In This Issue
July 2009The Philippines Is In His Heart
Amidst the roaring chants of adoring fans, Tim Tebow towers like a giant in the football field as he directs the offense of his collegiate championship team, the University of Florida Gators. As the first college sophomore to win the much-coveted Heisman Trophy, given to only the best college football players, he can stand as an equal to such football legends as Mike Ditka, Joe Schmidt, or Joe Montana.
But Tim’s personal story goes beyond football. His other greatness lies in walking around as a virtual unknown in the muddy streets, dirty markets and slums of Mindanao where he preaches a message of love to those whose lives are mired in misery and poverty.
“My conception and birth were beautiful stories of life. They were not stories about choices. They were stories of my parents’ selfless love of life and their unwavering faith in God who knows and sets the bounds and ends of our lives” says Tim, in describing the agonizing circumstance and joyful outcome of his birth in the Philippines, where his parents, Bob and Pam Tebow, worked for five years as Baptist Church missionaries in South Cotabato, Mindanao some 24 years ago.
Because of the poor sanitation that was and still is a common situation in the rural areas of the Philippines, Tim’s mother contracted dysentery while pregnant with him. She fell into a coma. To combat her infection, her Filipino doctor administered a high dose of antibiotics that triggered the side effect of placental abruption.
The Philippines, a predominantly Catholic country, outlaws abortion except in cases when the life of the mother is endangered. Thus, the attending physician of Pam Tebow recommended abortion. “But my Christian faith led me to decide otherwise,” says Pam. “I was flown to Makati, the country’s business capital, to seek the second advice of a medical specialist. With my strong trust in God and in the power of prayers, and encouraged by the care of my new doctor, I carried Tim to term and delivered him a normal infant.”
“That baby who was at first handed a stillbirth sentence in the Philippines would later carry a U.S. college football team to two national championships and is marked to go down as one of the greatest players ever to play the game of football,” says Urban Meyer, head coach of the University of Florida Gators, the 2006 and 2008 Bowl Championship Series (BCS) collegiate champion, with whom Tim has played as quarterback.
Twenty years after his birth in the Philippines, Tim grabbed the sports headlines in the U.S. by contributing as a key reserve in the 2006 collegiate football national championship against Ohio State University. In that championship game, he threw for one touchdown and rushed for another, finishing with 39 rushing yards, which helped secure the 41-14 victory for his Gators team.
Instant Celebrity
Tim first appeared in the sports radar screen in 2006 as one of the nation’s top recruits for college football. He became an instant sports celebrity. He was featured in an ESPN “Faces in Sports” documentary and got the unique branding of a dual threat quarterback because of his mobility to elude or run past defenders of opposing teams. His innate mobility gives him that flexibility to dictate games at will, passing or running, with him either handing the ball off, running it himself, or pitching it to his running back.
Highly sought by coaches of 80 collegiate institutions, Tim chose to attend the University of Florida, the alma mater of both his parents. He made his college debut coming off the bench against Southern Mississippi University. His biggest game in his first college season came against the Louisiana State University when he maneuvered all three of his team’s touchdowns, passing for two and rushing for another.
Tim lived up to the expectations of sports analysts of major news networks. He always played fearless in the field, rushed yards, ran games by himself, and earned the nicknames “running freight truck” and “superman Tebow.” It only took him two years in college to break playing records and post new ones. He is the first and only player in NCAA history to rush and pass for at least 20 touchdowns in both categories in the same season. He compiled 55 touchdowns in his 2007 sophomore season—32 passing and 23 rushing—the most in the history of college football. His rushing touchdowns of that season were the most by a quarterback and are a record-setting feat.
In January of this year at the Dolphin Stadium in Miami, Florida, Tim wowed 73,468 people that were in attendance for the 2008 BCS National Championship against the University of Oklahoma Sooners. After the Sooners’ first failed ten-yard conversion, the towering 6’3” 240-pound left-handed Gators quarterback in his number 15 jersey stepped on the field at 11:47 of the first quarter, and immediately the sea of blue-shirted Gator Nation fans erupted in roaring chants. Four minutes into the second quarter, he threw a pass to his wide receiver Louis Murphy for the first touchdown of the game.
The Oklahoma Sooners retaliated with their own touchdown in the same quarter. The defenses of both teams then became stifling and the game tied at 14-14 three minutes into the last period. The Florida Gators scored a field goal midway through the period and cushioned themselves with a 17-14 lead. With 3:07 left on the game clock and at second-and-goal face-off at the Sooners’ four-yard line, Tim soared for his trademark jump pass with pinpoint accuracy to his other wide receiver David Nelson and gave their Gator team a final 24-14 lead, and all the way to their second national football championship in three seasons. Tim was voted the best offensive player of the game, accounting for 340 yards of total offenses, 109 of which was rushing, and two passing touchdowns.
