POC CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

As we approach the last quarter of the school year, the government has announced that at long last Covid regulations will permit graduation ceremonies this year, however they have also specified that as of yet they are not allowing the graduation programmes to include recognition and awarding for all other class levels. 

At POCCA, our graduation program for grades 6 and 10, usually includes awards for students from all levels as it is an opportunity to encourage all our students along their school journey and to acknowledge their achievements. We feel that it is more essential now than ever as the past two years of restrictions has been extremely difficult for the children educationally and having no interaction with their peers has also taken it’s toll on them emotionally. Modular learning has been exceptionally hard for the students at every level. They have had to work so much harder, with relatively little hands on help from their teachers than they would have had in face-to-face classes.

So we feel that it is so important for their hard work and effort be acknowledged and  rewarded to boost their morale and

encourage them to keep striving in spite of the struggles. We want to assure them that efforts have been observed and will be

rewarded, but the Department of Education are not yet allowing us to do so. Although approving a graduation program is a step in the right direction, there is still a long way to go.

Please pray with us that the Award’s Day restrictions will be lifted before the end of the school year, and that we will be able to give our students the rewards they really deserve. Although we have not yet started face-to-face classes we have been trying to prepare the school facility so that we will be ready to re-start regular classes as soon as we get the go ahead from the Department of Education. As we didn’t have available funds for the renovations we requested assistance from local politicians and also applied for a grant from a funding agency in Denmark that has helped POC enormously in the past, to enable us to at least replace the ceiling and lighting in the classrooms.

We also had a day of fasting and prayer with all the POCM leaders asking the Lord to provide for the much needed finances. Thanks be to God, on the very day of our fast, we received a very generous donation from a kind supporter in the U.S. who visited our school a number of years ago. Their donation will allow us to restore at least 3 classrooms and purchase 3 much needed computers. God is so amazing!! By His grace we will have the school ready in time for the start of face-to-face classes. We are so grateful to God and to everyone who has assisted us in this project.

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- Aaron Perillo

THE CHILDREN's HOME

This month has been a particularly hard time for us, not only for the Children’s Homes but for all the ministries of POCM as I am sure it has been for everyone else too. Prices have increased so much that it is hard for us to keep up. As hard as we work to increase our income, we are constantly battling with a lowering exchange rate (as our income is largely from abroad) and the ever increasing prices. Thankfully by God’s grace, we have friends and family turn up on the doorstep to help. Some friends of our staff kindly sponsored birthday celebrations, bringing cake and food for the kids party. Members of Simeon’s family donated sacks of rice for the kids too. So in the midst of the trials, it is so encouraging so see God’s provision. Summer is a very hard time here in the Philippines as the extreme heat is sometimes too hard to bare.

In the children’s homes we don’t have enough electric fans to keep all the kids cool. So during their afternoon nap time the kids started to lay their thin mats on the balcony and curled up on them for a rest outside. As the Executive Director of the children’s homes it was heartbreaking for me to see, yet I fully understood why the kids would prefer sleeping outside.

 On a more personal note, my family have been going through a hard time too. It started with my whole family being attacked with some kind of stomach bug resulting in severe vomiting and diarrhea. It was so bad that Simeon ended up going to hospital and my nephew Jaden was confined due to dehydration. Simeon has since been attacked with severe Acid Reflux which has had him at hospital due to shortness of breath (which was quite scary), while I was simultaneously trying to juggle Easter ministry and activities, while also doing wedding music, cakes and grazing stations and other orders for our small catering business, caring for my children and sick husband, all when I was trying to recover from a stomach bug myself.

We would value your prayers as it has been a hard time for us. In light of all that was happening most of our workers and volunteers set a date of prayer and fasting, to pray for the financial situation of POCM, for the war in the Ukraine and the effect it is having worldwide. Jesus said,  “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7

- Monique

MA'AM YOLANDA

You may remember that many of our teachers and church members were working hard on various fund raising projects in order to help Ma’am Yolanda (one of our teachers at POCCA), with her medical expenses for her much needed surgery to remove an ovarian cyst. We are all so grateful to all those who prayed and all who supported the fund raising endeavours. Yolanda has now had the surgery and it was a great success. Though she is still recuperating, she says that she is doing really well. She is so thankful for all the prayers and support. Glory to God.

- Aaron

We would appreciate your prayers for our  situation regarding the purchase of our school, for the daily needs of the children in the Homes and for healing for Simeon from severe Acid Reflux and that when he undergoes tests there will be no ulcers.

It is with great sadness that POCM lost a wonderful friend and faithful supporter; Shirley opened her home and garden every summer to raise funds for POCM. Our prayers are with her husband Eric as he mourns her loss.

It is so hard for me to hear too that Monique and the team at home (Philippines) are having a hard time, being attacked physically and financially. But as our son Nathanael always reminds me…. God always brings us through. God has never failed us yet, and He won’t start now!! Hallelujah! But of course, we will continue to pray for health and wealth to be their portion in my absence.

I have spent my first 5 weeks in the U.K. devoted to my parents,

caring for them and loving on them, making up for the time Covid kept us physically apart. Last week-end I began my itinerant ministry, sharing our next exciting project “Give me this Mountain.” We believe that the Lord will provide for us to buy the POCCA school building in time for deadline given by the Department of Education, who have warned us that we will not be granted a permit to operate the school unless we own the facility (or are in the process of buying) by the next school year (August), whilst also providing the every day needs of the Children’s Homes and ministry. We already have almost £20K given towards the “Mountain”. It is so exciting to see what God is doing.

If you would like me to share in your church or small group I still have dates available. Please contact me at 07341467323 Thank you all for your faithful love and support. It is a privilege to partner with you in the work of God.

Love in Christ God bless,

Chrissy, Dondie &

your POCM Family