Purpose for attending the school
Holy Given: Leyte International School of Missions is a school on the edge of what God is doing these days on the earth. You will be trained and equipped to be a pioneer, bringing light into the darkest corners of the earth. This school is for strong committed Christians who dare to take this risk!
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What age must I be?
You must be at least 18 years of age. (No exceptions.)
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Can I come with my family?
Yes! Our heart is to release families into missions. We will not have childcare, but your children are welcome to play at the centre. Some outreaches are more difficult than others and your children may not be able to join you on those. One of the parents will have to stay in the centre with them. However, we will try to have outreach opportunities for families as well. Children aged 12 or over pay the same tuition as adults. Children aged 5-11 pay half price. There is no charge for children under the age of 5 years of age.
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Can I stay on after attending the School and serve at the base?
Students HAVE TO LEAVE within 2-3 days after graduation! If you want to come back as a long-term missionary, you must re-apply with the local mission/church. Please understand, that they/we need to get to know each individual first and hear about them from God. Only then long-term missionaries can be taken on.
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Can friends/family/pastor visit me during my time at Holy Given?
Most likely class will be only for accepted students, as we will have a very intense spiritual time. Most likely, we will not have the housing opportunities for visitors. However, please communicate with us if you are in this situation, and we will see what we can do.However, please communicate with us, if you would have an exception for someone and we will see what we can do.
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How do I get to the school?
From your point of origin, fly to Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport 3 (NAIA 3), Philippines. Then you will need to book a flight from Manila to TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE with Philippine Airlines or Cebu Pacific Airlines. (In some cases you may be able to book one ticket all the way from your origin city to Tacloban City.) The cost of air-fare ticket, from Manila to Tacloban City, ranges from P 3, 650 to P4, 000 ($80 USD to $90 USD). Flights can be cheaper on Cebu Pacific Airlines www.cebupacificair.com though must pay in advance for luggage allowance. You have to pay in Philippine Peso. Flying with Cebu Pacific means changing airports - though transport in-between airports is available. During travel, on route to Tacloban, you have to prepare P200 ($4.30 USD) for terminal fee. The travel time from Manila to Tacloban City is around 50 minutes while the distance from airport to the school location is around 36 kilometres, an hour travel by Jeepney or van. We will pick you up at the arrival area of Don Orestes Romualdez Domestic Airport, San Jose, Tacloban City, Leyte. We are located at Maharlika Highway, San Rafael, Dulag, Leyte, in front of Hill 120. Visa - For visits over 21 days to the Philippines - usually a visa is required and usually is no problem to get. You will need to check the requirements for your situation. For students coming from a country where a VISA is required, we will send you more detailed information on obtaining your VISA once you are accepted.
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When will I know if I have been accepted?
If your student application, pastor and x2 friend/co-worker recommendations are completed and submitted, we will let you know as soon as possible.
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What does the tuition include?
The tuition includes: Communal housing, three meals per day, study handout's and local outreach transportation The tuition does NOT include: The cost of your airfare, your VISA, medical or travel insurance, drinking water, extra snacks or sweets, personal spending money, toilet paper, candles and matches for when the power is off, Jeepney fare or trips downtown, etc. On acceptance, you will be given further instructions on how to pay tuition.
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Weekly schedule
You have the amazing privilege to be impacted by many outstanding anointed men and women, whom God is using today in his kingdom! Monday-Friday you will have class in the morning and some afternoon classes. Evenings and some afternoons will be for outreaches, studies, small groups, laundry and a time of rest. On some of the weekends, you will help with outreaches, and regional church meetings. Each week you will have one day off. Monday-Friday you will have class in the morning and some afternoon classes. Evenings and some afternoons will be for outreaches, studies, small groups, laundry and a time of rest. On some of the weekends, you will help with outreaches, regional church meetings and such. Each week, you will have one day off
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Overnight outreaches
There may be at least one required overnight outreach for about 2 nights in a row to a local village where life is lived in a simple way. To get to our destination we often have to drive several hours on bumpy roads on motorcycles or a van. The outreaches will be in very simple outdoor camping settings. You have to bring your own tent, sleeping bag, pillow and inflatable mattress. There will be no showers or electricity. Since it will be summer in Leyte, you don't have to bring thick clothes. There will usually be running water or electricity. There are short and long power-cuts at times. A torch may be useful. Please see list below of what to bring for outreaches.
