Archive for category: EFC Davao

By Michael Lyco J. Barrera

A teenager is bombarded with crises and pressures from all sides of life as he or she goes through growth, maturity and development. Psychosocial development as theorized by famous psychoanalyst Erik Erikson, states that we need to overcome crises on particular stages in our lives in order to become “whole” persons. A teenager, for instance, must overcome role confusion to establish and secure his or her identity.

Without the word of God, a teenager seeking for directions gets entangled with unbiblical ideologies and wanders on a lost path. Jesus knows the pain and restlessness of a drifter, and so he calls the lost sheep into his fold that it may lie down on green pastures. This fold is the church which welcomes all weary travelers, introduces them to the Savior, and equips and releases them to help others who are still astray.

This summer, the JECPP Southern Mindanao region once again fulfilled its deep calling of training young people inside the fold to love and serve God with all their hearts and strength. More than 200 youth from Evangel Family churches all over Southern Mindanao gathered in Jones Beach Resort, Talomo, Davao City for the 2^nd NexGen Southern Mindanao Regional Youth Conference last April 1-4.

The event was an ideal summer spree for energetic teens and young adults where they were nourished and revived with compelling messages, physical activities, fellowships, music, prayer, and creative expressions of talents.

 

Every day in the camp was a feast of the Word served by anointed speakers. These messages were meant to transform and renew their minds so they could make sound decisions and actions as exemplary Christian youth. Reverend Peter Wee marked the first night with a highlight on the favored life of Lot because he walked with blessed Abraham. Unfortunately, Lot decided to walk on his own, forsaking the Godly legacy of Abraham and embracing the culture of his time.  Pastor Wee quoted Oliver W. Homes who said, “it matters not where you are, but rather in what direction you are heading” for where you are looking, there you will also go.

Expounding the idea of “walking with those who are blessed”, Pastor Wee reminded the participants of another lover and follower of God in the person of Joshua. “Joshua loved the Presence of God” (Exodus 17:9) and “Joshua loved God`s House” (Exodus 33:11). Like Joshua, young people need to learn to love the presence of God above all and to be in the house of the Lord rather than to be in other places.

Other speakers in the morning and evening services were Rev. Albert Polino, Jr., Rev. Delia Miguel, Rev. Tony Angelias, Rev. Gregorio and Rev. Rosario Simpas, Rev. Judith Kintanar and Rev. Christine Wee. These speakers addressed various issues that the young people relate and struggle with.

An all-time pressing issue among young people is undoubtedly romance. So, “striking while the iron is hot”, one afternoon in the camp was devoted solely to the topic of love and courtship delivered by Pastor Judith Kintanar. The eager young people raised questions, and were satisfied with wise counsel from their leaders. Pastor Wee and Pastor Christine helped answer the questions and candidly shared their own love story to the delight and enlightenment of the listeners.

Another worthwhile engagement in the camp was the creative balloons and table skirting workshop headed by Sis. Cecille Gacasan, Bro. Jonathan Lariosa and Sis. Lourdes Bargoso. Since the church is a venue of gatherings, celebrations and parties, the young people can serve using their aesthetic skills in decorating and designing. The young people were of course motivated to learn as they could use this skill not only in the church but even in their own parties such as debuts and graduation.

The entire camp was mentally and physically challenging, so after dinner on the last night of the conference, the leaders chilled to a “pastors just wanna have fun” session. Selected pastors from the Southern Mindanao region showcased their talents. As a result, many hidden talents such as song composition, dancing, and wildly-spirited laughter were all discovered. We believe God will release our young people to serve God with greater measure.

 

 

 

 By La Donna Yap

Five proud grooms stood in the altar seeing the women they have loved for all these years walk down the aisle. Looking as beautiful as ever, the brides reminisced how they have been together for better or for worse.  With tears falling down their cheeks, they walked to the front, with eyes only to their husbands. Once again, they met at the altar, and with so much pride delivered the anticipated sweet “I DO.”

