This year marks the beginning of our South East Asia Internship Program. Similar to our organization's initiatives both in each of our other regions, the internship is designed to offer in-depth biblical education, hands-on training in skills related to service, and practical experience in ministry in the Philippines. Interns are provided with specialized biblical studies classes, a one-on-one mentor, and a weekly schedule that ensures their exposure to the various ministerial tasks that take place at Tahanan and the surrounding areas of Palo and Tacloban. We offered our inaugural internship to three young college graduates, M.C. Cananes, Jairus Tumamak, and Sherelyn Campo, all of whom accepted.
While at Tahanan this month, Jason Carpenter and Chris Cameron held a series of orientation seminars for the interns with topics ranging from the international scope of G.O.D. Int’l to the specific job description for each intern.
This Spring, Jason Carpenter and I were sent to the Philippines to host a series of orientation seminars and training sessions for our new South East Asia Interns. In our first session we did an overview of G.O.D. Int’l’s history and current work in the 5 regions. In subsequent sessions Jason and I spent individual time with Jairus and M.C. helping orient them in the various skills related to their internships.
M.C. will be serving as our Worship and Audio/Visual Intern. He has been leading worship at our Tahanan events for the past year and while I was there I helped him better the task biblically while giving him some practical training. Further, I was able to help introduce M.C. to some news skills in Audio and Video recording and editing. Having provided him with the necessary tools, M.C. will continue learning and honing his skills in media production over the course of this year. I will continue serving as his mentor throughout the process.
Food Production Intern, Jairus Tumamak, works with Rina Miller to weed the raised garden beds at Tahanan. There are currently 400 sq ft of garden beds at Tahanan producing a variety of table vegetables including peppers, green beans, leafy greens, okra, garlic, ginger and more.
Social Work Intern, Sherelyn Campo (left), and MC lead the Pawing High School weekly girls choir rehearsal.
Jairus is serving as our Food Production Intern. He has been assisting with our agricultural efforts in the garden at Tahanan and as he continues to develop skills he will be given more responsibility with overseeing the agricultural program. Jason spent individualized time with Jairus, helping construct compost bins, transplant seedlings, and plan out various crops for the garden beds. Jason will continue to serve as Jairus’s mentor throughout this year.
Sherelyn is our Social Work Intern and her mentor is Leafa Vagatai, who will be traveling to the Philippines next month to continue working with Sherelyn. I got to witness Sherelyn’s work firsthand with our ministry at the Tacloban City Jail. She worked under Rina Miller to facilitate a time of fellowship, Bible study, and prayer for the inmates, many of whom experience daily turmoil associated with awaiting their trials. This year Sherelyn will continue to help with our ministry at the jail as well as our various Tahanan events and outreaches that take place each week.
I am so thankful to the Lord and the way he is adding people to our ministry in the Philippines day by day; the harvest is truly plentiful! We met all three of these interns when they were in high school and to see the way they have been faithful to God and he to them over the course of these years is exciting and encouraging.
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