Proclaiming the Same Gospel Message from odium to neighborhood

Angelica Pugoy and her son after
signing an enrollment form

There’s always hope to those who needed hope. " Blessed is the man that trust in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is" -Jer.  17:7

    Imagine a mother age 37 and her son age 13 are classmates. Together they enrolled in Alternative Learning System (ALS) program in one of the Companion With Poor church planting ministry in Dulong Bayan, San Mateo. Along with 38 more students from Sitio Ibayo ALS learning center, we started the non-formal education program to reach those Out-of-School from the community. 

     Sitio Ibayo is a cluster of around 500 households, living in isolated-like community. When water rises in San Matoe-Marikina River, the residents were not able to cross and force to walk for almost two hours via Brgy Silangan in Quezon to get to their work place. 

    Pastor Eric Cubillo and his team along with Nena Nanaga, started reaching out to the community since January 2021. When the typhoon Ulysses severely hit the community, several houses were washout by flood water, the team intervened by providing relief goods and some roofing materials. Since then, the team is activity performing the mandates the Lord had in their hearts to share love of God. Alternative Learning System is one of the components of the church planting project along with livelihoods and skills training.

January and February Ministry Updates

 Our works in the Lord will always produce good fruits, and will always be counted in the Kingdom of God. This year is full of challenges; the Coronavirus are economic is slowing down the causes are just some of those challenges we are facing. However, as the Lord of Heaven promised us not to leave us (Hebrew 13:5)

First of all, I want to thank the Lord for sending you to be my friend and ministry partner. As you read this article, may God richly bless you and your family with good health and tranquility in spirit.

Here are some of my challenges for this year;

1. As one of the leaders in Companion With The Poor, a mission organization committed to helping the poor through holistic church planting, livelihood and skills training, non-formal education through Alternative Learning System (ALS), the challenge is how to keep the missionaries safe, financially well provided while doing their ministerial duties in the communities where they were assigned.

2. As a teacher and school administrator for technical school, it is my concern how to continue our mission in helping others reach their God-given potential considering the government protocol on face-to-face learning,

3. As a family head, another challenge is how to provide for my family's financial needs.

Second, these challenges keep me trusting Jesus as my Lord, Savior, and provider. Others may be slowing down or even paralyzed with this present pandemic, but as for me and my family, we will continue what the Lord is calling us to do.

Finally with your prayers and partnership, together, we will continue in advancing the Kingdom of God here on here on earth. 

Prayer concern:

1. Pray for us, as leaders in Companion With Poor, pray for wisdom, guidance, and protection, pray also our families and co-workers,

2. Please pray for Alternative Learning System (ALS) in Sitio Siwang, a church planting area in Taguig City. Pray for God's direction and provision as we pilot this poverty alleviation project.

3. Please pray also for the technical school, Sacred Gift of God Training Center, pray for God's favor as I apply for program accreditation in government agencies such as Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and Local Government Units.

4. Pray for my family for God protection and financial needs

These are my students from previous batch in
automotive servicing program, from the left; Rejel is now is now working in local shop
and have been sending financial support to his parents in the province, Matt just completed 
training in FOTON Philippines car company, Gerald ( dark blue shirt ) is helping in the school, 
and finally, Jumar, is now completing is provisionary contract in KIA cars Philippines. 
 

There are 2021 Board of Trustees for Companion WIth Poor, Inc. 

We are praying for this place to start another church planting ministry.  We did early works such feeding for children and home visitation. Please pray for this place, Lord willing, we will finalize with local church partner to finally start the ministry here in two years. Our target is March 2021.

December 2020 Ministry Updates

This year could be year of realization that God is working and in control. There are so much to thank for the year 2020, although there pain and disappoint among others; loved ones died, losing jobs and even relationship went bad, despite all these predicament we remained standing by the grace and mercy of Living God. 

Last year, Our team from Companion With Poor (CWTP) planted two churches and started seven new church planting in different areas including one in the province of Cebu. While other are slowing down, we continue on with our call to plant holistic church among the poor. 

Updates:

Our team leader, Ligaya and partners, 
Pastor Noel and Alva, held a key, a symbol
authority given handing over to new leader

The ministry of church planting in Sitio Katuwiran, Barangay San Rafael,
Montalban, Rizal started when Alva Nerio, Pastor Noel’s wife, was asked to teach values formation in 4P’s program, a government social welfare program. Since then, she develop several contact in the community but never came to her mind to start a church in the community, but God uses her rapport for greater purposed to save people from their sins. 

