Angela and Yasmin are living in Baguio which is located approximately 250 km (150 miles) north of Manila just outside Baguio City. The City is situated high on the Cordillera mountain range, and is located at an altitude of 1630 km (5,300 feet), making the temperatures far cooler than the rest of the Philippines.
With a population in the Philippines of over 81 million, over 34 million of those are under the age of 18. 38% of children are under the age of 14. Two million of these children are orphans. 39 million people in 26,000 barangays (villages) still have no evangelical church in their village. It is also estimated there are 39 unreached people groups in the Philippines.
The harvest is ripe in the Philippines, and the need extensive.
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New Zealand Ministry
Angela's itinerary in July
Sunday 4 July
North City Vineyard
10am, Northcoate College, Kauri Glen Rd, Northcote
Harbour Vineyard
5:05pm, Bayswater School, Bayswater Ave, Baywater
Friday 9- Saturday 10 July
Touching Heaven Kids Conference
Click artwork on homepage to register
Sunday 18 July
City Church Waitakere
10am, 133 Central Park Drive, Lincoln
School Sponsorship
The story of a boy
When we met John* (not real name) he was a street kid. Dirty, torn clothes, carrying a huge sack filled with cans and plastic he had found in rubbish bins. He is one of a small shack full of eight kids – and a seemingly dysfunctional family. He hung out with the ‘tough kids’ in the community, sometimes staying in his house – sometimes sleeping on the street. He needed help desperately.
He came to us every Sunday for love and food in the park. Little by little the love of God began to melt his heart and we all fell in love with this terrific boy.
John was 11 when we met him and had only completed Grade 4 (year 4) – not because of lack of intelligence but lack of support and finance in the family. He had a dream to become a mechanic and has a real gifting in fixing things. The other children in Purok 5 had returned to school after their summer vacation and we were in a house church meeting. Although John was tough, he had a hunger for God. One day I was sharing about how God has prepared a beautiful home in heaven for us and I looked at him. At that moment, I knew God was doing something deep in his heart. It was like hope hit his heart.
One morning as we were having a house church meeting with adults, he peered in through the window, hungry for God and for love. We asked him if he would like to go to school. I will never ever forget the look on his face! He was so shy and so excited at the same time! It was like his dream come true.
This year he graduated from Elementary School at age 14. What a tremendous day!
This is a great milestone here in the Philippines.
Here he is enjoying a special lunch with us!
His life is absolutely transformed. He worships God with such passion and has the most wonderful servant heart.
Always helping, always singing, always reaching out to bless others, with a heart for kids on the street - he is a joy! He now wants to be a Pastor. What would have happened to John if we couldn’t have sponsored him to school? I get tearful thinking about that.
I’ve seen firsthand the devastation on the street. Lives wrecked and broken.
But God saw him and heard the cry of his heart and someone cared and showed God’s love.
His is a story of true transformation!
You have an opportunity to be part of this tremendous thing God is doing.
What God has done through this sponsorship program is not only in John’s life, but in multiplied lives – all with different stories but all being touched by the love and transforming power of God.
The awesome thing is that it doesn’t just touch the children. Parents and aunties of children sponsored also have been moved by your love and are now following God.
School starts again in June and we are now urgently appealing for sponsors for the upcoming year. Our goal again is to double the number of children we sponsor.
Only $250NZD - monthly $21 (or USD $180) covers the school fees for one child for the whole year, and buys them a school uniform, school shoes, school bag, materials and workbooks. This also includes an amount for their medical expenses, a project allowance, a quarterly party, parenting seminars for their parents and spiritual enrichment.
Why such a small amount? We are right here on the ground with these people. There are no big administration costs. We are able to get the money straight to the need. Please seriously consider sponsoring one or more children. You can give online or send donations to the New Zealand address, His Heart Ministries, PO Box 33754, Takapuna, Auckland, New Zealand.
Thank you for loving and giving to these children. Thank you sponsors from last year. Each child has a great story. Three of our children were top students in their school. They are flourishing in every way.
February 2010
New Feeding Programme
Today was an exciting day for us at Dona Aurora Bueno Elementary School!
His Heart began a new feeding daily feeding program for approximately 23 malnourished children. This is in an area that we have been wanting to reach for sometime and it is now coming to pass. We look forward to running with Jesus to this segment of Baguio.
Homework Club
A few weeks ago we started a homework Club for high school aged youth. It became obvious to us that our sponsored students and many other children from poor homes, were very disadvantaged because they had no access to resources.