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Housing
We have a dormitory with 14 rooms that can accommodate as many as 10 persons per room, for the total of around 112 persons. A lobby separates the ladies and men's dormitories. At the end of each dormitory is the common toilet & shower areas. Each room has bunk beds, four closets, eight drawers and a ceiling fan. There is x1-2 power points in each room. We do not have bedding available so you will need to bring your own. We have a potable water supply safe for all drinking, cooking and cleaning purposes. This is safe enough for local people - but international students may want to buy their own water. We will arrange a system for purchasing water as required. In case of brownouts (temporary power cut outs), we encourage everyone to do their laundry at the nearby river. The cafeteria and the dining hall are located at the end portion of the Multi-purpose building. Our kitchen is equipped with freezers and refrigerators with the capacity to accommodate 15-20 kitchen workers. These are not available for your personal food items.
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Expenses and currency
The living expenses in Leyte are a little bit lower than Metro Manila. You can find almost everything you want at Tacloban City which is about 45mins - 1 hr travel by jeepney. We recommend you bring US dollars. Be sure you bring only newer bills, with the large portraits, as older-style bills are NOT generally acceptable. Visa or MasterCard are fairly widely accepted. Traveller checks are almost never accepted. Automated Teller Machines (ATM) are available in Tacloban City. The local currency is Philippine Peso. The exchange rate is approximately $1USD = 46.00 PHP. There are several moneychangers in Tacloban City and few in the town proper of Dulag where the training facilities are located. Note: Renting a car will cost around $90USD per day, including the driver and the gasoline. There are Jeepney services available as well. It will cost $1.50 USD for a Jeepney round trip fare from Dulag to Tacloban City. Bicycles can be used to go to the town proper of Dulag and can be purchased for around $60USD.
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Diet
As a student of Holy Given, we want you to eat together on the base. We are blessed to have a good diet of local basic cuisine (mostly rice, beans, squash, sweet potatoes, fish, chicken and pork). If you buy your own food, we still kindly request you to join our life and meals. To honour the mission environment you will be living in, we don't want you to eat out in a restaurant more than two times a week. However, we recommend you bring some comfort food/snacks with you. Across the street are people who sell roasted peanuts, sweet potatoes, cassava cake and bananas. Coke and Pepsi products are usually available at the local stores and restaurants. The more specialized or processed foods are stocked at the town proper of Dulag or Tacloban City.
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Washing Clothes
Please be aware that you will wash your clothes by hand. You can buy washing powder at the town proper Dulag. You will have allocated days to wash your clothes. Men and women wash clothes on separate days. There are no washing machines or dryers. Laundry lines are available. Please bring some clothes pegs if you like - though locals dry clothes on clothes hangers - to avoid marks from the laundry lines. Clothes hangers are available to buy at the town proper Dulag.
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Sanitation
You will find that sanitation will not be of the quality you are accustomed if you live in a western setting! Showers will often be "bucket showers". There are showers - which have shower heads and taps - often water will only come out of a tap - and will often only be cold water. A bucket can be purchased from town proper of Dulag. Cleaning products will be very useful; for example some soap, hand soap, laundry detergent, wet wipes, hand sanitizer, alcohol wipes, bathroom and kitchen cleaning products, etc., and are readily obtainable in town proper Dulag or Tacloban City. A flexible package of wet wipes could become your constant companion!
