Youth Explosion – Teenagers on Boracay

Over 100 Boracay teenagers attended the youth retreat at the Jungle Barn on the beach this last weekend.  Many of them gave their lives to Christ to follow Him.  Weekly events and Bible studies are planned to encourage and nurture these young people. 

There were 112 youths who stayed 2 nights and 3 days in the Jungle Barn for the youth retreat.  Many of these youths were from the feeding sites, but because they feel too old, they won’t attend the weekly lessons and meals at the feeding sites anymore.   We had sporting and game activities, and evangelism at night.   Sixty (60) of the youths accepted Christ as their savior.  Others re-committed their lives.

There were 10 boys who were noticed as taking on female mannerisms, like a ‘gay’ appearance, which is a real problem in this country.   As the youths were broken up into groups for counseling with the leaders, these 10 gay boys opened up and shared what was on their hearts.

There is an understanding that these boys have fathers who beat them, are drunkards, and are generally useless men in society.    Because these boys don’t have a male figure, mentor for them, and because they don’t like their fathers, they tend to want to be more like their mothers exemplifying female characteristics.   These boys were challenged to embrace male characteristics.  These boys along with so many others walked forward on one of the nights when the Gospel was shared.

Many youths surrendered their lives to Christ.  They repented for being disobedient and causing trouble with their parents and their school; for hanging out in gangs.

Two of the boys had many earrings lined up on their ears.  When they came forward and surrendered their lives, they pulled off their earrings, denouncing them!  They replaced the earrings with Jesus to be glorified in their lives.  They cried out, “Holy Spirit, help us to become strong in Jesus.

As closure to the weekend retreat, Sunday morning, they were all in church.  The youth had worked out some presentations to share.  They sang and did dances to Christian music; praise songs with choreographed movements.  They now realize that as Christians they can use their gifts; free to use their talents and be accepted.

Now we have more youth events scheduled and also a weekly bible study and youth group activities.

There were also 11 Ati youth who were invited from across the chanel on Panay Island.  It was a wonderful new experience for them to mix with the other Filipinos.  Praise God, they all accepted Jesus as their savior.

Now, On the Rock Ministry Staff has a big job ahead for followup with these young people.  Please pray with us as God works here on Boracay.

Radio Drama in the Village

How often do you turn on the TV when you are bored?  With the flip of a switch, we can be instantly amused or engaged in one of many televised programs.  Media has advanced a long ways since the original dramatized airwaves that first came from a radio, when one could listen to vocalized mysteries. Those kinds of radio dramas are perhaps even obsolete in the United States, but for many who cannot own a TV in the Philippines, radio dramas are still broadcasted for interested followers. 

On the crowded island of Boracay there are a lot of people who do not have a television or even a radio.  Nevertheless, there are villages of people who huddle around a community radio in a neighborhood of homes and intently listen to the Filipino dramas that are regularly aired from Kalibo, a large city about 60 kilometers away on the next island over.   Even in this day of advanced media technology, they are enamored over the radio’s simple dramas broadcasted in their Tagalog language.

“Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” Romans 10:17

 What if we could replace the radio drama broadcasts with something better?  Enter The Proclaimer!   With the cultural and literacy challenges that are presented on Boracay, many villagers’ lives are being changed because of the Proclaimer.  The Proclaimer, an audio digital player, is so effective because it transmits the Word of God in an unusual manner that touches the hearts and minds of the Filipino.  Because of the simple island lifestyle, this device is reaching the aged, the blind and the illiterate.  Even the children listen intently to the animated voices which portray the characters from the Bible.   Moreover, with electrical insufficiency, this device is self generating with a wind-up mechanism and a solar panel to continually recharge the battery.  Wind it up by hand or set it in the sun and you have instant listening!

Catching Their Attention

With a quality digital speaker, The Proclaimer is powerful and far reaching.  When one of our staff turns it on at a Bible study site, there are those living nearby who do not regularly attend the group study; but upon hearing the intriguing animated voices, they are suddenly becoming interested!  With its strong compelling transmittal, The Proclaimer reaches well into surrounding homes, and they are unexpectedly captivated, by God’s Word.

We are finding that The Proclaimer can and is taking the place of the radio.  This effective tool for evangelism is not only being used in the community Bible studies and house churches, we are setting it at the building site, where the construction of the Ministry Center is taking place.  As they work, the construction workers are happily listening to God’s word. 

May God’s Word continue to be absorbed into minds and hearts.  We praise God for the gift of the Proclaimer.  

“The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit…” Heb.4:12