September 2008 – On a Roll

Hello! How have you been? Praying that you and your loved ones are doing well.

After the June staff conference, it was like we hit the ground running and we’ve been on a roll ever since. We thank God for a full first quarter and for the varied things He allowed us to experience and accomplish.

A l d w i n ‘s  H o u s e k e e p i n g

The months of June and July had Aldwin busy with ‘housekeeping’  literally and otherwise. He was OIC for a month (June-July) while our National Director was in the US to attend the Balikatan Conference.  At that time, he was also busy cleaning and sorting out stuff in the IVCF Building. The Building  underwent renovation early this year but the project left behind a lot of clutter which had to be sorted, organized or disposed of. Fortunately, there’s ‘cash in trash,’ says Henry Sy. Aldwin earned modest sums for IVCF by taking the recyclable waste stuff to the monthly SM Waste Market.

Isn’t it great that people are now become more environment-conscious? To respond to current awareness in this area, IVCF has included Environment Advocacy in its discipleship program this year.  For us Christians, we know that this is just part of our God-given mandate to ‘rule over the earth’. Di remembers that when she was a member of SVCF-Diliman they had posted a ‘Bawal ang Styropor Dito!’ in the tambayan as a matter of stewardship of the earth.

D i ‘s  T r a i n i n g   E v e n t s

Di, on the other hand, was busy with training events. She coordinated a Counselors Training & Consultation (CTC) for the ISCF Counselors from UP Diliman last June 25-26. Some of the participants at this CTC joined her and other ISCF staff in opening new ISCF work in Makati Science High School last August 15. As an entry point, Di conducted a Youth Sexuality Workshop because it fit in with the school’s need to comply with a DECS requirement to have a gender development program. All 136 senior students of the school participated in the event. Truly, it was God’s work from the start – from the concerned Christian parents who ‘begged’ us to assist them in beginning a ministry there, to the availability of the enthusiastic and very skilled UP counselors and to the receptiveness of the students. Do pray for how God’s work in this school can be sustained.

C o r p o r a t i o n  M e e t i n g

From July to August we were busy with preparations for the Annual Corporation Meeting held last August 16 at ATS.  Praise God because it was an opportune time for the IVCF movement to come together in repentance and unity. Our redefined vision, mission and goals were approved by the corporation body. Our new National Director, Board of Trustees, Grad Team Volunteers, College Counselors and Student-Leaders were also commissioned and prayed for at the Meeting. Indeed, there is much to look forward to in the coming years because our faithful God continues to journey with us!  <<insert corpo picture>>

After the Corporation Meeting, Aldwin attended a 3-day seminar on ‘Accounting for Non-Accountants’ by Christ’s Public Accountants Ministries. He thoroughly enjoyed this informative seminar.

T i m e   f o r   a   B r e a k

After the successive events we’ve decided to take a much-needed break not only to rest but also to spend more time with Yana. We were especially busy the week before the Corporation Meeting and Yana must have been feeling neglected because one time she came up to Di who was on the computer and asked to be held. After some time, Di called for Josie, our househelp, to take her but she wouldn’t let go.

We take Yana with us whenever we can so that our time with her is not reduced by our work. She seems to be an extrovert because she enjoys being with people. She’s a good traveler, too and enjoys exploring new places. At 16 months she’s a very active toddler. She like books and expects that we read to her at bedtime. What she doesn’t like is having her teeth brushed or drinking milk.  Sigh! Thank God that Di is still able to breastfeed her.

Yana’s in staffwork, too! Sometimes she tags along with us like in this GT training held last August 30 in Tanza, Cavite.

B a t a n g a s  V i s i t

But before taking our leave, we’ll be visiting Batangas City to conduct an ISCF Leadership Workshop in Regis Benedictine Academy, have fellowship with and communicate updates to the IVCF graduates and finally to conduct a Youth Sexuality Workshop for the Youth Fellowship of an IVCF’s graduate’s church. Please pray that our visit will be fruitful and helpful for the students and graduates that we will be meeting.

O u r   P r a y e r   f o r   y o u   a n d   u s

During a recent staff meeting, we studied John 15, the passage where Jesus talks about being the True Vine and his disciples being the branches. We were reminded that fruitfulness (which is not necessarily ‘success’ as the world understands) is possible only when we keep our connection with Jesus, something that Jesus calls ‘abiding in Him.’ It is our prayer for ourselves and for you, too, that we will remain ever so close and intimate with our Lord so that our lives can bear the fruits that glorify Him.

Yours in Christ,

P r a i s e  &  P r a y e r

Answered prayer! We rejoice that our salaries have been on time for the past month and a half!

Praise God also for sustaining our family during the times when we both got sick in July. Fortunately it was not at the same time. Praise God for His sustaining grace during the very busy month of August.

Answered prayer! Praise God for Bibang, Paolo and Borj who have committed to help Di in the work of promoting ISCF. Please pray as they plan and produce ISCF promo materials and events.

Please pray for our Batangas Visit on Sept 5-7. Please pray for safety as we travel, for our workshops to have an impact and for meaningful times with the students and graduates.

Please pray for the ISCF Summer Camps Planning that Di will be coordinating with some ISCF staff, counselors and students. The outcome will be used by all the regional units so do pray for wisdom and creativity so that they will be able to produce relevant camp curricula for evangelism, discipleship and leadership.

Please pray for the weekly Bible Study group that Di and Joanne (a new ISCF staff) handles for the freshmen in Phil Science HS. Please pray for fruitful meetings and also that more students will join the six students who regularly attended last month.

Please pray for Aldwin as he recruits volunteers for a major clean-up drive of the IVCF Building. Pray also that he might find donors who will provide new furniture and equipment for the IVCF Office.