They simply don't have money to go to the internet cafe to research. Additionally, most of them come from a squatter community and to find peace in small shacks is very difficult, let alone have a table and chair with light to work at.
So we have put together a simple program endeavouring to help them have the opportunities that many others have - the Homework Club.
The young people arrive after school, have a brief afternoon tea and come inside ready to study. After praying for each other, that God will bless them in their studies, they begin. If they have homework, they complete that or revise. Older students and adults help younger ones if possible. We are praying for at least two computers and an internet connection so that they can use the internet to research or to type assignments.
After an hour of quiet working, we have a short devotional and worship time. These young people are passionate for God and its always hard to stop worshipping. However, we have a full hot dinner waiting for them. They eat happily - often having plates of seconds. They leave smiling... and we know their hearts have been touched by the tangible love of God.
November 09
Lives changing one by one
The kids streamed in the gates first, with infectious smiles and excitement, followed by the teens and the adults. Today is baptism day! We had filled 4 jeepneys for the 30 minute descent down the mountain to a swimming pool for this special day. Although our entire family could not be there for various reasons, more than a hundred of us gathered to witness lives changing before our eyes.
Young Revivalists
My heart is full and overflowing with all God is doing. The young people are full of Jesus! Yesterday, we took a group of them to the hospital to pray for those inside and also release blessing and healing to people sitting outside in the park. They were nervous but also full of the Holy Spirit. We stood back and watched as they took authority over sickness and connected with the people to show God’s love. The dream God placed in my heart to raise young revivalists is coming to pass. It’s just so amazing to think back to where things were when we started. The other day we realized that not one of the children in Purok 5 (one of the main areas of our ministry) on the street at the moment! They are back with their families. This was one of the main villages where the street kids were from when we started here. God is truly bringing transformation! He is so good!
Church Planters
The strength of these ladies is rising. They are continuing on, despite jealousies from other members of the community. God is using them and lives are being changed. The wonderful thing about this is that each house church can now discuss and discover the scripture together in their heart language. We are there merely as a support for our new leaders but eventually the need for that will be no more, and our attention will be on raising the next generation of leaders and planting more churches. Please continue to pray for these women. They are young in their walk with God and we admire their strength and determination to press on.
Sponsored Children
We recently held a special afternoon for the children who many of you sponsor to school. We had praise, games, awards for attendance, excellence, worshippers, and character, and afterwards had dinner and icecream! J They also wrote letters to their sponsors, which you should receive in the next few weeks. It was a fantastic time! Many of them ask me about who you are and are just so happy to have someone who believes enough in their potential to invest in them. Thank you! J
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Archive Reports
Compassion stories and opportunities
A few nights ago at love and food in the park, one of our street kids was sobbing and sobbing. Joshua* had a terrible abscess and his mouth was badly infected. We prayed, loved, cared as best we could and then made sure he had antibiotics and pain relief. But later that night I got a call from a payphone on the main road where he was sleeping. It was our precious boy, so distressed because of the pain Mama, please help me . It was heart breaking. There was little I could do. This morning again he was calling me crying please come . So we took him to see a dentist and we will continue treatment until next week when we will return for an extraction. John Mark* a gorgeous 11 year old boy with a kind heart and big smile, tagged along to the dentist and ended up having two teeth taken out His first time to the dentist. He was very excited and curious about the whole experience J and it was the love of Jesus being shown to Him that brought him joy. We love these kids! This is just one story. Many need health miracles and medicine.
*not real names
Before and after! Still smiling. So happy to be shown love.
We are seeing miraculous healings but we also require health care for our people. Scabies, lice, fevers, rashes, and infected sores are common place. We have a pregnant mother, rejected by her family and on the streets, whose baby is at risk and she is meant to be on bed-rest. Of course, this means no income. There are over 2000 verses in the bible which speak of the heart of God for the poor and His expectation that we will we do something about it.
Will we solve poverty? Will we cure it? Erase it? The answer is No, probably not . But that is not what God has asked us to do. He has called us to love and do what we can to help.
We are to love and serve the poor as we would serve and love Jesus (Matt 25). Please consider giving towards our compassion fund. Lets love the one.
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Where do I start with what God is doing here? We are excited as God is pouring out His Spirit in an accelerated work particularly in one Barangay (village). I feel so small, so dependent, and way over my head and I am crying out to my Father to move through me & help me love as He loves. It's in no way easy, and everyday it is clearer that I need more of Jesus, more than ever. He is hearing my cries to show me His glory and I watch in amazement as Holy Spirit is breathing on these people.
