Team meets in front of APNTS original Chapel
Manila, Philippines: August 6th was an exciting day in Manila as another Work and Witness team arrived to work on the campus of Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary (APNTS).
This was truly a multi-cultural, multi-generational team, comprised of five pastors and five laymen, representing five different churches on the Eastern Michigan District. In addition to the unique split between pastors and laymen, there were also three Filipino Nationals who have been living in the states that returned as team participants to minister in their home country.
The team’s principle project was to work on the completion of the Child Development Center located in the Nielson Center for Education and Evangelism. This center, located on the second floor mezzanine, will host children of seminary students, faculty and staff, as well as provide a location for bi-weekly kids clubs. The team made significant headway in completing the framing and drywall on the center.
It’s all about teamwork!
Hanging sheet rock at the Child Development Center.
On Saturday, August 10th, the team made a trip to the GMA Church of the Nazarene, situated in the municipality of General Mariano Alvarez, Cavite Province, approximately 30 miles (49 km) south of APNTS. Here they worked on painting classrooms that are part of the church’s elementary school. Upon meeting the church leaders and seeing the incredible number of children, the team donated an additional $1,500 dollars of their personal funds towards completing a children’s center on the third floor of the church. The church board was so grateful for the participation and encouragement of the team that they voted to match the team’s donation towards completion of the center.
Painting at the GMA Church of the Nazarene.
It’s all about the people! The children were such an incredible blessing!
Work and Witness is about being flexible! God had even more plans for this team, as half way through their visit, Typhoon Labuyo (Utor), the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, made landfall in the Northern Provinces of the Philippines with winds in excess of 125 mph (200 km/h). Several of the team members participated in joining Philippine Field Office staff and volunteers in packing more than 120 bags of rice to be distributed to Nazarene families who were displaced by the storm.
Manila experiencing heavy rains from typhoon Labuyo
More than 120 bags of rice were backed for Nazarene families displaced by Typhoon Labuyo.
Packing rice for families hit hardest by the Typhoon.
Packing rice for families displaced by Typhoon Labuyo.
The Philippine Field Office would like to extend additional thanks to the Luzon District Churches who gathered relief supplies, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries which provided funding, and Nazarene Disaster Response who facilitated distribution. This is yet another example of collaborative effort among Nazarenes in reaching the world for Christ through the tangible expression of love and compassion.
Around the world, Work and Witness is uniting Nazarenes. Hearts are joined and lives are impacted for eternity, on both the part of team members and their visiting nation hosts. Please consider how you might be part of a team.
Worshiping together with Filipino brothers and sisters. Hearts are touched and lives are changed – for everyone!
Additional teams are still needed for the APNTS project.
Please follow the link to see how you might be part of a life-changing experience!
