John and Rodelyn Holbrook grew up playing together in the mountains of the Philippines where John’s family served as AFM missionaries. Both John and Rodelyn heard God’s call to missions while still in elementary school, and both pursued educations to prepare them for this calling. After John’s graduation in the States, he returned to the Philippines to start a new AFM project among the Tawbuid. His friendship with Rodelyn was rekindled, and they eventually married.
John and Rodelyn, along with their daughter Ellen Joy, continue to plant churches among the Tawbuid on the Philippine island of Mindoro. God’s ministry through them and the native church leaders has grown to include four tribes and numerous churches. Currently, their primary focus is training and equipping native leaders and missionaries in church leadership, evangelism, healthcare, agriculture and earning a livelihood. They are also working to help native students receive higher education in order to return and help their tribes in development and evangelism.