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NEWS
POC CHristian Academy
After a month of torrential rain and cancelled classes, the weather has finally eased up. We are now doing our best to make up for the lost classes, and our teachers have been as busy as ever. We are thankful that the school sustained no significant damage from the heavy rains and, most importantly, that all our children are safe.
Although we were unable to celebrate Native Language Month as planned, we are now preparing for our upcoming sports activities. Our students are excited to represent POCCA and compete with other schools in our area. They do not get many opportunities like this, so they are eager to show that they can compete and do well. But beyond all these things, there is something much deeper that has been weighing on my heart.
The Philippines has been facing a growing crisis in our schools, with violence, shootings, and terror threats involving students. The government is now scrambling to find solutions to something we have not seen to this extent before.
There are many factors behind these problems, but I believe we cannot ignore the spiritual root. When a generation is separated from God, they lose the foundation that gives them identity, purpose, truth, and direction. Our young people are surrounded by countless temptations and influences, and many are left without a solid foundation to help them navigate them. Even though the Philippines is known as a Christian country, our education system has increasingly moved away from God. We are raising a generation that is being taught many things, but increasingly fewer things about the God who created them.
This is why I feel such a deep sense of urgency about what we are doing at POCCA.
I think about my son, Cohen, and his generation. As a father, I refuse to simply accept the society being built around them when I can see so clearly where many of these influences are leading. It lights a fire in my heart to pursue the vision God has given us for our new school—a place where we can reach more students and, through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, introduce them to the truth and rescue them from the lies that are fighting for their hearts and minds.
This is why I feel such a deep sense of urgency about what we are doing at POCCA.
I think about my son, Cohen, and his generation. As a father, I refuse to simply accept the society being built around them when I can see so clearly where many of these influences are leading. It lights a fire in my heart to pursue the vision God has given us for our new school—a place where we can reach more students and, through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, introduce them to the truth and rescue them from the lies that are fighting for their hearts and minds.
This is why POCCA exists.
And we are not doing this alone. We step into this mission hand-in-hand with you, our faithful sponsors and partners. Together, we have the privilege of investing in a generation and helping young people not only achieve great things, but know Christ and live for His Kingdom.
The challenges remain very real. We continue to wrestle with wages, bills, and the many expenses required to keep the school operating. But we continue to believe that nothing is impossible with Him.
Thank you for standing with us. Thank you for believing in this mission and for helping us reach these young people. As we look forward to the bigger and greater things God has prepared for POCCA, we pray that you will continue to stand beside us.
May the Lord richly bless you and your families, and may He use all of us together to see a generation transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
- Aaron
DEAR SPONSORS:
These new government requirements will affect our faithful sponsors. In the past some of you have seen our children all the way through school. Of course now it will mean that there will be a greater turn over of children in POCCH. Of course it is only due to your willingness to sponsor a child that we are able to reach out to the children at all. So we do hope that you understand our situation and that you will be willing to sponsor another child if ever your sponsored child is re-integrated with his or her family.
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Be Anxious for Nothing
Here at POCM we have over 70 paid workers, 170 students and around 50 children in our children’s homes and around 50 children in our children’s homes and sometimes we are tempted to worry when we run out of resources, to buy provisions and pay salaries, but Jesus taught us that we must not. God knows what we need and He wants us to trust Him in a childlike manner.
Even in the hour of our greatest need, the POCCH children are not even aware that such need exists. They simply trust that all they need will be supplied. Just the other day, when we did not even know where the children’s next meal would come from, someone showed up from a local hotel establishment with new bedsheets and trays of eggs for the children. What is a time of great testing for us, turned out to be a time of extra blessing for the children that we didn’t even ask for… new bedding!!!
- Chrissy
POC Children’s Homes
This month has been one of the most challenging months we have experienced this year, yet it has also reminded us once again of God’s faithfulness.
At the beginning of the month, we learned that our finances were only enough to cover salaries. By faith, we paid our staff, trusting that God would provide for the many other needs of the Children’s Home. And He did.
