April 2010

Hope for the Island
April 2010 Newsletter
Communication Challenges
This has been a very challenging time for us as a ministry. We are a ministry that believes communication with our supporters and prayer partners is vital. Power outages on Siargao Island have been intermittent and ongoing (6 hours at a time) on a daily basis for months. An underwater cable was severed by a boat anchor. Beginning April 1 we were completely without
power. Water supplies also depend on electricity. Our generator was not adequate for the increased demands placed on it. God supplied a new and larger one through a friend of Hope!
Combined with this we were also launching a new website. Those of you who so faithfully follow us on this site would have noticed that we were not operational. Technical difficulties along with the lack of electricity have made it very challenging to restore the site. We are doing our very best to have it operational as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience and prayers.

The following is an update from Steve Klassen - Board Member of Hope for the Island Canada. We are grateful for the time he and his team ministered at Hope. We trust you will be blessed as you read about how God used this group to minister on Siargao Island.
Steve Klassen Testimonial: Hope For The Island Trip
In March 2008 I took my 11 yr old son Jude to visit the ministry of Hope For The Island in the Philippines. We went to see the work of Derek & Jenn & the staff that is bringing God’s hope to the island of Siargao. It was on that trip that I knew that I wanted to go back one day,
preferably with a team from my church, SouthRidge Fellowship Baptist Church. That happened in March 2010. My 11 year old daughter Adrianna & I were part of a team of 7 that went for 2 weeks. What a journey it was. It definitely was a time of serving, learning & growing in our faith & knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. What a joy it’s been to have taken two of my children to work with Hope for the Island & to see another part of the world. The experience has shaped them in many ways & has prepared them as they enter their teen years to think about what kind of responsibility we might have here in Canada to those in the world that have physical, financial & spiritual needs. Our family talks about the fact that God has us in this land of plenty not to “eat much & be unconcerned”, but to use what God has blessed us with to help others that have not. We were involved with Children’s ministry, Youth ministry, feeding programs & Medical/Mercy ministry. Perhaps the biggest surprise to me was the impact that
Adrianna & her friend Kennedy had. I thought that Adrianna & Kennedy would experience & watch, but what was amazing was how they got involved with the local youth & really developed friendships. The girls spent time hanging out, playing volleyball & surfing (yes I now realize
these are legitimate ministries) ☺ as parents we often underestimate how God can use young people in His purposes. Adrianna & Kennedy just loved on the youth & it was reciprocated indeed! Shared experiences build friendships & I can’t wait to see what my daughter Adrianna will do in the future. She has informed me that she is going back one day & sooner will be better than later. I am also dealing with a 9 yr old son Jared who insists that when he turns 11, it will be his turn to go to Hope for the Island. Some lessons I learned as a team leader who is taking a team on a short term trip:
1. Go with the flow: I am a planner & organizer. I like to know what’s going to happen & when. This mentality doesn’t work when on a mission trip. Sometimes God has more important things for you to do than what’s in one’s “schedule”.
2. Don’t underestimate the importance that pre-teens can have on a mission trip: I’m sure that Adrianna & Kennedy were better able to minister to the youth than the rest of the team would have been. My responsibility as a father is to root my daughter in Jesus Christ & to allow her to be used by God to reach out to others.
3. Lean on God mightily: We as Christians are in a spiritual battle & the deceiver does not want mission trips to succeed. Pray lots, be in the Word & trust God that your plans would be His plans. Things may go wrong & there will be struggles. This is when character is revealed.
4. Don’t forget: It’s amazing how when we get back to North America, the culture wants to swallow us back up. Back to materialism & worldly concerns. There is a part of me that’s still in the Philippines. I have a love for the people & the culture in which they live. I remember that without things there is more time for relationship & with simplicity comes a peace. I share the concerns of Hope For The Island & that the people of Siargao need a hope in Jesus Christ, because it is this hope that brings about an eternal transformation. It was an awesome experience for our team from SouthRidge to partner with Hope for the Island in extending God’s love to the people of the Philippines.

Hope for the Island is a non-profit charitable corporation in Canada.
A tax deductible receipt will be given for any amount you may choose to
contribute. The ministry is growing and the needs are many.
Your prayer and financial support is greatly needed and appreciated
All Financial Contributions will be receipted
If you would like to contribute to the ministries of Hope For The Island
Send your cheque or money order to:
Hope For The Island Ministries
94 James Carleton Drive
Winnipeg, Mb R2P 0T4
If you would like to support Derek and Jenn personally, please send a cheque
or money order payable to:
YOUTH WITH A MISSION
To receive a tax deductible receipt their names cannot appear on the
cheque but only on a separate note attached
Send to YOUTH WITH A MISSION
P.O. Box 57100
2480 East Hastings Street
Vancouver, B.C. V5K 5G6