Because of a very generous gift from an Advent Christian supporter in New Zealand, Pastor Roy Rocha who ministers in Novaliches in Manila, was able to go, with his entire family, to minister for a second time to those affected by Typhoon Yolande/Haiyan in Tacloban, on the island of Leyte. The report of that visit was dated May 14.
After ministering in Tacloban, Pastor Roy and his family travelled south to Cagayan de Oro to visit their families and to allow their children to meet with their grandparents, who they hadn’t seen since they moved to Manila to minister there.
While they were in Cagayan de Oro, the Kiwi donor made further funds available and these were sent to Pastor Roy in Cagayan de Oro. Pastor Roy and his family travelled back through Tacloban on their way home to Manila to distribute the funds and his report of that third visit to Tacloban is below. Pastor Malunas, to whom the report refers, is the pastor of a BPACCI church at Marayag, at the southern end of the island of Leyte – literally the length of the island away from Tacloban.
(Ernie Schache)
Pastor Roy reports…
TACLOBAN 2
Thank you all for the gifts you shared to God’s people. Our partnership enables us to share God’s love in a very tangible way. To God be all the glory!
We reach Tacloban for the second time on our way back to Manila from Cagayan de Oro city.
The distance and transportation limitation in the place prevented us to visit Ptr. Manlunas place. Ptr. Manlunas and I decided to meet in a bakeshop in the town. He was supposed to come with other Ptr. Santizas but at that time Ptr. Santizas had a very important matter to attend to. After our heartfelt sharing of ministry experiences and specially the typhoon, we ended our meeting with words of encouragement and prayer. Tears started to fall from our eyes as we begun to praise God for his goodness and faithfulness to all of us. Ptr. Manlunas expressed his thankfulness to God and to all of you who shared God’s wonderful blessings, it was an answered prayer. He said, ‘God works in mysterious ways’. The gift he received will be used for his livelihood project, duck raising, which was heavily affected by the typhoon.After meeting with Ptr. Manulas, I and my family took another overloaded bus ride of 2 hours to Tacloban proper to meet Ptr. Dante Domingo. Ptr. Dante was the one I mentioned on my first letter who lost his 3 kids during the typhoon. We reached Tacloban at 6 pm. Upon Ptr. Dante’s advice, we proceed to meet in a lodging house where we will spend our night because they don’t have a house yet and their place still has no electric power. The picture at right is Ptr. Dante and his lone survivor son. Ptr. Dante said that the gift he received will be used for his son’s school supplies needs and additional rebuilding of his house. His brother in-law (not in the picture) also received gifts. His in law lost his wife and kids.
The following day, we travel another 2 hours to meet Ptr.Henry Sabate. He is a Ptr. of Christian Church Fellowship, Kananga, Leyte. His church building was heavily affected that the whole building was completely dilapidated. But because of generous donors, he has started rebuilding. Their church is under construction. When I asked him what he really needs, he immediately proposed for the repair of his BANGKA (fishing boat) that was dilapidated by the storm. He said that he really needs to repair his fishing boat (below left) for it is one of his and other church members’ sources of income. They were glad that they can repair and make it functional. The gift he received was good enough for the repair.
To you ACMissioNZ, thank you very much for meeting the needs of our fellow workers in the Lord. My heart is full of praises to our God and to your generosity. It is really a great thing to serve, share and help God’s people who are fully committed to the works and ministry our God had given them.
To me, seeing them increased my faith. We learn to really trust the Lord for he knows every tear that falls from our eyes as we encounter all the tough challenges we face as we pursue God’s call in our lives. The things that happened was an additional confirmation that God really answer our prayers.
The first time I meet these pastor’s, my heart was praying each time they shared their testimonies. I always asked the Lord how can we share to meet their needs? I never thought God would answer that way immediately. To me, this is what we call “God knows our needs even before we mentioned it to him”.
My friends, I really thank you! And I praise God for your undying prayers and support. I know that you and I, we were able to put a smile in their faces!
With these things happening to what we did this summer, my family learned to embrace the work of the Lord entrusted to us. They saw in their eyes how God answers prayers.
Thank you for sending us to the fields! Your prayers and support made the BIG difference!
In Christ’s Love,
Roy and FamilyPastor Roy’s family with Pastor Henry’s familyPastor Roy, his wife Llerma and Pastor Manlunas
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