Our Best Hope

As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts about our trip to The Philippines, we went to Butuan City on Mindanao Island, one of the southernmost islands in The Philippines. In the mountains near Butuan City is Sunrise Christian College, a place I knew little about but became wholly impressed with while there.

A student body of 600, maybe 700 kids go to the” English only” campus and learn a curriculum based on Christian values. The “college” includes early elementary through university aged students. In addition to the three R's they learn three big E's: Ethics, economics, and equal opporunity.

How significant is this? Mindanao and its neighbor island Jolo are home to Islamic fundamentalists. Just this week Filipino and American troops have engaged and killed over a dozen terrorists there.

So how important is Sunrise Christian? Let me answer that with another question or two: Think the bad guys would like to get their hands on hundreds of Filipino kids and teenagers? Think they'd want to share values, ethics, or helpful opportunities with them?

Don’t misunderstand: SCC is in the northwest part of Mindanao whereas the Islamic bad guys tend to stay to the south. As far as I know we did not see or come near anyone who has considered tying a bomb around their waist. But direct confrontation with Abu Sayyaf militants or other Al-Qaeda-linked terror groups is not my point. We will win the war on terror only if we win the hearts of the people. A long term “boots on the ground” effort like Sunrise Christian College is the best example of being a good neighbor I can think of.

If you, your church, or your school would like to consider financial support of Sunrise Christian College, please contact me. I can get you in touch with SCC officals today. $50 a month can sponsor a kid to go to school there and is exactly what we ought to be doing on Mindanao and around the world.

Students crowd a walkway to share a devotional where I was priviledged to speak