Previously posted on May 2, 2017 @Homescool.ph
I first came across the “mentoring” idea when I was part of our youth group in Christ’s Commission Fellowship in the late 1980s. It was through the verse: 2 Timothy 2:2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.
For some reason, it was ingrained in my mind that we need to be constantly passing on what we have received to continue the cycle of blessing. From teaching Sunday School and leading a teen care group, to volunteering in a creche when we were assigned in the UK, from hosting couples Bible study groups to beginning the MILK (Mothers of Infants and Little Kids) with my bff Candy when we were young mothers, I just happily received and passed on.
When I would feel inadequate or unworthy, I would remember, another verse from Paul to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4: 14 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. I rested in the fact that I didn’t have to reach some sort of gold standard in order to start teaching others, but I was simply a vessel to pass blessings and always, always point to the Great Provider of blessings. Focus on the Giver they say, never the gifts. Point to Him, never to yourself.
Parenting, however, is a daunting, close to impossible task. And when you are asked to share about raising children, you have this nagging and crippling feeling that you can never start preaching when the products of your own “parenting ” journey have not been tested. But then, the call is to pass on what you have learned. Paul didn’t say, perfect the skill first, memorize the principles and produce awesome children then start teaching others. Just pass what you have learned from God in the most real, authentic and transparent way.
I found some solace and peace in an Apologia textbook entitled “Who Am I?” the 2nd of their What We Believe Series. They reiterated the call for parents, the call to faithfulness to what God was calling us to do as fathers and mothers to our children. The business of transforming hearts of our children is God’s, not ours. The same principle applies for all relationships, we cannot change people. We can simply help with ingredients needed for growth, but I firmly believe, it is God who causes growth or change. What a liberating thought!
Eventually this passing on nature found its way to homeschooling as I began opening our doors to teaching and mentoring others. As we released one teen after another to regular schooling, (we’re now down to one tween). I had found more time to actually share what I had learned from our own homeschooling journey through this social media, some interviews, and eventually to seminars and conferences.
The last 6 months opened a whole lot of doors to come alongside homeschoolers and parents in the homeschooling/parenting journey and it’s been a great ride. Let me post a sort of timeline here:
Nov 2016: with support of Phoenix Educational Systems, I spoke on “Raising Creative Learners”
Dec 2016: with Sunlife and Businessworks, Inc, we mounted the “Building Blocks of Homeschooling” seminar. It was really memorable doing this with my family: brother Anthony and sisters, Felichi and Maricel!
February 2017: CCF “Chosen, A Retreat for Mothers” at the Makiling Retreat and Training Center.
Here speaking to mothers on, “Becoming Mothers After God’s Own Heart“
February 2017: Educating for Life’s Flavor of Homeschooling at, “The Study” by Enderun in Podium. This was a workshop on Unit Studies. I met another bunch of the sweetest and most dedicated mothers ever!
March 2017
I finally took on something that I’ve been wanting to do for several years now. I wanted to run a small, mentoring class on homeschooling. Though big, high impact conferences may have its place in moving homeschool forward and creating real ‘homeschool’ noise, nothing beats the connection, the laid back, relaxed set up and lots of interaction which a small group can offer. So, with the encouragement of Ms. Arlene Sy and with help of some friends, and Gino, my working student-seminar assistant, we pulled of the first of hopefully a continuing and evolving Homeschool Mentoring Series with 2 sessions in Alabang. Our topics were: How to Start Your Homeschool Journey and Multilevel Homeschooling.
Again, these two groups floored me with their commitment, friendliness and warmth!
As mentioned, several times in past posts, I do volunteer work with Visions of Hope Foundation. And by God’s awesome orchestration, when the poor children we work with needed to be home educated in home care facilities several years ago, I was at the right place at the right time. They needed a homeschooler! And I was willing and available. It has been several years now that we had been training and providing material for preschool teachers in the poorest preschools of our country where Visions of Hope foundation operates. Recently, I had the chance to spend 3 days with another set of passionate and committed teachers (and mothers): the Visions of Hope Christian School teachers of Malungon, General Santos and Palawan. In June 2017, the Visions of Hope Christian School in Malungon, Saranggani will be opening its doors to around 130 students with a new building and new, somewhat homeschool inspired curriculum!!!! This, for me, is a kind of “passing on’” that I never really envisioned. It is amazing indeed when you just make yourself available for God’s work. Visions of Hope Foundation sees every child as a vision of hope. If you are led, to “pass on” in whatever, way, shape or form, do check our website and, volunteer and give.
And so, the “passing on” continues and may I invite you to any of these coming seminars:
May 11 & 12 , 2017:
May 25 & June 1:
Hope to see you in any of these above-mentioned events! And for those who have been able to learn a thing or two in any of the recent seminars I have conducted, please continue to pass on the learnings and yes, do give me feedback on how we can improve further through homescoolph@gmail.com.
Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.
Titus 3:5
Credits to www.mrsikhnet.com for the featured image of passing the baton.
Donna P. Simpao, M.D. 