 

 

“A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person”, as the saying goes. In this light, the Married Couples Fellowship of Evangel Family Church – Davao  recognizes the importance of building a successful marriage relationship.  Reaching the milestone of 25 years in marriage is not an easy achievement.  For varied reasons, many couples have not even reached a decade. To rejoice over a lasting union, the event dubbed as Celebrating 25 years & beyond was birthed.

 

 

On September 26, 2014, family, friends and members of Evangel Family Church-Davao gathered together to witness the solemn and meaningful Renewal of Vows Ceremony of the five triumphant couples, namely: Engr. Avelino and Mrs. Nelly Domingo, married for 47 years; Engr. Jonadab and Mrs. Nenfa Sepulveda, married for 43 years; Mr. Felix and Mrs. Becilda Morcillos, married for 40 years; Mr. Valentino and Mrs. Minda Tamayo, married for 32 years; and Mr. Roland and Mrs. Rowena Jumawan, married for 26 years.

 

During the course of the preparation, it has been known that most of these couples were not wed in church. According to them, this event is a dream comes true.  These couples represent the many wives who wished that they were able to walk down the aisle on their wedding day as well as the many husbands who wished that they were able to fulfill their wives’ dream.  By the grace of God, the Married Couples Fellowship became an instrument to carry out the answers to these prayers.

Rev. Peter Wee, officiated the ceremony and inspired the couples and everyone with the message “MARRIAGE IS A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT. ” He shared that married couples rely on the wrong source of love to sustain their relationship when God is the only source of love, a love that can overcome any problem in marriage. Only God can meet our deepest need and only God can love us

perfectly, permanently and powerfully. Couples who build their marriages on the Love of God will certainly cross the finish line with great success.

It was such a tender moment to see the children of these five couples taking turns to pay tribute to their parents and honoring them with various gifts, AVPs, beautifully crafted poems and touching words of appreciations. What a delightful way to end the night’s celebration with a sumptuous buffet dinner and warm fellowship with loved ones and friends. This event would certainly be a memory to keep and the fulfilled couples were a sight to behold for a lifetime.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Mayme F. Olegario and Ptr. Liza Angelias

After the summer holiday, the month of June is a bustling back-to-school season in the Philippines.  School expenses become top budget priority. However, for most parents, the answer to the question of where to get extra money for school fees is always hard to pin down.

As a church family, finance is a shared affair. A pastor’s aspiration is always for the welfare of his flock. This concern is not only limited to spiritual fulfillment but also to material success in order to live a truly blessed life.

To help members enjoy financial freedom and increase, the Southern Mindanao Region held a seminar in three churches from June to August, a refreshing and timely discussion as financially draining school year kicked in. The seminar aimed to energize breadwinners, new and seasoned professionals and aspiring and established businesspersons with the reminder that God is the one who gives us the ability to produce wealth.

EFC-Davao, EFC-Kidapawan and EFC-Tagum were the host churches of the seminar “A Divine Purpose on Investment” with speakers Eng. Dave Domingo and Godeth Domingo from EFC-Davao.  About 200 professionals and entrepreneurs were thrilled and motivated with moneywise principles shared by the husband-and-wife team.

Bro. Dave started his talk with an animated video presentation of two men making a living by carrying pails of water from the river to the village houses and stores that pay them for their service. One of the men wakes up early every morning and does the same thing every day for the rest of his working years. The other one named Bruno, however, is a visionary. He has a big dream for his life and the society. He works hard, plans every move, and sacrifices his time for pleasures until he is able to attain his dream. Bruno’s dream is to create technology that will bring water faster into the village. He invests two years of hard work, and his income gets bigger and bigger as his accomplished water system brings improvement in the community. Everything he sacrificed pays off.  Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he that keeps the law, happy is he.” Foresight and knowledge are indeed steps that usher vision fulfillment.

The speaker continued by discussing the various sources of income such as being an employee, self-employed, business owner and investor. He said whatever our source of income is, investment and savings are a must. The attendees were coached how and where to invest their financial resources and were taught the 7 Simple Steps to Save Money. The attendees, some of them engaged in small businesses, were all eager to apply the knowledge learned and were even asking for a part two of the seminar. Asked for a reflection, one EFC-Kidapawan youth who is currently employed as teacher in the government realized that he should find another source of income and not just depend on his monthly salary so he could give more and be a blessing.