The Filipino Connection
“My parents moved back here in the U.S. when I was three years old,” Tim recollects. “As I was still a toddler when I was there, I have vague memories of my having lived in the Philippines, except perhaps my having been in the care of my Filipina yaya (babysitter). But one thing for sure, I have a deep attachment to the country and its people. I have been joining my dad’s Christian mission to the Philippines every summer these last four years, and these trips have been my eye opener to the things that need to be done for the less fortunate people, especially children, in that part of our world.”
What Tim’s dad started in the Philip-pines some twenty years ago as a young missionary is now a strong and established ministry of 45 Filipino evangelist staff and 13 workers now funded by the Bob Tebow Evangelistic Association of Jacksonville, Florida. It’s located in Cotabato in Mindanao—the hotbed of the southern Muslim insurgency. “The mission is about bringing the faith of Jesus and the goodwill of the American people to over 15 million people in the island.
Through our church planting ministry, we have worked with over 10,000 local churches in the Philippines to build new churches. We also work closely with a local seminary to train local pastors. We hold seasonal charity clinics to provide free healthcare services and distribute medicines to poor people who can’t afford to see a doctor, much more, buy medicines,” says Tebow’s dad, Bob. “We also have built an orphanage, the Uncle Dick’s Home, that now houses more than fifty homeless orphans.”
Every summer, when schools are on break, Tim goes to that barangay (barrio) in the Philippines where his dad had set up his mission. There, as a virtual unknown and away from the media spotlight, he walks the streets of Cotabato and visits the markets of Digos with the Holy Bible in his hand to preach the gospel of Jesus. He saddles homeless kids on his shoulder in the slums of Sarangani and plays kuya (big brother) to them while handing out candies and chocolates. He bathes in cold water just like the natives do, and runs errands for volunteer doctors and nurses who perform surgeries on indigent patients in makeshift operating tables.
A world away from their home in Jacksonville, Florida, that faces the Atlantic, Tim finds himself in a different playing field in the island of Mindanao that is nestled in the Pacific. “It is a much different ballgame,” he says. “There, I hear no roaring chants from fans rooting for a touchdown, but deafening silence as people desire to receive the words of Jesus that I preach about. I see none of those eyes of adulation when we win games, but eyes of faith of people searching for Jesus who I talk about,” Tim relates. “You kind of find out from the get-go, what sets faith apart and what a game is just about.”
With all his outstanding achievements in football, Tim will definitely emerge as the top NFL draft pick of his 2010 class as soon he steps out of college. But he has set his sight and his heart on other things, too—that little orphanage of more than fifty children in Mindanao that his father had founded. “Those kids make me more grounded and help me put things in proper perspective,” he says. “At the end of the day, what matters may not only be about scoring a touchdown, but also winning the future of those kids who do not get the opportunity to receive that touch of hope and love that you and I may have the means of giving.”
Tell us what you think at mail@filipinasmag.com
Author’s credit: Nick Vicera writes from Miami, Florida.
although i dont know who u r, an even not part of your ministry..thanks for the heart that you have been shared with us specially to the unfotunate people in the Philipines. its an awesome.GOD bless you & your family..
although i dont know who u r, an even not part of your ministry..thanks for the heart that you have been shared with us specially to the unfortunate people in the Philipines. its an awesome.GOD bless you & your family..
howdy brother tim and the rest of the tebow family- praise and thank you Lord for the
magnificent and awe-inspiring story of what you are doing to our kababayans in southern
philippines!!! indeed, you are an angel who have helped in the God-fearing attitude of
our filipino folks especially the children.. may God bless y’all and give more success in
your athletic activities and that someday you will wind up the no 1 draft choice in
the nfl draft as houston texans quarterback!!!
“i thank god for making me a filipino”
cory aquino
PROUD TO BE…
GOD BLESS YOUR FAMILY TIM
Very proud of your wonderful family for bringing up a God fearing well grounded son. You will will be rewarded for all the good deeds. Thank you so much Tebow family for bringing the LORD to the people of Cotobato and to the Pilipino people. Tim keep it up, we are praying for your success.
i am pretty touched by your story…and i salute you,tim and your family for being so kind and helpful to my fellow filipino.
GOD sent you here for a mission…your parents are blessed to have you.
GOODLUCK to you and your family…MAY GOD BLESS YOU!
