Philippines Campus Ministry

One of the many ministries we had the opportunity to participate in as a missions team in the Philippines was campus ministry. I spent most of my time on the trip doing the campus ministry because I feel God calling me to work in youth and in that age group. The fact that we could even have these campus ministries was a huge blessing and a big difference from the United States; note that these were not a bunch of private or bible schools these were the high schools and some colleges. Two methods were usually used when we went to schools the first was class room to class room; where the principal would let us in the school and we would just visit the individual class rooms. The class room method usually for my experience anyway usually involved the teacher stopping in the middle of a lesson and allowing us to talk to their classroom. We would give testimonies share a short message and sometimes sing a song or two. The second method was the assembly method where they would stop the classes gather them to a central location and we would talk to them there. This method usually involved one or two messages, skits, songs, testimonies, and an alter call and many many pictures. I loved the campus ministry it was heart warming to see the youth of the Philippines on fire for God in this ministry we saw many come to Christ for the first time as well as many rededicating their lives for Christ.

The Philippines Spiritual Background

The dominant religion in the Philippines is Catholicism and this has a major impact on how people live their lives in the Philippines. Almost everyone there has heard of Jesus but few have a relationship with him their faith is in works and of their own power. This makes it easier and harder at the same time to explain Christ with them on one hand they have a fundamental understanding of who Jesus is and what he did; on the other the idea of earning your way to heaven and eternity with God is so much a part of their life that even after they start to develop their relationship with God they can still be caught up in the works. I personally met a few people in my age group who told me how it was just them or just them and their sibling who believe in having a relational experience God and that he has already redeemed us and that the rest of their family did not believe their faith was in the works of man still. They expressed how difficult it is for them and it breaks my heart that they are forced to fight that much harder in their homes to love God where it should be the easiest they must struggle the hardest; it is saddening that they cannot worship God the way they were made to worship him because their family is against it. one of my biggest prayers for the people in the Philippines is a movement in the hearts of the people to shift them from the works of man to the work God has already done.

The Return

I just got back from the Philippines trip I had mentioned in previous posts, a few days ago. I first wanted to say thank you to everyone who supported this trip whether spiritually or financially without your support this trip would not have been the success it was; there is power in prayer. I wish you all could have gone and had the experience and hopefully one day you might find yourself in the Philippines. It is an unforgettable place, the biggest thing you will notice there coming from America at least is the people. Here everyone (almost) is so self absorbed and caught up in their own schedule and plans that it is almost impossible to just meet someone. When you are in the Philippines everyone wants to shake your hand and meet you, they want to know about you and your story. It didn't sink in until I went into the jails and found not "hardened" criminals but people who wanted to meet me and hear what I had to say; and it was the same with the homeless. We have so much luxury and so many blessings here in the U.S. yet they have not made us thankful quite the opposite we have let them harden us and give us a bad case of entitlement. Personally it was a huge blessing to me meeting the people in the Philippines I made some life long friends there and I hope to go back. Sometimes you don't realize how hard the world has made your heart until someone comes and softens it. There are many things I want to talk about from the Philippines so I will be splitting it up over a series of posts, if you have any specific questions message me on Facebook or send me an email at ib1crazyman@gmail.com