Reprinted by permission

God’s design is for His people to be united through being related to one another like members of one big family and living in interdependence with each other. However, the reality is that people or organizations prefer to live their own lives or run their own affairs without the interference of others. When challenged to work with others, the question at the back of most minds is: "Isn't it really easier and quicker just to do it yourself?" Here are some people's reasons for refusing to work with others:

• Perceived theological differences
• Various fears, such as change
• Losing group’s identity and autonomy
• Intrusion on "my turf"
• Exposure of our weaknesses
• Protecting the sources of support
• "We can do it alone" mentality
• Perception that it is of little or no value and involvement is a waste of time

It is true that one can get a specific job done. However, not everything can be accomplished by going it alone. A good example is the work among children at risk. We should remind ourselves that the idea of working together to achieve something is confirmed by historical records, traditional proverbs and passages in Scriptures. It is not a new idea. 

PCMN is an instrument of promoting unity in the Christian childcare and development community.

When PCMN was conceived 10 years ago, those involved in its formation had a clear purpose in mind. It was to be a network whose role was to serve as linkage for mutual support and uplift, information and shared resources, prayer and fellowship for Christian agencies and churches that work among children. But this idea did not simply crop up. It began with a vision from God to Christians working together to help children at risk that one young Danish Christian caught while he was involved in a street children's project in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. That young man was Patrick McDonald, now the International Director of Viva Network. Like a hardworking farmer who keeps on sowing seed, Patrick shared the vision to everyone he encountered. 

A seed germinates and grows eventually to become a robust and fruitful plant when planted in a prepared soil. Patrick’s vision was caught by the group in Manila. Bishop Efraim Tendero of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC), together with several leaders of children’s ministries, organized the first Consultation on Children at Risk on November 4-6, 1998, in Tagaytay City. The 73 heads and senior leaders of 39 Christian children's ministries who gathered for this event agreed to establish a network of Christian ministries for children at risk. On the third day of the consultation, the Philippine Children’s Ministries Network (PCMN) was born. 

The early years of PCMN were focused on creating links to provide a strong foundation. The tasks appeared mundane: making phone calls, visiting organizations and getting to know them, arranging and attending meetings, documenting minutes of meetings, sending communications, attending to the many little and tedious details when conducting activities, etc. Relationships were established and strengthened as people got to know each other and what they were doing, while they shared, learned and received encouragement from each other and explored possible areas of collaboration. The developing friendship made it easier to cooperate with one another. The positive experience of facilitating the successful completion of activities inspired people to stay on and attracted more groups and people to become involved. The resulting synergy enabled the network to increase its reach and service. 

Although PCMN in recent years has recruited six full-time staff, it remains heavily reliant on volunteer manpower. Its Board of Trustees is composed of people (mostly volunteers) who are able to help the coordination team in significant and practical ways. The working groups that run several network activities are comprised of volunteer staff of different member-organizations and partners. The coordination groups of the local networks are composed also of volunteers.

Although there are various roles and responsibilities, there are no "bosses" who bark out commands. Everyone is doing his or her bit and contributing to get the work done. People’s "servant" attitude, willingness to help, and generosity of spirit bring about a strong sense of camaraderie. It makes both the challenging and ordinary tasks enjoyable and not a burden.

PCMN owes a great debt of gratitude to several people and organizations for helping it to its feet. PCEC provided legal protection and assistance in financial management until PCMN's registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission in September 2005. Tearfund Nederland gave its support two years after the network’s formation. The support came at a time when no funding organizations were interested in supporting a group that did not have a direct service to children and one that was struggling to define its identity and niche. Tearfund kept its faith and provided increasing support, making possible the implementation of several projects, such as Project Rhoda, HIV/AIDS Prevention, and Holistic Multi-Sectoral Response to Child Trafficking and to Children at Risk from 2004 to 2007. Their unqualified support through the years enabled PCMN to stabilize and later expand its area of coverage in the Visayas and Mindanao regions of the Philippines. As it established a track record, PCMN was eventually able to accept small grants for its other activities—even some support for its operations from Viva Network, UNICEF, World Vision, International Justice Mission, Servants, and other organizations.

PCMN is making a difference by working together. 

The meetings, retreats, consultations, conferences and training activities have given birth to several collaborative projects. The Quezon City Cluster formed after the 2000 National Conference eventually disbanded but not before facilitating the completion of the research study on “The Incidence and Situation of Child Domestic Workers in Quezon City.” In its place rose Project Rhoda. Three churches (Alliance Fellowship Church, Diliman Bible Church, Kamuning Bible Christian Fellowship) and one nongovernmental organization (NGO) were involved in the first two years; together they served some 100 child domestic laborers.

