Christian Baptist Church in Naguilian Isabela and Christian Baptist Church Jones Isabella became Kapatid Ministry's (KMI) partner in 2020 as we connected with these churches when Typhoon Ulysses hit Isabella. We reached out to them to extend to them KMI’s calamity assistance due to the flooding that the typhoon had brought.   On February 2023 we (our team composed of Arwin, Amy, Hazel, and Rhodora) were able to visit them and their ministries. It was the first time KMI visited these churches ever since they became our partners in the ministry.  While we were there, we visited the newly sponsored children and their families and organized a family day for them. We also were able to visit the various communities the church is reaching out to and observed how they facilitate the feeding program in their respective areas. We were also able to visit our co-laborers in the Lord, Pastor Juan and Pastor Erick, families and their church volunteers. As we spent time with them and the ministry, we saw how God is using the churches to reach out to communities through different programs of KMI and spread the gospel.    

Seeing the excited and happy faces of the children from the time we arrived in the feeding areas to singing songs, hearing bible stories, doing their activities, and sharing a simple snack brings joy to my heart.  We were blessed by the stories of the sponsored children and their families - stories on how being a sponsored child made a difference in that they were given a chance to reach their dreams to finish their studies. They were encouraged to strive in life to make a difference in their future. Most important, they were also encouraged to grow in their relationship with God - in that whatever seasons in life they are in, they will find that the love of our Heavenly Father is always there. They were thankful and felt God’s love thru the people who sponsored them, that somebody cared for them even though they have not met and known them.  In each home we visited, we prayed for them, thanking Him for touching the life of the sponsor and for Him to continually bless them to be a blessing to these children and their families.

We were also inspired by the pastors and the volunteer workers as we witnessed their dedication and sacrifices. No matter how busy they are in their studies, work, and home chores still when there is a call to serve and share the gospel there is no doubt that they do it still with excitement, eagerness, and happy faces, 2 Samuel 24:24 says “I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”  After seeing them, who won’t be inspired to take one more step for the Lord.

We have seen the hardship of life present in the life of the sponsored children and also children participating in the feeding program - struggles within the family, in the community environment, and peer pressure. Let us remember them in our prayers to strive in life in the midst of difficulties, that they will hold on to the hope that God will never leave them nor forsake them in whatever seasons of life they are in.

It says in Luke 10:2,  “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”  Let us pray for Pastor Juan, Pastor Erick and the church volunteers that God will always keep their hearts aflame for the Lord and His ministry.  Also, pray for their plans to expand the ministry to other communities. Pray for more church workers and volunteers to commit to God’s ministry.  

There is much to be done and more communities to be reached. There are more churches and pastors requesting partnerships thru different programs of KMI.  We are not able to do this alone, please pray for the existing KMI supporters for God’s grace to be poured in their lives, and pray for more KMI partners in prayers and financial support to sustain the existing beneficiaries of the programs and future beneficiaries of the programs.  David Sills said, “Some of us are senders and some are goers.  Neither is more important than the other.  Neither is possible without the other.”  

Let us pray for us to be the change we want to see for the Lord, for His ministry, and to answer His great commission He commanded us to do.