Bro. Dave also warned that fear and laziness are enemies in wealth production. Fear can paralyze and eventually make us unproductive.  Laziness, on the other hand, is a likened to a robber. As Proverbs 6:10-11 states, “ A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man”.

Another convicting point is the “Law of Use” which states that “What you don’t use, you will lose”.  This is a reminder to all that we are accountable to what the Lord deposited in us. Whether in ministry, business or daily activity, God is looking for faithful stewards in small and big things.

Finally, Bro Dave concluded the topic with tithing as a divine investment. He shared his own testimony on how God flourished his business with so many favors since they started to pay their tithes faithfully. He encouraged everyone to pay tithes honestly despite bills to pay and daily expenses. It’s heartwarming to hear some participants, who are still struggling with tithes, say “I will surely give my tithes from now on”.

By understanding and applying the divine purpose on investment, may we truly think of ourselves as not just mere employees or workers , but wise investors and owners in the kingdom (with contributions from Ptr. Judith Kintanar and Micah Simpas).

 

 

(The 11th Tribal Medical Mission)

By Joy Risonar

“Dako gyud kaayo akong pasalamat sa JECPP ba kay dili lang check-up ilang ginahimo, gahatag pud sila ug tambal ug vitamins (I thank JECPP very much because they do not only do [medical] check-up, but they also give medicines and vitamins.),” said Nene, a 48-year- old mother of seven children. She brought to the medical mission her one-month-old baby who was suffering from LBM and a seven-year-old boy who was having fever and cough.

Nene was only one of the four hundred fifty-one (451) residents of Marilog District who were served during the 11th Tribal Medical Mission conducted by Jireh-Evangel Church Planting Philippines, Inc. (JECPP) at West Marahan Elementary School, Marahan, Marilog District last May 9, 2014. Three hundred forty-seven (347) of these availed of the free medical consultation, seventy (70) for dental services, and thirty-four (34) underwent the circumcision ‘tuli’ operation. All of the patients were given medicines, and the children and babies were given vitamins.

A quick interview with them made me realize that they await the annual medical mission of JECPP, and that they had nothing to say but a thank you to JECPP and anticipation for the future medical missions.

My joining this medical mission for the first time made me see how far JECPP has achieved bringing to the people of this far-flung area access to basic medical services and medicines and vitamins, yet the journey still has a long way to go. I now better understand the need for us to have passion for missions. As a matter of fact, the medical mission team had to cut-off the dental services and the tuli operation because of time constraints and lack of some medical supplies.

Patients already lined up for three registration stations even before the set up was finalized. They had been given lugaw or rice porridge that was prepared by volunteers from EFC Marahan whose station had three big pots cooking lugaw at the same time. They lost count of the bowls of lugaw that have been served because many of the local residents got several refills. “Ang uban kay mao na ni ang gipamahaw mao nga kadaghan nangayo ug lugaw, ” said one cook. At the end of the day, a whole sack of rice was cooked into lugaw.

The first station was the medical check-up registration manned by Cecille Gacasan and Christopher Gelicame of EFC Davao. They took the patient’s body temperature, weight, and blood pressure. After the patients had their preliminary interview, they were led to the medical doctors namely Dr. Rizaldo R. Gonzales, a Physician and an Obstetrician and Gynecologist, and Dr. Orfa Abelende-Ingay, a Physician in Occupational Medicine. According to these physicians, most of the patients had upper respiratory problems like cough and colds, skin diseases, and body pains. Apart from the medicines they prescribed, they also recommended vitamins and deworming especially to children.

Catherine, a 23-year-old pregnant woman, who has not had pre-natal checkups and therefore has not counted the months of her current pregnancy, came complaining about stomach pains. Dr. Gonzales said they were actually contractions. Dr. Gonzales advised her to go see the resident German doctor in the place immediately since the classroom-turned-medical-clinic was not equipped to accommodate patients of her case. After a while, I noticed her at the lugaw station feeding her two children, and so I went to talk to her again. She said she was already feeling well and the contractions had already stopped, and that she intends to give birth at home with the midwife in the community.

