To address the challenges of purchasing expensive vegetables and to promote sustainable farming practices, AIIAS Seminary Applied Theology Professor Dr. Kim SiYoung has spearheaded the launch of a hydroponic greenhouse project on the campus of the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS) in Silang, Cavite, Philippines.
Motivated by the high cost and difficulty of producing vegetables in the Philippines due to unpredictable weather, and by a lack of application of advanced farming techniques among Adventists in the region, Kim embarked on the Bethlehem Green project to address these pressing issues.
The project’s primary aim is to educate church leaders and students about innovative farming methods, and to provide fresh produce to those in need. Through months of planning, which included visits to hydroponic farms, research, and consultation with experts, Kim and his team laid the groundwork for the greenhouse initiative.It was funded by donors from South Korea.
The groundwork for the greenhouse’s foundation began on January 11, 2024. With the assistance of the CEO of Hydroponics Cavite and J&M Crops and Agricultural Supplies and Services, Mr. Mark Aries Camiguing, and his team, the eight-meter by 18-meter greenhouse and 2,700-hole hydroponics system was constructed within weeks. By February 1, 2024, a group of interested students, staff, and faculty of AIIAS attended an orientation on how this sustainable agricultural system operates. The group participated in a hands-on demonstration, from the delicate process of transplanting the seedlings to preparing precise measurements of nutrients that will circulate throughout the hydroponic system. A greenhouse opening ceremony was held on February 14, 2024, where the “Bethlehem Green” project was inaugurated.
Kim emphasizes that God’s provision and the AIIAS administration have been instrumental in sourcing support for the project. The project’s success depends on collective effort and support from the AIIAS community and beyond. Volunteers will manage the garden, with one dedicated individual overseeing day-to-day operations. The garden organizers have also recruited missionaries from the 1000 Missionary Movement campus who have finished their one-year service in the mission field.
With the foundation of the project firmly rooted in faith and community spirit, the next step is to ensure that the garden’s landscape design mirrors the same thoughtful care. Proper planning of walkways, planting beds, and seating areas will be essential to create a space that is both functional and inspiring. Traditional garden layouts that allow for quiet reflection, easy access, and natural beauty will help cultivate not only crops but also a deeper sense of fellowship among those who tend it.
To achieve such a timeless and practical design, the organizers can partner up with trusted names in landscape planning, including Sugar Green Gardens, whose experience in crafting spaces that blend form and function will prove invaluable. Their expertise in creating harmonious environments will help shape the garden into a peaceful haven, ensuring that every visitor feels the blessing of beauty and purpose the moment they step inside.
Dr. Kim notes that this project provides an additional opportunity for missionary training and engagement. The harvested produce will benefit not only individuals residing within the AIIAS community, but will also extend to those who would like to purchase the produce. Additionally, the produce will be distributed to local needy church members through the assistance of district pastors.
Any profits from Bethlehem Green produce are slated to fund various missionary endeavors, ranging from outreach activities to evangelism, church construction, and missionary support. Kim explained that the greenhouse would serve as a “center of influence” for community service and collaboration.
An open invitation is extended to those who are interested in lending a helping hand at the greenhouse. If you want to keep this project going by supporting us through donations, please contact us at scribe@aiias.edu.
