VOHCS Teachers Explore the Night Sky

Nearly two dozen Visions of Hope Christian School teachers learned night sky observing techniques during a seminar on  Astronomical Observing with a Biblical View (AOBV)  led by Roland and Linda Beard.

Roland Beard, co-author of the AOBV curriculum, checks to see
if a telescope set up by teachers is focused right. 

The seminar covered night observing periods, sketching of deep sky objects such as star clusters, lessons on assembling and disassembling a telescope and on  focusing a pair of binoculars, and review of Scriptures  about the heavens that God created.

During the  night observing periods the teachers viewed Vega, the fifth brightest star in the night sky; the constellation Cygnus (Northern Cross) and  the star Deneb at the head of the cross;  the M22 globular cluster of about 70,000 stars; the bright red star Antares; and  the beautiful blue and gold double stars Albireo.  "God is simply amazing," was the hushed comment of many,
looking through a telescope or from behind pair of binoculars.

The teachers' new found knowledge gives them ways to use the night sky to point their students toward God, the Creator of the heavens.

Teacher Esther Mendoza said, " I never knew one can actually see the Milky Way with the unaided eye! I'm glad I know that now!"

Roland and Linda Beard are founders of Christworks Ministries, a home-based, all-volunteer Christian non-profit organization based in Crozet, Virginia. The couple has also done ministry work in Uganda and Haiti.

 The seminar was held at the Tagaytay Retreat and Training Center on September 6 - 8, 2012.

Roland Beard watches as VOHCS teachers put a telescope together. 

Photo:Myra Gaculais del Rosario

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Photo:Myra Gaculais del Rosario

Teacher Tina sketches an improvised moon crater (made of mud and 
placed on the lectern). Roland Beard recommends sketching  as
a method of keeping a record of night sky objects one observes.  Photo: Myra Gaculais del Rosario

The Night Sky Planisphere is made up of two sections -- an inner rotating dial (white) marked with the days and months of the year, and a fixed outer section (blue) marked with the hours of the day. The dial contains a sky map printed with dark stars on a light background for easy nighttime readability. To use the planisphere simply turn the dial to match the date with the time. The planisphere will then show the stars, constellations, and prominent deep-sky objects that are currently above the horizon as well as the location of the Milky Way. It works for any hour, of any day, of any year -  http://www.skymaps.com/store/cat04.html 

Roland Beard demonstrates how a planisphere is used to locate 'objects' (such as
constellations and star clusters) in the night sky. 

Image credit: Jason Smith, http://earthsky.org/brightest-stars/albireo-finest-double-star

Linda Beard talks about how a telescope can help school children learn more about God's created heavens.

Part of the training involved assembling a telescope individually...

...and in groups. 

Despite heavy rains during the day, the skies were clear for deep-sky object viewing in the evening.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE0yUobk6TM  - Indescribable by Cris Tomlin

Photos: Courtesy of Anir Adovas  (unless otherwise stated)

VOHCS Gives Needy Children a Head Start in Reading, Math

The Visions of Hope Christian School gives children from poor communities in the Philippines a strong foundation of reading and math skills that will help them succeed in grade school and beyond. More than 600 children from some of the poorest, most populated, or unreached communities in the country are currently enrolled in the VOHCS preschool program which began classes right on schedule with the rest of the education system in the Philippines in June 2012.

Tina Gellor, principal, said, "Our goal is for all of the children who are 4.5 or 4.6 to five years old to be readers by December."

Aside from giving underprivileged children a head start in reading and math, the curriculum used by VOHCS instills godly values and helps the teachers lead the children toward a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

The preschools are in Bagong Silangan and Payatas in Quezon City; Malibay and Cabrera in Pasay; Signal Village, Taguig City; Intramuros, Manila; Caloocan City; Muntinlupa City; Angeles, Pampanga; San Pedro, Laguna; General Trias, Cavite; Aduas, Cabanatuan; Puerto Princesa, Palawan; Bacolod City; Mandaue City; Jaro and Oton in Iloilo; Capiz; Tagum and Ulas in Davao; Butuan; General Santos City; Surigao; Cagayan de Oro; Cotabato City; and Malungon, Saranggani.

The Intramuros school added a first grade level this school year.

Billy of Intramuros, Manila solves a subtraction problem...

...E.J.  sounds out two-letter syllables....

....Mon writes whether a number is even or odd.....

...and Julyfah colors a picture. 