Today, Project Rhoda (whose membership has grown to 10 churches) is in the process of being registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and helps more than 300 child domestic laborers and other children at risk. This year, they started the operation of the Step-UP (Stop Trafficking and Exploitation of People through Unlimited Potential) Computer Literacy Learning Center. This project came about from the partnership of PCMN with the Visayan Forum Foundation and Microsoft. They aim to serve 250 youth at risk through the project annually. The project has stirred up the interest of other members and churches, many of which are considering to be part of the initiative. 

Several members started to come together around the issue of child trafficking after the first Asia Cutting Edge Conference in Malaysia in 2004. Eventually, they comprised the working committee that developed the concept paper that became the basis for the network’s response to the issue. The pilot project, the Holistic Multi-Sectoral Response to Child Trafficking, was implemented with support from Tearfund Nederland and UNICEF. It provided capacity building activities for the Manila members that run shelter programs to prepare their staff in helping victims of child trafficking who might be referred to them for protective custody. The other component was building capacities of churches and NGOs to help in the prevention of trafficking.

Training programs were conducted in targeted areas like Bacolod, Davao and Gensan, where local networks were developing. In addition, training concerning Church’s Integral Mission, God’s Heart for Children, Life Skills for Children at Risk, Network and Partnership Development have been facilitated. Such programs helped to bring and link more NGOs and churches. PCMN's work continues to expand, reaching more areas: Iloilo, Antique, Guimaras, Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, and, more recently, Bicol. At present, these groups are in different stages of development toward becoming functional networks. 

With support from Tearfund UK, PCMN was able to implement a similar project on child trafficking prevention in the three provinces of Samar. This island is identified in various situation reports as one of the main "sending" areas of trafficked persons. PCMN began the initiative in Samar through consultation with Christian NGOs that have existing ministries on the island and with the leadership of the ministerial associations. The response was encouraging as the pastors embraced the issue. After the orientation and training on R.A. 9208, which is known as the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, the pastors conducted community education programs about child trafficking prevention. In the past 2 ½ years they have educated 50,000 children, youth, and adults. This outreach was facilitated through linking with both government and nongovernmental organizations.

Furthermore, the pastors have reported cases of trafficking to authorities. In one case, some pastors were involved in an entrapment operation that rescued a 16-year-old girl who was a church member. (This girl is now receiving assistance as she completes a two-year course at a local college.) The recruiter was apprehended and a case was filed; he is still in detention, waiting for the court’s decision.

Three pastors have become foster parents of abused children, while several churches are assisting children at risk with their education. Some churches have evolved to become networks that protect children. Their continuing advocacy is demonstrated as they train other church leaders and workers. The communities are now viewing these churches as champions of children and bring to their attention incidents of abuse and exploitation. The group in Eastern Samar has taken a step of faith by joining the Step-UP Project. Their Computer Technology Learning Center (which is located in Borongan and seeks to serve 250 youth at risk annually) was launched in September 2008. Meanwhile, the network in Northern Samar has joined a pilot project on Child Sexual Abuse Prevention with Stairway Foundation. 

Other network initiatives have been undertaken to respond to the needs of the members and other groups for the purpose of building capacity in order to serve more children effectively. There has been training in Spiritual Mentoring, Creative Arts, Appreciative Inquiry, Paralegal matters, HIV/AIDS Prevention, Sex, Lies and Truth, Child Sexual Abuse Prevention and Life Skills for Children at Risk. The annual Caregivers Retreat provides an occasion for spiritual nourishment, inspiration, and mutual edification of workers. It is an expression of care for the workers as they care for the children.

The first network activity in 1999—a children’s conference with the theme “Sali Kami,” the children’s writeshop, the Child Participation Project that culminated in a Children’s Summit and produced "Panawagan"—are affirmations of the network’s view that children are major stakeholders in our work and should be given opportunities to actively participate in all matters that directly concern them. We recognize and value their God-given gifts, talents, and capabilities and are committed to nurturing and empowering them.

In the past four years, PCMN has partnered with the Department of Education Bureau of Alternative Learning Systems in conducting the training of ALS Instructional Managers. The training equips participating organizations and churches with the skills to enable them to serve their communities through a nonformal education program for out-of-school youths and illiterate adults.

The holding of an annual prayer event, the World Weekend of Prayer for Children at Risk by many different participating groups, has raised awareness on issues affecting children to a wider audience. This event also seeks to mobilize more individuals and groups to become involved in greater and continuing prayers for children at risk, their families, their communities and the different groups helping them.

(Click link to view larger image of PCMN network map.)

PCMN has made a difference and is still making more.

