Category: Shofar Mission Cebu

Our mission to the Philippines

Philippines Mission Update

May 25, 2022 Shofar Missions Cebu

Read about what’s been going on at Shofar Mission in the Philippines.

Street Level Ministries

For the past five weeks, Street Level Ministries has been meeting simultaneously in two different locations on Friday nights. We have been watching short biblical teachings ranging in topics by various pastors, then coming together for dinner and a discussion. There has been a steady group of students attending in Toledo City, with fewer students in Cebu City. Britt joined the Toledo group twice so far and plans to attend once a month. Both cities have been blanketed with posters and banners. Some upper classmen are in Cebu City for limited face-to-face classes, so Britt has been hitting the streets to distribute fliers and WOTS.

We recently hosted a remote radio broadcast at Roadside Café and gave away free coffee to students. The merging of stations with the USA has been a move in the right direction. Jael has been learning production from Pete and gaining experience going live at remote broadcasts. Recently, Althea, a new member in Toledo, has stepped up to volunteer for Street Level Radio. We’re also on the verge of installing the station at two local business who would like to be sponsors. One of them is near our office, and the other is across the street from a local college.

The WOTS volunteers have been meeting weekly, finalizing drafts for Issue 90, and practicing writing. We distribute at many businesses throughout Cebu City, which allows us to reach a variety of people. The owners of one of the businesses that wants to sponsor the radio station got a copy of WOTS before the station was pitched to them. Because of that, they were familiar with Street Level, which made them even more open to sponsoring the station.

Summer starts at a different time for each university, so we’re continuing on with our weekly dinners and discussions. Everyone is hoping that next school year will bring students back to universities for face-to-face classes.

Exploring Creation Science

Since returning to Cebu, Exploring Creation Science lessons have been in-person with a school staff teaching digitally to the students. During lessons, Laura has been teaching the topic and learning objectives that are to be covered in that day’s lesson…so she is the science teacher for that class period. This means she preps or adapts a previous lesson to fit the grade level and learning objectives. Many schools in Cebu City remain online, however, school staff have all been able to report since April 1 (previously the government limited the number of employees allowed on-site).

Banawa Nazarene School was approved by the Department of Education for limited face-to-face classes during summer school (they are hoping for school year approval, but that is another application). The School Administrator offered Laura a weekly two-hour schedule and has begun advertising summer Exploring Creation Science Lessons. Both Inayawan Nazarene and Southern Bethany plan to offer summer classes and have extended invitations for us to join. Classes at Southern Bethany have a few weeks left to go, otherwise, everyone else is switching gears and getting ready for summer school! We are in communication with a couple of local shelters for children that also have schools. One has requested lesson information and topics, and the other one we will meet with this week. One school we proposed lessons to last January in Toledo recently received approval for limited face-to-face classes this August. We will be visiting them at the end of this month, as well as connecting with the pastor from the Universal Church of Christ Church & School.

We will be sharing this video more as we start teaching more lessons face-to-face!

Local Churches

A few weeks ago, we joined a Sunday morning gathering of all the Nazarene churches in our region. They were celebrating their 75^th anniversary as a denomination in the Philippines. We stayed for lunch and fellowship with church/school staff from both the Nazarene locations we work closely with. Laura taught Sunday school at the Banawa Church of the Nazarene (teaching some of the students she has in class), and this past Sunday we worshiped with Capstone Generation church. They are sending a team of 60 people on a mission trip to another island (Leyte) this week. Please be in prayer for them!

Prayer Requests

Growth in biblical understanding and discipleship among the Street Level students
Continued guidance with the potential Street Level Radio sponsors and smooth installation
Pray for all the local churches and schools we work with. Specifically, a prayer of thanks for those schools approved for face-to-face summer school classes!
Pray for team preparations, especially for our upcoming trip to attend the Toledo Ministerial Fellowship Meeting. Pray that God would stretch time that day when we present August missions team events and talk to the pastor of the Universal Church of Christ School.
Pray for the meeting with school staff at St. Bernard School in Toledo the same day we are there. We plan to discuss teaching in-person lessons since they are approved for face-to-face classes.

