Mission Magazine | Sep-Oct 2014

It’s a worldwide phenomenon.

Young men and women leave their homes to seek employment in other countries to support the family back home.

In the Philippines, 10 percent of the population lives and works in nations around the world. That’s over 10 million workers. We call them OFWs (overseas foreign workers).

They occupy every profession, from common laborers, to shop keepers, to domestic helpers, to nurses, to engineers.

Driven by economic and family pressure, a person will spend a decade or more living in cramped quarters thousands of miles from family.

Imagine growing up in a home where you see your father or mother for three to four weeks per year at the most.

Imagine trying to raise a child from several thousand miles away, using text messages as a principal form of communication. And this goes on for years.

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The Church is beginning to see the tragic effects on OFW families. The impact on marriages and children is becoming evident in the next generation.

APMedia is partnering with several organizations to provide resources to local congregations who are establishing ministries to serve the unique challenges of these families.

At this point, APMedia is the principal ministry producing this kind of content.

APMedia will begin production on some OFW documentaries in the next few months. These stories will offer hope, in the midst of pain and separation, as OFWs tell how Christ has given them direction and guided their decisions.

Thanks to digital media and the internet, these stories will be accessiible anywhere, anytime.

These are the kind of stories that have the power to change lives. It’s His Message, Multiplied.

In this edition of MISSION, you’ll meet the editor of MOMS magazine, a quarterly publication reaching Filipino women. You’ll find out

how one couple’s ministry is touching families for the better. Also there’s an update on Multiply training workshops held earlier this year in the Philippines.

Thank you for your continued support of Asia Pacific Media. We can’t continue doing what we do for the kingdom of God to reach the Asia Pacific without you.

As a faith-based ministry, we are using the tools of technology to put His message into the marketplace.

It’s been happening for over 25 years because of your prayers and gifts.

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Imagine you live in sleeping quarters that are only 6 feet by 10 feet.

Imagine you send most of your money to your family at home.

Now imagine you were forced to find work overseas and can only see your family two weeks out of every year. Finally, imagine that your employer mistreats you and, at times, cheats you of the money that you are owed.

It sounds like a horrible dream, doesn’t it? But that is the life of what is called the overseas foreign worker (OFW), whether they come from the Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh or Myanmar.

Each year, millions of people live and work away from their families. They are domestic workers, nannies, shopkeepers, nurses, stewards on ships, maintenance workers and seamstresses. A few have excellent jobs; most do not.

Bill Snider, director of APMedia has seen the dynamics of families, strained by the absence of a [4.] APMedia MISSION / apmedia.org.

spouse, fray and crack over the years, and he knew there had to be a way to help. He says, “The toll this separation takes on the family and children is hard to comprehend. Mothers working as domestic helpers in Hong Kong are forced to parent their children through short text messages. Many children are growing up without the nurture of a mother or the strong male role model of a father.”

THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE Jonathan Morano has been an OFW for six years. He is just one spouse APMedia has impacted.

Back in February of this year, APMedia focused its content on “Love Month,” as it’s known as in the Philippines. Through the content provided, people like Jonathan learned about Love Languages.

“Before, the woman was asking her husband to buy her flowers, and she felt that she was not loved by her husband and came to a point where she asked her

husband to say, ‘I love you’ to her,” he says.

Jonathan took the principles that he learned about love languages and shared them with his wife.

“It was supposed to be a big adjustment for us since we were not able to see each other for two years, but it became easy for us to do,” he says. “I openly discussed with her that I have my own love language that you have to understand, and it’s all because I watched the material [APMedia provided]. I’m really thankful that I have been able to grasp the concept of love languages.”

ADDRESSING A REAL NEED In January, Bill met with church leaders who are responsible for a nationwide effort to train the church to reach out to the OFW family, both here and overseas. “As these men looked at the materials we have produced over the past several years, they were astonished and grateful that media tools they needed had already been produced,” he says. “Their goal is

to see over 10,000 churches with resources that can help bridge the gap for the Filipino overseas family.

