One of the most iconic friendships in Scripture is that between Paul and Timothy. Paul mentored Timothy, serving as teacher and model to the younger pastor. At MEP, we want to see more relationships like this among churches in Mindanao. 

Pastor Kenneth Labayan is a present-day Timothy. Growing up poor and raised by his grandparents in Cotabato province, he dreamed of becoming an engineer. But while serving as a youth leader in church, he developed a love for ministry. His favorite activities included house visits with his pastor. 

After graduating from high school, Kenneth started wondering about what God’s dream for him was. He felt that engineering wasn’t the right path. When he heard about a Bible school in Davao City, he experienced a deep peace when he imagined pursuing pastoral ministry. The biggest hindrance was finances: his family didn’t have much and couldn’t support him—but prayerfully, he went. 

At sixteen years old, Kenneth started Bible school. Though it was hard, he felt confirmation again and again that he was where he needed to be. He found a home at IBCP Center Church in the heart of Davao City. He found friends who helped meet his needs, often without their knowing how much they were helping. 

One friend he met was Pastor Dan, one of MEP’s pastor-trainers. Since Ptr. Dan could speak Ilonggo, Kenneth’s native language, Kenneth found someone to whom he could easily share. Their friendship deepened as he continued studying and training. After graduating from Bible school, Kenneth asked Ptr. Dan to be his mentor. Ptr. Dan told him that he had also been praying about mentoring Kenneth; he said “yes” happily. 

Kenneth speaks highly of Ptr. Dan, as if Ptr. Dan were somewhere between a favorite teacher and a best friend. Their mentor-mentee relationship is holistic. There’s training, coaching, fun, food and friendship. “Ptr. Dan is friendly and patient,” Ptr. Kenneth said. He loves the word of God. He is humble—“He thinks of others as better than himself,” Kenneth said of his mentor. These are all qualities the younger pastor would like to imitate in his own life. 

Under Ptr. Dan’s leadership, Ptr. Kenneth started visiting families in Los Amigos, an impoverished community in Davao City. He visited people at their homes, built friendships and started Bible studies. Ptr. Kenneth and Ptr. Dan led Bible lessons for children, sometimes reaching sixty students at a time, and they encouraged the children to share what they learned with their parents. Eventually, they established a church in the community, mostly with persons with disabilities. Ptr. Kenneth travels about forty minutes each way every weekend to meet with children and parents at Los Amigos.