Semester 1 Recap: Coaching
We are filled with joy as we reflect on semester 1 of the ‘24-’25 school year. Grady’s volleyball team finished 2nd at their ACSC tournament in Indonesia, while Brittany’s swim team also finished 2nd at their ACSC swim meet in Hong Kong. We are so blessed to be able to build into the children of missionaries on these sports teams.
Teaching
Classes have also been going well. Grady is enjoying teaching Questions in Church History for the 4th time. As he has been able to get a deeper understanding of the course content, he is excited to start trying new teaching methods as he heads into semester 2.
His AP Research students have also impressed him. The students have been working hard in preparation to conduct their studies. With a variety of topics including the analysis of secondary education curriculum in Kurdistan, the optimization of subway systems in Manila, experimentation on shrimps, and the evaluation of the impact of the 4-point line on winning factors in the Philippine Basketball Association, Grady’s students have continually kept him on his toes. It is such a privilege to guide these students in their inquiries and to think through how their research ties into the pursuit of Truth and ultimately their relationship with the Creator. Through her French classes, Brittany has enjoyed exploring with her students how language learning can be an act of worship. We have talked about how, through language, we can give others the gift of a listening ear, provide words of comfort and encouragement, and thus, share the love of Christ.
Student Stories
We are so grateful that, through teaching and coaching, we have the opportunity to disciple the students and athletes at Faith Academy. Over the past few years, God has allowed us to build some pretty special relationships, and in this newsletter we want to share some of their testimonies about how God has been at work in their lives. We interviewed two students, one from the volleyball team, and the other from the swim team. Both of these students are the children of missionaries. Please enjoy reading their stories:
Student on Swim Team:
Question 1: Can you share about the ministry that your parents are a part of?
Both of my parents are missionaries located here in Manila. My mom is a teacher, and started a preschool for kids aged 3-5. My dad is a professor and PhD program director, preparing international students to become trained pastors, teachers, and leaders. Both of my parents went to Faith Academy and were missionary kids themselves, and so my family has a long history here in the Philippines. All of us call the Philippines “home.”
Question 2: How has Faith Academy impacted your faith and/or helped you grow as a person?
Going to Faith Academy is one of the major blessings God has given me and I feel privileged to go to a school where my teachers support and encourage my walk in the faith. Growing up in a Christian environment is sometimes tricky, because often it is easy to become complacent about our faith and I have definitely struggled to stay committed to God above all else. But Faith Academy has helped me to make my faith my own, especially through the opportunities for growth that it provides. About a year ago my classmates started a prayer group, and I’ve helped lead that and this has taught me to continue to develop my relationship with God and my brothers and sisters in Christ. We couldn’t have even started this prayer group without the spiritual nourishment through chapel messages and teachers, or without the teachers who have been willing to supervise and aid in our weekly meetings.
Question 3: How would you describe the relationship that we’ve built? One of the most important ways my school has impacted my faith is through our teachers and coaches. Coach Brittany has given me this amazing example of what it looks like to be a Christ-centered athlete, and how we can use our activity and talent to glorify God. The Flemings demonstrate humility in the way they teach and coach, and this makes them some of the most loved members of our school. Mrs. Fleming has also built a personal relationship with me and this allows me to always feel comfortable around her and know that I can go to her immediately if I ever have an issue.
Question 1: Can you share about the ministry that your parents are a part of?
My parents started off their ministry serving in Valenzuela. Partnering with University Baptist Church, my parents served more rural and unreached areas to spread the gospel there. As time went on, my parents began getting involved in managing orphanages and being on the school board for schools in Boracay. They still do Vacation Bible School in unreached areas in March, and also help out with a local ministry, Kids International Ministries.
Question 2: How has Faith Academy impacted your faith and/or helped you grow as a person?
Faith Academy has absolutely impacted my faith, and because of it, I never want to be in an environment where God isn’t integrated into education. My teachers have done exactly what Faith Academy has aimed to achieve, which is to create Christ-like life-long learners. Christianity wasn’t spoonfed or shoved down my throat either. It was a seed that was planted and allowed me to taste for myself the fruit that it bore. I was able to be in a loving community that valued my spirituality and my growth as a person, and that is something I have not been able to find consistently anywhere else in the world. Faith Academy is a bubble, for sure, but it has taught me how to continue to pursue God and education even outside of it. I want to be a functional member of society and be in the world, but above that, I want to be a follower of Christ and not of the world.
Question 3: How would you describe the relationship that we’ve built? Honestly, Mr. Fleming has been one of the biggest role models in my life. I see a prime example of a warm demander in him. His intellectuality and his strong mentality are something that I really find myself trying to replicate. From a teacher position to a coach, both of these versions of him have changed my life. If I go on to teach, I know who I’ll try to teach like. If I go on to coach, I know who I’ll try to coach like. To me, he is a man dedicated to God, his family, and his community, and I am truly blessed to have been his student (even though his class had a really heavy workload). I think the biggest thing that Mr. Fleming has done for me is not giving up on me. I came to him with really conflicted feelings that had to do with my self confidence and finding my worth in sports, and he didn’t tell me “you’re not committed, you’re off the team,” but he listened to me and reassured me from an unbiased angle. He helped me find my place in a sport that I felt had no room for me, and as a big athlete, that was a HUGE deal for me.
Prayer Requests
Pray for discipleship opportunities with our students. Pray that God will continue to lead us in conversations with students and athletes. Pray that our students and athletes who love Jesus would see their lives as acts of worship to God, and pray that our students who are skeptical would feel comfortable to ask questions and voice their doubts. Pray that they would see Jesus through us and others in our community and that they would want to give their lives to Him.
Pray for the 12th graders as they head into their last semester of school. Pray for comfort as they prepare for the next phase of their lives, and pray that they would desire to further the Kingdom. Pray against the temptation to strive for worldly pleasures for self-gain.
Pray that our community would rest well over this Christmas break, and that we would be rejuvenated as we begin semester 2.
Pray as we look for a new place to live in. We are starting to outgrow our current place as Mia Joy grows.
Thank you for your continued prayerful and financial support. Your generosity allows us to support mission efforts in the Philippines and beyond, while building into students like these. We absolutely cannot do what we do without you. Our plan is to give a bit of personal update at the start of January. Stay tuned!
Much love, Britt and Grady
