Heaven's Eyes Tribal Missions

 

WHO ARE WE:

Heaven’s Eyes is non-stock, non-profit, evangelical, bible-believing Christian organization composed of people working among different tribal communities committed to meet the needs of tribal communities through heaven’s eyes for the glory of God and for the furtherance of the Gospel.  This is in partnership with different denominations, churches, organizations, and other groups sympathetic to the plight of tribal people groups.

 

HISTORY:

In 2003, Tribal Mission Foundation, Intl, the mission organization most members of HECM used to be part of, pulled out of the work in Palawan to concentrate on the tribal work in Davao.  The Palawan staff members were given the option to transfer in Davao. But the call of missionary work among the tribal people in Palawan was so strong to some staff members so they decided to work independently. However, while tribal missionaries were still working together with TMFI, the desire for the education of tribal children was birthed already in the hearts of some of the staff.  However, it was not materialized yet at that time. Some Mountain Movers graduates of TMFI were then already ministering to various tribal villages and had the same desire as well. 

In June of 2003, a partnership between Dr. Welthy “Wingky” E. Villanueva, a former staff of TMFI Palawan and Pastor Ricardo dela Cruz and his wife, Ann, graduates of the Mountain Movers training of TMFI. was forged and together, they started a tribal school among the Bataks in Tagnipa, Tinitian, Roxas, Palawan using the Accelerated Christian Education curriculum of the School of Tomorrow. 

In 2005,  Ms. Irene Ermino, the community development worker of TMFI Palawan started her own ministry called Bahay Kalinga at Aralan in Princess Urduja, Narra, Palawan.  Her ministry involves housing Palawano students from different tribal villages who seek further studies in the lowland but have no place to stay.  They are cared for and sent to school by Ms, Ermino’s ministry while they are  nurtured in the Word of God as well.  During vacations, they go home to their respective families.

Ms. Irene and Dr. Wingky were co-workers together in TMFI and the desire for the education of the tribal children was so strong in each other’’s hearts even while they were still working together with TMFI.  Dr. Wingky’s heart was in the education of the Batak tribal children while Ms. Irene’s heart was for the education of the Palawano tribal children.  Each started their own ministry.  In 2006, a partnership was forged between Ms. Ermino and Dr. Wingky where Dr. Wingky will help raise support for the children of Ms. Ermino’s ministry and Ms. Ermino would provide various insights/advices in tribal community work to Dr. Wingky.

 Sometime late in 2006, plans for another partnership was to be forged with a tribal missionary couple, Pastor Joseph and Nancy Demafelis to start another tribal school among the Bataks in the village of Nanabu, Caramay, Roxas, Palawan which eventually materialized in June 2007.  Pastor Joseph is also a graduate of TMFI’s Mountain Movers Training.

Thus, because of the various inter-connections of these tribal missionaries with each other in the work, it was deemed prudent to organize the different partnerships into an organization since each have the same desires and goals for the tribal people. This is so that resources could be pooled and that joys, triumphs and difficulties could be shared with one another.  Each ministry partner is a unique entity and works interdependently with one another.  As the different ministries grew, different partners were added like various churches, families and organizations.