A Resounding Message of Hope
By Abby Foss
NOVEMBER 8, 2013 was a date the rest of the world may not remember forever, but will always be a mark of desolation and loss for many Filipinos in the Visayas area. One of the strongest storms on record, Yolanda, hit the Eastern Visayas with a vengeance leaving nothing but destruction, ruin and an entire provincial population shaking with fear.
As many have seen on the news, the media lens was focused on areas left with more damage; barely paying any immediate attention to smaller islands whose locals were as affected as the ones in the path of the storm — one of which is the island of Bantayan.
In 2014, Quest Fellowship, in partnership with Browns Bridge Church in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, started a small-scale project under their Quest Cares program to help rebuild an elementary school. But, what took place planted a seed that goes deeper than a school’s structural foundation.
Every year since 2014, Browns Bridge Church sends a group of high school students and youth leaders to help schools in Madridejos be conducive to learning once again.
Chad Ward, Browns Bridge Church team leader, said, “God started this. It was a tough decision to come here. I knew it was going to be a place out of my comfort zone and didn’t know what to expect. Then, talks with Quest Fellowship and Pastor Les Tilka set everything in motion for Bantayan with Tarong as our first project.”
Tarong Elementary School received new back packs, new school desks, repainted classrooms and new comfort rooms in the span of the first three-year project.
This year, Browns Bridge Church and Quest Fellowship moved on to a new school — equally as needy. San Agustin Elementary School has more than 570 students in their roster with several of their classrooms, including their library, left unusable after the storm. This past July, Quest Cares and Browns Bridge Church came with a team of 75 students, leaders and volunteers along with thousands of books and school materials for San Agustin’s library. From July 11-14, the huge team built book shelves, wrapped books, loved on the kids of San Agustin and visited local homes in the area.
From an outsider’s perspective, one would say this is just another NGO project. But to those who were a part of this team would say it’s more than that.
Samantha Short, a three-time returnee said, “It’s crazy how you can get emotionally attached to these kids in a span of four days working in their school. I came back every year because I saw what God can do in a span of a 12-day mission trip and how these kids give love to a stranger from across the world.”
Sydney Frederisken talked about her experience as life changing. “I realized how much more I can give to people with how much I’m blessed with at home. Seeing these kids, who don’t have as much as I have back home, be able to give us so much love makes it easier for me to love them back. It makes me want to share more about how Jesus loves them so much which is the main reason why we’re here.”
Four days may seem like a short time for a project but they worked non-stop throughout each day and was inspiring for the Filipinos to witness.
“It’s more than just a project,” said Chad, “We come because of the community we get to serve and serve with. It’s a spiritual life change for us and hopefully for the kids in the schools as well. We come to serve and share the love of God to these people but we go home with so much more. Our students come back home more grateful for what they have, what they’re blessed with and more ready to give back. A change of place and a change of pace equals to a change of perspective for us.”
The people of Bantayan will continue to rebuild. By having teams like Quest Fellowship and Browns Bridge come alongside them, it helps them to go further, faster. Thanks to these groups and the countless others who help the world seem like a smaller place.