Around the Region

SUMMER YOUTH CAMPS

SMO Youth Camps were held in the cities of Legazpi and Gen. Santos on May 27-30, 2009. Legazpi Coordinator, Pastor Pedro Gil “Bats” Batalla said the camp drew several youth attendees to Christ. Some of the youths from Naga (under Pastor Ed Santonia and Art Nealega) also joined the camp.

Joan, one of the campers, said that the camp brought her to a deep commitment to God and His Word. Another camper, Bianca, said that the games, aside from being fun, taught her group the importance of being united in fulfilling certain tasks, but more importantly, the camp strengthened her faith in God.

Another camp was also held in Gen. Santos City in Mindanao. This was organized by SMO missionaries Pastor Ener Gamolo, Rev. Samuel Salomon, and Pastor Noel Talisay. SMO-BTI Dean of Academics, Pastor Elmer Genol preached during the camp and held special meetings with the missionaries.

BAPTISM

Lifespring Fundamental Baptist Church in Bacolod City baptized six young people who are involved in SMO Bacolod. They were: Brylle Flores, Raumbert Emil Dula, Alvin Creg Sabino, Generiza Rapas, Llanie Bantad, and Monica Jill Salvador. They were baptized on April 4, 2009.

Alvin, one of the baptized young people, is making himself useful in the church being involved in music ministry and visitations. He is also active in inviting his classmates to SMO for Bible study.

SMO has played an active part in channeling students to local churches of like-minded faith, knowing that new believers grow healthy in a church setting. Lifespring is one of the many churches  in the Philippines that have benefitted in the campus work of SMO. At present, SMO’ers play key leadership roles in this church.

SPECIAL DONATIONS

SMO is thankful and grateful for the special donations sent by friends and other Christian ministries for the advancement of the Gospel in the Philippines. SMO acknowledges the following: Christian Aid Mission donating Bibles for the Mindanao ministry, Trinitarian Bible Society for sending two boxes of Bibles also for Mindanao, Christian Resources International for four boxes of Bibles, Christian devotionals, and theological books for the Bible Training Institute, Maranatha Christian College for the thousands of tracts, Desiring God International Ministries for several preaching DVD’s and MP3 CD’s for the Library, and SMO alumni and friends for sending a love gift for purchase of 36 Bibles for the Bacolod ministry.

CRI (USA) sends books to the library

John Piper's Desiring God Ministries sends DVD's to SMO

Bibles provided in Gen. Santos City, Mindanao

SMO Bacolod receives Bibles from Dubai friends

SMO Celebrates 31st Anniversary

Rev. Dr. Quek Swee Hwa flew in from Singapore to be one of the guest speakers of SMO’s 31st Anniversary held last August 17, 2008. Close to 370 students, pastors, and alumni filled the grounds of the SMO Youth Center in Bacolod City and listened to Dr. Quek speak on the importance of being together in the proclamation of the gospel. This year’s theme is “Together for the Gospel”. Prior to his message, some alumni and church leaders shared their partnership with SMO in their personal lives and the church life as a whole. Pastors present were duly acknowledged and given tokens of appreciation. Dr. Quek and his church has been a ministry partner of SMO for nearly ten years now.

The other speaker was Pastor Brian Golez Najapfour, a young Masters in Theology student. During the anniversary, he preached the Gospel message after students of SMO Bible Training Institute (BTI) presented a pantomime with a gospel theme.

Song numbers were given by the Afterglow, young people of Faith Baptist Church, alumni Ephraim Sabordo, and Ivah Mae de los Reyes with her sisters. SMO members and the alumni came up front to be together in singing the final song that day titled “We shall Stand”.

Ten schools and eight churches were represented during the event.

The following day, August 18, a special one day equipping event was held at the youth center. Dr. Quek, principal of Singapore-based Biblical Graduate School of Theology and a licensed tour guide and lecturer in the Bible lands, lectured on Biblical Archaeology. While Pastor Najapfour, who is finishing his Masters in Theology at the Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, gave a lecture on Bible Versions and Dynamic Equivalence. Sixty pastors, Bible students, youth leaders, and lay people participated in the event which was held at the youth center.