APMedia tools, including print materials, videos and our family-focused website, are going to be among the major things these leaders will promote across this nation. It is an answer to prayer.”

QUICK FACTS • In 2001, $72.3 billion was returned as remittances to the countries of origin of foreign workers in the countries of India, the Philippines and Bangladesh.

• The average foreign worker is 25 to 40 years old.

• 70 percent of foreign workers are married, while only 4 percent are accompanied by families.

• In 2012, the Commission on Overseas Filipinos estimated that approximately 10.5 million Filipinos worked or resided abroad.

• 40 percent of foreign exchange earnings are seen in migrant countries.

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In 2002, we were honored when Asia Pacific Media Ministries asked us to co-host a series of videos called “Usapang Pamilya” (“Family Talk”). The videos tell real, authentic stories that people—and families--can relate to and apply in their lives. They cover issues such as, domestic abuse, drug addiction, teenage pregnancy, unforgiveness and more.

At the time, we didn’t realize the plan that would unfold for us, as a result of our work with APMedia, but God did. Currently we help bring hope to families through various media and ministry channels.

While we each fill several individual roles, we also work together, hosting an internet radio program, helping Overseas Foreign Workers (OFWs) and co-heading the parenting department at the Center for Family Ministry at the Ateneo De Manila University.

As the Rick Warren book, The Purpose Driven Life, says—and [6.] APMedia MISSION / apmedia.org.

this is a paraphrase—your greatest pain can be your greatest ministry. There was a time that we went through a big crisis in our relationship, and we realized God wants to use that pain as our greatest ministry.

Our experience taught us that many people are not ready to enter married and family life, and that inspired us to get involved in family ministries.

It all started when an American short-term missionary for APMedia was in a small church group we were leading, and she was looking for hosts for the “Usapang Pamilya” videos. She said, “I think you two would be the perfect hosts for this show.” We didn’t know anything about media at the time, but as they say, the rest is history.

While shooting one of the videos, we met one of the counselors for the series, Kuya Clem Guillermo,

and during a break, we asked him, “Where would you suggest we learn more about family ministries?” He directed us to the Center for Family Ministries of the Ateneo De Manila University. They are based in the Catholic faith, but Kuya Clem said, “They’re the best as of now in the Philippines,” so we went.

While we were studying at CeFaM (Center for Family Ministries), one of the professors learned that we were part of a ministry of videos for families, and now a full set of “Usapang Pamilya” videos is available in the library and used in the programs and classes at the university.

Our involvement with APMedia and the “Usapang Pamilya” videos didn’t stop with the final shoot.

We have taken the experience with us into our current ministry, and we still use the videos to reach and help people. For example, we held a Family Academy in Fairview, Philippines, attended by the people from the Lord’s Assembly, and we used four of the videos. When we did the video and discussion on

forgiveness, the 100 people were all crying, releasing forgiveness because they were able to relate to the topic so well.

APMedia took the time to mold us into the ministry leaders we are today, people who are able to get in front of the camera and on the radio, and talk with and relate to people, with confidence. We were newbies when we started with APMedia, but we took those skills we developed, while working with that ministry, to the“stage”where we operate now—we are forever grateful.

In addition their ministry together, Herald and Melie Cruz each hold individual jobs as well. Melie is an international development consultant for the German government (GIZED) and a sustainability project in the ASEAN region.

Herald is pastor of Point of Grace Fellowship, executive director of Organization for Migration and Family Development and hosts a radio program, entitled “Ang Serbisyong OFW” (“The OFW Service”).

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APMEDIA: When did you come to work with Asia Pacific Media?

EVELYN: I started working with Asia Pacific Media in January of 1996. I was there to finish Super Kids Club, a series of books with a salvation message for kids.

APMEDIA: Tell me about the beginnings of MOMS and your involvement.

EVELYN: MOMS founder and editor, Kim Snider, had a dream of having a magazine, so we talked about it and then I attended one of her writing classes, and I learned a lot from it. Eventually, Kim asked me to be the copy editor of MOMS. But even though I was only copy editing, I enjoyed the articles.

APMEDIA: How did the idea or the vision for the way MOMS is today come about?

