The Philippine Mission
The island of Mindanao is located 500 miles south of the Capital of Manila. It was named as one of the top ten most dangerous places in the world. The nearly fifty-year struggle between various anti-governmental groups, including the New People’s Army (NPA) and the government has displaced 120,000 people.
Other long term conflicts include the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) who sought to establish an Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. In the southern part of the island Abu Sayyaf and Al Qaeda has maintained a presence for decades. These, and other conflicts, have limited the growth of tourism and the expansion of business and commerce. But it hasn’t dampened the spiritual hunger or the love of God by the people.
The island has flourished as the “Bread Basket of the Philippines,” and leads the nation in the production of pineapples, banana, cassava, coconut, coffee, rubber, and corn. Numerous agricultural products are grown in its rich soil as well. Fishing, fisheries, rice and fruit farms, and light industry also contribute to Mindanao’s output.
The more than 7,000 islands are beautiful, offering breathtaking sceneries of beaches, forests, farms, and forests. But the people are what make the Philippines so attractive to me. They are friendly, intelligent, creative, multi-talented, and appreciative. It’s been my joy to develop strong personal relationships there. I love the food, and have never regretted any journey I’ve made to the Philippines.
My destinations have included the islands of Luzon, where the capital of Manila is located, Negroes, Cebu, Bohol, and Mindanao.
Apostolic Strategies
Apostolic Strategies was formed in 1994 in the United States by Dr. Larry for the purpose of offering effective strategies of development, growth, and management of churches and non-profit organizations throughout the U.S. and the world. Since its beginning it has provided assistance in Africa, Asia, India, South America, and the Caribbean Islands.
Its unique success has been the implementation of feeding programs for the poorest of the poor, medical outreaches, business development, cottage industries, agricultural projects and church plantings. These services are designed to bring total health and well-being.
It is reported that approximately one hundred twenty-five churches have been established through the efforts of the ministerial network and churches since 1998.
Many pastors and community leaders have been instrumental to the success of our endeavors in the Philippine Islands. But from the beginning four pastors were of invaluable assistance to us. They are Dan Erlina, Joe Pacquiao, Carlos Gallur, and Bong Udang. Without these men and their untiring efforts, the outreaches and development projects would not have been possible. They were the original steering committee for Apostolic Strategies in the Philippines.
Philippine Projects
Agricultural projects Apostolic Strategies has sponsored in the Philippine Islands include the planting of mangos, cucumbers, coffee, coconuts, squash, eggplant, coffee, banana trees and more.
Business developments include transportation, coffee bean brokers, and investment clubs.
Approximately one hundred twenty-five new churches have been established. Another one-hundred is scheduled over the next fifteen years. Outreach teams, pastors, and social intervention coordinators have and are being trained. Finance is the principle delay.
More than 2 million hot meals have been fed to malnourished children through the combined efforts of Apostolic Strategies, Kids Against Hunger and the net-working churches.
Emmanuel Farm
One of our recent endeavors has been the development of Emmanuel Farm. One-thousand coconut trees and five-hundred banana trees will provide four harvests each year. The profits from the harvests will help provide funds for church startups, development, and humanitarian projects. As of November 2016, half of the coconut and banana trees have been planted. Completion will occur in 2017. This would not be possible without the oversight & management of the farm by Pastor Eduardo Cagampang and the congregation of Blessed Hope in Bayawan. We would be delighted and grateful if you or your group would like to participate financially in this very noble project.
Dr. Larry desires to create a minimum of ten “Emmanuel Farms” throughout the Philippines. He believes the harvests of these small plantations will provide the needed funds for the church developments and humanitarian outreaches for the future, long after he is deceased.
Feeding & Educational Outreaches
More than 2 million hot meals have been fed to malnourished children in more than sixty-five locations through the combined efforts of Apostolic Strategies, Kids Against Hunger and the net-working churches and pastors This would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of more than forty pastors under the oversight of Pastors Dan Erlina, Carlos Gallur, Joe Pacquiao, and Bishop Bong Udang.
Mentoring and educational programs are offered to the parents of the children in the feeding programs to help develop lasting success of the outreach. Many of these families choose to affiliate with a local congregation which leads to a more successful outcome due to the continued mentoring, social interaction, and spiritual growth.
Feeding and mentoring programs have operated at churches, city parks, jungle clearings, beaches and even under bridges.
