PHILIPPINES – ORO BIBLE COLLEGE – The BLESSING FUND

Soon after May 1990 when ACMissioNZ sent the first Work Team to Oro Bible College we set up a fund – The BLESSING FUND – seeking contributions from our supporters in New Zealand to assist the students at the College.

At first the gifts made to this fund were used to help provide food for the students whilst they were studying. Students at the college have to provide and prepare their own food and at that time many of them were unable to buy food for daily meals for themselves and those who were members of the first few teams recognised that when the students told us that they were “fasting” they were not doing so for spiritual reasons but because they could not afford to buy any food! We learned of students who “fasted” for three and four days and more at a time and we recognised this situation as not conducive to good health or good learning! When the fund was set up it was agreed with the College administration that to qualify for grants from the BLESSING FUND the students would carry out cleaning and light maintenance tasks around the College grounds and buildings as required by the College. administration.

Over the years the use of the BLESSING FUND has developed and changed somewhat and the College Director Mrs Nely Gamayon has recently advised us as follows of the manner in which gifts to the fund are used to assist and encourage students.

“The Blessing Fund is used for the scholarship and self-help programs of the college.
Every time we receive funds for the Blessing Fund, we divide it 50-50 for all types of scholarship and for the self-help program – whenever there are needy students who have qualified.

• For example, a student who comes who is a child of a pastor, the student receives 50% for his/her tuition fees and can work for one hour every morning from Monday to Friday for the remaining 50% of his/her tuition fees. The amount comes from the Blessing Fund.
• Then on Saturday morning, the student renders one hour of cleaning or office assistance work for his food aid that is given every week for each student.
• If the same student qualifies to become a dorm monitor, then he also enjoys free dorm monthly fee; but the office pays his dorm fee from the Blessing Fund.
• The College also buys the students’ drinking water which is delivered to the students’ kitchen every week. We also get the payment from the Blessing Fund.
• Through the Blessing Fund, a student almost gets his college education from OBC with his fees paid for with the Blessing Fund.
• The phrase, “needy student” refers to those who come to OBC who cannot pay for their tuition, dorm fees, food, and other fees. Sometimes there are a few students whose parents can buy their children food.

The work that students render for their self-help program is just cleaning the classrooms, and grounds, their dorm rooms and kitchen. With the budget of the college, it is impossible for the college to pay a janitor. In fact, we faculty help in the cleaning, particularly in the cleaning of our own offices. Most of the time, we receive funds that we put towards this Blessing Fund once a year.”

If you would like to contribute to the OBC BLESSING FUND please contact our Treasurer at glenise@slingshot.co.nz or me at ernie.schache@acmissionz.org.nz. We would be delighted to have you help us to help the OBC students as they train to serve the LORD!