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EVELYN: It started with Kim’s dream, but my fellow writers and I caught the dream. We know that lots of mothers need help, and when we talked about doing MOMS, we decided that we would [include] important issues that commercial women’s magazines don’t publish. We’re trying to help our readers shape or incorporate practical Christian principles in their lives.

APMEDIA: So, you have now gone from student to teacher.

EVELYN: That was also one of my dreams, actually. When I was younger I wanted to be a teacher.

Kim encouraged me to co-teach with her in the writing class. She continues to help me do this.

I’ve attended other seminars and workshops before, but what I’ve noticed with APMedia workshops is they are not concerned with

APMEDIA: MOMS is more than one person’s dream—it’s really a team effort.

EVELYN: I’m so glad that Kim involved me with this. I was so touched because Kim is not a Filipino, but she was so intent to help Filipino mothers build strong families. During the writing class, Kim taught us the importance of knowing our target audience and how to get information about them. I needed to open my ears and listen to what they said and go to places where our target readers are going so I would know their needs and how to reach them.

Before I was only concerned about myself, my family and my friends.

I started to feel for other people and understand their needs. I remember taking notes on a lot of beliefs or cultural issues that are not in line with the Bible. It became my dream to write about those and teach, not in a way to preach a sermon, but through testimonies of people whose lives had been changed by God.

the quantity of the people who attend. If there are too many enrollees, there is a limit to how much we can work with each person. APMedia gives hands-on training, not just lecture seminars, so I try to teach that way, too.

Some people have said with the low cost, they did not expect our seminars to be so intensive.

APMEDIA: Now students you have taught are writing articles for APMedia.

EVELYN: Right at the start of every writing class, we tell the students about the magazine.

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because we need more writers and, of course, we hope after the class, they will join our pool of writers. They’re Filipinos, so they naturally know more about culturally relevant issues.

APMEDIA: Tell me why MOMS is an effective tool?

EVELYN: It’s an effective tool because our readers can relate to the true stories we feature in the magazine. It is distributed through churches because nonChristians will read it if they get if from their Christian friends.

That’s why I’m mindful of not wasting the space that we have. I want each page to have scriptural values that can be applied practically to life.

APMEDIA: Tell me a story of a person’s who was impacted by MOMS magazine.

EVELYN: The most recent testimony I got was about a teacher who found a copy of MOMS in a chair. She took it and read it when she got home.

She said that the article about finances really changed her and her husband’s lifestyle.

She used to be an impulsive buyer, and she could hardly make both [10.] APMedia MISSION / apmedia.org.

ends meet. And then she read the article on how to manage finances well. It was an eye-opener, and she discussed it with her husband.

Then they started to save. Now they have two houses and a sarisari store. Her husband already resigned from his job and manages their store while she teaches in a public school. She gives copies of MOMS to her relatives. When she went for a vacation in the province, she also shared it with her friend, who is a radio announcer, and that friend started to use the content of MOMS in her radio program.

APMEDIA: What has God done in your life through working with APMedia and MOMS magazine, particularly?

EVELYN: I’ve learned a lot from working here. My perspective changed as I learned more about God and our ministry. At APMedia, we start our day with a devotion.

Bill and Kim are so relational, and they inspire us to be mindful of others. They’re not just concerned about work; of course, they are concerned about meeting deadlines, but you can see their lives exemplifying Christian living.

They’re not selfish with their skills and talents. They not only sit with us to discuss projects that we are working on, but they’re also there to encourage or give advice when we need it. We are all great friends in the office.

IMPACT

In May, Asia Pacific Media hosted Filipino church staff members and professionals during two Multiply Media Training sessions in Manila and Baguio. During the weekend workshops, participants were able to gain hands-on experience with media, video production, sound equipment and writing.

The hands-on learning in the workshops proved to be beneficial to all attendees, even those with little to no experience.

Vanessa Capatas, of Bethel Christian Assembly in Montalban, learned how to use a mixer and other audio equipment in the Church Sound System workshop.