Parents and grandparents of children enrolled at the Intramuros preschool
attend a meeting to plan activities for July, nutrition month. 

Photos by Angel Lazaro

VOHCS: Off to Great Start in School Year 2012 - 2013

The Visions of Hope Christian School (VOHCS) got off to a wonderful start in the new academic year with a total of 718 students in 29 schools  --  14 schools in Luzon, five in the Visayas, and 10 in Mindanao.

In the pre-schools (composed of more than 600 children from the poorest families in the communities) morning and afternoon sessions are held from Monday to Thursday, with the more advanced students attending the morning sessions. "One of the school goals for the year is for all children who are five years and younger to be readers by December," said Tina Gellor, principal. 

Children at the Visions of Hope Christian School in Intramuros, Manila recite 
Psalm 112:5, "A good man will guide with discretion," led by Teacher Angel Lazaro.

On Fridays, the children attend joint classes consisting of Children’s Brigade marching drills and lessons in music, arts, and physical education. While the children attend these sessions,  their parents learn how to do follow-up work on lessons taught during the week, pick up homework for the weekend,  and attend discipleship meetings. "Doors are opened for ministry to parents as well," said Principal Tina.  "We still have parents from last school year coming back for Bible study this year!" 

Aside from the pre-schools, VOHCS has started first grade in Intramuros, Manila, and in Malungon, Saranggani on the southern island of Mindanao.

Children sing, "Jesus is best and all to me, He is the One  who died for me so from sin I could be free."

In the  boarding school program for former street dwelling children, VOHCS has 52 children in grade school and 21 boys in high school.  The grade schoolers are temporarily housed at the Training and Development Institute campus in Magdalena, four towns from Bay, Laguna, where construction of a chapel, dormitory, academic building, and pool are nearing completion.  VOHCS hopes to move the children back to Bay in October.

Some 150 students in the towns of Midsayap, Aleosan, and Libungan, also on the island of Mindanao, have signed up to attend Alternative Learning System classes. The program has modules on all subjects in formal grade schools and high schools.  The classes prepare out--of-school youth to take grade school and high school equivalency tests.  "This is one way of bringing hope to  underprivileged youth, and even to adults," said ALS teacher Zuraida Alih.  "One of our students is a woman who is over 50 years of age. It is also an easy way to share the Gospel.  Our classes include Bible readings and devotions," Zuraida added.

Photos by Vivian Ataylar and Angel Lazaro

11th Child in Brood of 14 Graduates from VOHCS-Caloocan

Who says graduation programs happen only in March? Visions of Hope Christian School in Caloocan, in partnership with BLESS (Basic Life Empowerment and Support System),  held its first closing program on June 11, 2012. Seven students received certificates with confidence, having acquired not just academic knowledge but also spiritual learning because they were taught of their worth and the importance of having a relationship with Jesus. The program was held at the Hope of Glory Worship Ministry Center in  Caloocan. 

Teacher Tina Gellor, Peer Servant for VOHCS,
makes the welcome remarks …

...and Teacher Mel leads the singing of the national anthem.

Here and in next six photos, pupils from VOHCS in Laguna read 
descriptions of the school beginning with 
the letters in the acronym VOHCS.  
The children from Laguna performed this special number to

     encourage the VOHCS-Caloocan parents and graduates.

The children express thanks to VOH for teaching them
 to become the persons of value God created them to be.

Mrs. Rowena Kakilala,  BLESS Philippines director, speaks words of
encouragement  and inspiration. She told the children:

 “God has a plan for each of you and  He has a purpose
 for your being in this program.”

    Rowena Kakilala asks children what they want to be when they grow up.

  One girl said she wants to become a policewoman. 

 One boy said he wants to be a soldier.

Ms. Kakilala challenges parents to know God so that their 

children will know God as well. "Everyone has an eternal destiny.

 Someone died for you. 

You have to make a decision and choose to follow God," 

she said. 

She also said that parents should tell 

their kids how much they love them

 and that loving children includes disciplining them.

 "He who spares the rod hates his son,

 but he who loves him is careful 

to discipline him," she said, quoting Proverbs 13:24. 

“We can use the rod in disciplining them but we should explain to

 them why we did it and should explain it in love.”

 Maricel delos Santos, one of the parents, speaks of
how  God  changed her son's life  through VOH and BLESS.
"When JB  comes home from school he teaches his
 younger siblings songs  he learned in school," she said.

JB delos Santos is the 11th child in a brood of 14. His mother says: 
"He used to be quiet and shy and would

not play with other children. He has learned how to make

friends and has become a happy boy."