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Health
Your health needs to enable you to participate in the school (including outreaches) to it's full extent. Please come prepared to look after your own health needs independently - including bringing any prescribed medication you need and contingent plans if health changes. Please communicate with us, if you are concerned about this. Medical Insurance ATTENTION: We require that you come with emergency medical insurance in place! Some domestic insurance plans do not cover foreign travel, so check with your plan administrator to verify your coverage. Travel medical insurance covers health needs while travelling or living temporarily in another country, that your home-based health insurance does not cover. Some home-based policies cover foreign travel, but most don't. So each person must check carefully to see if there is a possibility their home medical insurance will cover them or not. If not, then you need to purchase the insurance for the entire length of the school and your travel. One company we have experience with is Seven Corners based in the US (www.sevencorners.com). International travellers are now able to obtain free, no obligation, online quotations. You can then purchase coverage immediately through Seven Corners' secure server and receive a Virtual ID Card immediately. Please arrange your own health insurance in advance. Important: Please note that none of the hospitals serving you in Leyte will file a claim for you! You must have the resources to pay up front and then file for reimbursement with your insurance company. You must be sure that your company covers emergency air care to a hospital in an extreme emergency. An air care flight can cost $10,000USD. You must be able to reimburse the amount promptly. We will ask for the details of your health insurance later on in the acceptance process.
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Internet access
We are using a dial up connection for one computer at a time at our school office. We do not have computers available for students. There are also several internet cafés in the town proper of Dulag (5-10mins away by Jeepney) and in Tacloban City (45min-1hr away). It will cost $0.35 USD for an hour use of one computer.
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Phone
1. Land Line: Our telephone number is + 639-53-322-2127. This is only an emergency landline number that families would be able to use to call a staff person of the school. This phone is not always answered during the day. In an emergency situation, we do allow our students to use this line of communication. 2. Mobile Phone: We have five major networks available in town, namely, Smart, Globe, Touch Mobile, Talk & Text and Sun cellular sites. You can easily buy a mobile phone, with sim card, at the minimum cost of $75 USD in Tacloban City. Alternatively you can purchase a sim card to use with your mobile phone - if your phone is compatible for Philippines. Check prior to departure. The most efficient way of communication to your family is by using a mobile phone. The cost is P7.50 Php ($0.17 USD) per minute. 2. Internet is not available on base. Internet cafe closest is in town proper of Dulag, about 5 mins jeepney ride away. Internet chatting is also recommended to communicate to families or friends at home. The cost of internet access through internet café is Php 15.00 ($0.35 USD) per hour. On acceptance to the school - we will give you a 24/7 mobile contact number for emergency use and for arrival/departure contact number for you and your family.
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List of Items to bring with you
In Leyte many things are available and they are at a very reasonable price. Below we have listed all the required items you must bring. We kindly ask you to consider leaving some of these materials behind for mission use if you will not use them in your country. In this case, it would be helpful to give the identified local staff person to allocate to appropriate people.
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Housing items
You will need to bring: pillow - all your bedding sheets - sleeping bag - double-size mosquito net - key-chain for your house key - flashlight/torch/head-lamp (needed for outreach as well) - lantern (when power is off) - batteries (rechargeable ones are very good to have; be sure to bring a battery charger which can be used with 220 volts; for outreaches you might want to have some non-rechargeables with you) - one set of silverware per person (please don't bring plastic cutlery) - zip lock bags & tupperware or similar food storage containers are always very useful here. They are available locally. If you like coffee we request you to bring a coffee plunger, and electric jug. Power: The power here is 220 V and a two-pin flat plug. Bring a converter (220-110 volt) if needed and several adaptor plugs if you have electronic items (such as a cellphone, digital camera, battery charger, etc.) Please note: the voltage consistency is very poor when electricity is on. Your laptop or camera AC transformer may not be enough to protect them against power surges. All electronic items are brought at your own risk.
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Toiletries
You probably won't find all toiletries here. For that reason we request you to bring all of your needed items. All - towels & face cloth - shampoo & conditioner - toothbrush & toothpaste, dental floss, shower-gel/soap - sun block (high SPF; 30 or more) - hat - lots of wet wipes, shaving items. Women - Bring all feminine hygienic products. Some toiletries can be purchased in the town proper of Dulag.
