Southern Philippines Methodist Colleges, Scholarships and Meals

Country: Philippines

Advance #14035B DONATE NOW

Project Information

Providing scholarship and meal assistance for 30 needy students coming from Davao Episcopal Area

Describe the need affecting community

The Methodist church is the oldest Protestant church in the Philippines. There are already many top community leaders in the country who are UMC members like the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, a Justice in the Court of Appeals, Commissioner of the Civil Service. However, there are still local churches of the UMC that are not capable of supporting its own ministry. In fact there are even local churches without full time church workers. We have what we call “circuit churches”, where a pastor handles 2-3 small churches. This affect the efficiency of the church workers and the growth of the church. This is because for so many years, Methodist seminaries are located in Luzon where not all local pastors have the easy access to study. Thus, there are still pastors who are already old in terms, in age, and years of service, but they cannot be ordained or promoted because of lack of Theological Education. The same is true among deaconesses. For so many years the only college offering Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and Bachelor of Christian Education is in Luzon. The churches in Mindanao lack deaconesses and home missioners. Furthermore, there are still many young people in the rural areas especially among indigenous peoples, who are very willing to pursue a higher education, but cannot due to poverty and limited access to education. They will just end up staying in their communities, marrying at a young age, and producing many children.

How will this Advance project help to address the need?

In some villages in the Philippines, water pumps are the main source of potable water. One water pump supplies water to around 50 families where they get their water for drinking, laundry, animals’ needs and watering of plants. Dry season, to produce unlimited supply of a small amount of water should be poured to the pump first. This is the concept of granting scholarship to 30 students from Annual Conferences of the Davao Episcopal Area. Once they graduate, they easily find jobs, help their families, the church and community. They can help their own family members especially their younger siblings in sending to school. They become inspiration to their clans because most of them were the first to have college degree from their community. The scholarship helped them a lot in the realizing their dreams. The scholarship served as their bridge where they came from, to being at their best. The scholarship helped them to have access, which resulted in better a quality of life. They were blessed, and they become blessings.

Describe the primary goal of the project

To help people, mostly the youth to finish their college degree to be better equipped in the work God has entrusted to them. Through Scholarship and meal assistance, they can finish their college degree. Once they are already trained and with the college diploma, they can easily be employed. They can help others who once like them also needed help. They can better work in the church, and inspire others to help in the ministry.

Describe the change you would like to see in the community as a result of this Advance project

A more empowered community. With the presence and the ministry of our graduates, we can expect a better community where the reign of God is experienced.

Contact Information

Global Ministries Contact

Ms. Framer Cristy P. Mella

fcpmella@yahoo.com

063-064-278-4276

Asia Pacific Philippines