In celebration of the month of love, Train a Child Ministry held its annual parents day on February 13, 2011. Thirty-nine couples gathered together on the said event. These parents work as fishermen, laundry woman, day cleaner, carpenter and plain housewives. The ministry made this day special for the couple where they celebrated their love for each other and enjoyed an afternoon not thinking about cleaning the house or attending to their children. The activity started with an inspiring message from Atty. Zigfred Diaz. An invited speaker, Ms. Khalachuchi Caballes, talked about how to become effective parents and emphasized on the importance of a family. The parents shared about their experiences of having the role of a father and a mother and how tough family life was. There were fun games to ease up the afternoon and discussions right after the seminar.
It was a remarkable day for everyone to have shared love with their partners and the rest of the parents. They received tokens and gifts and were definitely enlightened by the seminar.
The Ministry is grateful enough to all those who supported and made the event possible. All things come together for good and your kindness made the parents’ Valentine treat extraordinary.
Posted in 
On December 24, 2010, as early as seven o’clock, kids were already singing Christmas songs right outside the center. Everyone was excited to start the gift giving. They all lined up to get inside and were happy to start the morning with a song of praise. Each child received a pack of spaghetti ingredients. They also got gift items and candies that surely completed their celebration for the Holidays. Seventy-three kids were blessed by people who shared their love and support to Train a Child Ministry. Each one was surprised to receive a twenty peso bill along with lollipops and candy treats. Celebrating Christmas with the children is a joy in our hearts. Seeing them smile kindles us to continue with the Ministry’s advocacy.
The children were delighted to go home and cook the special dish with their respective families. Thank you to SALAMAT Club of TOYO University for the support and all other donors and sponsors that made TCM kid’s Christmas exceptional.
“And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.” Luke 1:14
Changing the image of “Juan” among Filipinos is quite difficult to do. Juan has been known to be a lazy person who sleeps under a guava tree and waits for a fruit to fall down for him to eat. But there are people who have been trying to get this perception changed. A group of young professionals has taken the lead to portray a positive image of Juan.
On December 19, 2010 Juanfoot (www.juanfoot.com) shared their blessings with the children in Train a Child Ministry. The Gift Giving project was headed by Junix Sevil, president of the Organization. The event started with a song of prayer and the kids performed their best dances. Everyone was delighted to see a big box containing gift items. They all received gifts, loot bags and tummies were filled with Jolly spaghettis. The children were happy celebrating Christmas along with students from TOYO University who volunteered to assist the children as well. Train a Child Ministry is grateful enough to have been chosen by Juanfoot as partner in their gift giving program for the Holiday season.
These young professionals not only inspired the children to study harder and aim higher but also, motivated them to carry a new image of Juan. Christmas is making others happy by giving and sharing what you have. They did make the children happy.
It takes “Juan” step at a time to change a child’s life, and Juanfoot has already started it.
We spent an overwhelming afternoon with the children in celebration of Train a Child Ministry’s first year anniversary on August 8, 2010. Seventy kids dressed up neatly and wore their best shoes on that day. It was an event that the kids have been looking forward to celebrate with. They were all delighted to receive a balloon and a loot bag filled with candies and sweet treats. For just an hour and a half, we’ve shared their joy and excitement as they all sat in their colorful dresses.
The activity was supposed to start at 4:00 o’clock but as early as 2:30, the kids already arrived and there’s no stopping! An opening prayer kept them still for a few seconds and right after that, everyone did not stop from talking. Containing their happiness was explicitly impossible to realize since everybody’s eager to start the celebration. After a few words of welcome from Ms. Zenith Diaz, we took a few poses as recollection of this remarkable day. They all stood up in front and wore their best smiles as the camera clicked.
As we looked at them, we just couldn’t stop from thinking as to how these kids have grown spiritually and emotionally. It was only a year ago when we started opening and we never expected that Train a Child Ministry would come this far. What we had was faith, and faith still. We started with twelve kids, became forty in five months, seventy in a year and we’re still growing in number. With God, all things are possible. His steadfast love and unreserved grace gave us more than what we could ask for. It’s amazingly wonderful how God works in each of our lives.
They held tightly their balloons as they ate cupcakes and delicious fruity-flavored ice buko. Seeing their small faces covered with chocolate grime makes me think about how time flies so fast. It has been a year since we’ve sang songs of worship, viewed animated Bible films and memorized Bible verses. Fifty weeks has gone since the children spent bible story sharing. Three hundred sixty-five days has passed since we’ve shared fun moments and formed friendships. A year may seem short, but what we have imparted and taught to these kids will last until they get old.
Little acts of kindness have definitely changed the lives of these kids. Their training at TCM has greatly transformed their personalities in some way and the Ministry’s programs have drawn them closer to God. A year has passed and we look forward to 3, 5, 10 and more years with Train a Child Ministry.
“We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds.” Psalm75:1
With the opening of the Ministry’s E-Library, the center has offered free tutorial classes among TCM kids who needed help with their lesson and school assignments. They were able to access free use of books and computer in the center. Through this program, the ministry supplements the learning gap among children enrolled in public schools.
The Ministry received a book shipment form International Book Project last February 22, 2010. Music, Math, Science and English books was sent to us all the way from the United States of America.
The International Book Project is an international nonprofit whose mission is to promote education and literacy while broadening Americans’ understanding of their neighbors by sending quality used books overseas. Each year IBP sends more than 150,000 books to schools, libraries, churches, nonprofits, and Peace Corps volunteers in over 40 developing countries. Since 1966, the International Book Project has sent more than 5.8 million books abroad (International Book Project).
A wide selection of story and picture books, child craft, dictionaries and encyclopedia are of great use. IBP donated quality and informative books that have supplied the center’s needs.
The children always look forward to every afternoon in the center. They loved reading and answering activity books. “Good books are the warehouses of ideas” as said by H.G. Wells and through the ministry’s endeavor; it has helped broaden a child’s learning competency. Through IBP, the ministry’s E-Library has offered more than just filling in empty book shelves but an environment where a child can comprehend, widen one’s imagination and learn through books.
Thank you to International Book Project for supporting our cause and making it happen. The Ministry has been blessed with people who despite not knowing or seeing each other, has continued to believe in our mission. Another answered prayer and we praise the Lord for that. Our God supplies all your needs according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus Phiilp. 4:19.