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| Parents at VOHCS Midsayap regularly attend discipleship meetings. |
What started as an optimistic response to attend weekly discipleship meetings has become an ongoing commitment for parents of Visions of Hope Christian School (VOHCS) children in Midsayap, North Cotabato.
One of the privileges of VOHCS parents is an opportunity to join a discipleship group. Here they learn more about Jesus Christ and grow together in their faith. While this does not sound very attractive to some, VOHCS parents from this predominantly Muslim town have a different attitude. When the teachers met them for an orientation meeting in June, they were positive about its spiritual development program. They compared VOHCS with other preschools in their community and are thankful for its concern for the spiritual growth of both its pupils and their parents.
Through a holistic academic curriculum that integrates Christian values, the spiritual development program of VOHCS aims to produce mature and spiritually reproductive youth and children who submit to the Lordship of Christ. The program also hopes to deepen the parents’ relationship with God through prayer, sharing the good news, and practical application of Biblical truths.
The discipleship meetings are held every Friday, led by Center for Community Transformation (CCT) Midsayap branch pastor, Ptr. Joel Tumanding. Ten to eighteen out of 22 parents regularly attend the meetings. They actively join discussions and answer occasional take-home assignments. Some of them have also begun attending the one-year-old CCT community church.
According to one of the
mothers, “The discipleship meetings have taught me that God is merciful because
He sent His son Jesus to die for the forgiveness of our sins. I am learning
more about humility as well. I know that it is hard for one to thrive without
God in his life.” She finds sharing time with other parents refreshing.
