New kids building being used for the first time on Aug 15 after steel roof and cement floor were added.

Praise God that the new kids’ building at EBI is now finished enough to be useable!   After about two months of construction and $2500 spent so far, the cement walls and floor, and steel roof are now in place.  But approximately another $1500 is desired to finish it (adding electrical, plastering of walls inside and outside, steel window frames and glass, and installing comfort room and sink).  Please consider helping with this.

This building will especially be a big asset to the Compassion ministry.  It will be a “home” for the 101 Compassion kids to gather, display their artwork, and call their own.  Medical, dental, and other services will be rendered there.  Tables, chairs, teaching aides, and supplies will be stored there.  It will also be an office for adminstrative work.  Furthermore, since this building is a big improvement to our facility, it’s probable that Compassion will increase the number of sponsored kids to 150 by 2011!
Below are photos and a report from Ptr Chito that describes their gratefulness and gives more details, history, and other facets of PAMI’s ministry to children:
Dear Brother Mike, PAMI Board and Beloved in the Lord,
PRAISE GOD FOR THE NEW KIDS’ BUILDING. God is so good for giving us again and again what we ask for. He is so gracious and faithful. Almost every year or couple of years, He let us build buildings: be it a church, a pastoral house, improvements and now kids building. There are amazing things that God is doing here, especially reaching out and ministering to children. Children ministry is always part of PAMI mission. In our kids’ mission, we usually have feeding (milk and other nutrient foods, or FMSC meal), Bible stories, giving of clothes, and other ways of showing God’s love to them. Then, God led us in a bigger avenue of reaching more children. Early 2009, EBI hosted a seminar on children’s ministry entitled “UNDERSTANDING GOD’S HEART FOR CHILDREN.” We had speakers from Manila where topics centered on child protection, care, and Biblical principles on reaching out children.
Then, after about a week after that, there was a presentation of  COMPASSION INTERNATIONAL in the city of Sorsogon. We found it very interesting, only that requirements of becoming their partners were too difficult to meet, and there were about 50 applicant churches. But we tried and prayed. And praise God that Emmaus Campus Church was among the 3 churches in the city who became qualified. After the 9 months start-up, we’re now on the fiscal year full-blast of implementation; having 101 children who come to Emmaus every Saturday from 8AM to 2PM. Their ages ranging from 6 to 10, and they will be part of PADABA (name of this project which means well-favored or best-loved) until age 21. Isn’t this wonderful? And another good news with regard to having a new building for kids, there is a big possibility that COMPASSION will let us add 50 more children next year, because of our improving facilities.
Aside from partnering with COMPASSION, we too partner with OPERATION BLESSINGS who supplies us yearly with VBS materials. And just May of this year, Christian benefactors from Manila partnered with us to minister to a 100 plus children in an Urban poor area of the city (see April 11 and April 26 blog entries about Barangay Sirangan ministry). We havechildren’s feedings too, distributed school supplies, teaching materials for us, snack and transpo budget for us. And praise God that we too open for adults Bible study, now have 40 adults in the list. And we have just gave about 40 reading glass (eye glasses) here.
Of course, another big event on children that took place here was that of THE RESPOND TEAM July 2009 by Bro Mike Thorud, Bro John, Sisters Becky, Danielle & Clare who ministered to more than a 1000 children.
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PADABA (COMPASSION) UPDATES. The name of Compassion project of Emmaus Church is Padaba. It is a Bicolano term of endearment which means “best-loved or well-favored.” Every child is best-loved by Jesus, and we do as well. Padaba weekly learning (Saturday) starts at 8AM for plenary worship, then proceed to their respective classes. We have 4 departments: the nursery, beginners, primary and fast learners, average of 25 kids each department. Ofel is handling the fast learners. It is not difficult to teach because there’s curriculum that being followed. Lessons are on Bible and school subjects. Like this month’s theme is “I’m created in God’s Image.” At 10AM, snack is served and lunch at 12PM. They too have time for siests, we have mats, pillows for them. Then more lessons until 2PM, snack is seved again, then plenary session again for concluding part, prayer and announcements.
Next week is 3 days Health seminar . Espie and Elmer will attend, good that the venue is just here in Sorsogon. Compassion provided us with heavy duty weighing scale, BP (blood pressure) sets and other medicine tools and kits. We proposed for a complete immunization and vaccination for all children, especially that rainy season is coming along with deseases that usually spread in cold/wet season like pneumonia, tuberculosis, flu, cholera, measles, and dysentery.
It’s good too that I just oversee the operation of this project as they are becoming more and more efficient in handling the operation, that is the staff and teachers.
Good news too that Compassion is considering to add up children in the project for 50 more in 2011 because of smooth implementation and improving facilities.
Thank you for your being so active co-laborers in Christ,
Pastor Chito Mendizabal
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Dear Brother Mike, PAMI Board, beloved in the Jesus,
The love of God! Here’s rough estimate to finish kids’ building:
5 sets Steel Windows (P2800 each)                             P 14000.
Window glass                                                                         7000
30 bags of cement for plaster and for comfort rooms        7050
2 doors                                                                                     2400
Good Lumber                                                                          3000
Electrical connections and lights                                         6000
2 comfort rooms: bowls, steel roof PVC pipes, sink       15000
Labor (15 days x P350)                                                         5250
      TOTAL                                                                       P 59700 ($1326)

Sis Ofel Mendizabal teaching kids in new building

Compassion Kids praying

Compassion child writing a letter to his sponsor with Bro Elmer at his side

Ofel Medizabal (left) with Nanay Lourdes Daumar (Padaba Project Committee Chair)

The new kids building at EBI now has a roof. It's between the bakery (left) and multi-purpose building. (Note the cell phone tower across the street from EBI in the background.)