Here and in next photos, the children
 receive their certificates from Weng Kakilala.

                 

The children with Teacher Elisa, Teacher Tina,
Teacher Catherine and Mrs. Rowena Kakilala.

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked,

 “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 

 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and

 become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

 - Matthew 18:1-3

Photos and reportage: Michelle Taway

Children Receive Christmas Gifts in June

Boys and girls in Bagong Silangan, Quezon City open gifts sent from halfway across the globe. 
Twenty-four children from this group made a decision to ask 
Christ into their hearts during the gift-giving activity. 

Christmas gifts in June? That’s exactly what 130 children from four poor communities in Metro Manila  received right in the middle of 2012! The children are regular attendees of the Visions of Hope Foundation feeding program.  

The gifts, packed in shoe boxes and just in time for the new school year, were from the Operation Christmas Child (OCC) project of the Christian organization Samaritan’s Purse. They included school supplies, hygiene items, small toys, hard candy, and a stuffed animals.  

OCC volunteers have been collecting, packing, and sending gift boxes to needy  children in countries ravaged by natural disasters, famine, war, disease, terrorism, and poverty since 1993.

Malibay, Pasay – Twenty seven children from this community 

received shoe boxes. One of the recipients is a boy who, Sunday after Sunday,

 attended Sunday School wearing the same pair of pants –

 the only pair he owned. Imagine his joy to find in his shoe box  

a pair of pants seemingly tailored exactly for him.  

Isn’t God amazing?

Rosemarie Trinidad, 11, who comes from a family 
of 10 children, said, "Maraming salamat po sa
ibinigay ninyo na mga regalo sa amin!
Napakasaya ko po dahil ngayon lang ako
nakatanggap ng ganito. ("Thank you so much for the
gift!  This makes me so happy because I have
never received anything like this before!)

East Libis, Baesa, Caloocan.-- Thirty three children who 

consistently attend the 

 twice-a-week feeding program here

  received shoe boxes on June 2, 2012.

 Each time they come for a meal,  the children sing songs, 

play a game and listen to a Bible story.  

The story they listened to this day was

 Jesus Calms the Storm from Luke 8.

In Taguig City, 50 shoeboxes were ready for distribution, but because of heavy rains and flooding, only 21 children made it to the CCT Community Center. Later in the day, CCT staff, volunteer workers, and senior members of the Brigada Bata (Children’s Brigade) delivered the gifts to the homes of the children who could not come to the community center.

As a result of the gift giving, many grateful parents have opened their homes for Bible study. 

501 VOHCS Children Complete Kindergarten

Kindergarten children sing during the Visions of Hope Christian School moving up ceremony in
Magdalena, Laguna.

Children from Cabrera St. in Pasay City all looking handsome and lovely in Filipino traditional clothes.
 Also in photo is Tammy Wang (in white cardigan), chief operating officer for
endPoverty.org, guest speaker for the VOHCS-Cabrera moving up ceremony,
 and VOHCS teacher Belinda Domingo.   

 A total of 501 children from poor communities recently completed the kindergarten level at several  pre-schools overseen by the Visions of Hope Christian School and are eligible for enrolment in first grade.   


"These children have a definite edge over other children entering public schools because they are already readers," said Cristina Gellor, VOHCS principal. "More importantly, the seed of God’s Word has been planted in their young hearts; VOHCS staff pray it will bring powerful and blessed results as these children grow and become salt and light in their schools and communities."  


During school year 2011- 2012 VOH operated a total of 29 pre-schools in the following places:

• Intramuros, Manila 
• Tondo, Manila
• Muntinlupa City
• Bagong Silangan, Quezon City
• Payatas, Quezon City
• Malibay, Pasay City
• Cabrera, Pasay City
• Taguig City
• Cainta, Rizal
• Bay, Laguna
• San Pedro, Laguna
• General Trias, Cavite
• Cabanatuan City
• Puerto Princesa, Palawan
• Oton, Iloilo
• Roxas City
• Mandaue City
• Placer, Surigao
• Butuan City
• Midsayap, North Cotabato
• Cotabato City
• Ulas, Davao
• General Santos City
• Cagayan de Oro City

March is the month when the Philippine school year ends,  and classes begin in June. During the school break, VOH offers Daily Vacation Bible classes,  reading classes, and youth development programs in poor communities where the Center for Community Transformation Group of Ministries operates.