Shofar Mission Cebu Update

April 25, 2022 Shofar Missions Cebu

Keep reading to learn what we have been up to in the Philippines and the USA over the past month.

While we were in the USA, we got to spend time with Annemieke, a missionary from the Netherlands, while she was on her speaking tour among the three Street Level Ministries locations. Before she spoke at UW-Stout, we handed out fliers with her on campus. As missionaries in service to the King, we face many of the same challenges. We also joined the Street Level House for dinner, a night with food and fellowship as we planned for the next chapter of ministry, and a Sunday night in a quiet backyard with grilled food, friends, and a fire on our last Sunday night in the USA for a while.

THE MINISTRY CONTINUES

We arrived a few days before Easter, so we grilled out with our neighbors on Saturday and had pancakes with a couple of students after church on Sunday. As many employers continue to work from home and schedule online meetings, Dyreen doesn’t come into Cebu City very often. When she does, we always try to meet – even if it is for a short amount of time – since she has been a great friend since we moved here.

We have been teaching Sunday School each month at the Inayawan Church of the Nazarene for the past few months. On Easter Sunday, we had an opportunity to teach there again. This is a church and school that Shofar has been ministering with since 2017. We know the staff and pastors there, along with several students that attend the church. Some of the students Laura teaches in school are part of the kids & youth group. Brittany handed out copies of Word on the Street Magazine to the youth after their discussion. Two of the youth contributed to the article about Typhoon Odette, so they were all excited to get a copy.

Since we returned to Cebu, we have spent a lot of time catching up with people and planning for the next few months. Laura has visited with staff and taught Exploring Creation Science lessons for students at Banawa Nazarene and Southern Bethany Christian School. Though classes remain digital with very few exceptions for in person learning, schools are seeking as much face-to-face interaction as possible. Students living near each other are finding ways to join activities in groups when the opportunity allows, and teachers are joining together at schools or coffee shops.

STREET LEVEL MINISTRIES

Last Friday marked the beginning of a whole new format of SLM meetings. Not only have we resumed free dinners, but we have also changed the weekly meetings to be heavily discussion based. A day or two before students attend, they can watch a short Bible teaching on our Facebook page. On Friday night, they can come together to discuss what they learned. Meetings happen simultaneously in Toledo City and Cebu City, with a different student facilitating the discussion each week. It’s an exciting change, which we hope and pray will bear much fruit for the Kingdom. To get the word out, posters have been hung all around Cebu City, and on Wednesday, Jael and Britt will host a live radio broadcast downtown. There are many college-age individuals roaming around and some third and fourth years attending limited face-to-face classes… now it’s a matter of being in the right place at the right time, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, in order to meet them.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

Please pray for all the churches/schools that we work with – specifically the health of Pastor Allan at Inayawan Church of the Nazarene and Jim Young.
Pray for new ministry opportunities as Laura seeks to spend more time ministering with the Nazarene School.
Pray for all those we were able to minister to at the Universal Church of Christ in Toledo. In February, Laura taught a science lesson during kids church and Britt gave WOTS to the youth.
Pray for the upcoming Street Level Radio broadcast and posters – that students would know about SLM and desire to get connected.
Pray for the discipleship of the SLM students – that they’d grow in love for Jesus, holiness, and discernment about the decisions they’re making.

Shofar Mission Update

March 25, 2022 Shofar Missions Cebu

Greetings from the USA! Find out what we have been up to in the Philippines… and America!

Since our last post, it has been a mad dash to the finish line before departing the Philippines for the first time since 2019. We welcomed Pastor Tim and Sharon in Cebu, then a few days later, passed the baton and hopped on an airplane (ok, a few airplanes) to the USA. We were thankful to spend some time with Dodson’s before we left. They filled us in on many of the changes we’d face upon our reentry, and we caught them up on some of the changes in Cebu.

Travel went better than expected. We were prepared for the worst, but God helped us navigate the airports and all the COVID-related travel requirements. Last Friday night, we joined the Kindred and One Life groups for a junk food buffet and game night at the Blind Munchies. It was a great opportunity to catch up with people and participate in some friendly competition. We also joined Saturday morning’s Coffee Talk in the coffeehouse, which is something we’ve both heard much about and are thankful we got to be a part of one.

