If you can't beat 'em, bless 'em

"Jesus took the children in His arms, put his hands on them and blessed them." (Mark 10:16) And so we started a ministry to continue what Jesus wants to do. We raised funds from various friends to build a Bible School for them (look at previous month to see the difference). It's now running every Sunday rain or shine. Jesus met the children as children. And so we're trying our best to allow them to meet Jesus as children.

They have their own place.

They have their own wacky songs.

The good news of Jesus was presented at
their own level (using the Wordless Book).

The older kids want to have a group of their own too
(though one younger kid wouldn't let them).

Out of the box experience

Kuya Cris owns a sari-sari store beside our worship center. I have been praying for him and his family for more than 20 days when his wife, Ate Nitz, attended one worship service. In the middle of our worship service, I asked the congregation to pray for one another. Suddenly, Ate Nitz cried, or howled, like she have never cried before, making all of us frozen for a bit. My presider didn't know what to do, and he was looking at me and I didn't know either. This was new to me. I asked another lady core member to sit beside her to provide comfort. We gave a few more minutes and proceeded with our program. (Now I'm thinking, at times like that, maybe it is better to sing a song first.)

Afterwards I asked my core member what happened. Why was she crying so hard? She didn't know also. All she knew was that, according to Ate Nitz, there was a big load in her heart that was suddenly removed. And there was a different kind of comfort, a deeper sense of peace inside her. She came back the next Sunday. We had a potbless then, and she contributed a case of family size softdrinks and a container of drinking water. Afterwards she joined an afternoon fellowship we called Fun Sunday and dragged her two teenage children along. Ate Nitz has been a regular attender since, and a passionate "dragger" of the neighborhood youth.

I don't know a lot of things in doing ministry, but you know, it doesn't matter. God knows all, and He tags me along in His ways.

Heroes and ice creams

One Tuesday, four teens broke into our worship center, and took electric wires attached to the walls. The next day, the two went back to get some more, but this time, they were caught.

Who were PCF's heroes? Some ice cream vendors and neighbors living beside the worship center. "What you sow, you reap." We planted kindness and respect to these neighbors, and they returned the favor to us.

One Sunday, we invited them to our worship service, and we honored them. I declared, "Our security are not the locks, but God himself, and that you are the proof that indeed God answers prayers!" Afterwards, we had a potbless celebration with our neighbors. We bought one cartload of ice cream from one of the vendors and distributed to everybody for free! We returned the favor and the flavor as well.

I tell you, this is one bridge event that is God-initiated.