Church Planting: Their team included 10+ Bible College graduate evangelists, social workers, nurses and etc. Their initial method was using portable medical units to treat the sick while a few feet away would be an evangelistic crusade going on in the mountain villages. This was proceeded by preparation for the crusade by the team working the area ahead of time, preparing for the crusade. Many would accept Christ and be baptized into Him. From those crusades, many churches were established.
In-Service Training: The Barrio church leaders needed training, so Charles put together one of the finest training programs in existence. It is called the In-Service Training Program. It contains six levels of training up to college level. It was designed for Barrio leaders who come in to our Operation, Education Center for 2 weeks of Biblical and leadership training by our competent staff. This now occurs at our Home Base in Davao City and at our Northern Training Center in Cagayan De Oro several times a year. Each of the churches established are autonomously governed and self supporting. Most of their leaders are trained in our “In-Service Training Program”. Our staff also take training to the churches.
Medical Evangelism: Florence Littell, a licensed Nurse practitioner, launched our Medical Ministry both at Davao General Hospital and on the field. At the hospital, she was recognized as an expert and helped medically and spiritually to reach and help people for Jesus Christ. This ministry, too, continues with social workers and a chaplain from AFC working every day at the hospital. On the field, we had a gas powered air conditioned portable medical unit on the back of a 2 ton truck that we would set up in the villages and treat the sick while the crusade happened a few feet away.
Palm Haven Children’s Home: Later in their ministry, through the influence of board member, Bob Larsson, director of Pine Haven Children’s Home, Palm Haven Children’s Home was established. There have been three houses built with room for 6 children each plus house parents. We have from 10 to 18 children at a time, many of which are adopted out. Many of the children are off the street….some left for dead. God has blessed this ministry, too.
Leadership: It was the dream of Brother Littell that AFC would be totally led by our Filipino Brethren. That is the case today. Brother Gervacio Jun Igloria, who had been with Bro. Littell from the beginning, led the AFC Mission for many years. Today, his son-in-law Brother Charles Aban is the Executive Director of the AFC Mission.
Need: The past couple of years have seen a decline in the financial support of the mission partly because of the recession in the US. We have had to scale down our workload which is a shame. We urge you to consider us as you plan your budget to increase your support to cover this decrease and give our brothers and sisters the finances to do all they can.