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Clothing
As a mission school, we long to reach the heart of people from a different culture than our own and so we want to be sensitive and respectful. Following are some guidelines: Since you have to wash all your laundry by hand, you may not want to bring too many white clothes with you. Earth and dark-toned colours are easier to wear and maintain during the time of year you will be visiting. Ladies: The culture here requires the ladies to dress modestly. It is helpful to have long sleeves for mosquito protection in the evening. We do not have Malaria cases in this municipality, but this is important for your protection. You will not be allowed to wear anything (trousers or skirts) shorter than beneath the knee. Don't show your knees!! No shorts allowed! The only shorts allowable are those, which completely cover your knees, such as leggings or square pants. These you are allowed to bring! For class and church, you must wear a dress or a square pants and a blouse. Bring: - skirts - shorts that go below the knee, square pants and/or trousers. Be aware that the heat, dust and insects can be serious irritants for many. Wearing shorts under your skirt could save you from skin discomfort. Baby powder or cornstarch works well for most. Men: It is OK for you to wear shorts...modest ones. No short sleeved shirt. Although we are in a third world nation, the people dress in their nicest clothes on Sunday for church or conferences. To honour them, please dress in a respectful way. (Please don't wear cut-offs to church). It is not allowed for men to wear ear-rings.
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Swimwear
We need to be very aware that we live in an old time Filipino rural area. We don't want to offend any of these dear people. For this reason we have rules for you to follow: Ladies - please...never wear bikinis. Please bring a modest one piece bathing-suit and a swim skirt or board shorts. Men - shorts are a must, no Speedos please. Please bring long, loose-fitting swim shorts. All Swim shoes for protection from coral and sea urchins. This is very important. Parts of the beach are stony. A coral cut can cause serious infection. The last thing you need in a hot climate is a swollen and infected foot. Sea urchins are plentiful. Our beaches are natural and not groomed by large tourist hotel complexes.
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Overnight outreaches
Items to bring: sleeping bag (temperatures can go as low as 60 F/15° C, especially in the mountains) - pillow - inflatable mattress if you need one - tent (please no see-through mosquito bug huts) - sweater/sweatshirt - long trousers - simple day pack with needed toiletries, etc. - lantern or flashlight/torch, a small penlight for under your pillow - insect repellent / mosquito spray (not just for outreaches); 100% DEET content repellant is very effective. Pack them in a ziplock bag as they may leak. If you can't tolerate or are worried about chemicals you may bring a milder repellant. Plan to remove the DEET as soon as possible after a bush trip or evening meeting from your face, particularly around the eyes and mouth. Follow directions carefully. Faithfully, use your mosquito net when sleeping even though it limits air movement around you. Girls - long stretch pants (bug's might crawl up your legs!) We will inform you following acceptance of any updates about outreach items required.
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For class
Please bring everything with you for note-taking: - paper/notebook or similar - pencils - a journal - etc. IMPORTANT: Please remember to have read all the required books for the school. Otherwise you won't be able to graduate! Please see GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS.
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First aid-/medical kit
You should bring a basic medical kit with you. Such as: - plasters / bandages (you might need lots, in case you get blisters) - antiseptic - cooling gel for burns or muscle-pain - pain-killers - something to stop diarrhoea - cold-medication - fever reducing medication - electrolyte packages (if the heat is intense or you get diarrhoea, you'll need these) - basic dressings. You may want to bring vitamin and mineral pills to add to your diet if you want to. Please bring all your own personal medications and any medications for occasional conditions that you may get. Not coming prepared places extra burden on local staff and HG staff. Plan to be a blessing to others. There are basic pharmacies in the town proper of Dulag and Tacloban City - have basic meds, but may not have medications you are used to using. You may also be able to use this medical kit to bless any new friends you meet eg. Local children who may need attention!
