Camar ministry in Prieto Diaz & Bulabog (Padaba, feedings, Bible studies & 5-day kids club)
Pastor Benjie and Elah Camar live near EBI and the PAMI Bulabog Church (part of the municipality of Sorsogon City), and are involved in ministry in these places in addition to starting outreaches a few miles away in the neighboring municipality of Prieto Diaz that they plan to eventually turn into a church plant. Sister Elah is especially active as a Compassion case worker/teacher. Click here to see a pdf report with a lot of pictures of their ministry activities and family situation.
The most recent activity of Pastor Benjie and Elah Camar has been to do a 5-day kids club in Prieto Diaz, which was sort of a Daily Vacation Bible School right before the school year started:
Soon to follow after this will be the distribution of Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes from Samaritan’s Purse, along with follow-up discipleship. You can see in the background of some of these pictures that the boxes are already on site, but they are awaiting the teaching materials to arrive from Samaritan’s Purse before dispersing.
Graduation, OCC box distribution, milk feedings, and other ministries of EBI partition
In addition to Family Development Sessions held with welfare recipients, PAMI EBI workers began to conduct Youth Development Sessions too. This is the first YDS held at Panlayaan Technical Vocational School near EBI, with 13 participants, on April 2nd. Ptr Rafael Dominguez is in the front.
Below are pdf versions of picture slideshows of some various ministries of the EBI partition, including the March 26 graduation of two EBI students, Operation Christmas Child gift boxes with accompanying evangelistic booklets that were distributed during Easter Week, using the new Capuy ministry cottage that was recently constructed for $280, milk feedings, Family Development Sessions, etc.
EBI Graduation 2018
EBI Graduation 2018 Part2
Sirangan Outreach and Feeding Ministry and OCC boxes
Sirangan Outreach and Feeding Ministry and OCC boxes Distribution Pt2
Capuy Children Ministry and OCC boxes distribution
Capuy Children Ministry Prt2
Bible Studies, Cell groups and FDS
Read More
Emmaus Bible Institute Updates
We praise God for two group baptisms that happened on November 4 (during the break between 1st and 2nd semesters). On that same day, 5 were baptized from the Bulan partition, and 19 were baptized from the Emmaus Bible Institute partition. 16 of the 19 were Compassion sponsored older kids, who have been deeply impacted by years of help and teaching, and decided to publicly acknowledge their commitment to follow Jesus. It’s truly touching that some of the young people that have been served themselves are now actively serving others. Several of these older Compassion kids are now assisting in worship services and outreaches (e.g. helping with outreach to kids in Sirangan, a poor neighborhood near the Sorsogon City market and jeepney station).
To see more news and pictures of the Nov. 4 baptism and other recent highlights of the EBI partition, please click on the following links.
This 11-18-17 pdf file includes photos of Nov. 4 baptism, Sirangan ministry, remembering Ptr Chito on Nov. 1, EBI facility improvements done in 2017, EBI students in various settings, and Compassion sponsored Padaba (well cared for) kids: EBIPhotos11-18-17B
This next 11-18-17 pdf file is a letter/report to accompany the above photo file. It is composed by Sister Ofel Mendizabal, head of the EBI Partition of PAMI, and includes photos, bio info, and testimonies of various EBI students: EBI Report Letter Nov 2017
It was mentioned in the above report that the Bicol Center for Christian Leadership (BCCL) in Legaspi conducts Sorsogon City extension classes each Friday at EBI, for pastors to work towards Graduate Certification in Urban Ministries, GCUM. The November sessions were on Systematic Theology and were conducted by guest professor Bill Lambert, a retired pastor from Texas (see photo to right). Here is a recent BCCL newsletter with EBI in one of the pictures (EBI is the Sorsogon City site): BCCL Nov2017 newsletter
To see a brochure that is being used to promote EBI: EBI brochure
To see the EBI student schedule: EBI class schedule 1st & 2nd sem 2017-2018B
More reports and pictures from earlier in the Fall or Spring/Summer are below:
Read More
EBI Highlights
PAMI’s Emmaus Bible Institute is a 4-year post-secondary Bible school that helps prepare people to be pastors and Christian workers. The school year goes from June to March. The 1st and 2nd semester class schedules can be seen by clicking the following: 1st & 2nd sem 2016-2017-1 . The EBI partition of PAMI is also involved in many other ministries besides these Bible school classes. EBI is home to Emmaus Christian Fellowship, which not only serves as a campus church, but also serves the whole neighborhood. This ECF church has spawned other nearby daughter churches (e.g. Bulabog & Penafrancia).
EBI people help do Bible study follow-up with families of Operation Blessings wheelchair recipients.
