STUDENT SUPPORT PROGRAM

INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN MISSION

STUDENT SUPPORT PROGRAM

For many years I have watched young people in the Philippines surrendering to the POVERTY CYCLE, by dropping out of school at an early age to get a job to help support the family. However, good jobs are seldom found without good education, and so they become trapped in the ranks of a poverty society where good intensions for success and wanting to support their family hardly ever meets up with opportunity.

Although public education is available to all Filipino children through high school, many drop out, especially among the poor. The following graph from World Bank tells the story.

The GREEN LINE (Boys in the poorest 40% portion of the population) and the

RED LINE (Girls in the poorest 40% portion of the population) show that only about 20% of the boys and 40% of the girls finish grade 9. Almost all of our members in all our churches are in this poorest 40% of the population.

World Bank studies show that the main reasons for dropout is the inability of the parents to meet the hidden costs of education such as school supplies, uniforms, bags, shoes and school allowance. Many students leave school when their parents can no longer afford to pay for these hidden costs.

This graph was made on the basis of 2003 statistics. Economic conditions among the poor have worsened since then.

Once students drop out of school their chances of escaping the downward spiral of poverty is almost zero. Our heart has been to help as many serious Christian students as possible to stay in school. Over the years we have helped several students every year, but we made a big effort to expand that with the school year that began in June, 2007. In our EXPANDED STUDENT SUPPORT PROGRAM we try to buy high school students initial school supplies, school bag, school uniform, and shoes, as well as provide a small weekly allowance for their daily expenses, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME INVOLVE THEM IN A PROCESS OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND CHURCH INVOLVEMENT. Over the school year, each student is receiving an average of $150 in materials and allowances. during the 2007-2008 SCHOOL YEAR we were able to support 22 STUDENTS (12 in Navotas, 2 in Ragay, 1 in Naga, 3 in Caramoan, and 1 Bible School Student from Caramoan studying in Manila. All of these kids were challenged to work hard in school and improve their academic performance over the year, and every one of them made us proud. I am EVEN MORE EXCITED ABOUT THEIR SPIRITUAL GROWTH. Throughout the year they had weekly prayer time and Bible study together, as well as a training for MISSION OUTREACH for most of the Navotas kids during the last half of the year. 8 of the Navotas kids were part of our BICOL MISSION OUTREACH in May and all of them were TEACHER ASSISTANTS IN OUR 2008 VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL in Navotas. THANK YOU FOR HELPING TO MAKE THE 2007-2008 PILOT PROGRAM A GREAT SUCCESS, ACADEMICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY.

2008-2009 SCHOOL YEAR. Encouraged by the great SUCCESS of the 2007-2008 PILOT PROGRAM, I was motivated to take A STEP OF FAITH and commit myself to an EXPANDED GROUP OF STUDENTS FOR 2008-2009. We have now completed enrollment and have bought initial supplies for EXPANDED GROUP OF 38 STUDENTS (34 High School, 3 College, 1 Bible School -- 25 in Navotas, 2 in Malabon, 2 in Ragay, 2 in San Jose, 2 in Naga, 5 in Caramoan). Classes began on June 10 for all of them. The picture at the left is of the expanded group of 23 High School students from Navotas during our meeting, together with their parents, on June 8. The picture at the right is our Bible School student from Caramoan, while he was teaching in a Leadership Seminar in San Jose. Actually, we have one other Bible School student from Ragay, who is waiting for financial support. It costs us about $2,000 per year for room, board and tuition for each Bible School Student we bring from these places 2 Manila. 2 others are now fourth year High School. All of these kids, high school, college and Bible School are REQUIRED TO BE INVOLVED IN CHURCH MINISTRY AND ON A PATH OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH. PLEASE CONSIDER BEING A PART OF THIS VERY WORTHWHILE INVESTMENT IN THE LIVES OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE.

ADDITIONAL PICTURES OF 2007-2008 AND 2008-2009 STUDENT SUPPORT GROUP. (CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER VIEW)