FMI-DESTINY Relief Operations Continue...

Watch FMI Aid Relief Operation Team Batch 2 distribute donations to flood victims of Paete, Laguna. Maybe the flood is no longer the buzz of the media but it doesn't mean we stop helping too. In fact, we found out that there are still places suffering from the flood. We do our best to help those in need and we thank God and you for enabling us to do just that.

REPORT: The FMI Aid Relief Operations Batch 2 was a great success. We saw with our very own eyes the current living conditions of the flood victims (as seen in this video). They really needed our help. Rhea & Thad French (in-charge of this mission), picked up donations from different schools and places in Tagaytay. FMI Tagaytay Fellowship members continue to support our efforts and brought their donations to the mission center. We packed 250 grocery bags. 

The FMI Aid Relief Operations team was made up of 12 volunteers. We arrived at the Paete Science Business College before midday on September 8. Our contact pastor said that the people arrived much earlier. After sharing the "Good News" we distributed the goods. Despite the very hot weather, we felt tremendously blessed to be part of this cause. The people expressed their heartfelt gratitude towards the team. They said that this kind of help extended to them means a lot especially during this hard times. Some ray of hope was restored and brought about smiles on their faces. We also blessed the pastors from 7 different churches who helped and partnered with us in this effort. They prepared lunch for us too and prayed for our team.

On our way back to base, we first drove around the town of Paete to see the areas where the flood victims live. Unfortunately, a lot of them are still under the water. There is little hope that the water would dry out sooner because the flood was an overflow of the water from Laguna de Bay. 

We really praise God for using FMI to help the people affected by calamities and to bless them with spiritual and material needs. We want to thank everyone who stand with us and believe with us that our faith is better demonstrated by doing what Jesus did... LOVE IN ACTION.

Matthew 25:34-36 "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

Please continue to pray for the pastors in Paete, Laguna:

Christ the Living God Fell. - Ptr. June Velasco

Door of Faith Church - Ptr. Arnil Luteno

New Testament Baptist Church - Ptr. Ton Balanon 

Blessed Family Christian Church - Ptr. Litho Acupan

Redeemed Christian Church of God - Ptr. Perlinda Villaflor

Jesus Wonderful Lord Fell. - Ptra. Sally Madrigal

UCCP - United Christian Churches of the Phil.

Please pray for our Core AidRO Team and volunteers as they prepare for Batch 3 in October.

Rhea & Thad French (Missions Coordinators)

Beth Legeza

Pastora Sion Bola

Sis. Flor

COME AND JOIN OUR CAUSE THIS COMING OCTOBER. YOU DON'T NEED TO BE A DEGREE HOLDER WITH AN MBA. YOU JUST NEED A HEART FOR OTHERS. A HEART OF SERVICE.

Relief Operations happening right now!!!!  More updates to follow...

Please pray for our Aid Relief Operations Team Batch 2 who is on their way to Paete, Laguna today to give out groceries for the people affected by the flooding. We are working through a local church there as our distribution center. Many families will benefit from this effort. Thank God for giving us this opportunity to help. We will continue with the flood relief effort until October. God has miraculously enabled us to carry out this deed. Thank you, Jesus! And we thank everyone for your continued support through prayers. We love you all!

They just finished sharing the "Good News" to the families. They are now giving out the 250 packs of groceries to the families. They held the distribution in the school located on a higher ground. My Mom said the people looked like they could really use the relief goods.

Brief background of this low lying town along the water:

The town, pronounced Pī-té, is located at the northeastern part of Laguna, along the shores of Laguna de Bay. It was founded in 1580 by Spanish friars Juan de Plasencia and Diego de Oropesa of the Franciscan Order. It is believed that the earliest inhabitants were of Malay lineage, coming all the way from Borneo in their swift and sturdy boats called "Balangay".

The town has had a long reputation for its craftsmen highly skilled in wood carving and its embellishment. In 1887, José Rizal described Paete as a town where "carpenter shops" were issuing images "even those more rudely carved" (chapter VI, Noli Me Tangere). Even now, its inhabitants (called Paeteños or Paetenians) continue with their centuries-old tradition in carving and painting. Its statues, pulpits, murals and bas relief are found in churches, palaces and museums all over the world, including the St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York, the Mission Dolorosa in San Francisco, the San Cayetano Church in Mexico, the St. Joseph's shrine in Sta. Cruz, California, various churches in the Philippines and the Ayala Museum in Makati, Philippines.[citation needed] The official town hero is not a statesman nor a soldier but a woodcarver, the master artisan Mariano Madriñan, whose obra maestra, the lifelike Mater Dolorosa, was honored by the King of Spain with a prestigious award in Amsterdam in 1882. The town was proclaimed "the Carving Capital of the Philippines" on March 15, 2005 by Philippine President Arroyo. It is also believed that the modern yo-yo, which originated in the Philippines, was invented in Paete.

Many descendants of these artisans have found a niche in the culinary world. Ice sculptures and fruit and vegetable carvings done by Paeteños abound on buffet tables of cruise ships and world-class hotels and restaurants. Today the town thrives mainly on the sale and export of woodcarvings and taka (papier maché), tourism, poultry industry, farming and fishing.