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Other useful items you can bring
For example: ear-plugs - wet wipes and hand sanitizer - mobile-phone (SIM Card and time cards can be purchased here) - mp3/mp4 player, walkman or CD player along with your worship music - your guitar or other instruments - cloth and towel for your dishes - laundry soap (can be purchased here) - dictionary - Laptops, cameras and other electronic gear may be brought at your own risk (you might want to insure these). To be able to use your laptop, you may need a power-voltage regulator. This will cost you approx. $75 USD. Since voltages vary greatly, your supplied card may not protect your laptop. We request that, where possible, you do not bring expensive items with you. We keep life very simple here
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Graduation Requirements & Guidelines
We as staff want to minister and invest into those, who wholeheartedly want to be part of what God is releasing in this time. Therefore we only take on students, who are aiming for graduating from Holy Given. In order to graduate, it is required for you to: 1. Participate in all school activities (less than 80% class participation is grounds for dismissal) These are: o class (at least 80%) o completion of reading ALL the required books o completion of ALL the homework assignments o participation in study-groups o participating in ALL your assigned outreaches (incl. Overnight) o active participation in your small-group o completing your assigned duties o other required activities 2. Keep respectful and healthy boundaries towards the opposite sex. No courting while enrolled in the HG school. 3. Follow the safety guidelines of the base and instruction of staff. Further we expect you to have your emergency Insurances* (travel medical/health-Insurance & Travel-Insurance) set up before arriving at school (information has to be sent to us before arrival) and your tuition paid in full. Your airplane ticket has to be issued round-trip (both ways), if coming by airplane. * Please get in contact with us, if your nation doesn't provide these insurances (ex. African nation's etc.) WE ASK OUT OF RESPECT TO OUR CULTURE, THAT YOU DON'T: Smoke, drink alcohol, use drugs, wear body piercings (other than normal ear-piercings for women) or have intimate relationships outside of marriage. TO HONOR THE VISION & MANDATE OF THE SCHOOL, PLEASE ACCEPT THE ABOVE SUGGESTIONS. HG STAFF RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEND STUDENTS HOME AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE.
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How to apply for the school
Step 1: Read through all of the above material about Holy Given: Leyte International School of Missions Step 2: Start the application process online. Application procedures will be indicated clearly in the instructions for completing your student online application, pastor's recommendation and x2 friend/co-worker recommendations. (Please send no mail through the post office!!) Step 3: If your application is completed, we will try to let you know whether you have been accepted as soon as possible. Step 4: If you are accepted: 1. Apply for your VISA: Once you are accepted we will email you a letter of invitation if required or assist you with any visa matters. 2. Book your FLIGHT: Please note: We require you to book a round-trip ticket only! Arrival: Your arrival must not be earlier then 3 days before school start! Departure: Your departure must not be later then 3 days after graduation! 3. Let us know your arrival & departure time, as soon as you have booked your flight. Step 5: Be sure your health & travel insurance are in place! We will ask you to send us this information at a certain date (some weeks BEFORE the school starts).
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How to book your flight
Please note: We require you to book a round-trip ticket only! We suggest using a travel agent to book your flight from your city of origin to Tacloban City, Leyte, Philippines. If you choose to book your own flights, please be advised that there is only one domestic airport in Tacloban City, Leyte and only two airlines that fly from Manila to Tacloban City: Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Airlines. IMPORTANT: Be sure to research the baggage restrictions for the particular airline(s) you are flying with. The local flight (Manila to Tacloban City) may have much more limited baggage allowances than your larger international carrier. (Cebu Pacific Airlines, for example, has a 15 kilogram (33 pound) luggage allowance! You can purchase further allowance online which is cheaper than doing at the check-in counter. Cebu Pacific Airlines is at another terminal - you must go outside the terminal and catch shuttle bus/van to that airport. Philippine Airlines has a 20kg luggage allowance - depending where you are travelling from.) Do not allow anybody to touch or carry your luggage. Do not wear expensive jewellery when travelling. We will arrange someone to meet you at the airport. Also to note: Always prepare the exact amount of local currency when you ride a taxi cab. Always negiotiate price prior to getting into any taxi. If it has a meter - make sure the taxi meter is running or else you will pay 300 times more than the usual fare. Usual precautions apply when travelling to Leyte. On acceptance we will give you name and contact address and phone number for arrival information.