As a motion graphics animator at Solar News Channel, Monina Kho has professional media experience. However, as a youth pastor involved in multi-media ministry, she enrolled in the Multiply video production class.

“I learned many things that will enhance my skills in video editing,” she says. “I enjoyed the actual shooting. I was able to handle the camera. I learned how to choose the best shots, the techniques of camera framing and how to use the lights.”

Monina says the new techniques will help her in her field and ministry.

Before the class, Vanessa says she knew if she turned on the mixer, it would create sound. However, she now knows how to use it the right way. “Since I am part of the worship team, I handle the audio mixer and instruments at my church. I learned a lot of exciting things in this training.”

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IMPACT Vanessa hopes to train more and encourages others to get training.

Alumni Relations Officer Nanette Salting hopes to capture more alumni stories at the seminary where she works. To help in her professional development, she enrolled in the video production class. “I learned how to make videos, mix sounds and edit,” she says. “Media is a powerful fundraising tool to capture the testimonies of our alumni.” Nanette will use her new media knowledge to educate alumni, share the gospel and help raise funds.

Overall, participants agree their experiences will help them reach

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young people. Carla Bautista, from Open Christ Assembly of God, was encouraged to attend Multiply by her Chi Alpha director.

She attended the Web, Graphics and Social Media class to learn how to effectively communicate with her students and share Christ. “As an instructor, I have seen how students use the internet in an evil way. I believe I can make designs, websites or posters to share the Word of God,” she says. “This is a very good use and applicable method to reach this generation.”

Lord Byron Abriz also looks forward to reaching young people and growing the ministry through video production. “My first dream was to produce videos for Jesus, an effective tool for evangelism and discipleship,” he says. “I learned lighting, video editing and knowledge of software and hardware. Basically it’s everything we need to have multi-media ministry in our church.”

What does it take to get a second chance at life?

“Rebound,” produced jointly

by Sword Productions and Asia Pacific Media, shares the story of Noel, a small town basketball hotshot who goes to the big city to make a name for himself.

Noel enjoys superstardom success, but it goes to his head and the pressure drives him to drugs and self-destruction. He is arrested and serves jail time— where he eventually finds God and himself.

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After six years in prison, he returns home a changed man, eager to redeem himself in the eyes of those he has hurt, the girlfriend he abandoned in a time of great need and his disillusioned father. While trying to pick up the pieces of his shattered life, he meets a group of aspiring

basketball players led by the current town hotshot, and Noel is determined to keep them from making the same mistakes he did.

A representative from APMedia recently sat down with a believer from a Muslim dominated homeland. Out of concern for his safety, we cannot share his name or location, but we can share his testimony of how God is using “Rebound” to reach people in the midst of Muslim oppression.

“Because of its high quality, the filming, subject and scripting, I was very impressed with “Rebound,” and feel that it has the excellence of a cinematic production. We redubbed the film in the Urdu language, and have been able to distribute VHS and DVD copies throughout our region, especially to the young people.

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The message of “Rebound” offers a way for us to provide answers to their questions that we might not otherwise be able to give, because we cannot write or say these things ourselves because of Muslim restrictions.”

APMedia partners with dynamic organizations, like Sword Productions, in order to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with unchurched peoples through the media arts.

By developing films, documentaries and teaching tools specifically for unreached peoples throughout the Asia Pacific, we are able to work together to communicate the salvation message in a way that crosses cultural barriers—to see His Message, Multiplied across the Asia Pacific.

Thank you for joining us with your support of this tremendous undertaking. Your faithfulness enables us to continue developing high quality, contemporary and relevant tools that put effective, versatile, biblical resources in front of millions of people who have never been to church.

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At APMedia we want to share the stories of the many lives that have been transformed as you have invested in this ministry. We continue to see God glorified through many amazing testimonies that you can access each day on our blog and video pages at apmedia.org.

However, in order to secure the future of this ministry, 100 partners are urgently needed to support APMedia with a commitment of $50 per month—or 50 people committing $100 per month.

Please visit apmedia.org/give, or check out page 15 and prayerfully consider what you can give today.

Thank you, again, for being a part of Asia Pacific Media!