Myles on a Mission
Here’s the latest update from Reuben and Leah Myles serving in the Philippines.
Our Semi-Post COVID Life
Our first quarter of the school year is nearly done, and wow, was it loaded! Covid is still very prominent here, and the culture is hesitant to take steps away from it. The first big breakthrough was an announcement a few weeks ago that masks are no longer required outside! We imagine your jaw might be dropping at that one, especially if you're from the US. This is a huge step for the Philippines!
Faith Academy is back to running all in person classes, alongside a plethora of after school activities. We're currently understaffed, so many programs are running a little tighter. This includes new and reinvented efforts we're making in different divisions. Reuben is running FLIGHT, which is a middle school small group program with about 71 kids at the moment. He is also preaching weekly in the middle school chapel, and teaching grade 6 bible every day. I (Leah) have implemented a few new programs for intentional discipleship on campus, to create future disciplers off campus.
One of these programs is GROW: a VBS-style event once a quarter for our elementary kids. Our theme this year is ON THE CASE, where every kid is a detective pulling apart parables looking for God's truth. This was a huge success, with a whopping 109 kids total between a local orphanage and our students. Let's just say the kindergarteners weren't the only ones ready to have a meltdown that day! haha All jokes aside, it was widely successful, and we look forward to the next one.
We've begun bi-monthly outreach days, where high school and middle schoolers can hop in a van in the afternoon and head to a ministry site. We're partnering with a local school that takes squatter and impoverished children on for a fee of 1,000pesos (25$) a year. For a comparison, most schools would barely cover the uniforms for that much. So far, we've joined them in handing out food packs to the community, and running a bible time with their 3rd + 4th graders.
We wanted to make sure you all realize how lucky we are to have you in our corner. We recognize the difficulties in support raising and maintaining connection with your home country while on the field. We haven't felt this stressor at all this semester, and have actually come in over supported two months this year. Our over-supported times came when we had a financial need we didn't publicly advertise as well! Thanks again for all your prayers and encouragement.
