Filipino Sabbatical

Pastor Jack Van de Hoef reflects on his month long sabbatical to the Philippines with CRWM, accompanied by his wife Jane. Read more about the work of Christian Reformed World Missions in the Philippines here.

When I approached my Council with the idea of a sabbatical, I presented a “theme” of Church and mission.  I have served for 20 years in the established church in Canada, and I desired to see what God was doing beyond the walls of the established church. This idea was helped along by an invitation from CRWM missionary and friend, Bruce Adema, to teach a one-week course at Koinonia Theological Seminary in Davao City, The Philippines. My wife Jane and I left for a 4-week trip to the Philippines with the desire to see and observe and celebrate what God was doing through his people in that country.  God blessed us with an experience of meeting that desire and so much more.

My first week was spent teaching and learning at Koinonia Seminary. My course was on the books of Samuel, and I presented the stories as part of God's grand story. It was rewarding to see my students—pastors, businessmen, and campus ministry workers—respond with enthusiasm. The sharing in this course was mutual: my home church in Guelph bought each student the class books, worth about a month’s wage in the Philippines. In turn, my students gave as much as they received. They shared openly about their experience in the Filipino church, both their problems and joys. It was fascinating to hear the similar challenges and opportunities we faced with issues like reaching out to youth and the community.

I learned more about the Filipino church in the second week, when Bruce and his wife Joanne, took us to visit various congregations. I was especially excited to visit the church in Cagayan d'Oro, which my home church had been supporting for many years. This congregation of sixty met in a building with open walls. I noticed that the lively worship, led by the youth, spilled out into the neighbourhood. “We are a part of this,” I thought to myself. I felt the same way when we visited the CRC church of Butuan, the first CRC I had seen outside of North America. How amazing it was to travel across the world and meet people in the same denomination.

It was incredible to share our faith despite the differences of culture and wealth. We felt this way when we dropped in on the Mabacan CRC, a tiny church that had been a presence in its community for fourteen years. We had to travel down an alleyway of crowded shanties to get to the simple building, but were greeted with smiles and graciousness by the minister’s wife and a teenage girl who is the church's worship leader. Their church was poor according to Western standards, but they had no complaints. Instead, they openly expressed joy in the Lord, and spending time with them made us all celebrate the same thing: God is wonderful and it is good to worship him.