Hi Tim! Despite of what is happening in our nation, GOD never stop pouring precious gifts to our mother land. You and your family is a treasurable gift to us. Thank you for your UNCONDITIONAL ATTENTION and UNSELFISH LOVE! Wish you all the best in life! More power to your career! I will watch your NFL game soon! I wish I could meet you personally to express my gratitude for your exemplary contribution in spreading WORDS OF GOD in the LAND OF PROMISE! Mabuhay ka at ang iyong Pamilya!…
You are now my football idoll. thank you for such great love for our countrymen, esp. the cobataneos. Godbless you and your family.
Thank you very much for uplifting the spirits and well-being of the underpriviledged people, especially the children in Cotabato. Instead of taking a nice summer vacation, you are there enduring all the missionary tasks. You and your family are GOD GIVEN people.
As a Filipina, based in California I admired your honorable and awesome deeds. You are one of a kind! MAY GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR CONTINOUS WONDERFUL MISSION. More power to your skills in Football game
tnx for helping our brothers and sisters. God bless you guys and I know God will help you with your mission and will protect you in this endeavor. I hope you will inspire many Filipinos with your story. Selfless love is what I can call it. Tnx guys and goodluck to your mission! God speed
thank you for continuing to give God the glory. God bless you and your family most especially your dad and mom.
Hello Tim,I just read your story,i felt so very happy to know that there is someone who think of the poor people,specially those children in Cotabato.And im sure that everyone of those children loved you so much,as a Filipina based in Lebanon i admired you,MAY THE PRESSENCE OF GOD IS WITH YOU ALWAYS,GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.YOU ARE THE ANGEL SENT BY GOD.TAKE CARE ALWAYS.
What an inspiring story of a man who has already accomplished much at such a young age, and yet remains humble. Thank you Tim Tebow for the goodness of your heart. Thank you to your wonderfully selfless parents. Thank you on behalf of the FIlipino people.
Hi Tim & Family,
I was so touched by your story, I just wanna say thank you so much for extending help to the poor children of Mindanao and bringing them close to GOD as well. you and your family have a very good heart may God Bless your family always. May God give you good health alwys..
you are one of a kind. May God continualy bless you with your abilities and hoping that you end as the no. 1 pick for the NFL. Smile God Loves you…
Great and awesome person! One in a thrillion! All Filipinos admire your great work and evangelism to our poor and disperate country especially the innocent children. We adore your job and help to the Philippines. Although you’re too busy, please don’t hesitate to go for the NFL draft post college. You need money for your evangelical work in the Philippines and that’s the only way to earn millions of dollars and spend some for the street children here and abroad. Go for the NFL draft Tim ! ! GO, GO, Tim Tebow. Mabuhay ka and more blessings to your family.
Hello, Tim.
Met you at the International Airport en-route to the U.S. via Japan, on “15″ March 2009 at the end of the spring break.
Thank you again, for being the thoughtful, considerate, and class act that you are— got some points from the autographs you kindly signed as I interrupted your native breakfast.
My Mom and Dad, who know nothing about football but know about people, liked you instantly and told me that you are a good man; I replied “yes”, and a Gator, too.
Thank you for all that you do for the Filipinos and the Philippines- may you and your family continue to be blessed for all the good that you do there, and everywhere.
Best regards,
Paul
Jacksonville, Florida
thanks for your time in letting people know what is needed to be done in that part of our country. Your selflessness, with that of your family serves as a beacon of hope for these people. I pray to God that He keeps you always safe and sound for this mission in his glory.
Godspeed.
Tim, knowing for a fact that you are a football superstar in your country and instead of having a good vacation and all the accolades and media attention you prefer to go to our native land of Mindanao to share the gospel. For me you have a heart just like King David. Keep up the good work in the kingdom of God. I know for a fact that you will be a superstar in the hearts of the football fans but what is important for us your brothers in the faith is the humility of serving our SUPERSTAR, for sure you know that. God bless your work.
we need more people like you!
Hi Tim,
Like the other super athletes, you inherited and possessed the supernatural power that Great Mindanao radiates. Mindanao is the last God’s chosen place. Someone from Mindanao will rise as God’s Chosen Leader.
voncir
very inspiring… inspite of your huge success and popularity still you have put your feet on the ground and remained kind-hearted to reach out to our less fortunate fellow Filipinos.
Truly when you share your blessings it comes back hundredfolds.
Now adays there are only few men who are G0d-fearing and selfless… you’re an icon to be reckoned and followed.
May you be blessed and your family with more success so you can continue touching lives.
Godbless you and your family.
You are truly an inspiration! Keep it up and God bless you more and more.
I dont’ know who you are but I thank you Tim and your family ,God bless, I will pray for your success and GOD will be there for you.
