PHILIPPINES | ORO BIBLE COLLEGE, Cagayan de Oro

Director of Oro Bible College, Sister Nely Gamayon, recently forwarded this report…

“For the second semester, our enrolment for the AB Theology program is 20. There are 3 students who will graduate in March 31, 2016 for the AB Theology Program. Seven (7) third year students will also go out on their internship next [academic] year (June to October).

We praise the Lord we were able to offer the Certificate of Biblical Studies this semester. There are 13 students enrolled for the Systematic Theology I class taught by Reniel Comajeg, and Greek Class taught by Jess Gawangon. All of the students enrolled in this class come from the Jesus Is Alive Community in Cagayan de Oro. The students are college graduates and practitioners in ministry. They are either pastoring or leaders in their churches. They recognized the need for formal training and they requested OBC to train them. They pay tuition the same as the Bachelor’s degree students. The course is facilitated through our Field Education Program and into our Community Outreach. We hope to apply this formally to CHED for recognition and for those who might desire to proceed to the degree program in the future. Please pray with us as the move has challenged our Advent Christian churches also.

It is also this semester that our NSTP class is doing a children’s Saturday Bible class with a group of children who are alumni in our Preschool. There are 13 children in this class. Maam Minda and Maam Amy Gawangon are helping the students in tutorial, and feeding of these children also. All of the 13 children have already accepted the Lord in the first day of their class. Sometime in January, the grandfather of one of the children had a stroke; it gave the OBC faculty and students an opportunity to minister to the sick and to the whole family. After several years, it is just now that the ministry of the preschool has finally connected with the families of the students. Please pray that more families will hunger for the Word and God.

Today we are practicing at the chapel because we are doing promotions at the New Life Church in Iligan on Sunday. We have been going to churches promoting the program and ministry of OBC. Churches are inviting us to go and promote the college. We call it OBC Sunday. We’ve done promotions in Maranatha Cagayan, Claveria AC Church, and this Sunday, New Life, Iligan City. On OBC Sundays we do the whole Sunday worship, preaching and teaching Sunday School, lead Bible study if they request us to, and lead a meeting with the youth of the church. The students give presentations in creative ministry, drama, elocution etc. I do the promotional talk. Non-Advent Christian churches are also interested in inviting us. We have planned invitations from the Jesus Is Alive Church, ElJor Church, and maybe others. Please pray for our safety in our travels. The students pay for their transportation and churches we visit take charge of food.

On March 3 &4 I am invited by the BPACCI to join in the Goal setting retreat of the conference. Please pray for wisdom and guidance for us at OBC and to know exactly our role as partner in the ministry of our local churches. I hope this will also strengthen the relationship of OBC and BPACCI.

Right now, our items of prayer include:
1. Philippine Elections in May, 2016. If the administration candidates will win especially the presidency, they might pursue the approval of a BangsaMoro Republic (A Muslim Nation in Mindanao, and they will implement Sharia law)
2. The administration candidates support same sex marriage and the acceptance of the LGBT community. Even now, Christians are attacked if we make public our belief and our stand against same sex marriage.
3. The approval of the new curriculum to be implemented in June 2018
4. More students in our Bachelor’s program
5. More students in our Certificate program
6. Funds for retirement pay: Miss Minda Lipanta, Nely A. Gamayon
Separation pay: Mrs. Helen Sitoy
7. Budget Deficit

Thank you very much for your prayers and your continued support.”