A Christian family from Manila invited our children to lunch at McDonald’s. It was a wonderful day filled with food, games, and laughter. Before the meal ended, the father handed us ₱20,000 worth of Puregold (local supermarket) gift cards—an unexpected answer to prayer and a beautiful reminder that God knows exactly what we need. Other donors began sending sacks of rice. But there was still a need for meat and vegetables. The gift cards was all we had, and buying fresh produce at the supermarket is so much more expensive than the public market. I told our cook, “This is all I can give you. Let’s pray that the Lord will multiply what we have.” He replied, “I won’t use these gift cards until 3 p.m. tomorrow. I believe God is going to provide.”
The very next morning, at 11:20 a.m., I received a photo of a dining table filled with fresh fruits, vegetables, and eggs—
provided through another unexpected blessing. God is so good!
We still have bills to pay and many needs before us, but we continue to trust Him for His provision. Will you believe with us?
We are also deeply thankful for your continued prayers for Crystal. Caring for her has been challenging, but our houseparents have faithfully given her the love, patience, and care she needs. She Recently began refusing most of her food, which caused great concern. One of our staff discovered that she enjoys spaghetti from Jollibee (local fast food)! Since then, we have been preparing spaghetti for her with added vegetables; carrots, celery, and bell peppers. While it may not be her ideal diet, we are simply grateful that she is eating again! Please continue to pray for her strength and well-being.
We also praise God for providing free annual medical checkups for our boys. With more than 40 children, the cost of blood tests and X-rays would have been beyond what we could afford. Month after month, we are reminded that even when we cannot see a way forward, God is already at work.
He is our Refuge, our Strong Tower, and our very present Help in times of need.Thank you for standing with us through your prayers, encouragement, and support. Please continue to believe with us that God will faithfully provide for every need of the Children’s Home.
- Monique
prayer requests
“Please continue to pray for Pastor Dondie’s health, he is going through a lot of challenges physically.
Also, pray for God's favour for the next step
towards building the New School”
MORE UPDATES
Earlier this year Dondie was diagnosed with ischemic Cardiomyopathy, Cardiac Arrhythmia and heart Failure with reduced ejection fraction. By God’s grace he is managing well on the prescribed medication as the cost of heart bypass surgery so extremely expensive and Dondie prefers not to consider that.
Dondie went for a routine check up and learned that his prostate was seriously enlarged. The Urologist immediately inserted a catheter in order to protect his kidneys, but recommended he undergo surgery as soon as possible and stopped blood thinners to prepare for surgery.
We had recently had more than 40 days straight of extreme flooding (even my atheist neighbour claimed the floods to be of ‘Biblical proportions!!’). There was serious constructional damage to roads and buildings due to landslides. Even some of our POC facilities have encountered cracks due to the flood damage. The irony however, is that whilst there were such terrible floods it caused damage to water supply pipes, which meant that in our village we had no running water for almost a month. It took me back to the days of the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991, and once again we had to catch the rain water to be able to shower and flush toilets etc. It has certainly not been the best of circumstances for any of us (especially Dondie) to manage personal hygiene. But praise God, we have running water again!!!!!
Aside from facing the thoughts of surgery we also encountered 2 months of massive shortfalls in the income for POCM ministry.
So needless to say it has been a time of great trials for us. But we can honestly say that we count it all joy when we encounter these various trials. Because this means God is at work, and He is testing our faith for something great ahead. Is it easy? Of course not, but God is doing a wonderful work of grace in each of us.
We would value your prayers for Dondie’s surgery and subsequent biopsy which is scheduled for September 29, just a few days before Nathanael and I leave for scheduled ministry in the U.S.
Thank you for your continued support through your prayers, encouragement, and generosity. Your partnership enables us to continue serving the Filipino people and most especially the children. It is our privilege to join with you in serving the Lord.
Thank you all once again for your faithful love and support.
Together Let’s Make a Difference!
Love in Christ God bless,
Chrissy, Dondie & your POCM Family