Mrs. Luz Pangilinan, a dedicated prison volunteer ‘mom’ (that’s how inmates call her), has been diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer. She goes to NBP and opened work at Manila City Jail-Female Dorm. Gave up the latter and now just focusing on her ‘sons’ at New Bilibid Prison. Please include her in your prayers.
Last April 3, 2009 the National Prison Ministries Phils. Inc. called a general assembly meeting and elected a new set of the board of trustees. Welcome!
The annual meeting of the National Prison Ministries Phils. Inc. has been re-scheduled to April 3, 2009. Pray that new members will infuse needed revitalization.
Last night, Atty. Roy Valenzuela (with wife Vilma) and I went to meet with Jonathan Cortez, envoy-at-large of PFI. He unpacked for us some suggestions for 2010 like a caucus. God, may you help us.
In 2003 through Prison Fellowship International, PF Philippines was able to have an Angel Tree Project with inmates’ kids in Bicol.
With God’s help we are looking forward to doing the project again even on a small scale. Right now, the PF Philippines team is getting the names of inmates’ children who would be recipients of gifts from their fathers via the Angel Tree. Please include in your prayers.
Manila City Jail (MCJ) Female dorm is slowly being saturated by the Sycamore Tree Project (STP) of Prison Fellowship International (PFI).Thanks to the diligence of Mrs. Luz Pangilinan who serves as volunteer facilitator for PF Philppines.
Ate Luz, as Mrs. Pangilinan is fondly called, is more than 75 years old; a widow for about ten years. Recently, she brought joy to about 25 Restoring the Personhood Module (RPM) participants with Christmas gifts of ham, coffee and other items they may have missed by now. She solicited the cost of the Christmas packs from friends.
Oscar is the first inmate release my team had experienced. It was like welcoming back a long lost son. Happened last Wednesday of November 2008.
He was one of about 20 inmates released that day.
He was seeing a fellow inmate who was also released like him get back to his family.
The team offered to bring them to Makati and give them a meal. But they refused. They wanted to get home quickly.
As we were showing them where to get their ride, Oscar was heard saying to the old man, “They are the angels sent by God to welcome us back to the free society.”
With new credentials, I am back blogging again. Yehey! Some stories are needed to be told.
First story – by divine appointment we welcomed an inmate back to the free society last December 2008.
Second story – Restoration Module is now doing its second round.
Third story – doors are opening to prepare facilitators from other churches.
Last September 10, we held the awarding ceremony for the successful graduates of the Worldwide Church of God Spokesman’s Club. There were eight (8) who came through from among 16 who joined. Some participants were transfered; some could not go on.
From among these eight who persevered, four (4) are now candidates to take the last program under the Restoring the Personhood Movement. It is about missions and it is the heartbeat of God. My challenge now is to get the nod of NBP leadership for me to bring in a DVD player that runs on battery. Some areas do not have electricity at daytime inside maximum security. It is therefore a need to have a unit that will not require electricity. Please help me bring this up to God through Jesus Christ in prayer.
Another Sycamore Tree Project (STP) has began last June 4, 2008. This is the fourth STP conducted at the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prison.
The first STP was held with 12 member-inmates of Jesus the Word, now called Beatitudes Ram Ministry Inc. with senior pastor Isagani Obispo. Second STP was with member-inmates of Jesus is Lord Fellowship and the third with member-inmates from other local churches like the fourth STP.
Other local church member-inmates are waiting to know what Sycamore Tree Project is all about. Pray for us that we could bring in more volunteers who could help facilitate the program.
