In May, 10 students and faculty from Point Loma Nazarene University came to the Philippines as part of the LoveWorks Team, which is a student missions team that serves alongside host churches to be hands and feet of Jesus. 

The team spent several days at the General Mariano Alvarez Church of the Nazarene and Lingap Bata Child Development Center. There they joined in to help the church’s children’s ministry, assisted with creating a prayer garden, went on a prayer walk with the GMA church members and staff, participated in home prayer visits, and attended a church service. The team was encouraged and inspired by the young leaders of the church. 

“While at the GMA Church, I had the opportunity to do home visits to the families of the child development center,” said Cory Yoshimura, one of the team members. “This experience was revealing yet heavy for me. Praying over the families and witnessing the home conditions were moving.”

Yoshimura said emotions of sadness, anger, fear, curiosity, and hope were prominent when the team debriefed this experience. He was particularly moved when learning about how the culture of shame impacts the Philippines. 

“In one of the homes I visited, the mother apologized to me for how small her home was and the state of her roof,” Yoshimura said. “In this culture where hospitality is so prominent, I can only imagine how one might struggle with the intersection of hospitality and shame. I pray that through this local church, this mother can find peace knowing that her family is enough, her home is enough, and most importantly, she is enough in the image of God.”

The next several days were spent at Shechem Children’s Home, an assessment home for Online Sexual Abuse & Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) survivors. The children there blew team members away with their joy, friendship, resilience, and silliness. 

“During our time here, we were able to form relationships with the children, paint their living room and paint colorful murals on their walls, and learn about the local danger of OSAEC,” said team member Mary Barnes. “The children I met have a special place in my heart and I know I will continue to miss and pray for them.”

The team also visited several churches planted by the River of Life Church, where the team participated in both children’s ministry and work projects. 

Pastor Jackson T. Natividad and his team shared their ministries in nearby communities. What pleasantly surprised the team was how the ministries played such a vital role in supporting their local community. The church leaders are involved in the community, present for their church members and generous with their time and resources. 

This is an adapted version of a story that originally appeared in the Asia-Pacific regional newsletter. To view the original, click here.