Over 30 years ago, the first team came to Manila and encountered poverty and need at every street corner. We quickly sensed that God loves the Philippines and that he wants us here to share his love. So our homes and ministries were established as vessels to share God's love and salvation.
Set Free Center
The Set Free Center was established in 1992, when God prompted us to start a Christian drug rehabilitation center. Since then, we have taken in countless drug addicts. From a drug rehabilitation center, our home has grown with the challenges and adapted to the changes of our times. Today, the Set Free Center is a ministry that reaches out and helps people with various life problems such as drug addicts, alcoholics, gambling addicts, people suffering from depression and many more.
The Set Free Center is a place where we live together as a family sharing our lives, and that’s how we walk alongside people on their path to healing and true freedom. Our primary goal is to provide a safe place where those seeking help may encounter the transforming love and power of God and from there experience the power of freedom. We want to see them discover God's wonderful plans for their lives through their newfound hope.
Testimonies
I am Fernando, 56 years old, happily married with three children. I started using marijuana in 1983 and eventually moved on to shabu (methamphetamines) in 1989. My adolescence was marked by uncertainty, as I was unable to complete my education and my life was in a downward spiral. In 1996, my sister told me about HELP International's rehab and I decided to try the program. I met Jesus there, but our relationship was very reserved at first. After completing the program, I managed to finish my education, but I relapsed again in 2013. My life was deteriorating noticeably, so I went to rehab again. But this time it was different. I had a deep encounter with God and was given a new life. I was "born again" and this transformation had a profound impact on my heart, my mindset, and my relationship with Jesus. Since then, my perspective on life, my family, and my service to God has completely changed. From 2014 until today, I have served God with dedication and am now seeing the fullness of God's promises in my life. I look back with gratitude for God's goodness and mercy that he has given me so abundantly and faithfully.
I am Bobot Magsombol, married with five children. In 1994, when I was only 23 years old, my parents entrusted me with their business. At first I managed it well. But in 1997, my wife and I started using the illegal drug shabu. Gradually, I neglected our business and eventually it failed and was closed down. I also accumulated debts and no-one was willing to help us because people saw that we were addicts. At that point, I realized how low I had sunk because of drugs. Finally, we found the Set Free Center on the internet and decided to go to rehab in 2011. Four months into our rehab, I had an encounter with Jesus while kneeling at the cross. There I experienced his love for the first time, accepted him into my heart and acknowledged Jesus as the Lord and Savior of my life. From that moment on, my life began to change completely. In May 2012, we completed the program at the Set Free Center. Jesus gradually put our lives back in order and rebuilt the broken relationships with my siblings and children. With God's help and grace, I was able to slowly pay off our debts and our children were able to go back to school. Today, they have all completed their college education! My wife and I returned to the Set Free Center in 2019 as staff where we still work today - God is truly good and keeps his promises!
FAQ
We accept people who want to come out of various life crises and problems, i.e. drugs, alcohol and gambling addiction, depression, etc. ... and who are ready to enter into a transformation process with God and people.
We live together as a family, with our faith in Jesus and his word at the center of our lives. The staff members also share their lives with the guests on a daily basis to support and accompany them on their journey of healing and restoration. We want to create a home where every guest can experience God's transforming love and power.
It is important to us that each applicant comes to us of their own free will and not at the urging of their family. After an initial contact, an interview will be scheduled at our center.
We are a faith-based organization and the Set Free Center is also funded by donations. Our goal is to help people who would not otherwise receive help, so finances should not be an obstacle. If the guest or their family has the means, we are grateful for financial support.
You are welcome to contact us via our contact form or write to us on social media.
Father’s House
The Father's House opened in 2001. From the very beginning, the vision was to have a place where children would find a home, experience family, and most importantly, encounter the all transforming love of God the Father. Thus the name was born - Father's House. Most of our children have no family. Some have grown up on the streets with no real perspective for their lives. But God has a future for them. He can heal and restore any heart - that is the vision and goal of our home!
Most of our children stay in our extended family for a long time. We make sure they get a good education, teach them life skills and want to see them grow to become mature and healthy young people who know who they are. We want to reunite them with their families if possible or find a permanent new family for them.
Tondo
Tondo is a district in the heart of Manila that is home to about 630,000 people and is known for its poverty, slums and crime. The district has a huge container port and houses the waste industry. It is no coincidence that much of our ministry takes place on "Smokey Mountain," an abandoned garbage dump where people now live. They even grow vegetables on 2 million tons of garbage! The Jesus Mountain Church has been there for about 4 years. Every Sunday, about 100 adults and children gather for worship services. During the week, there are bible study groups, children's and youth groups. The HELP Tondo base, where our staff live together, is located near Smokey Mountain and we hold devotions and prayer meetings there, too.
We regularly visit several areas in Tondo, sharing the Good News of Jesus and having times of worship and fellowship with the local people. They often times sense God's love when we are on the streets. We believe that God is calling them out of their old lives and into his wonderful kingdom. God sees each person and has a calling for their life. We pray that many people will come to know Jesus, that they will be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit and that their lights will shine in this dark place.
City Mission
Outreaches – As we worship Jesus, the atmosphere changes. We go to different neighborhoods in Manila to openly worship Jesus, share the gospel and pray. We see the presence of the Holy Spirit filling the places we go to and people encountering him right there in the dark and dirt. This is what our hearts are beating for - to proclaim the powerful message of the cross, believing that it will change everything!
Prison Ministry – For many years we have been going to prisons, bringing food, but more importantly, we are bringing new hope to the inmates. It is simple and yet so powerful. As Jesus said in the gospels, "When I was in prison, you visited me.” We love spending time with the inmates in the presence of God and sharing the word of God. We have often seen people deeply touched and getting filled with new life. Some of our staff are former inmates who are now living free and changed lives, bringing the Good News into the prisons themselves.
Relief Goods – Approximately 25 typhoons hit the Philippines each year. In most cases, people who are already in need lose all their belongings and end up with nothing. When necessary, we partner with other organizations and participate in relief efforts to bring practical help and the gospel to the victims.