Laura has been volunteering in the coffeehouse and taught a science lesson to the homeschool group. Brittany will be joining Street Level for a couple meetings and playing piano during worship. We’re excited to spend time with Believers Church Duluth this weekend, then Campus Church in River Falls in April. Thanks for welcoming us back with open arms… there’s nothing that can compare to fellowship with the body of Christ. Whoever said absence makes the heart grow fonder has obviously never been separated from the family of believers in a local church…

Philippines Ministry Continues

The work of the Kingdom never takes a hiatus… thanks to technology, Laura has been able to schedule pre-recorded lessons that premiere online during regular class times for students in Cebu. She has also been in communication with the staff of the schools she works with. Britt has been keeping in touch with the Street Level students and joined last week’s meeting via Google Meet. Tim and Sharon have been continuing the ministry, rebuilding relationships with churches, and forming new contacts. God is good. We’re thankful that we get to continue to be a part of the action – even from the other side of the world.

Please be in prayer for Dodsons as they seek to finish strong on their trip. Please also pray for the ministry that is continuing there while we are away. Just goes to show God doesn’t need us… but we are the richer for being used by Him.

Let the Games Begin

February 24, 2022 Shofar Missions Cebu

Read what is happening with Shofar Mission in Cebu City.

One Saturday morning in late January, we woke up to emails letting us know the Philippines was planning to open to Foreign Tourists on February 11, 2022. March 13, 2022, will mark two full years since our last “normal” Street Level meeting, did an outreach on a university campus, or taught a science lesson in a classroom. Currently, universities and schools are like ghost towns with many staff still working from home due to requirements of social distancing, plastic barriers, etc. that remain in effect. Check out some photos from the heat of COVID and what ministry was like before:

The Best of Times and the Worst of Times

The last two and a half years have taught us a lot. It has been said that the Philippines has had the hardest, strictest, and longest COVID lockdowns. There were many times that left us trusting God – for example, when the city announced all Quarantine Passes were invalid. They issued new ones, but the idea was to issue less of them. These were required to leave our house to access goods and services. December 16, 2021, and the weeks after were another big test as Super Typhoon Odette approached our island. As Cebu City was raised to Alert 4, we prepared to move to the innermost room of our house with what we needed to be safe. The typhoon left severe damage, including no water or electricity for weeks (months for some people).

Street Level Ministries

During these times, we have continued to see the hand of God at work. Even though all classes remain online and students need a valid reason to visit campus. We have met several students recently through Facebook promotions that have been interested in SLM. We got to play Dutch Blitz and eat pizza with a couple of them last Sunday. In January, Street Level Ministries started meeting every fourth Friday of the month in Toledo City. We have also been hosting Street Level Radio live broadcasts weekly, and recently added a couple of songs written and produced by Capstone Generation Church to the station. Our latest edition of Word On the Street Magazine has been released digitally, with print copies coming next week.

Exploring Creation Science

All of the schools in this ministry are connected to one or more local church. This has allowed for some face-to-face interaction with students. We have been able to teach Sunday School for both the children and youth at the Inayawan Church of the Nazarene. We continue providing Explore Booklets, a USB with the lesson videos, and will teach a science lesson during kids’ church at the Universal Church of Christ Church & School in Toledo. These face-to-face opportunities have given us a chance to hand out fliers promoting the online Exploring Creation Science lessons. We have also continued to provide online lessons and Explore Booklets for students. Lessons online continue with the Nazarene school in Banawa.

Prayer Requests:

Please pray for all of the students and staff we have been able to meet and minister to – that their love for Jesus would grow and that they’d be bold witnesses in their communities.
Pray for the local churches we have recently been able to connect with more, including: Inayawan Church of the Nazarene, Capstone Generation Church, Universal Church of Christ in Toledo, and the Toledo Alliance Church.
Pray for preparations as we get ready for Pastor Tim and Sharon to arrive, and us to depart for a short visit to the USA.

The Aftermath of Super Typhoon Odette

January 25, 2022 Shofar Missions Cebu

Read more about what God is doing in Cebu, Philippines.

