Batang Krayola Daycare Updates

Personal Note from the Ministry Leader

I’m so blessed to see how God performs His miracles through the Daycare Center.  It’s a ministry of Batang Krayola under Youth Mobilization Team that aims to teach street kids how to read and write. These street kids come from one of the urban poor communities in Makati City that is just a stone throw away from the YM office.  Now that the ministry is in its second year, I can’t help it but look back last year when we started it.  With just a passion in our hearts to help the street kids, I and another co-worker of YM started this ministry.  I kept in my heart what Kuya Joshua would challenge me whenever we hold our mentoring.  He would say, “If you believe that God will give you something, you will prepare for it.”  So a month before the actual start of the new school year, we started preparing the things we need for the Daycare.

Preparation

Challenging People – Last May 10, I started talking to people who are willing to be part of this ministry.  I shared to them what will be the direction of the ministry for this year, including the new ideas that will enable us to really make a difference and become effective ministers not just to the kids but also to the families. I challenged them to value the opportunity to minister to the children on a daily basis and not to wait for special events to happen before really getting involved into the lives of the kids and their parents.  I told them that the key to our ministry is in getting to know the children and everyday, it is our opportunity to do so. As a result, two volunteer teachers and three volunteer workers responded to the challenge.

Parents’ Orientation – June 08, 2010 is our day of orientation for the parents and 16 pupils came to register. It was a short and simple orientation program focusing on the only request we have for the mothers.  That is for them to commit their time in bringing their kids to the Daycare Center.  We told them that we are willing to invest in the lives of their kids but we can’t do it alone - we need their help to accomplish our goal.  If we are to see that their children become productive members and great leaders of their home, community, and society, we will truly need their help. In response to that, the mothers commit themselves to bringing their kids everyday.

Project Blackboard - Last June 11, we made a blackboard that can be used for teaching. Truly without the help of many people who committed their time and gave their effort, we will not be able to accomplish anything.

The Batang Krayola Daycare Teachers.

Opening Celebration – Finally, the opening of classes came.  June 15, 2010 seeing the excitement of the kids as they walked at the entrance door of the Church with their parents wearing smile in their faces made the Daycare Opening truly a celebration. During the program, the kids were introduced with their teachers and assistant teachers beside them. Pastor Joshua did a short but powerful message. The parents were so thankful that there are people who are willingly helping the needs of their kids. Truly, our day worth the hard work knowing that, our work for the Lord is not in vain.

The Daycare Students with their Teachers.

Plans

We are looking for more training for the teachers, which right now, some of us are studying in the seminary to improve our teaching skills.

We are planning to make a uniform for the teachers and students.

We are planning to make workbooks per each student by filing all their monthly activities and give it to their parents.

We are planning to add more workers who will work with us for visitation and follow ups.

We are planning to have a Field Trip this year.