EBI also hosts once-a-week continuing education Master’s classes conducted by guest speakers from the Bicol Center for Christian Leadership in Legazpi every Friday. EBI hosts many other workshops and training sessions as well. EBI also partners with several Christian organizations, including Compassion (EBI serves as a Padaba Child Development Center for over 150 Compassion sponsored kids to come for 6 hours each weekend), Samaritan’s Purse, Operation Blessings, and Matthew 18:14. Matthew 18:14 provides curriculum for EBI people to teach once-a-week half-hour Values Instruction Classes in several neighboring public schools (see pictures below). EBI people also teach Family Development Sessions to government welfare recipients. These are all great ways to connect with the community. Here’s are some EBI reports:
EBI Partition Sept21_2016
EBI Oct 25 2016 update
EBIphotosDec2016
Read More
September 2016 PAMI News
Click on this link to view: PAMI News Sept2016
For further reference, here is the PAMI update email that accompanied the above newsletter: Read More
December PAMI Newsletter
Click here to see the latest newsletter, which includes a recap of 2015 ministry highlights and info about the Dec 14th typhoon that hit our area hard: PAMI NEWS Dec2015
July and Sept Bulletins and Fall Update
Click on the 3 pdf files below to see the latest PAMI news summaries, which contain a lot of nice pictures and exciting info:
PAMI BULLETIN July2015
PAMI BULLETIN Sept2015
PAMI Bulan Aug-Sept 2015 report from Ptr Vir Fulo
To augment these files, below is a copy of the Sept 23rd email update that went out to PAMI friends and prayer partners: Read More
Pictures from Irosin and Patag
To see many more pictures, click on “more”:
Read More
Addendum to first few days of Mike, Pam & Ben's 3-week visit
Since the home church of Bro Leo (a senior student at EBI) owns a vehicle, it was nice they let Bro Leo pick us up from Legazpi airport and drive us a couple other days as well. After getting picked up at the airport, we stopped at a mall to buy a guitar, saw Cagsawa Ruins, and hiked to the top of the Lignon Hill overlook.
There was a vendor at Cagsawa Ruins that sold us a photo of a past eruption of Mayon Volcano in the background. As a bonus, she made Sister Ofel and Sister Pam look like giants. She also made Brother Mike look like superman by holding a rock in front of the camera to make it look like he was lifting a boulder (see previous post).
Cagsawa Ruins consists of a bell tower left from an old Spanish church that got covered by mud and fall out from an eruption of Mayon Volcano in the early 1800s.
From on top of Lignon Hill you get a good view of the seaside city of Legazpi. You also get a good view of Mayon Volcano and rice fields (see previous post).
Brother Ben is using his iPad in Castilla Church to show how people drill holes in the ice of Minnesota lakes to catch fish in the winter. Then he and Pam go on to ask how Filipinos fish differently than Minnesotans (i.e. with a net), and then tell the Bible story from the last chapter in John of The Big Catch and becoming fishers of people.
Had about 70 attend the first Kids Time, which was done on March 7th at Castilla Church.
Ben and Pam’s first time in a banka (canoe with outriggers), to get to the beach on the other side of the channel from downtown Castilla.
Pastor Redgie, Sister Aireen, and their daughter Aira Lois in front of their living quarters in Castilla (this is property donated by Mrs. Luz Ortega, used as the church until construction of the new church building about 1 km away a couple years ago funded by Korean Christians).
One of Pastor Redgie’s home Bible studies in Castilla
Pastor Redgie and Aireen Bonifacio, with daughter Aira Lois and baby David Chito (born last July 1, which was Pastor Chito Mendizabal’s birthday).
The travelors coming back to EBI on Friday afternoon, March 8.
Pam and Ben sharing with Padaba (well loved) kids sponsored by Compassion International. Compassion kids come to EBI every Saturday from 8 am – 2 pm.
After Compassion, we went to Sirangan, a low income area near the market of downtown Sorsogon. Children and adult outreaches are conducted there every Saturday afternoon in the building of a daycare center. Funds for feedings, school supplies, and Christmas toys for kids in this location are supplied by a business woman in Manila named Sister Carol who originally came from this neighborhood. Ben and Pam conducted a Kids Time this Saturday.
After the Sirangan Kids Time, we walked around the pier of Sorsogon City, which is sort of a public plaza.
Statue of Pili Nuts on Sorsogon Pier. Sorsogon Province is noted for their pili nuts, which are often made into a candy with a carmelized coating.
Walking on the rock wall that connects the Sorsogon Pier to shoreline.
Paying respects to at the grave of Pastor Chito after visiting the Sorsogon Pier
Emmaus Sunday school kids getting ready for singing a special number.
Sunday service at Emmaus Christian Fellowship, which is a campus church that also serves the local community.
Singing praises as Brother Leo drives us to an outreach in Capuy on Sunday afternoon.
One gets to the Capuy outreach by walking along a pathway next to a stream/inlet that connects to Sorsogon Bay. Most people that live here are fishermen. We finished walking to the bay after the Kids Time (see picture in previous post of children standing in water).
The Capuy outreach includes an adult Bible study in the veranda of this house, while the children meet in an open air cottage a block away.
Kids Time in Capuy. Note how Pam is trying to expain ice fishing with a white box with a hole in it to catch the pipe cleaner fish held by Ben below.
Ben making shredded coconut
Fancy dish cooked at EBI with Ben’s shredded coconut
Kids in Donsol playing with tops
Kids in Donsul Church
Kids of Donsul Church giving a special number with Pastor Abner
Kids Time in Donsul Church
Preparing for feeding in Pastor Abner’s kitchen. Can also see some bakery equipment in the kitchen (e.g. plates of food on top of oven in foreground, and cooling racks in right rear)
Feeding time in Donsol Church
Pastor Abner Cornelio family in their rented Donsol house/church
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After sleeping overnight in with Pastor Abner’s family in Donsol, on the morning of March 12 we decided to take a break and rent a boat for 3 hours to try to spot a whaleshark. Although we saw no whalesharks, we did enjoy seeing some friendly Nemo clownfish.
May 2011 PAMI Newsletter
If you haven’t already read it, you can see the latest edition of the PAMI newsletter by clicking here, or going to the”News” tab of the PAMI website http://www.pamimission.org/news. Newsletters from the past couple years can also be viewed there.