The oldest who came for medical check-up was the eighty-one-year old Lolo Ambrosio who complained of suffering from cough and constant dizziness. According to him, “wala mi panggasto aron mopacheck up ug mopalit ug tambal. (We don’t have money to spend for check-up and medicines). The youngest patient was less than a month old baby Ashley who had skin allergies.

A 19-year-old Carlo was noticed limping and so was given immediate attention. His case was urgent. He had an incised wound on his left knee he accidentally caused himself the day before while he was clearing a cornfield. Dr. Gonzales had to stitch the 3-cm long wound and dress it. He also advised Carlo to get anti-tetanus shots at the district’s health center. “Ako ra gyud ning gihiktan aron moundang ang agas sa dugo” (I just tied [a cloth] around this [knee] to stop the bleeding), Carlo shared while enduring the pain.

The second station was the dental registration which was facilitated by Lalaine Madanlo and Adrian James Pangilinan of EFC Davao. Only seventy were given Dental Services led to the classroom-turned-dental-clinic.

Ten dentists composed the dental team, namely Dr. Hafid Millan, Dr. Louise Marie Alhambra, Dr. Reginald Louie Tolentino, Dr. Viezel Monterde, Dr. Jasmin Jade Gramaje, Dr. Najed Macarimbang, Dr. Ilee Ampong, Dr. Gino Arvin Santos, Dr. Rosana Ang, and Dr. Jane Rose Yee (EFC-Davao).

The third station was the circumcision ‘tuli’ registration which was attended by Janice Sy of EFC Davao and Ena Wee of EFC Singapore (who later on also helped in the medical checkup station). They also took the patient’s body temperature, weight, and blood pressure. Almost a hundred boys whose age ranged from 6 to 10 years old registered, but only thirty-four were eventually operated on due to time constraints. The classroom-turned-operating-room had seven registered nurses working on six patients at the same time. Only a few boys decided to cry in the middle of the operation. The free lollipop was more than enough of a reward to make the rest feel brave. One mother whose son was not accommodated for the tuli said, “Hulat napud mi sunod tuig” (We’ll wait again [for this mission] next year).

The registered nurses who composed the tuli team are the following: Vicenta Biñan, Clara Maris Hofer, Melissa Zosa, Ian Te Eng Fo, Jessa Empis, and Rachelle Ann Tilacas.

All of the patients proceeded to the pharmacy attended by Ptr. Christine Wee, Ptr. Judith Kintanar, Ptr. Jordan Kintanar, Aldin Gacasan, Genji Jimenez, PJ Pascua and Boyet Bitong of EFC Davao and Catalina Gonzales, a volunteer nurse and midwife. They were given noodles, sardines, biscuits, and drinking water. The kids, especially those who were having tantrums, were also given toys (cute airplanes and beautiful hairclips hand-made by Sis. Sherry Lim of EFC Singapore) and candies. The dosage was labeled on the medicine boxes in the Bisaya language and was also carefully explained to the patients in the same local language.

 

The overall project manager Ptr. Peter Wee, together with Ptr. Jordan Kintanar, Michael Barrera of EFC Davao and Ptr. Patricio Margate of EFC Marahan set up the venue and maintained order all throughout the conduct of the mission. We also had 4 Policemen from the Police Station 12 of Marilog District who assisted  us to uphold peace and security within the vicinity.

Towards the end of the medical mission, a weak, quick earthquake was felt. Nobody panicked. The medical mission team continued their task. The patients in line for the check-up remained still. Then, a heavy rain poured. The dry soil was quenched.

Many residents watched the team pack up and leave. Those who availed of the medical mission were not verbally expressive, but the team saw in their faces peace, happiness, and gratification for what they have experienced that day.

May those who give to the work of the Lord not panic when funds get low. May their own thirst get quenched too in cheerful giving. May they continue to give so that faces like those in Marahan on May 9, 2014 could continue to experience God’s abundance until the next medical missions to come. All praises to our Awesome God for this mission (photographs taken by Benedict Chan – EFC Singapore).