Chronicles of a Staff Worker (Week 4 Jan 2014)

Dear Praying Friends,

Thank you so much for journeying with me through the first month of 2014. Time flies so quickly! As we face February together, let me take this time to update you on the closing week of January.

I was down with flu during the last update, but God has granted me healing. As of today, I only have slight cough especially in the evening when it gets so cold. Please continue to pray for my body that God will make it strong and free from any sickness.

Taken from www.rappler.com
I wasn't able to meet the Pisay students last week. They had a week-long class suspension because of the clash between the police and illegal settlers infront of their campus. The Quezon City government carried on its planned demolition of illegally-built houses along Agham Road.

The demolition became violent because the residents refused to leave the area. They began to throw rocks, bottles, improvised explosive and even human waste just to stop the demolition. The police responded with force. Armed with shields, clubs and a number of firearms, they retaliated, injuring several civilians. They also arrested demonstrators.

The place turned into a war zone, prompting the Pisay administration to cancel classes altogether. Let us pray for everyone involved in the clash. I know that the government wants to improve our city, hence the decision to tear down the illegal houses. However, I also understand the grievances of those displaced.

I may not be involved in the urban poor ministry, but let us ask our Jehovah Jireh (The LORD our Provider) to look down with mercy and give the affected families a new beginning. If anyone of you know of mercy ministries that may help, please drop me a word.


Last week, we also had our second gathering of UP Christian Orgs at the UP Christian Community Koinonia-Night. Koinonia is the Greek word for fellowship. Incidentally, that was  also the topic for the meeting. The CC core invited Pastor Benjie Baclagon from the Grace Bible Church to share God's Word.

He emphasized that genuine fellowship involved genuine love. It is not simply about an event or a program, but a relationship bound by Christ. We have fellowship with people when we have them in our minds, we have them in our hearts and we remember them in our prayers. Listen to his talk HERE.

The K-Night was also a wonderful opportunity to be reunited with our brothers and sisters from the different orgs on campus. I gained new friends and met younger students. I even teased the graduating leaders that they were already old. God is indeed faithful. These leaders were once wide-eyed freshmen but they've grown to be fine young men and women in the full service of the Lord.

Continue to pray for them that they will be influential salt and light in the workplace or the next phase of their lives after graduation.

I was able to join Cente and the Freshies Fellowship. Cente usually holds its fellowship on a Wednesday but the members had it on a Tuesday last week to make room for the K-Night. I spoke about Jehovah Jireh as an opening to their series on the Names of God.

The preparations caught me by surprise because apparently this Name had much to do with salvation. Before, I thought Jehovah Jireh only involved daily provisions like food, clothing, and shelter among others. After studying it deeper, however, God showed me that in its proper context, the provision was a sacrifice for sin.

It was Abraham who called God Jehovah Jireh (The LORD will provide) during that episode when He asked him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. At just the right moment, God provided a ram in place of the boy. This is a foreshadowing of Jesus' own sacrificial death in our place as the Lamb of God.

We also had a simple birthday celebration for Christian last week. We gave him a cake and sang a birthday song! He was surprised by our small gift because he didn't notice the cake. I joked that we were experts at hide-and-seek so he didn't see our gifts hidden just a few feet behind him. Once more, "Happy Birthday Christian!"

Kuya Caloy will be talking about the Justice of God this Wednesday. Please pray with us that God will use him mightily in delivering the message to the Cente students. Pray also that the CCMers will be able to invite friends and roommates to the fellowship. We desire to be used in the Cente dorm more, and one simple way is by reaching out to roommates and inviting them to hear God's Word in the fellowship.

Ask God for boldness for the Cente people as they build bridges with their dormmates. Please pray for Jim and the Cente Core as they implement innovations to reach more students with the Gospel.



Kuya Jaylord spoke at the Freshmen Fellowship last Thursday. He was the closing act in their Parables Series, tackling the Parable of the Vine and the Branches. I praise God because the freshmen have started taking roles in FDCF. A few weeks ago, we were praying that they will respond positively to our leadership challenge. God answered our prayers and the freshies responded with zeal.

I was also happy to see Fiehl (guy in grey sweater) again. He was busy the past weeks because of org activities. Please pray for him as he balances his time amid a busy week ahead. I'm praying that we can continue ministering to him though the FDCF.

Please pray that God will grow Christlikeness in these students. Several of them join me in Bible Studies and I've figured that they are challenged to live out Christ in their classes and rooms. Ask God to transform their characters so that they can have powerful testimonies for Jesus.

I remember a very moving statement from a pastor long ago. He said, "Our lives may be the only Bible other people will read." Let us pray that what they'll see will be a life consistent with our preaching of the truth.

Continue to pray for our preparations for the DCF elections. The exec has started challenging several students to pray for God's leading for next year's fellowships. Please journey with us in prayer so that we can sensitively respond to God's voice in the area of leadership.

Other than this, we are also busy preparing for the February Banquet Night and Ladies and Gents Night. Our Alumni Association has expressed a desire to partner with the students in this event. I praise God for that! They will be providing couples as speakers in the fellowship. We're also inviting you to join us at the Banquet Night on Februrary 28. More details to follow.

After the simple GA, the ladies and gents will separate into two groups to continue discussing relevant issues on love, courtship, marriage and sex. The ladies will go to Ate Flor's house while the gents will stay at DCBC's student center.


On a personal note, please pray for me as I continue to help our local church's afternoon service. We had a whole-day meeting last Friday to iron out the different committees. I'm currently assigned in the Tech Team, tasked to take care of the AVPs every Sunday. We're five in the team with three students on board. May this simple ministry be used to further God's work on campus.

We have several plans in mind but they're still plans as of the moment. We'll be meeting soon to concretize  our ideas for the church.


Finally, I want to thank God for the free leadership training we joined on Saturday. Five DCFers were present together with students from the Living Word Christian Fellowship from the Quezon Province. Kuya Caloy invited us to the training spearheaded by "Ignite: Leading Like Jesus."

I enjoyed the session on Fear and Pride the most. It was a wonderful reminder to always check my heart's motivation in leadership. When fear or pride take the center stage, I can be sure that terrible consequences are coming. I must always be motivated by a genuine love for God and other people in order to lead like Jesus.

Aside from the leadership principles, the event also gave us opportunities to be reconnected with our friends from SLSU Tiaong and Lucban. We had a Missions Exposure Trip with them last October, and the leadership conference served as our reunion after three months. I'm blessed to see our partners in ministry growing in their faith.

Roy, SLSU Tiaong's President also updated me on the fruits of our trip in Tagkawayan. A regular Bible Study fellowship has started with Ate Nocel, SLSU's worker in the area, taking the lead. It's always encouraging to recognize that God gave us a part in that blooming fellowship. I'm thankful to have served Him in the building of His Kingdom in the Quezon Province.

Thank you for reading! I'll update you next week! God bless!

In Christ,

Pau

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1 comments:

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