By Janice Sy
Honor, love, and passion are necessary for a Christian to see the needs of his or her community and respond to them. This Christmas 2017, Women in Love, the Men of Honor, and the Youth’s Hearts on Fire Ministries rolled their sleeves and joined hands for an outreach project aimed to bless one of the most depressed communities in Davao City.
Men, women, and youth volunteers led by Rev. Peter Wee went to Wireless Cemetery community, Madapo Hill, Barangay 8-A, Davao City last December 3, 2017 to distribute rice and grocery packs to the 40 families who are attending regularly every Sunday afternoon. This barangay is situated downhill between two neighboring cemeteries. The people there are literally living among dead. But amazingly, they are not afraid even the small children.
Before the event, both the Women in Love and the Men of Honor Ministries had their fund-raising projects. The women had a garage sale while the men sold T-shirts with Christian or Biblical designs and statements. The entire church helped out in these fund-raising projects by contributing to the garage sale or buying T-shirts as gifts to families and friends this Christmas season.
On the day of the event, the families in the community received their Christmas packages while the children happily received their loot bags and snacks. The Hearts on Fire youths prepared a program to bless the community spiritually. A skit entitled “The Bus Ride”, which reminds us that life is short, and we need to prepare for our eternal destiny, was performed by the energetic and passionate young people. There were also action songs sang together by the volunteers, the children, and all who joined the fun Sunday afternoon outreach.
The head of the Women in Love Ministry, Artchelyn Casilum, said that through this activity, the women may be empowered to bless and give joy to the community and to other people that Christ has entrusted us to take care of, aside from our own families.
Philip Louie Sy, the head of Men of Honor, said that the men’s ministry is enthusiastic with the success of the community outreach and plans to turn it into an annual event.
The day ended with a prayer with the participants blessed spiritually and materially and the organizers thankful for this chance to be of service to others.
