Street Level Ministries Cebu

At the end of September, we hosted a rooftop movie night at Teofel Hostel and had over a dozen students attend, as well as a few hostel guests. It’s always nice to host fellowship events like this because it gives the students an opportunity to serve and take some ownership within the ministry. Every time we host such an event, the group walks away more unified as a little community.

We meet every Friday for dinner and a bible study at Elicon House, right in the heart of the “university zone.” After we all have our fill of pancit canton, rice, and bananas, we have been digging into the Old Testament and learning about the life of Jacob. We’re following the same series as the SLM branches in the USA and have been encouraging the students in Cebu to stay up-to-date with what’s happening there. Every week, we discuss what sort of events are going on and pray for each group. I think it has inspired the students to dream big, pray big, and discover what God is doing at universities on the other side of the world.

We’re also gearing up for a one-day conference at the end of November. It’s being held at Teofel Hostel and will be free for all university students to attend. We will be going through “The Thinking Series: Asking Life’s Biggest Questions.” We’ve invited churches, sent out mass texts and emails, and hung up posters throughout the city to promote the event.

Shofar Science Creation Curriculum

Laura recently finished teaching lessons at Southern Bethany, so at the beginning of October, she started teaching at the Visayas Wesleyan Christian School. She gets to teach three different age groups every Wednesday morning! Plans are also in the works for teaching at new schools next semester. So far, we have visited 3 new schools around the city to present the curriculum.

A Look Back

It’s hard to believe that October 31 marks two years since we said goodbye to life as we knew it. What a journey it has been… God has been so faithful and patient with us as we’ve adapted. I don’t know how He has time for anyone else! Some of my favorite memories were taking multiple trips across the island to promote Shofar Camp (once each with Orchids, Dyreen, and Yvea); hosting two large missions teams; installing the Street Level Radio stations; and celebrating SLM’s first anniversary in Cebu. It’s always good to stop and remember all that God has done. I think this quote sums up what I’ve learned in the past two years quite nicely: “Perhaps only when human effort had done its best and failed, would God’s power alone be free to work.” – Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place

Prayer Requests

• For students to register for the SLM Conference, the behind-the-scenes prep, and ultimately that it will bear fruit for the Kingdom
• Guidance and wisdom in planning and scheduling schools for next semester’s Science Creation Curriculum
• An office/headquarters for SLM

– Brittany

The Beginning of SLM Cebu

A recent blog post reminded me last year at this point we wondered what God had in store for Street Level Ministries Cebu. In mid-July, we picked up 700 copies of Word on the Street Magazine with specific information about a Street Level Recruitment Meeting on July 27, 2017. We had a distribution plan, enlisted the help of WOTS writers, and filled our backpacks with the magazine. Every day, we set out to distribute at 2 universities (8 total) for one week leading up to the meeting. All along we knew God would bring the students He wanted to our meeting.

Dyreen, Yvea, and Orchids were able to join us for the meeting and help with set up, etc.

Fast forward to the meeting and God (just like we knew He would) brought exactly who He wanted to bring: three students from the University of Visayas. We spent some time getting to know them and talking about the vision of Street Level Ministries Cebu. We started meeting  Thursday evenings at Elicon Café in September of 2017.

Due to student schedules, we moved to Friday evenings, which has allowed us to attend the New Covenant Church Bible Study on Thursdays. It has also allowed Yvea and Orchids to attend SLM on occasion. I am also reminded as we remain faithful in the little things we will be given more. Elicon Café is on the corner of a busy street! Each week we have been faithful in putting out the bifold, posters in the window, sitting in the conference room, and hanging the SLM banner. This has also drawn people in as they see us getting ready or meeting week after week.

Faithful in the Small Things

We have continued to poster the city…stop light poles, street light poles, transformers, and sides of buildings with SLM posters (its one of the neat things about the Philippines you can put a poster pretty much anywhere…..well, mostly anywhere if you read our recent blog post you know what I am talking about 😊.  God continues to use our faithfulness each week to draw new people in. Whenever we put out the the bifold, hang the SLM banner, put up a poster, I am reminded we have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Since Street Level Ministries started one year ago this week, we will have a party to celebrate on July 28th and also recast the vision of SLM and how students can get involved (Word on the Street Magazine, Street Level Radio).

Reaching into Primary and Secondary Schools

God has also paved the way for primary and secondary education ministry using Science Creation Curriculum. Last July, I finished developing the curriculum and emailed prospective schools and organizations. Then, we waited to see where God would have us go first.

Looking back, I am reminded of the contacts we have made throughout the years and the new ones we have made. As I looked at Google Maps and Facebook pages for specific locations I was reminded of how Shofar Missions got connected with a church and school near the Inayawan Landfill while the 2017 team was here. I began searching other familiar church names. That led me to a Wesleyan School and an E-Free School that we will visit.

Living out the Book of Acts

At our “home church” Pastor David has been working his way through the book of Acts. We have gotten to know some of the other missionaries New Covenant Church pretty well. As I read ahead in Acts 13 before the Sunday service, I was reminded of some recent conversations. Most people we talk to wish they had someone else with them, a ministry vision, and focus so the message is timely. People often ask what our focus is and what we do each week. Many people (married or single) have a plate full and continue adding to it instead of focusing on one thing. They find it interesting when we say our focus is to plant a campus ministry.

Please pray for the students that have been attending! Specifically, pray for KC who has attended  New Covenant Church with us a couple times. Please pray for the SLM Party on July 28 as well. Thanks for your prayers…we are excited to catch up with everyone at the SoM Retreat and Church Campout in August!

–Laura