NOT LONG AGO, TWO PEOPLE from opposite sides of the U.S.
heard God’s call and responded. This resulted in Toby
arriving in Manila in 1994… and Crystal arriving in 1999.
They both had agreed to two-year teaching commitments at
Faith Academy. Toby is a pastor’s kid. Mission trips during
college confirmed his cross-cultural interests, and he asked
God to use him however He wanted. The call Crystal felt as
a child gained momentum when she began teaching in the
U.S.
A few short-term mission opportunities confirmed her
interest in missionary service, and she soon found herself
moving to the Philippines.
Two Lives Intersect
Toby and Crystal didn’t start dating until her second year at
Faith Academy. “I had to work fast to convince her to stay
longer,” Toby recently explained.
By then, Toby had been at
the school for five years, and he knew this was where God
wanted him. Crystal arrived at the same conclusion. They
fell in love... and married in 2001.
Besides teaching, Toby serves as the boys’ basketball
coach at Faith. “Filipinos love basketball,” said Toby, “and
nearly every year we travel around the country. We use
sports as a means of building relationships with people to
help introduce them to Christ.”
Before their two sons, Micah and Benjamin, were
born, Crystal ministered to children living in squatter
villages. After teaching for 13 years, she is now at home
full time with their sons. Both Toby and Crystal have also
been involved in one-on-one discipleship with high school
students.
Lessons Learned in the Philippines
During their years in the Philippines, they’ve learned
a lot about the culture. “Filipinos are highly relational
people,” Toby pointed out. “They help one another
through difficult circumstances. They’ve taught us the
importance of being involved in other people’s lives.”
The Landers have also discovered that life in the
Philippines requires patience and energy. Maintaining
a good attitude while dealing with traffic, pollution,
electricity problems, and inconsistent water service
can be challenging. But Toby and Crystal agree that
these inconveniences are much less important than
impacting lives at Faith Academy.
“Far and away the best thing about our
ministry,” Toby points out, “is teaching missionary
kids, which is why we’ve remained far longer than
our initial two-year commitment. "It’s a real joy to
be involved in helping build the character and faith
of these kids. We’re grateful to be able to support
missionaries by making their children our mission
field,” Toby said.
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