Hi Tim,
May d Lord Almighty will bless you and your family! Your labor will not be in vain. I was really touched here in U.K. with your story for sharing d gospel to our kababayans in Mindanao and amazed as well with your bravery bec it’s a Muslim place. More power to your family’s ministry and God bless…
This is a great story of love of neighbor. That’s the story of the Tebow Family. I wish to express how grateful, happy and proud of you, Tim, and of your whole family for the unselfish love and service you have shown to my fellow Filipinos, who have less in life. May your tribe increase. And I pray you more success in your career. Please keep me in your prayers and know that I’ll remember you in mine. God bless you. - Fr. John Gadon, Catholic Priest
Hi Tim,
I’m Elizabeth Landrum, I’m from the Philippines,I live here in Chiefland FL., I came here in the U.S.A. last October 31, 2001, & got married Dec.’01, I got my citizenship 3 yrs. ago,and married to Pat Landrum since then. My husband has had season tickets since 1972, he said Danny Wuerffel was the best he had seen until you came to FL. He will not see another player better than you are in his lifetime, also my husband is very emotional like you are.Our den is called a “GATOR ROOM” we have several pictures of you in our room, hopefully we can meet you someday. We are very proud of the work your family does in the Phils. We sit in section D row 15 –8 & 9 right over the tunnel, looking forward to another Championship Season!!!!Go Gators!!!!!!
Sincerely,
Beth & Pat
P.S. I met & heard your Dad speak at Hardeetown Baptist Church here in Chiefland it was great.
Thanks GOD for your mothers faith. Tim Tebow was born, am sure reading your story that yours will live on forever in the minds of your fans and the people of Mindanao whom you have touched.
As a devout Catholic, I lift up praises and thanks to the Lord for people like you who have shown love, compassion and understanding to our brothers and sisters in Mindanao. Your work and sacrifices here is making so much progress towards bringing peace between Christians and Muslims in our troubled land and we truly appreciate it. THANK YOU SO MUCH, Tim, and may your tribe increase and grow strong.
I have read of your successes in the gridiron and the way you have been thrashing all our chicago teams but we rest in the hope that we will soon have you as our quarterback for the Chicago Bears!
God bless you Tim, your parents and your family. MABUHAY!!!
Love is not merely a sermon we preach, a theory we discuss, or a feeling we wait to have. It is a decision we make to take action and help someone else have a better quality of life. To the Tebow’s family, getting involved in world missions and commit yourself to bring help and justice to the poor and oppressed is more than a noble job. I salute you. Blessed your heart.
Love is not merely a sermon we preach, a theory we discuss, or a feeling we wait to have. It is a decision we make to take action and help someone else to have a better quality of life. To the Tebow’s family, getting envolved in world missions and commit yourself to bring help and justice to the poor and oppressed is more than a noble job. I salute you…..Blessed your heart.
I am a Sooner fan who lives in Norman, OK, but have no grudge against you for beating Oklahoma in the BCS Championship game. I salute and admire you for your dedication in helping my countrymen in the Philippines. I am also proud of you being a very good Philippine born quarterback.
I wish more Filipinos help out their own country.
Tim, Maraming salamat, napakadakila mong tao, pagpalain ka sana palagi ng Panginoong Diyos . Maraming salamat mula sa aming lahat na taga mindanao
Thank you for all the support.
Philippines was my birth country, although I live now in London for so many years, I still love going back to see my folks, relatives and friends and HELPmy dear people who need help whatever I can.
Tim family once again THANK YOU.
Continue the good work.
VIRGIE AQUINO JORDAN LONDON XXXXXXXXXX
Tim, me and my family appreciate very much the things you’re doing to our countrymen.YOU ARE A GIFT FROM GOD. God bless you and your family.
Tim Tebow,,,may God always blessed you on the mission field and the playing field. Have a ggod 2009-2010 season and may you win the Heisman award. Toto Battung
I read your articles and you are a great person , keep doing it and God will always reward you and your family. I leave in Upstate N.Y. and I’m a Filipino decent. God bless you and your family and keep up a good work. Thank you
To “RBP”: There is no “woman’s right to choose”. Once a new life is conceived within you, it’s no longer just “your body” for which you are responsible and therefore, a sin of the highest magnitude to presume that you have any vested “right” to decide the fate of this voiceless person. It makes you an arrogant, callous murderess, an affront to God, and a threat to society at large. Thankfully, the Filipinos still have their collective heads screwed on straight and do not tolerate this selfish feminist garbage. There is no place for you and your kind in the Philippines.
Hi Tim and the Tebow family…..what can I say!…you have read all the wonderful praises for the work that you’ve done for the Philippine people….the best wishes I can say to you is that I will offer any daily prayer for your safety while doing your work in Mindanao, and that GOD will always keep you safe and sound wherever you may be. that is the only payback(if there is really a need for it) for your generous heart….GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ALWAYS