Passport with a Purpose: Filipino Young Professionals are Answering God’s Call in Singapore

Getting a passport for work in Singapore was an aspiration for a bright future for young professionals from the Philippines. They saw it as a career move and an economic uplift for their families. It was a personal plan, but God has used this plan instead to accomplish his purposes.

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin ….” (Zechariah 4:10 NLT). With this verse, God led Filipinas Barrieses, the president of the Asia Pacific Alliance Women, to mobilize young Filipino professionals working in Singapore with some leaders in her church. They prayed for Singapore every week for one year until finally the first 10-day prayer journey in Singapore was held in March 2012 followed a year later by a second prayer journey.

In 2013, four Filipino young professionals answered God’s call. But the Lord turned their passion beyond their jobs into a passion for the lost and the unreached. God moved their hearts to his calling and started a ministry in which the constant thrust and heartbeat is for the lost, least reached and unreached people groups here in Singapore – to obey the Great Commission.

The core team – Sarrah, Maverick and his wife, and Daren – has been officially recognized and commissioned as International Ministry Workers in Singapore by the Christian and Missionary Churches of the Philippines (CAMACOP).

The Lord has blessed the fellowship and has led them to new young professionals and new migrant workers willing to follow the Lord’s call in their sphere of influence. By the grace of God and his leading, the ministry has grown through small groups in prayer, worship, and discipleship.

In 2013, we started worship in outdoor parks, and in 2017 God provided a place where we could meet for fellowship and worship. Believers now come for worship of the Lord on Sundays, and for prayer and discipleship, equipping, and evangelism gatherings.

CAMACOP has been very supportive in prayer and encouragement. Under the leadership of the Division of Missions, we have received calls, messages of encouragement and personal visits of the mission leaders, veteran missionaries, and Alliance women who never get tired of praying for us, mentoring us and discipling us. God has been faithful in fueling our desires and passion for his work.

We have a role to play in finishing the task God has commanded us to do. We believe that the Lord has chosen to involve us in the strategy to reach his goal.

With God on our side and with his blessings, we see an opportunity to share our faith in our sphere of influence, and to inspire, disciple and partner with other young professionals and migrant believers in a movement towards advancing God’s Kingdom in Singapore and beyond.