The Journey Lives On

In the mountains there are so many kids like this boy, born in poverty, deprived of even the very basics of life. They are so innocent of the world outside and education is something most of them haven’t heard of. In their very young age suffering has became their norm. But norm as it is just like their parents they know something is wrong -something is lacking but just can’t define it. Most of them are clueless of the causes of their life’s miseries, and has succumb to the belief that “one who is born in poverty will remain in poverty, and will soon end in poverty”.

True as it seems to them but we know there’s something better, these kids deserve something better, and we believe education is one of them. But to them education is an elusive dream, a fantasy for the ludicrous. But if someone will only care enough, who will walk the extra mile for these desolate kids of the mountain, then education will be feasible, will be a reality.

There is hope. Yes there is, because someone will respond to God’s call -not many but there will be. Will you be one of them? Today we have a handful of kids who were able to beat the odds and have stepped into the door of opportunity to make the dream come true. They are the few blessed Kalingang Kapatid Program Scholars who started the journey with us from the grass-root level and now in the junior high and even a couple have entered college. For them being a KKP Scholar, as we  use to call them, is  a blessing for their future. But for us who dream and journey with them it is not simply about their future but their tribal communities’ future. In enabling them to catch their own fish we also enable them to feed their fellowmen with fish. Yes, in building their lives  we are also building their communities. Our scholars are the promising youth of the land, our scholars are the heroes of the land.

“ANG KKP SCHOLAR AY BAYANI NG PAMAYANAN”

This school year we are stretching our faith in opening the door to more aspiring kids from the tribes who are applying if not pleading for the opportunity to be part of the KKP Family. We can only do so much, unless others extend our wings by helping us help them. And we thank God because there are some who responded to the call, they are the beautiful hearts who partnered with us. Dear KKP Sponsors, we are forever grateful and we pray that may God return the favor to each and everyone tenfold.

On that day our KKP Scholars will one by one march the isle in their togas and will receive their much sought after diploma. On that day the chains of poverty will end as they begin to walk on the new horizon, on a leveled ground; and will look back to reach out to their own, and will start doing what they have learned best from the beautiful hearts that once reached out to them… their sponsors.

Today we have 18 Iraya Mangyan KKP Scholars from Kalansan, Pinagbayanan and San Pablo. We are currently looking for sponsors for them this SY 2017-18.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR SPONSORS. CAN YOU BE ONE?

 

Below are the breakdown of sponsorship details:

June Expenses (upon enrollment):         Php 3,500.00/child

During opening of classes (month of June) we provide new set of supplies like uniform, bags, shoes, school materials, ID’s and for other requirements from the school. Also,  we provide basic clothings, beddings, hygiene  and personal storage depending on what is lacking and needed in the beginning of the school year. These provision will incur more budget than the succeeding nine months in the school year.

For Monthly Expenses (July to March):         Php 2,500.00/child/month   

• Food @ 20 pesos/meal = 1,800.00/child
• Hygiene Kit = 100.00/child
• School projects = 300.00/child
• Snack money in school = 200.00/child
• Utilities = 100.00/month

“HALINA, SAMAHAN NINYO PO KAMI. TULUNGAN NATIN SA PAG-AARAL ANG MGA BATANG ITO.”

Dear partners… THANK YOU SO MUCH and we will never forget your kindness.

United Drops for the Cause of Christ

The Bible says in Galatians 6:2,

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

This scripture talks about the spirit of “bayanihan” (communal unity). This is the Filipinos’ concept of helping one another in times of need without expecting anything in return. Also, in the Bible Jesus shared the parable of “The Good Samaritan” (Luke 10:25-37) where He explained who is our neighbor whom we need to love as ourselves. Being one of the “drops” we share our own God-given talents and capacities to a greater cause of flooding the lives of our desolate brothers and sisters in the tribes with faith, hope and love. And we believe that on the spirit of unity there will be no desert too dry, nor mountain too tall, nor ocean too wide for us to conquer all for the glory of God and for the benefit of our fellowmen.

We are not blessed for ourselves alone, but we are blessed to be a blessing to others too!

Rivers without outlets will all die, so as with our lives. If we do not know how to share our blessings in life soon we will loose our purpose, and without purpose we will find it hard to find sense in living. We are living rivers and not dead swamps, it means that we are not to live alone but to live to share a life, that we are all blessed to be a blessing to others.

The Iraya Mangyans are one of our 100 upland tribes who have been considered as dry weary lands. They seemed to have been neglected if not forgotten by modern society. They have been suffering in many ways in the longest time and their outcry has been swallowed by the deafness of our vanities. Drops of Faith Christian Missions is bayanihan where we work together, shoulder-to-shoulder helping those in need. Drops of Faith Christian Missions is a true lover of neighbors, Drops of Faith Christian Missionsa is a funnel to every drop for one cause and one calling.

We are small drops that create ripples of positive change. We are small drops pouring out love in action to God’s children. We are Drops of Faith Christian Missions.

The Birth Of An Amazing Journey

by Rev. Ernie Catanghal

Summer 1999, on an ordinary trip to Mindoro, it was the first time and an unsuspecting one. In the town of Paluan on the northern tip of the island nothing seems to amuse, but my attention was lured at the sight of the surrounding mountain ranges where the highest peak rests on Mt. Calavite. Knowing not why I found myself on a foot trail with some guiding locals due to my insistence.

Somewhere on that mountain, on a steep trail that heads to a tribal site called Hinugasasn I found a small hut that seemed to be abandoned. Driven by curiosity I walked towards it and to my biggest surprise there were two helpless children inside -all by themselves. One is a boy who’s about five or six years of age and the other still on the toddler stage, both looked very hungry and very aloof. I never even know their names nor anything about their parents’ or family’s whereabouts but what captured me most where their faces, not because they were filthy but because they took me to memory lane back on year 1996 right there on that San Lazaro Hospital bed, my suppose-to-be “death bed”. Why? Because on that near death experience I know I saw faces whom I do not know about, those faces which I thought were just faces.

And when I saw those two children I knew they were there, in that memory I called “dream”, they were there hiding behind behind those dew drop filled leaves… and I just cannot simply forget.  At that very moment I knew that they were not just memories, not just faces, but visions of things to come -and there flashed before me the doorstep to a new journey that would change the course of my life, my family, and theirs as well.

The rest is history, it was eighteen years now and all I can say is that God you are just amazing! I admit it was a roller coaster ride working with these people they call Iraya Mangyan tribe, and reaching out from one community to the next I can see the hand of God in every detail, every corner.  Well maybe the work is vast and there’s still so much to be done but one thing I know, when I saw those two little faces I am in for a mission and that I will not be alone for God is sending more to journey with me, and together we will be showering these people with His great love and it will make a huge difference.

Six years later, in summer 2005, when the work have established some volunteers from the city and with some local support we decided then to have a name to call ourselves. Taking it from the vision of “dew drops” covering the leaves where the little faces were we came up with the name that became a household name for those Iraya Mangyans… the DROPS OF FAITH CHRISTIAN MISSIONS or DFCM.