It is with great sadness and comfort that we pen this letter, a tribute to our partner in the ministry who has gone home to be with the Lord, Pastor Charlie Teraytay. Born in 1983, he passed away last August 24, 2022 at 39 years old. After almost 2 years of a painful battle with stage 4 cancer, Pastor Charlie finally succumbed to his illness. He will be missed. His dedication to his family, his calling, his God-entrusted ministry will be remembered. His legacy is that of a definition of what a faithful servant of Christ is, and one who loves His church.

He became our partner in the ministry around 2008, when he was still pioneering a church planting effort in Novaliches, Quezon City. We partnered with him in starting feeding programs for the children in the community and starting Bible studies with their parents. This eventually bore fruit and a local congregation in Barangay Nagkaisang Nayon, Novaliches was established. We will miss him, especially his relentless pursuit of ministries among the underprivileged, his generous heart, his dedication to the ministry despite suffering, and his love for his family.

One of his character traits that we praise God for is his relentless willingness of minister to communities among the underprivileged. Pastor Charlie often would conduct Bible studies in beauty parlors, feeding programs among folks living in cemeteries, and communities in squatter areas. In 2011, we partnered with his church in starting a child care center for nursery and kindergarten students living in an underprivileged community near the church, with the students being enrolled in the Child Sponsorship Program. For the next few years, Pastor Charlie continued to establish various feeding areas around Novaliches in order to bring the gospel to as many children and their parents. He started opening his church to be a place of learning for nursery and kinder kids. Later on, when the Child Care Center was unable to continue due to the opening of kindergarten education in public schools, he opened his church to out-of-school youth by allowing NGOs to use the church space for the Alternative Learning System (ALS) for youth who dropped out of school. Today, many of the youth who initially dropped out of school or unable to study were able to graduate, and are now working and supporting their families trace their change of fortunes to the ministry of Pastor Charlie.

We also admire Pastor Charlie's willingness to give what he has to help those in need. As he had received diagnosis that his cancer is untreatable and that he had a few months to live, countless testimonies from his church members and other people whose live he touched started to pour in. They spoke of times when Pastor Charlie was experiencing financial difficulty, but was still willing to give what he have to help buy medicines, or pay for medical bills of the church members who could not afford to pay. He truly loved his flock not only in words, but in his action, commitment, and sacrifice.

Another trait of Pastor Charlie that amazed us is his desire to serve God not only in good times, but also in times of pain. This past year, while he was bed-ridden and confined to a wheelchair when traveling during his chemotherapy, he would still inquire as to the well-being of his church members, their families, their needs. He would also start a feeding program and conduct a bible study with a neighbor who also was confined to a wheelchair. When the church experienced conflict within, he tried to deal with the conflict and bore the brunt of accusations and verbal attacks. Though surely he felt much anguish and pain during those times, he surrendered it all to the Lord and prayed for those who had attacked and accused him, seeking reconciliation with them.

We also thank God as he exemplified care for his family. He was so hardworking that he had been working as pastor in 2 churches, seeking to earn an income that will sustain the needs of his family. In all of these he still spends quality time with his wife, sis. Amor and his child, AC.

Pastor Charlie has been a faithful and commendable servant of Christ in his short life here on earth. Though we know he has been a faithful servant and a loving pastor, he is in heaven now not because of any of his accomplishment or work, but because of God's grace through Christ's righteousness imputed on him as he trusted in Christ as Lord and Savior. Pastor Charlie, like all of us, is a sinner, saved only by the love and grace of almighty God for him. It is through God's love, that Pastor Charlie was able to love and serve others. His willingness to serve the Lord wherever He calls him is what made Pastor Charlie a faithful partner in the ministry.

You will be missed Pastor Charlie.