Filipino culture: What we're learning... part 2

What have you learned about Filipino culture??

I love how inviting the Filipinos are. Everytime I have entered a home or a shop, I never feel like I'm imposing. During AOT, when a couple of team members & I were on a run, we were stopped by a family. They asked us to go eat chicken intestine with them. After that, everytime I go for a run, I get to spend time with them & hear updates about their lives.     -Charlotte

I've observed that Filipinos are kind but shy... it's been my experience that if I approach them, they are quicker to open up & talk.     -Corban

Adapting to a new culture is harder than I thought it would be. I struggled at first, but I am starting to get  the hang of it & trying to really immerse myself in the culture. One thing I've learned is that Filipinos are always willing to have a conversation... it may be political, cultural or religious in nature. They are also always happy to open their homes to us also or stop in the store to talk to us.    -Ruth Ann

Filipinos seem shy & it takes a little while to open up to us as Americans. I've also learned that it seems like the entire country has a set nap time every day!!     -Rebekah

Filipinos LOVE their food! They have a lot of pride in their native dishes and it is rude for someone not to eat at least some of what they are served. They are also the epitome of true hospitality.    -Katie

Why Advance Operations Training (AOT)... Fuad

As I was going into my second gap year after high school, I knew I wanted to go on a mission trip. I wanted to use the time to grow my faith in the Lord and have opportunity to share it with others. The field workers in my home country told me about the AOT program in the Philippines. I was very interested!

It has been a great experience, learning so much about evangelism, discipleship & missions. I pray the Lord will use what i've learned in my local church as I return to my home country.

-Fuad

North Africa & the Middle East

Pray for Fuad as he returns to his home country in mid-December. Pray that he will be used by the Lord in his local church to lead other young adults in choosing a life that lives out the Great Commission.

Why NT365 Gap Year... Katie

People don't know the joy that the Creator of the world loves them & wants to have a relationship with them. That's why I joined NT365. I want to be better prepared to make sure ALL have the opportunity to experience a relationship with the Creator.

My family & my best friend encouraged me to join NT365. A fellow church member went on a summer Nehemiah Team & she told me about the opportunity to do a gap year. 

-Katie

Texas

Pray for Katie as she seeks to use every opportunity to share the love of Jesus with anyone she meets.

Why NT365 Gap Year... Corban

I joined NT365 because I wanted to gain some clarity as to if the Lord really has called me to full time cross-cultural missions... or if He has led me to stay in America to serve.

-Corban

Virginia

Pray for the Lord to give Corban the clarity he desires as he moves through the gap year training & deployments.

Why Advance Operations Training (AOT)... Evan

Before graduating high school in May 2025, I decided I wanted to do missions for life. My youth pastor had been pushing me to do missions for a long time... so he was happy to hear my decision! We got lunch together & he told me about IMB and the AOT opportunity. Then, he set up a call with the field missionaries so I could get more detailed information. So... here I am, about to finish up my final deployment and head back to America in a couple weeks.

-Evan

Tennessee

Pray for Evan as he returns home. Pray for opportunities for him to use what he has learned & experienced over the past 3 months. Pray for next steps as he moves forward in obedience. 

Why NT365 Gap Year... Rebekah

There is an International Mission Board (IMB) missionary in my church who served in Asia for 12 years... they were my introduction to the IMB. I found out about NT365 on the IMB website. I feel like God called me to be a missionary several years ago. When I graduated high school, I knew college wasn't the plan for me yet. I felt the Lord telling me to join NT365 and I immediately said YES!. My mom, dad & grandparents were huge encouragers for me to go. They have supported me & have been great examples of Christ my entire life. 

-Rebekah

Texas

Pray for Rebekah as she finishes her month long deployment in Thailand & returns to the Philippines in mid December. Pray as she prepares for her next deployment, serving in another Asia Pacific Rim country through the spring months.

Why NT365 Gap Year... Ruth Ann

I hear about NT365 from my youth pastor, Zach. I like to think that it was his goal to get all of his students onto the mission field! A couple years ago I went on a mission trip to Guatemala with Zach & my church. This is where my passion for missions began. Just as Zach is my "sender"... he's also been my biggest encourager. I strive to have the same love for missions that he has. He never let me get discouraged in the process of choosing a trip or even through the application process.

-Ruth Ann

Tennessee

Pray for Ruth Ann as she prepares to lead out in youth camps during the Christmas season in the Philippines. As they lead sessions on evangelism training, missions education & mobilization, pray for young people to be challenged to go.