Christmas and Crusade in the Philippines
God has been working through you as sponsors, and through our front-line PAMI workers to bring His love and message to people in the Philippines. Take a look at the video below highlighing PAMI’s recent participation in the distribution of Operation Christmas Child shoe-boxes and in the Will Graham Bicol Celebration of Hope .
Children’s Worship Prelude to Will Graham Bicol Celebration of Hope
Emmaus Children at the Worship Celebration
On April 14, a giant Children’s Worship (Madya Mag-orogma!) was held in Legazpi City as a prelude to the Will Graham Bicol Celebration of Hope. Ptr. Chito writes:
In God’s wondrous grace. Very early today (6a.m.), 14th of April, we will be going to Albay Astrodome Legazpi City. This is Children Worship Celebration of Hope hosted by the Billy Graham Evang. Assoc. Team. Two buses have been alloted for Emmaus; and we have 160 children plus 15 counselors (trained at the Life & Witness Course); Read More
Children’s Bible Classes at EBI & James approved for Mongolia
From an April 12th email from Pastor Chito: In God’s love. We’re on the 2nd day of our kids Bible Classes (part of the Operation Christmas Child shoebox program). It’s so joyful to worship with the kids this big; though many of them are newcomers/seekers, and yet they have such worshipful hearts. We have about 300 kids ages 8 to 14. We started the classes with plenary worship (devotion of Words, learning new songs), then proceed to their respective classes. We have 15 classes of twenty kids per class. Kevin (my second son), who has one class too said,”Teaching kids is both fun and challenging. This really would move you to pray and study hard.” (Kevin is the current youth chairman of Emmaus Christian Church; he and other officers with him are praying for many young peoples, especially discipling them). James is supposed to handle the class, with Kevin, but this week is also his ACM interview. He’s in Manila and be back on Monday. As far as I know, his going to Mongolia is very near. He just texted me to pray for his interview. When he’s back, we’ll know of the exact date of his sending off.
From a later email: GOOD NEWS is James arrived today from his mission interview and he passed. Few papers yet be arranged; ACM will do the visa and other travel papers. and his going to Mongolia is First week of June. PRAISE GOD!!!! And many other good news about their partnership with ACM in my next email.
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By the way, with such a big influx of children, it is hoped to even add a separate worship service for children on Sunday mornings.
Pictures of the Children’s Plenary Worship Time
Distribution of Operation Christmas Child Shoe Boxes
Here are some picture of Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes being distributed to children at EBI. About 300 boxes were distributed to children ages 2 to 7 on April 11. About 300 more boxes were distributed a few days later to older children (ages 8 – 14), after completing discipleship classes using materials supplied by Samaritan’s Purse called The Greatest Journey.
Will Graham, OCC shoeboxes, KAIROS, Ptr Chito’s health, PAMI support
Here’s a recent email prayer update that I sent out:
Updates from Bulan
Calayugan Bible Study
By Ptr. Vir Fulo
In Christ Precious Name our Lord and Savior. Updates from Bulan Christian Church and Daughter Churches
- Bible Studies: In Abad Santos Sis. Michelle has four families who attended permanently and more than 80 children attended for children’s Bible Study. Other Bible Studies are from San Vicente, Ilawod, Obrero, Sabang.
- Calayugan: I joined with Ptr. Joel every Saturday afternoon. We are planning to change the schedule to Sunday afternoon. If God’s will we are going to start a worship service this year, because there are more than 12 baptized believers already in Calayugan. Please include this in your prayers. Read More
Sirangan Outreach
Written by Ptr. Chito Mendizabal
Sometimes, our schedule isn’t as smooth as we’d like. Sirangan outreach schedule of Christmas program was Sunday, December 19th in the afternoon, immediately following the Emmaus Christmas program in the morning. Sponsors (children’s feeding, our transpo, now christmas gifts) arrived from Manila. They prepared food and gifts for the children and adults Bible study. Beforehand, names of children and adults who attended Saturdays Bible study were asked and been sent to Manila. Gifts then were very personalized, names were on each gift. This might be good in a place like Sirangan where some people tend to be “clever.” Interested only to receive gifts and not in Bible study. Read More
Emmaus (EBI) Christmas and Thanksgiving
By Ptr. Chito: January 2, 2011
It has been said that Philippines have the most elaborated and the longest as far as celebration of Christmas is concerned. In fact, when the month ends in “ber”, as early as “September”, a Filipino family would start decorating one’s house with Christmas tree or lanterns. There are good and not so good things about it. The not so good things are: focusing on material things, as expecting gifts, and the extravagance and excesses (food, drinks) and “firecrackers.”
The good thing: Christmas is a wonderful opportunity to evangelize people; Filipino, being closely- knitted and gregarious.
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Christmas Greetings from PAMI Philippines!
From Pastor Chito B. Mendizabal, Field Director – EBI-PAMI Philippines
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.” 2 Cor. 2:14
Praise God for His abundant mercy and grace that we may become an aroma, spreading the fragrance of Christ to all people. Thanks be to God, just recently, we’ve been a conduit of His grace, extending hands to a pastor [William Thompson] and family in their great ordeals – from hospital needs to arranging things at home (wife died from Heart Attack after 3 days aggressive interventions in the ICU). Some EBI students stayed with the family to help in the cooking, arranging of Bible study every night for 7 days, ushered guests; We too help in processing papers of insurance; preached at their Sunday service and officiated the necrological service. While we were at the hospital, we’re able to minister too to other patients (4 other rooms) mostly Christians (Divine appointment?) praying and helping. And you had great part in those ministries of serving, because of your financial help and your constant intercessions for us.
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