Visit this link for more Anniversary Photos.

Anniversary Month Round-Up

It was a whirlwind week for SMO, but it was also a great way to celebrate 30 amazing years of God’s faithfulness! Praise be the Lord for the following…

It’s the first time we celebrated our anniversary with OUR MISSIONARIES from different parts of the country gracing the events. Missionaries from as far north in the Mountain Province (who traveled by land and sea for almost 16 hours) and from as far south in Gen. Santos City, South Cotabato and another missionary coming from the far east of Busuangga Island in Palawan. It’s great to be of service to them and to know first-hand what they have been doing lately in their mission fields. The missionaries were given a simple yet memorable tribute during the Alumni Night last August 23.

Talking about the ALUMNI NIGHT, there were thunderstorms everywhere but God spared that particular spot at SMO that night for 170 SMO’ers to have a fun night dinner and fellowship. There were serious and not-so-serious awards given to the alumni and former workers present (the likes of Bro. Cecil Caceres and Pastor Fred Jagorin). It was also nice to see young and old generation of SMO’ers mingle together with our missionaries. Pastor Carlos Novisteros (who has been our frequent speaker flying all the way from Manila) nailed the message right to all of us as he challenged the alumni to “keep the fire burning”. Pastor Carlos has a unique way of delivering his straightforward message without making anyone uneasy because he speaks from experience and from the heart. Pastor Carlos is like a “father” to us. Another interesting highlight that night was the video greetings sent to us by SMO’ers abroad. Thanks to the internet broadband, we were able to view the greetings sent by Ligaya Flores, Grace Alcansare, the families of Lemuelle Adraneda and Julius Lambatin (all in Dubai), and Pastor John Todor and Mythl Grace delos Reyes-Todor’s greetings from Arizona (complete with the Grand Canyon as background)! We do hope next time we will be receiving more greetings from Korea, US, Canada, France and other parts of the globe for the wordlwide greetings! It’s just fascinating!

The real “meat” of the celebration was the three-day “LET MY PEOPLE THINK: EQUIPPING SEMINAR” held at Trinity Christian Church on August 20-22 and attended by almost 150 people (inlcuding SMO’ers). Our speakers from Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (Asia-Pacific), Executive Director LT Jeyachandran and Associate Director of Training I’Ching Thomas, were gracious enough to have our schedule fit with their busy ones so they could equip local Christians here. Wow! We have several participants coming from Antique and Iloilo as well as Kabankalan. The seminar focused mainly on “Christian Apologetics”; it was a tough three days but very, very, worthwhile. (Hmmm…maybe, next time, we will get Tylenol to sponsor this kind of event). Good news! The team left some of their books and CD’s at SMO for those interested to purchase (call 034-4336923 or text 0927-6766-361). By the way, the lecture series will soon be out and available on DVD! We’ll keep you posted. We know LT has been talking so many things very important and we don’t want to miss anything from it.

I’Ching Thomas did some rounds in different schools here like Maranatha Christian College, Trinity Christian School and West Negros College. A big youth gathering was held at Lord’s Lampstand Christian Ministries on August 21. The place was full-packed. I’Ching talked about “Sex: What’s Love Got to Do with It?”

The ANNIVERSARY DAY itself was held last August 25 at the Bacolod Alliance Church. It was really a fun day. The youth kicked-off the afternoon with a lively medley of action songs, followed by worship time with Roy Vistar and Ephraim Sabordo. Then, Pastor Carlos Novisteros delivered the message. We had a song numbers from students of TUP and BSANHS and a pantomime from BTI students. Gametime followed and finally another set of praise songs from the SMO Praise Team. We sang the “Happy Birthday” song for SMO while our Mission Director, Pastor Aboy del Mundo and his wife, Neneng blew the candles in our three-layered cake. 120 people were served with native delicacies afterwards.