August of 2018 we started visiting the community and started a feeding program for the children once a week with bread and sometimes forage.   This program became a tool to establish good relationship with people in the community; at first the gospel we are sharing is bad news to them, finally by the grace of God and with good rapport, the love of Christ became real to them. During the community lock down, our team manages to distribute a kilo of rice every week during our worship celebration. This act of kindness helps magnified the image of Christ in the community, His love become evident and real.  There were forty regular worshipers every Sunday as of December 27, 2020.

We are thankful and praising God for allowing us to be part of transformative works of God in Sitio Katuwiran. Our goal to plant church in this specific place was completed although the church structure was not completed yet, Last December 27, 2020, our team along with our leaders from Companion With The Poor (CWTP), our mission organization, turn over the church leadership to local partner, Pastor Noel and Alva Nerio. Lord willing, we will start another church planting this coming March 2020.

Relief Efforts on Typhoon Ulysses

With the help of friends and ministry partners, we were able to help 1,900
individual affected during the typhoon Ulysses in four municipalities; Montalban, San Mateo, Norzagaray and Taguig Another church planting team from CWTP started a ministry in sitio Ibayo, in San Mateo before the typhoon hits the community. The relief effort help the team in sharing the gospel of Christ is tangible way and they are also helping few families in constructing their houses by provided roofing materials and some lumbers for framing. 

Updates from the Skills Training Center

Due to government restriction of face-to-face, our training for automotive servicing is temporary stopped to help limit the possible spread of corona virus. Since most of us are now adapting to new normal; wearing of mask, frequent hand washing and practicing social distancing, we are confident to continue in the training on February with blended approach; online lectures and actual practice for limited trainees at a time. We will only accommodate three trainees to have actual practice every day at different time. The goal for each trainee to have actual practice of at least 8 hours a week. 

Prayer Concern:

1. Please for God protection and provision for our workers.

2. Please for Pastor Noel Nerio as he lead the new planted church, pray for wisdom and provision.

3. Please for a new place to start another church planting, we are looking for the field ready for harvest. 

November 2020 Updates

 

Roofing Completed

Newly installed roof with corrugated iron sheet

Praise God for the completion of roof installation.   It’s been always our prayers to extend the worship place, to give convenient space for each one of us and when the social distancing was implemented to limit the spread of the Corona Virus, it was very hard for us to comply because of small space. Praise God because a donor from Corner Stone help us construct the foundation and installed the roof.

We are praying for additional fund to install fiber cement wall with metal frame, concreting of mud flooring and plastering in the kitchen and tiles for toilet. It will cost around 35,000 in peso ( nearly 800 US dollar).

Church Planting Team 

Church Planting Team with church partners

Our church planting team works hands-on-hands with our local partners to establish the ministry in Sitio Katuwiran, a poor and small community in Barangay San Rafael, Montalban, Rizal. We started the ministry with feeding the children with forage or bread.  Our contact which also became our Bible study group begins with children. Good rapport is important in ministering to the people. Like Jesus who invited the disciples to “come and see” (John 1:39).  One of our strength in sharing the gospel and making disciple for Jesus is relationship with people and we invite them to eat with us, pray with us and even asking them to go with us to share the love of God. To date, we have two youth leaders and three from mothers group who help us in Bible study and in leading the worship. 

Family Updated; my family, my team

It’s always my joy seeing my children go with us in the community.  Since I commit full time work in

From eldest children; Daniel, Jemimah
Jeremiah Paul and Josiah

mission, I quit in my Job as freelance engineer and pursue God’s call, my family have been my supporter.  In fact our second child, Jemimah is taking cross-cultural study in college, she wanted to be missionary someday.  My journey as missionary is both satisfying and challenging.  We came to the ministry area with only enough budget, but when we were compelled to share to our needy team members or our Bible study members, we gave.  We were always amazed how the Lord of heaven provided for our needs.  We do not have regular support, we are raising our ministry budget, God is good He always lead us someone who’s heart have been prepared to go with us in sharing the gospel of Christ to others and in helping other in their plight. 

Next Plan

Our prayer before the year end I(2020) is to complete the toilet in the church and purchased guitar and other audio equipments for worship.  We continue our discipleship group and praying for them to grow in their faith and become committed followers of Christ. 

Prayer Request

1. Please pray for me for God protection and good health as I expose myself to different people in the community. Pray also for our financial need.