Since our retreat for the mothers of street kids, three weeks ago where 12 gave their hearts to Jesus, there has been a snowball effect. We have been spending time in this community 3-4 times a week to build these people up quickly. Almost every meeting another person comes to Jesus, or someone brings a friend who they have now led to Him. Added to that these people hungry for God - have been meeting spontaneously in their homes to worship together and to pray. I got a text one day to say all the children were up on top of the mountain praising and worshipping God. He is moving!!
And so, with Yasmin and her friend Joanna worship leading with a guitar, at a public pool, yesterday we baptized 35 brand new Christians!!!
Every one with a personal story of hardship, distress and pain& but everyone of them realizing they need Jesus and deciding to follow Him with their whole heart. All of these have just survived a typhoon that destroyed many of their houses. Some had landslides come down and collapse their homes, others roofs and walls were twisted ripped apart, others were flooded with mud & refuse, ruining their meager belongings.
They are broken and poor.. but loved and rich.
Of those baptized most were adults, although we had 11 children/teenagers that we first met on the streets who are part of 'Love & food' for street kids in Burnham Park. (see the pic on the left to see some of the street kids who were baptized.) Many of these children's parents have been saved in the last three weeks and today were also baptized.
Some of you may recall one of my recent emails regarding a fight breaking out one night with a 'pimp' who had been luring some of our girls. It was a frightening situation. A few weeks later I met him at 'love and food' but didn' t realize it was the same guy. I spent some time with him, showed Him love and attention and He told me the story of how he was a street kid in Cebu, but was taken in by a Christian missionary from Germany. But he had left His walk with God. God' s heart was shown to this broken man that night, and today, this ex-pimp was baptized!!!! He wants a brand new-life! Three of the girls tied up with him were also baptized today! (see pic on right) Yay Yay Yay Jesus!
One precious woman who was drunk morning and night has been sober for three weeks straight now, since she gave her life to Jesus and today was baptized. She shared with me she had been carrying massive pain and anger towards a family member since childhood and swore that if she ever saw that person again she would kill him! Today she told me that when she came out of the water, she has completely lost that feeling towards that person. She said "It' s so easy to smile now& this is the happiest day of my life". She has already led one friend to Jesus and she also was baptized today. Two of her daughters were also baptized and I am so excited to see what God does with this family.
One morning, a lady heard the sound of us worshipping outside in their barangay (village) and she came to see what was happening. To her surprise, she recognized us from our visits to pray for the sick in the hospitals, and so she stayed. She had been saved young, but fallen away from God, although I didn't realize she had backslidden. She heard about the baptism service and asked if she could also come even though she had been baptized before. So I asked her to help me in the water to interpret and to help lift the people out of the water. As she was doing that, Jesus just baptized her in the Holy Spirit! He touched her in such a powerful way& she didn't know what had happened to her! God is awesome beyond words!
It was an incredible day and it is clear that God's love is unstoppable. There are so many stories and testimonies to tell & these are only a few. I feel so overwhelmed just thinking about each one of these precious people and what God is doing. Please pray that God will continue to draw them to Himself, and pour out upon them, and that they will drink deep of the river& understanding it's not about religion but about an intimate relationship with their Father in heaven.
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Opportunity to bring Joy and Love
We are sponsoring some of the very poor children to school this year. The costs vary slightly however we estimate $200 can pay for a child's tuition, uniform, and stationery for a full school year with some to spare for emergency health. Most of these families have parents who are 'scrappers' meaning they go through public rubbish to find things they can sell, like cans and plastic. Many of their children drop out of school because the family simply cannot afford to pay for the education, and so the poverty cycle continues. If you would like to give to see some of these families in severe hardship, who are turning to Jesus to be blessed that would be amazing. You can give online through paypal or send a cheque to the NZ mailing address or email me for the bank account.
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Future Ministry
Next weekend, Yasmin and I travel to an Island in the South of the Philippines called Negros Occidental. (31 May-5 June) God laid a heavy burden on my heart for this place last year and now we have been invited to preach at two Sunday services, and also be a speaker at their regional youth conference. This church has experienced a mighty move of God in the past and they are praying that the wells of revival will be reopened. Please pray for Yasmin and I for safe travel and for an outpouring of God's love and power.
