus version of the Kairos course. There were two students from PCU and PUP Sta Mesa who joined SV Manila. It was interesting to note that most of those who attended have a sense of wanting to be a missionary someday. At least half of the participants signified that they want to be ‘goers’. The other one was in UPLB last Sept. 22. One Large Group Meeting in SVCF Diliman was devoted to Missions where around 30 students came. No ministry for International Students or M students was started yet until now. Although, some students individually engage in befriending International Students, like Patty who makes friends with Indonesian, Nepali and Korean students.

Southern Mindanao.

Our IVCF student leaders in GenSan were actively involved in Mission activities to different communities in Mindanao. They attended Kairos/World Mission trainint course and outreach at Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat. They gave relief goods, participated in community services and shared the gospel to Muslim communities. Other students also helped in the literacy program to the B’laan communities.

Bicol:

Missions was integrated during the LCDC. Cheery Orozco & Ivan Lawag conducted a whole day Missions event during the camp. Students joined our outreach/feeding program for their exposure in community service. They testified of how the Lord moved their hearts through the activity by sharing their time, talents and resources to the poor.

LEADERSHIP

Praise God for the increase of IVCF student leaders during the second quarter of this school year. We now have a total of 503 student leaders (high school 88, college 415). We had 65 Leadership training events attended by 362 students (high school 65, college 297).

Praise God for the increase of IVCF student leaders during the second quarter of this school year. We now have a total of 503 student leaders (high school 88, college 415). We had 65 Leadership training events attended by 362 students (high school 65, college 297).

Testimony from Metro Manila

There’s a lot that you learn by word, but words are dead unless you feel their weight upon your life. They’re just jargon until you’re living and feeling and working them out. That was the camp’s relevance for me: it was another situation that the Lord put me in, to try and refine me.

First, there was my experience with the counselors. I’ve never been around a group of peers who have challenged me so much. From the first day to the last, their energy, winsomeness and initiative inspired, prodded and pushed me to take up the role of a counselor.

And then, there was my experience with the campers. I had the privilege of seeing one of my roommates come to know Christ during the camp. What a blessing it was to see a vivid example of Newton’s timeless lines: “I once was lost, but now am found; was blind but now I see!”

What did the Lord work in me through (before, during, and after) LCDC? A greater appreciation for the sustaining grace of God in the Christian life, and ministry in particular. A revitalized sense of the Lord’s world-wide work. A more hopeful outlook for my own place in that work and a deeper determination to serve Him with tunnel vision. An expanded imagination for the potential of my own church’s youth ministry. By Kito Espiritu, SVCF Diliman

NURTURING IVCF FOR CHRIST’S GREAT COMMISSION

Praise God for the 123 official Graduate Team members that God gave IVCF Philippines. These volunteers are active in helping our campus chapters throughout our 8 regional units. We thank God also for 31 ISCF Counselors who helped in our high school ministries. We are also blessed to have 18 church partners helping us.

National Office Report

Under this program, we aim to make IVCF Philippines “a sustained movement relevant to the times and a blessing to the nations.” To do this we are striving to create strong national and regional support systems, adequate and sustained financial resources, and responsible asset management.

We are equipping our staffworkers through training activities, prayer retreat and Bible study meetings. Our Human Resource Department provided regional trainings (in Northern Luzon and in Central & Eastern Visayas) to staff and GT volunteers.

Our Resource Development Department continued the work of improving Communications, Donor Relations, and spearheaded the planning, preparation and execution of our IVCF Alumni Homecoming last November 29, 2008 at U.P. Diliman.

We now have a formal Memorandum of Understanding between Balikatan and IVCF Philippines. The respective board chairman of each group signed the official memorandum to strengthen the working relationship between the two organizations.

Our IVCF Board of Trustees initiated the process of Affiliation for our IVCF Graduates Groups and the Office of the National Director started to invite the leaders of these groups to officially affiliate with IVCF Philippines.