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Applying for your visa
With your acceptance letter, you will receive a personal letter of invitation if required as part of your visa requirements. You will also receive more instructions on how to go about applying for your VISA.
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Required Insurances
ATTENTION: In order to be a student of Holy Given, it is required for you to come with emergency health insurance AND a travel insurance in place! I. Medical Insurance (as previously) Some domestic insurance plans do not cover foreign travel, so check with your plan administrator to verify your coverage. Travel medical insurance covers health needs while travelling or living temporarily in another country, that your home-based health insurance does not cover. Some home-based policies cover foreign travel, but most don't. So each person must check carefully to see if there is a possibility their home medical insurance will cover them or not. If not, then you need to purchase the insurance for the entire length of the school and travel time. One company we have experience with is Seven Corners based in the US (www.sevencorners.com). International travellers are now able to obtain free, no obligation, online quotations. You can then purchase coverage immediately through Seven Corners' secure server and receive a Virtual ID Card immediately. Please arrange your own health insurance in advance. We will ask for the details of your health insurance later on in the process. Important: Please note that none of the hospitals serving you in Leyte will file a claim for you! You must have the resources to pay up front and then file for reimbursement with your insurance company. You must be sure that your company covers emergency aircare to a hospital in an extreme emergency. An airfare flight can cost $10,000USD. You must be able to reimburse the amount promptly. II. Travel Insurance Travel insurance, usually offered by the travel or ticketing agent, covers you if your trip is interrupted by health reasons that result in a cancellation of your trip, or travel disruption, loss of luggage etc. It would recover losses due to non-refundable tickets, etc. Some airports offer machine travel insurance that is simply accidental death insurance in case your plane crashes, etc. Almost no one ever collects on this type. It is a poor investment. Check carefully what your travel insurance provides.
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Required books for school
Rolland and Heidi Baker "There Is Always Enough" (Kent, U.K: Sovereign World, 2003). ISBN 1-85240-287-3. Also published as "Always Enough - God's Miraculous Provision among the Poorest Children on Earth" (Grand Rapids: Chosen Books, 2003). Pbk. ISBN: 978-0-8007-9361-6 Richard J. Foster "Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home" (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2008). ISBN 9788-0-340-97927-3 (pbk). Read as a daily devotional only. Norman Grubb "Rees Howells Intercessor" (Fort Washington, PA: CLC Publications, 2008). (pbk) ISBN10: 0-87508-188-6; ISBN 13: 978-0-87508-188-5 Charles C. Kraft "Anthropology for Christian Witness" (Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 1996). ISBN 1-57075-085-8 (pp.1-13; 63-68, 69-96; 111-112; 380-397, 421-422) (NB. My page changes slightly with my version of book - I have popular version..) Sherwood G. Ligenfelter & Marvin K Mayers "Ministering CrossCulturally: An Incarnational Model for Personal Relationships" 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 2003). ISBN 10: 0-8010-2647-4 (pbk); ISBN 978-0-8010-2647-8 (pbk) Don Richardson "Peace Child"(Seattle: YWAM Publishing, 2003). ISBN-13: 978-1-57658-289-3; ISBN-10: 1-57658-289-2. Mel Tari "Like a Mighty Wind" (AR: New Leaf Press, 1974) (pbk ed.) ISBN-13: 978-0-89221-123-4; ISBN 10: 0-89221-123-7 Ruth Tucker "From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya: A Biographical History of Christian Missions 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2004). Hardcover. ISBN 0-310-23937-0. Selected texts only - Missionary of your choice.
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Recommended Books
Bill Johnson "When Heaven Invades Earth: A Practical Guide to a Life of Miracles" (Destiny Image: Shippensburg, PA, 2003). ISBN 0-7684-2952-8
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