I'm Renelyn Mallosa Batomalaque, 22 years of age. Residing in Cabugan, Brgy. Sab-ahan, Bais City, Negros Oriental. I am an incoming 4th-year student at Negros Oriental State University, taking a Bachelor of Science in Criminology. It's a privilege to share with you my life testimony and an opportunity to thank you for being a bridge of grace on my journey.

I recall when the pandemic started. I was in my first year of college at that time, and it was a hard and challenging time for me as a student. I remember how I struggled to cope with all my school work online without internet connection in our area. I needed to go to the top of the mountain just to attend an online class and at the same time carry the heavy burdens that our family is facing because my father suffers from mental illness and we don't know what to do because it is unusual for us. Through this struggle of life, I have learned to put my trust only in God and calm down in the midst of the storm in life because I believe that the God whom I trust is a miracle worker, a promise keeper, and my good good father. Those heavy burdens become our starting point for getting to know more about the God we serve. Instead of giving up, we pray together as a family, we raise a hallelujah to God and never stop serving Him. At first, God is very silent, but we never lose hope that God will answer our cries. Finally, God sends a message through a song. It says, "Even when I don't feel it, you're working; even when I don't see it, you're working; you never stop, never stop working." Behind those storms, God is really the present help and is working behind the curtain. Never stop working. In 2019, we fought our battle. My father got healed from his illness. By God's grace, I managed to continue pursuing my education until the present. After all, God blesses us with joy, peace, and everything we need. To our pastor, relatives, friends, and to our brothers and sisters in Christ, thank you all for praying and being with us while we are fighting our spiritual battle.

I thank and praise God for the lives of Ate Amy and Kuya Arwin Calansanan who never deny the calling of God to be used for His glory. They never tired of praying and assessing the journey of the youth in our church and never stopped looking for sponsors and scholarship programs to aid our needs, especially in our educational aspect, particularly financial. They are the ones who introduced us to Kapatid Ministry and helped us apply for its Educational College Scholarship, or ECS Program.

I thank God for giving me an opportunity to be part of ECS Program. Indeed, a great help for me to support my everyday needs especially that I need to look for boarding house in the city just to have an internet connection for my online class. It will not be hard anymore to pursue my education because every month I receive financial support from the ECS Program of Kapatid Ministry. I may not know the people behind this ministry one by one, but I want to thank God for your hard work and dedication in supporting Kapatid Ministry; your efforts will not be in vain. Thank you for trusting me to be one of the receiver of your financial support. Rest assured, with God's grace, that I will perform well and finish my education for God's glory. To all the people behind this ministry, I pray to God for your good health, protection, joy, peace, and abundance. To God be all the Glory, Praises and Thanksgiving. Amen!

My prayer requests are for my spiritual growth in having an intimate relationship with Christ, wisdom and guidance for my studies, and God’s leading on my journey. My family's prayer request is for the Lord to give us good health, provision, protection, and continuous healing for my mother, who is experiencing a hard time sleeping at night. Lastly, my prayer request for my brothers and sisters in Christ is that God will continue to strengthen our faith, give us an obedient heart, and make us more dedicated to the ministry that we have for God’s glory.

Editor’s Note: The testimony has been posted as it was delivered, with minimal editing. This is to preserve the voice and intent of the author of the testimony.