What began as a high school junior residency project in Abbotsford, B.C., has grown into an international ministry that is already planting new churches among unreached people in the Philippines.
In 2022, Abbotsford Christian High School student Celina Vaandrager joined the school’s junior residency program and connected with Love Beyond Borders, a ministry serving the rural Mangyan people of Mindoro Island, Philippines.
After traveling to see the work, Vaandrager explored with Love Beyond Borders leaders how Canadian support could strengthen the ministry without imposing outside direction. Vaandrager was able to connect with her pastor, Marcel deRegt, who already had an established relationship with Love Beyond Borders.
“From the very beginning, it was essential that the vision and direction come from the Love Beyond Borders team itself rather than from outside assumptions,” explained deRegt, a commissioned pastor with the Christian Reformed Church. “The goal was not to impose an idea but to respond to the real needs and context of those faithfully serving on the ground.”
Through those conversations, the idea of a Canadian nonprofit to partner with Love Beyond Borders took shape. In February 2025, TRIBE Mission International, short for Training Rural Indigenous Bible Educators, was incorporated in Canada, partnering with the Great Commission Foundation for charitable status. DeRegt is one of its leaders.
“Spending time with the tribes on Mindoro showed me firsthand just how little they have,” Vaandrager said. “It’s one thing to hear about poverty, but it’s another thing entirely to see it. During that trip, God placed education on my heart, and I wanted TRIBE to be a way of helping equip some of the pastors with that.”
The program combines classroom-based theological training with hands-on ministry in the field. Since launching the training in May of 2025, five pastors have begun the training with TRIBE. Within their first three months, they planted three new churches among previously unreached communities.
“The Mangyan people consist of eight distinct tribal groups, and the vision of TRIBE is to reach all eight with the gospel by 2030,” said deRegt. “To accomplish this, our focus is on identifying and equipping rural pastors from within these communities so that each of the eight tribal groups will have faithful leaders bringing the hope of Christ to their people.”
Vaandrager, who graduated in June and is in her first year at Dordt University, now serves on TRIBE’s board of directors. She said being part of registering the nonprofit was a milestone moment. “It’s incredible to be part of this journey, especially since there were so many moments when I questioned how it would all come together,” she said.
DeRegt said TRIBE is preparing to welcome rural pastors into the second year of the training program. “This new year brings not only renewed excitement but also growth, as we anticipate an increase in the number of students.” He considers the work to be more than a project. “It is about local leaders, in their own language and culture, bringing the good news of Jesus to their people. We are simply walking with them.”
A planned ministry trip at the end of February will welcome interested participants to visit the tribal communities as Vaandrager did, to experience how the gospel is taking root in rural Mindoro.
About the Author
Dan Veeneman is a lifelong learner, avid reader, and enjoys writing almost as much as he enjoys a cup of good coffee. He lives in St. Albert, Alberta with his loving and supportive wife and three pre-teen children. They worship at Sturgeon Valley Baptist Church.