Get to Know the Kinontao Family

Ministry Description

I am the Camp Director of Word of Life Philippines with a wide range of responsibilities including overseeing camp promotion and coordinating the Camp and Conference programs.

Being in the Camping Ministry is incredibly exciting because I get to see many young people come to Camp and receive Jesus Christ as their Savior while they are here.Watching young people hear the Gospel and respond in faith leading to a changed life is what our ministry in the camp is all about. By God’s grace, God has given me the stewardship of more than 15,000 campers every year.

Learn more about the ministry in the Philippines.

About Wadie

My name is Wadie Kinontao Jr. I finished Bachelor of Science in Forestry. I also grauated from Word of Life Bible Institute School of Biblical studies (2002), and the Word of Life Bible Institute School of Ministerial Studies (2005).

I grew up in a home with a Christian mother and an unbelieving father who got saved later in his life. I was active in my home church and also with interchurch fellowships running camps and helping with extra-curricular activities. I thought because I did these things I was saved.

After college graduation, I worked in a marketing company to save money for Bible School. A friend of mine who was a missionary in Mindanao introduced me to Word of Life Bible Institute (WOLBI). I started at WOLBI in June 2001. Since Word of Life is focused on evangelism and discipleship, I heard great messages and learned a lot about God from the classes. I enjoyed much of my time and read His Word. I was doing my quite time, counselling, and sharing the gospel. In spite of doing these things I still felt empty. God was speaking to me through His Word but I did not want to fully trust Him because of my pride and the fact that I grew up in church.

Before my third year started, I was offered a job to earn money for my tuition fee and be able to sustain my daily needs. I was excited! However, on the night of June 1, 2003, I realized that although I knew a lot about God, I had never trusted Him personally as my Savior. That night, I finally surrendered my heart to the Lord and I trusted Him as my personal Savior. It was genuine faith in Him. The emptiness and the bitterness that I had felt for so long was finally filled. There was joy in serving Him and excitement in my heart to see people come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

I was asked to do my internship, my final year at the Bible Institute, in the Camping Ministry of Word of Life. It was tough but by His grace I saw God working in me and the fruit was evident in the ministry. My love for people from all walks of life and the joy God has given me working in the Camping Ministry made me realize that God had truly called me to full time ministry in camping.

Before graduation, I was offered the opportunity to become part of the Camping Ministry team of Word of Life. Being part of this team has shaped me into who I am today. There is an overflowing joy seeing lives changed and transformed for the glory of God. God has transformed me personally first of all and continues to mold me to be like Him.

About Sherwin

I am Sherwin, a school teacher by profession. Having finished Religious Education, I also took Professional Teaching which landed me 12 years of teaching in a private school. After this, I became a language trainer which led me to run language programs and events on freelance which I had been doing before I got married to Wadie.

I'm a third generation Christian. My mother introduced me to Jesus when I was about six. However, I often doubted whether I was truly saved as I was growing up. My exposure to the Bible through church programs and camps helped a lot to clear those doubts as I realized I can fully trust Jesus' person, death, and resurrection for my security in heaven and personal relationship with Him. Furthermore, my Bible school training and exposure to missions programs deepened my faith in the LORD.

I sensed God's call to me in mobilizing for cross-cultural missions in 2005 and have since become involved in numerous training events and overseas trips helpings other missions-led Christians be prepared to reach others for Christ.

Being at Word of Life with Wadie in Camping Ministry has given me a greater opportunity to help people of all ages know Jesus personally, learn to follow Him, and help others do the same. It's exciting to work with various leaders both from local and overseas ministries seeing how the Body of Christ is working together serving God in respective fields.

1 Corinthians 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

Contact Information

wadiekinontao@wol.org
Word of Life Camp
Brgy. Perez
Calauan, Laguna 4012