Philippines

In February 2010, Ron Tempest visited the Philippines.  The aim of the trip was to solidify links with a local pastor called Vic Virtudazo. Then in April 2011, Ron Tempest  returned to Bislig with Christians Alive member Jonathan Churchward.

Pastor Vic is based on the south island of Mindanao, in a coastal city called Bislig.  The city has 94,000 inhabitants of voting age.  The quickest way to reach the city from Davao, is via a 4 hour drive along rough logging tracks from Mindanao’s main city, Davao.  The area of Bislig City is extremely poor, with rural subsistence farming.  City work has become much harder to find since a large paper firm left after exhausting wood supplies.  Drug and alcohol abuse is a growing issue along with poor family planning, which has developed real poverty.

The ministry Pastor Vic has pioneered works amongst city and rural tribal people groups, and currently has around 700 people within its network.  He and his wife Gloria also run an orphanage and a bible school, which are closely linked.  Some of the orphans have gone on to pastor local groups within Pastor Vic’s network.

We are partnering with Pastor Vic and the church in Bislig by completing the building of the orphanage and other church structures, providing food and also helping them in various aspects of foundational teaching. Pastor Vic and his wife have also visited us here.  Ron Tempest and Jonathan Churchward will be making a third visit to the Philippines along with Alan Scotland and Barry Fitzpatrick (Lifelink International)in 2012 in order to further encourage and equip the pastors.