Pastor Rey Ingaran teaches FAITH Gardening to KIM Kids at Grow Ministry Center

I first met "Pastor Rey" Ingaran in 1998 when I went on a Basketball ministry trip to the Philippines. Our Short-term team from West Hills Community Church, headed up by Pastor Daren Beck prepared and then led a young group of guys... some younger than others. Dan Hunter, Greg Mayer, BJ Lopez, Pio Conde, Nathan Wells and myself, then two brothers from Santa Cruz Bible--Brian and Kevin. It was November, shortly before Thanksgiving, and we arrived in Manila. In addition to this group of basketball players, Jodie Beck, Andrea Lopez and Debbie Kenyon came to work in a Birthing Clinic down in Davao, Mindanao.

Our trip was life-changing for many of us, although it presented much physical challenges for others....injuries, motion sickness, dehydration, blisters, and reaction to new kinds of foods. But in the course of this ministry trip, we gained great exposure to ministry work in the Philippines. As well, we had a chance to work with some Philippine Nationals, Tom Randall and Paul Duncan. One of the PI Nationals was our Pastor who organized alot of the trip, and acted as an interpreter for the presentation of the Gospel and all of our testimonies to the half-time crowds. This was Pastor Rey Ingaran.


Last Monday night I was reunited with Pastor Rey. We have spent the last several days talking about his ministry in Northern Luzon, in Santa Maria, Isabela Province. And today I was able to offer up my Grow Ministry Training Center, so Pastor Rey could present some basic gardening techniques to the children of Kids International Ministries.


As Pastor Rey and I have talked this week, we have had the opportunity to make some preliminary plans to present Food Always In The Home and Natural Farming to four churches he is responsible for up in Northern Luzon. In addition to that we have discussed some of the development needs, as well as the christian witness needs (evangelism, discipleship, church growth and health, pastor leadership development). Pastor Rey will be going back to Isabela on Monday to discuss with his leadership how we can work together to strengthen the pastors, the churches, and the communities. We look forward to partnering in the training of his leadership on the development and christian witness fronts.


Please pray that the Lord will have his hand on this work. If you are interested in learning more about this ministry, please write grow.rizal@gmail.com


Take care and God bless, Phil