Next Anniversary wouldn’t be this big but it will surely be as memorable as the 30th or maybe more.

Thank you, pastors, alumni, missionaries, youth leaders, students, sponsors, friends, teachers, parents…. Thank you amazing God! Thank you for the amazing years!

Turning a New Leaf

August is a busy and refreshing time for the ministry especially this year when SMO turns three decades in Christian youth ministry in the Philippines. “Amazing God! Amazing Years!” is a fitting theme we chose this year all because of the amazing things the Lord has done through the years. As we turn a new leaf, we have prepared month-long activities to celebrate God’s faithfulness, each of these are geared to a different kind of group. So, just in case you’re around town (in Bacolod!) do drop by our place and join us in the celebration!

SMO National Prayer Day (8/3, whole day, SMO Youth Center)

“Amazing God! Amazing Years!” Anniversary Concert (8/5, 7 pm, Cosmopolitan Evangelical Church, Malaspina Ave.), Featuring the Afterglow Singers and with special guests Rev. Dr. Quek Swee Hwa, Senior Pastor and Foreign Missions Committee Head, Mrs. Lolly Robles-Burgess, SMO Founder and first National Director.

SMO Technological University of the Philippines-Visayas’ 16th Anniversary (8/9, 5:30 pm, TUP-V Canteen). Speaker: Engr. Xerwin Ceballos, Topic: Rediscovering the Majesty of God.

“Let my People Think!” Equipping Seminar for pastors, Christian leaders, laypeople, students (8/20-22, 1:30-4:30 pm on 8/20; 9:00-11:30 am and 1:30-4:00 pm on 8/21-22, Trinity Christian School, Lacson-San Sebastian Sts., Registration is 100 pesos for three days). Topic: Christian Apologetics, Speaker: Lawrence Theodore Jeyachandran, Executive Director for Asia-Pacific, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

“Conversations that Matter” Youth Gathering (8/21, 6:00 pm, Lord’s Lampstand Christian Ministries, Araneta St., in front of Rizal Elementary School). Topic: Sex:Over-Rated, Speaker: I’Ching Thomas, Associate Director for Training, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, Asia-Pacific.

“Conversations that Matter” Campus Tour (8/20, 8:30 am, West Negros College, Topic: God & Science; 8/20, 6:00 pm, Technological University of the Philippines-Visayas, Topic: God and Science; 8/21, 8:30 am, Maranatha Christian College, Topic: Sanctification of the Mind; 8/22, 7:30 am, Trinity Christian School, Topic: Sanctification of the Mind). Speaker: I’Ching Thomas, Associate Director for Training, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, Asia-Pacific.

“In Search of Excellence…and Beyond” Dinner Fellowship with Christian Businessmen (8/21, 6:00 pm, Hall A, Business Inn, Dinner Ticket: P250). Speaker: LT Jeyachandran. In partnership with Fellowship of Christians in Government (FOCIG).

Missionary’s Day (8/23, whole day, SMO Youth Center). Speakers: Rev. Edwin Ormeo, SMO Founder; Pastor Carlos Novisteros, pastor of UP Diliman Campus Fellowship Youth Center).

Alumni Fellowship Night (8/23, 6:00 pm, SMO Youth Center). Speakers: Rev. Edwin Ormeo, SMO Founder; Pastor Carlos Novisteros, pastor of UP Diliman Campus Fellowship.

“Amazing God! Amazing Years!” Anniversary Celebration (8/25, 1:30 pm, Bacolod Alliance Church, San Juan St., at the back of Sylvia Manor). Speakers: Rev. Edwin Ormeo, SMO Founder; Pastor Carlos Novisteros, pastor of UP Diliman Campus Fellowship.

7th SMO Bible Training Institute’s Foundation Day (8/30, whole day, SMO Youth Center).

“Don’t Waste your Life” Evangelistic Campaign (8/15, 1:30 pm, Bata National High School; 8/31, 8:30 am, West Negros College)