More than a month has passed since Super Typhoon Odette struck Cebu, yet many people are still without electricity, water, internet, and rebuilding supplies. Life has returned to a sense of normalcy as people have adapted to the changes brought on by the storm. The staff of Word on the Street Magazine Philippines collected stories from young people living throughout Cebu about their experiences during Typhoon Odette. Read this early release from Issue 89 here.

Street Level Ministries

Between Typhoon Odette and a resurgence of COVID cases in Cebu, face-to-face classes have been delayed yet again. The Street Level students are spread throughout the island with intermittent data connections, so attendance at Friday night meetings has been hit-or-miss. We are aligning with some universities to restart the semester in February. Hopefully, by then, more students will have electricity and data signal. Starting January 28, we will be meeting on the last Friday of the month in Toledo City. We’re holding a recruitment meeting at Jalz Milk Tea, which is close to campus. Restrictions are less strict in the province, so we are going to heavily pursue the west side of the island this semester. We will continue to run ads on Facebook and are planning to release an app to help keep students connected, since so many are spread out throughout the island(s).

Exploring Creation Science

Classes for elementary and high school students will continue online this semester. Some schools have directed their students to download lessons and materials for offline use. Many students (and now parents due to the recent Cebu City Executive Order) have to find an internet connection to download and upload what they need, then return home where there is no electricity and/or signal. A few lessons will be adapted to be taught at local churches throughout the island for their kid’s church on Sundays. Also starting this semester, the “best of” Exploring Creation Science lessons will be produced to air on Shofar TV. We are looking forward to presenting this ministry to more schools on the west side of the island especially as our trips over there increase and restrictions are less strict. We had an opportunity to visit with a local pastor while we were in Toledo last week and leave him a USB with science lessons the teachers at the church’s school can copy and share with their students.

Building Up Local Churches

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been able to reconnect with local churches, assess their needs, pray with pastors, and donate relief packs to be distributed to local families. Three different churches have invited us to teach their kid’s church and youth groups. As a para church organization, our hearts are for the local churches to grow and thrive in their respective communities. The typhoon brought so much destruction, yet we see them continuing to stay hopeful and reach out to their neighbors. They may get knocked down, but they don’t get knocked out. Please pray for the Holy Spirit to comfort and encourage them, for the gospel to be their motivating factor, and that the local churches could lead people to Jesus.

Unidentified Flying Objects

December 25, 2021 Shofar Missions Cebu

See what is happening with Shofar Mission Cebu.

On December 16, a storm signal 4 was raised in Cebu City. Some staff and students we know in Cebu Island were evacuated as much of the city lost electric around 4pm. The storm hit Cebu City between 9pm-10pm with very strong winds picking up shacks (small houses usually with tin roofs) sending the roofing tin flying through the air. Doors and windows couldn’t keep the rain out and the wind shredded leaves and tore through the trees.

Street Level Ministries

Earlier this month, we got into the community to do a live radio broadcast with Street Level Radio. This gave us an opportunity to meet a few new students. We also started distributing Word on the Street Magazine at two local cafes. We planned to host a Murder Mystery Christmas Party, but the storm cancelled it. Maybe it could be a New Year’s Party… we’re done with weekly Bible discussions for the semester and look forward to restarting in January. Hopefully, we’ll get to have more students join us in the office for phygital discussions.

Exploring Creation Science

Earlier this month we had several opportunities to reach out to local churches and schools that we work with in Metro Cebu. We were able to bless the staff with a fruit basket and card for the holiday season. Since they were set to hand out items for next semester before break we also left new Explore Booklets and certificates.

Whether teachers were ready or not the semester ended early. Due to the storm, it was clear there would be no classes on December 16, 2021. Exploring Creation Science lessons ended for the holiday break with a couple of schools offering an opportunity to host a review with the students. Instead of playing a review game students received the review information via messenger. Some students will start the year joining from a temporary home due to the typhoon. When classes continue in January there are several different ideas of how to continue amid the typhoon clean up.

Please continue to pray for the Philippines specifically those affected by the typhoon!