Serving in the Philippines
When Emo and Kathy met in Toronto in 1983, they were both moving forward in response to God’s calling on their lives. Emo’s sense of calling grew out of his anthropological interest in Japan while he was a student at Ontario Bible College (Bachelor of Theology). Kathy, on the other hand, was influenced by a sense of God’s claim on her life as well as her involvement with IVCF and international students during her years as a student at Acadia University (B.Sc & B.Ed.)
Emo was born in Manila, Philippines, and came to Canada in his early teens while Kathy was born in Sydney, NS. After their marriage in 1984, they served as church planters in Japan for seven years. The next season of their lives brought them back to Toronto where Emo worked in urban ministry at Yonge Street Mission, and Kathy taught in the Toronto District School Board. In 1998, the Yangos, with their three children, returned to Asia and have been working since then with Muslims in the Southern Philippines.
Along the way, Emo has earned an MA in Missiology from Fuller Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Missiology from the Asian Graduate School of Theology in Manila. The Yangos have been leading a multinational team in the task of bringing healing to a broken world through both word and deed with a focus on biblical and theological training of local leaders while at the same time working in partnership with the believers to respond to the basic felt needs of their communities through various community development projects. Some examples of these are: goat raising, early childhood education, sanitation project, water system project, several wells, a corn dryer, and youth leadership training.
Emo describes missions as a journey in exile. These journeys are seasonal and the critical factor is not how safe they are, but rather, finding new ways to sing the Lord’s song in different contexts.
Emo and Kathy Yango have three grown children: Ryan, Jenna and Kenzie.
Latest Ministry Updates
Inter-Faith Youth Leadership Gathering
Although there is a peace agreement between the Government of the Philippines and its Muslim peoples, the animosity of centuries of conflict continues to negatively impact daily relationships between Christians and Muslims. Negative stereotyping and discrimination are pervasive wherever their lives intersect, even among followers of Jesus in both camps. We’re very excited to share that a small group of Christian and Muslim youth leaders hope to change this. From Jun 5 – 8, we will be facilitating a gathering of ten Christian participants and ten Muslim participants, as they confront their own negative attitudes and behaviours,
Business Initiative Project: Tailoring
Jun is a young Muslim tailor and a follower of Isa al Masih in one of the communities of faith led by Sumael. Jun and three other believers have been working long hours in a tailoring shop for unjustly low wages. As their leader, Sumael faces other challenges: supporting his family as well as the needs of the ministry. Sharing their struggles gave birth to the idea of starting their own business, but they really needed help. Tailors attended a 15 day training for dressmaking in February and March. CBM has recently approved funding for equipment for