2.  Pray also for my team mates and their family ( Ligaya, Rebacca, Bon, Noel and William). 

3.  Pray also for financial provision to complete the church structure. 

Few Steps to Finish Lines

We are thankful for your all prayers and supports for us. The church planting ministry in Sitio Katuwiran is now few months toward completion.  

Marlon, trying to weld
a steel beam for rafters

Usually we work in the community to plant church and establish community programs such as feeding for children, Alternative Learning System (ALS) and livelihood.  By the grace of God with the church partners working with us hand-on-hands, we were able to develop leaders from the new converts and started constructing a church structure.  

We started this ministry Last August of 2018 with Pastor Noel and his wife Alva. We came to community to share the love of Christ through evangelism and Bible study, along with regular activities, we try to build strong relation with people so became our contacts and most of them are now attending the church worship service. there were about 30 regular attendees every worship.  For almost a year since we started congregating the new believers, we used to have worship with a 10ft. by 10 ft space with temporary roofs of corrugated iron sheet.  By the grace of Gog we were able to extend the structure to the help of Corner Stones donation. Praise be God!

June 2019 Ministry Updates

Highlights

(June 2019)

Revisiting Our Plan

Our scheduled activities until December 2019

I am blessed to have wonderful church planting team.  Aside from being competent in their ministry works, they have passion to seek the lost.  


Through  this church panting ministry, we are helping people back to God through planting small churches in the community.  We started here in Sitio Katuwiran, a pocket of informal settler in Barangay San Rafael, Montalban. We begun reaching out this community Last August 2018 and on January 2019, we were able to start with feeding program with the help of Scandinavian Children Mission Team.  Sixty children were lead to Christ.   Following our planned schedule, early March we started with home Bible study group and on June we were able to start the youth fellowship with newly converts from the youth camp.  Along with our home bible study groups and youth fellowship.  We are also praying for a place where we can start gathering the new converts for join worship.  

Josh handling over the school supply

Basketball Mission Team Came to Bless...

A Basketball Mission Team from Cole Valley Christian School Boise, Idaho, USA  came and bless the children with school supplies and a handful of groceries packs for the families in the community.  We were able to bless 100 families and 100 children for their gifts.  We are thankful for their partnership in bringing the gospel of Jesus to heart of these people, we are like-sheep without shepherd. 


Prayer Concerns:
1.  Pray for church planting team, pray for their health and financial provision.
2.  Please pray for a place where we can construct simple structure for the church.
3.  Please for the fund to construct the structure for church. 

May 2019 Ministry Updates

Highlights
(May 2019)

Pastor Marvin Cerina, one of the missionary explain the
salvation to the campers. 

Evangelistic Youth Camp

Fifteen youth from  our church planting were sent to join in a three days evangelistic youth camp on May 25-27, 2019.  Companion With The Poor (CWTP), is our mission organization were me and my team where affiliated.  Every year, through the generous financial help from donors, we bring 150 non- christians young people from our different church planting areas to a place with swimming pool, good food and lodging. We share Jesus and  His love to them.

From our church planting area in Sitio katuriwan, San Rafael Montalban,  we sent 15 unbelievers to join in the camp.  First we ask permission from the their parents then ask the them to sign a commitment form that they will obey the rules and respect their fellow campers.  strict rules is necessary to implement before and during the camp to ensure success.  From experience, young people from this kind of community most likely had difficulty in observing rules. 

Home Bible Study

Our approach in reaching the community for Christ are subtle and friendly.  First, we come to their house knocking, asking if they wanted to be prayed, which in most cases they agree. Second, we ask them if we can visit them again, this time, some were hesitant however, they agreed. In third visit we usually bring something; a kilo of rice or a noodles. There the relationship begun.  We share our faith and motives why we are coming to their community.  Relationship grows, and home bible study begins.  It Usually start with few members from the family, then they invite their neighbors. 

As of this month we have two bible study groups lead by Ligaya Esquieda and Rebecca Bataanon the other group is lead by Pastor Noel Nerio and his wife Alva Nerio.  Pastor Nerio is our local partner.  The Lord willing, in two years time, when the partnership is completed, we will turn over the ministry to Pastor Noel's leadership and our team will start another church planting in other community. 

Prayer Concerns:
1.  Please pray for the campers. Pray that will receive Jesus in their hearts
2.  Pray for our team health and financial provision for family and ministry needs
3.  Pray for a place where our team can hold a meeting and bible study
4.  Pray for the community that they will receive the gospel of Jesus with gladness.