An impact study of PCMN was made in the past 1½ years with the facilitation and support of Viva Network. That study validates our claim that we have made a difference in various ways. The following are some of the accomplishments in the past 10 years: 

• More churches have been engaged and mobilized with encouraging results. Children’s issues and concerns have been intentionally brought to the attention of the churches in many areas in the country. Consequently, an increasing number of churches have responded and are now part of collaborative initiatives. Networks of churches espousing children’s well-being and protection are emerging or have been formed.
• The quality of work for helping children has improved. Some of the gaps in Christian childcare work are being addressed, e.g., training and capacity building needs, developing resource materials for children-at-risk ministries. Training and access to resource materials may not be a need or concern of the better resourced organizations, but the smaller, grassroots groups with limited resources have significantly benefited from these services that the network has been able to provide directly or by linking them to other resources. By conducting several writeshops in formulating a Child Protection Policy, a significant number of member-organizations and local networks have their written Child Protection Policy now.      
• The quantity of work among children has increased as new ministries are spawned directly and indirectly. This development is the outcome of engaging and mobilizing churches. Project Rhoda (which is a ministry to aid child domestic workers), the Child Trafficking Prevention Project in Samar, the advocacy initiatives on children at risk by churches in Bacolod, Iloilo, Antique, Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, Davao and SOCSKSARGEN are good examples. Some organizations introduced to each other through the network have become partners that have pooled their resources and in doing so increased the number of children that they serve. One organization made a shift from operating a shelter program to a community-based program that emphasized prevention and enabled them to serve a greater number of children and families. Another organization has embraced the issue of child protection after being focused mainly on feeding and educational sponsorship.
• The visibility and profile of the work of Christian faith-based organizatons (FBOs) among children outside the body of Christ has increased. PCMN has represented the collective work of Christians at gatherings of different coalitions, councils, and events organized by government agencies with programs for children. In the past four years, PCMN has been recognized by UNICEF as a national partner for its initiatives on Child Protection and Networks and Systems Building for Child Protection. We are one of the key stakeholders in the developing Philippine Inter-Faith Network For Children (PHILINC).
• PCMN is a catalyst for unity in the Body of Christ. We are gaining ground toward becoming a united family of God, bound by His love and shared passion to fulfill His purpose with children as the focus. This change is probably our most important impact. We are seeing the breaking of barriers that have kept many Christians and their groups working in isolation from the rest of the Body. In the process, the issues of work duplication, unwise use of limited resources, and the spirit of competition among Christian groups are being addressed. The relationships forged among so many disparate groups are developing as strong linkages that foster a sense of belonging and solidarity. 

In hindsight, we are able to appreciate that the seemingly "chance" encounters of people in various situations, the conversations and correspondence, or what may appear as unrelated events—meetings, seminars, workshops, conferences—are actually different pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that, when fitted together, become a beautiful picture. We believe that PCMN is a beautiful piece of work. It turned out as such because of the convergence of several factors:

1. The vision for working together is from God, and people are able to catch and share it easily with others.
2. The time is right; in other words, it is kairos, or God’s time, for the network, and those involved have a shared view that there is need for it.
3. Strategic, respected, and influential people became involved to jumpstart the networking process, e.g., Bishop Ef Tendero (PCEC), Patrick McDonald (Viva Network), and several leaders of organizations with good track records.
4. The members participated in casting the vision, mission and goals of the network.
5. The work is a "local initiative" with no funding commitment from the outside when it started; as such, members helped to make the activities self-supporting.
6. No particular group seeks to dominate, take control, or push its own agenda.
7. The designated network coordinator was fully endorsed and accepted by the network’s constituency. 

As we reflect, we are able to see our God, who has done all the preparatory work in people and groups, even before the thought of establishing a network of Christian children’s ministries came to mind. Our collective experience of 10 years assures us that our great God was and is very much at the helm of PCMN, and He will remain so in the next decade. God will take care of his work. He is the one who will make it grow and prosper (I Corinthians 3:6,7).

PCMN is looking ahead.

What will the next 10 years be like for PCMN? In a way, this has been partially answered when some 65 PCMN stakeholders gathered in Baguio in October 2007 for its first ever Stakeholders’ Congress. At that gathering, the members affirmed the work of PCMN and expressed their commitment of continuing participation and support.

But there is a need to work out changes to be able to keep up with the rapid developments of events and remain relevant. The members identified the network’s priorities, such as the need for a long-term plan, clarification of the roles and relationships of members, partners and affiliates, and lastly, the network’s organizational structure. The vision–mission–goals have been revisited and revised so that the outcome is a simpler, sharper and more clear-cut statement of the network’s purpose and how it will be accomplished.   

In the joint meeting of the PCMN Board of Trustees and Coordination Team this October 2008, the strategy review gave us the opportunity to start the discussion about who are we really (our distinct identity), what we can be best at (our focus), and how we can do our work better (our organizational and our marketing/sustainability plans). We have agreed on four core strategies:

1. Capacity building
2. Development and publication of IEC (information, educational, and communication) materials for FBOs on children and related subjects
3. Resource mobilization – people, money and materials
4. Advocacy

Further work needs to be done with the participation of other stakeholders to be able to complete putting flesh to this plan. This work will be a priority task in the beginning of 2009. Meanwhile, a revised organizational structure that features some key changes in roles and responsibilities of staff has been agreed upon. Its implementation has been started. For sure, PCMN is still very much a work in progress.