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Touching Heaven
Touching Heaven Kids Conference for 8-13 yr olds was a highlight for us in New Zealand. God brought together a wonderful team of leaders from various churches in the Auckland region & children from all over. Then He showed up and poured out His Spirit on kids that were wanting to know God in a deeper way. We had a fantastic time. It was beautiful seeing the children lost in God and experiencing Him. The children learnt to heal the sick and we saw healings. They were hearing God's voice and bringing prophetic words. Many saw visions and found a new place of intimacy with God. There were times of just being still in His presence and times of exuberant joy as we danced before Him. Lots of fun and laughter. God is so good! I've put a few photos particularly of the ministry time below for you to see
Here are a few testimonies from the kids:
- God has started to show me new things and places. I visited heaven. I felt a whole lot of love. Girl, 12
- Last night I had gold dust all over me and in the morning it was still there. I had sore feet and the Holy Spirit healed it. Boy, 10
- God has been just showing me what breaks His heart and what can break mine. I want to be a missionary and what breaks my heart is poor children, sick and poor. I realized how important God is every day, we need to be constantly filled, once a week is not enough. We must be overflowing. Girl, 12
- Over the weekend I have become closer to Him in different ways. Often I'm afraid of what others think, but God has been changing that. I can focus just on Him and block everything else out. I saw a vision of a road, the road went to heaven and lots of other roads off it and we just need to stick to the main one. Girl, 12.
- Jesus told me He is coming soon, and He told me that we are in the maze of life, but God will lead us to Him. Boy, 10
- My asthma feels healed. Boy, 10
- God showed me visions and gave me words for people. Boy, 11
- The Holy Spirit just touched me over and over and over, all the time for the whole weekend. Boy, 10
One of our leaders from an Auckland Church writes: WOW! I felt so privileged to have been a part of what God was doing over the weekend. It was really awesome to see God move through the children and to see them worship with all their hearts. All our children were asked for a testimony on Sunday morning in church and they ALL got up and spoke and told how God touched them and of the pictures and words that they got. It was so amazing. I had two boys at camp who didn't even want to come but their parents 'made' them and I think they had the most fun out of all of them and they both got an extra special touch from God. All my kids now want to know when they are going again to camp and I have also had some other parents of children who didn't come also asking when the next one is. All the camp kids were still bubbling over on Sunday at Kids Church which was really great as they were contagious to the other children so I had 35 children on Sunday excited, jumping, worshipping and dancing for Jesus. On our 'wait on God' time after the worship part of the service we had words, pictures of heaven and visions! SO COOL. Thank you Jesus!
We are planning to run another one in the September 08 school holidays. Watch for updates and details.
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Churches
Things are moving fast in another area in particular with the churches we have in homes. We had a meeting with our people ended up with seven churches! Then the rain came! Almost every afternoon like clock-work the sky rumbles with thunder and the heavens open. Not like NZ rain, this rain washes away houses and can be very dangerous. Our churches are perched on a mountain and are all squatters who have precariously put their houses together with what little material they have. Our plans were continuously stymied by the rain and our frustration levels grew.
Finally, on one day we decided to brave it and headed up to one of the highest points along very thin, muddy tracks. We held our meeting (at the house pictured on the right) & just as we were ready to go, it began to pour with rain. Sheltering in a ladies house, we realized she was drunk, hurting and with 3 young neglected children. We ministered to her and she told me she wanted to start a new life but didn't know how. We invited her to the retreat we were holding today for the mothers of the street children and then we slid our way back down the mountain literally! I was covered in mud! No you can't see a photo sorry! haha
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Retreat
This was a full day retreat for the mothers of the street children in one barangay (village). We transported them to a venue we hired out, and treated them to a full meal at lunch as well as morning and afternoon tea. They were overwhelmed at the food and felt so blessed in the natural.
What an amazing time with these precious people! God came in a beautiful tender way, with 12 of them receiving Jesus as their personal savior and all 12 wanting water baptism. Many people can make decisions here easily, but to follow through with baptism shows a real decision. God came and healed their hearts as they wept before Him. Many carry years of pain and hardship but God gave them a new garment today. He did a trade! Beauty for ashes & Joy instead of mourning! They testified of how they felt the pain and heaviness lifted off them. It was amazing to watch God move on these people who have heard so much religion yet know so little about a personal savior who loves them as they are.
A number of them were healed physically, one lady who couldn't see, began to see faces clear enough to distinguish features, a ladies stomach pain she has had since she was a child was healed! She was not able to eat vegetables without pain, but today at lunch she ate so much and she had no pain! A woman was struggling to breathe and her lungs were healed. Another ladies respiratory infection was healed! Not to mention the heart healings that happened. The mother struggling with alcohol testified of how in the last few days she felt the new peace, strength and hope that she had and rejoices that today she opened her heart to Jesus.
I'm dreaming of watching the lives of the children being changed as God mends the hearts and transforms the lives of the mothers.
