Dear Fellow Balikatan Members and IVCF Alumni,

I had the opportunity to attend the IVCF-Philippines Alumni Homecoming on Saturday, November 29, 2008, at the UP Institute of Small Scale Industries, Diliman, Quezon City.  It was a well-attended event.  About 350 ‘Dugong-IV’ attended the gathering that lasted for about 5 hours, from 3 in the afternoon to 8 in the evening.

The highlight of the evening was the honouring of the pioneers of the IVCF ministry in the Philippines.  There were twelve of them that evening.  Pastor Bel Magalit read the original transcript of his ‘I Have a Dream’ piece.  I felt nostalgic as I pondered that his dream has over the years, become a reality.  Although only a fraction of the Christian doctors, lawyers, accountants, businessmen, politicians, nurses, teachers, pastors, missionaries, etc. that Pastor Bel mentioned in his dream attended the alumni homecoming, I felt assured that the rest are serving God and witnessing for Him in the workplace and in various communities around the world.

The alumni were requested to stand up as the year of their initial involvement with IVCF was called out.  The decades of the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s were well-represented.  The bulk of those who were involved with IVCF in the 21st century were the students.

Balikatan’s very own Ate Lisa Espineli Chinn provided the alumni homecoming message and the challenge to all alumni that it is for their own benefit that they financially support the ministries of IVCF-Philippines.  Her challenge was well-received.  The alumni present that evening responded by donating more than 103,000 pesos.

Ate Lisa’s participation in the alumni homecoming program capped her busy week with the IVCF staff, students, alumni, and the Board of Trustees.  She also visited a non-government organization, Center for Community Transformation, and had speaking engagements at the Institute of Studies in Asian Church and Culture (ISACC) and at the State Varsity Christian Fellowship at the UP Diliman campus.  She ministered to the IVCF Philippines staff and students in her own time.  It is her loving way of giving back to a movement that helped her define the focus of her work these past decades.

I would like to thank everyone in Balikatan who prayed for and financially supported Ate Lisa’s recent trip to the Philippines.  What you have done greatly encouraged the IVCF Philippines leadership and staff, as well as challenged the alumni who were present in the homecoming ceremony that evening, and I believe even those who just knew about your generosity but were not there.

Ate Lisa’s recent ministry work with IVCF Philippines, from my perspective, will increase our openness about doing ministry work with IVCF Philippines on a short-term or long-term basis.  I dream that the Balikatan Board and IVCF-Philippines Board of Trustees would in the near future partner to create a process by which the skills and giftedness of  alumni would be matched with the needs of the IVCF Philippines ministry.  Such process would enable those who are considering ‘giving back’ to or assisting IVCF-Philippines in its ministry to plan their ministry work around their visits to the Philippines.  I am hoping that eventually, such process would be appended to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Balikatan and IVCF-Philippines, which was recently executed.

Speaking of the MOU, it was really a thrill to see how God made it all possible for the MOU to be signed-off on by all the key individuals because they were present at the IVCF Alumni Homecoming ceremony.  For many months since the date was announced , I wished that I would be able to attend the alumni homecoming but I did not know how it could happen given that I was working in Indonesia (on a  temporary assignment) and my home is in Canada.  But God had plans and they were great.  My office in Canada called me for meetings so I planned my trip to the Philippines around my travel to Toronto.  Everything came together the week of the homecoming.  It was also on the week leading to the homecoming when I got an email from Erickson Velardo, National Director, IVCF-Philippines, that the MOU is ready for final review and approval.  (The MOU has been in the works for the last 10 months).  During the alumni homecoming ceremony, the MOU was signed by George Capaque, Chairman, IVCF Board of Trustees and I, as the President, Balikatan.  The signing was witnessed by Erickson, representing IVCF, and Ate Lisa, representing Balikatan.  It was a glorious day.

The MOU formalized the partnership between Balikatan and IVCF Philippines.  It is strategic to the accomplishment of their respective objectives as well as their joint objectives.  Through the MOU, the expectations of Balikatan with respect to obtaining updates from IVCF-Philippines programs, including operational, financial, and staff concerns (e.g., prayer letters) were laid out.  To the Balikatan member and IVCF supporter in North America, this would mean ready access to information through the Balikatan website and email group about IVCF-Philippines, which is extremely important to you as you continue to prayerfully and financially support IVCF Philippines.  Maybe in the near future, you would also consider volunteering your time with IVCF Philippines.

God is good.  To Him be all the glory.

Landy Ancheta
President, Balikatan