Pastor’s Conferences
Dr. Larry and the ASI Board of Directors saw a need for the encouragement and equipping of the Philippine pastors. These men and women were so dedicated, offering service and support to their needy communities day and night. Many of them were physically and emotionally exhausted. Some were leaving the ministry due to poverty and exhaustion. Apostolic Strategies and its Steering Committee in Mindanao stepped in to help.
The Pastor’s Conferences were developed to encourage and equip the local ministry leaders. This was facilitated through conferences, printed materials, fellowship, nutrition, and vision. While it is true that “Without a vision, the people will perish,” (Proverbs 29: 18 KJV), it very difficult to focus and think creatively without adequate nutrition.
ASI began carrying large supplies of vitamins for the pastors and their families. Then when the nutrition program began, Dr. Larry insisted that the pastors and their families fortify themselves with these meals. The pastors gained physical strength, vitality, and fresh vision and energy emerged.
This was the equivalent of the Biblical instruction of James 2: 24-17 “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
Bishop Genesis “Bong” Udang
Since 1998 Pastor Genesis “Bong” Udang has been so important to everything ASI has done in the Philippines. In the beginning, he was the only one among our contacts who owned a car! His unselfish contribution of his time, energies, wisdom, and resources were invaluable. His church, Blessed Hope Christian Community Church International, hosted conferences, supported feeding programs, and assisted in many ways.
Pastor Bong, who later became Bishop Bong, as ordained by the Philippine Council of Evangelical Bishops (PCEB) under the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC)and appointed as PCEC National Deputy Director for Mindanao is now coordinating with the thousands of PCEC Network churches throughout Mindanao. He was the chairman of Apostolic Strategies in the Philippines and continues to be a huge asset partner to Dr. Larry and The Philippine Mission. His wife Mila and their three sons, Jonathan, Joshua, and Jason, are very involved in Blessed Hope and numerous outreaches in the Philippines. They have been Dr. Larry’s “Filipino family,” providing encouragement, cultural & spiritual insights, and sharing the hospitality of their home.
How to Support the Philippine Mission
You can become a life-line supporter of the Philippine Mission in numerous ways. First, we request your prayers for God’s desires over the Philippine Islands to become a reality. Pray that the Pastors and community leaders be encouraged spiritually and physically. Pray that effective open doors of opportunity will continue to open for them. Pray for financial resources, which without, vision remains stagnant.
Specific resources you can partner in: (Photos of these projects can be viewed in the Gallery of this website.)
- $100 will supply 50 coconut trees or 25 banana trees on Emmanuel Farms. We need to plant 500 additional trees this year.
- $250 will supply 125 coconut trees or 62 banana trees.
- $100 each month supplies the much-needed nutritional boost for fifty children in a Feeding & Mentoring Station. I’ve seen the awesome success of this program over the past 18 years. Ten new stations are desperately needed now.
- $15 each month helps a child attend school. Primary & elementary education is free. However, many children cannot attend because of the daily need of transportation, lunch, and school supplies.
- $2,000 will purchase a motor-cycle for a pastor or feeding & mentoring coordinator. This dramatically changes their life, providing mobility and saving many hours of walking or riding public transit.
- $3,000 will pay for a “Phase 1” multi-purpose building. This is a 30 x 50 frame building with a tin roof and open sides.
- $2,000 will help close in the sides and provide a concrete floor for the multi-purpose building. Multi-purpose buildings are used for worship services, feeding & mentoring centers, medical services, and community gatherings. See the photos in the Gallery of the website.
- $150 per month, $1800 annually, will support the startup of a new church / community development project. Seven new churches are scheduled in 2017, if finance permits. The locations have been chosen. The outreach and pastoral teams are already trained and ready to go forward. The $150 each month is for three years. Then $50 each month for the fourth and fifth year. ($6600 total)
- $2,000 – $10,000 will purchase property for a multi-purpose building in many rural areas.
- $10,000 – $100,000 will purchase property in most cities.
- $15,000 – $40,000 will purchase property for a “Emmanuel Farm.” The harvests provide funds four times a year for life. The funds are used to start up and expand churches, feeding & mentoring centers, medical, and community development projects.
Your financial support will change the lives of individuals, families, and affect entire communities. I know the amazing results of these investments. I’ve been involved there personally for the last eighteen years and have seen the results with my own eyes. I’m not asking you to send funds to an unverifiable mission with questionable results. Thank you from the beautiful Filipino people and from the recipients of your generosity.
You can use Pay Pal from this site or contact us via the Contact Us window or call me directly at the phone number below for more information.
Dr. Larry Langston
8300 Cypress Creek Parkway, Suite 450
Houston, Texas 77070
407-715-8052