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An Executive News presentation
Gretchen Alibo: My dream was to become a nurse because I was inspired by our school nurse. But I also thought that achieving that was impossible since my mother and father didn’t earn enough to put us all through school.
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In association with
CHRISTIAN ERA BROADCASTING
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Dennis Sarinas: When my wife received a check-up, she also got an ultrasound scan. That’s when we found out that she was pregnant, but the child had no heartbeat. We went to get a check-up with another doctor, and we were also told that there was no heartbeat. So, we were sad.
Sister Betty Maleila: My daughter was attending university when she started to get sick, but they couldn’t figure out what was happening to her. She found work in Pietersburg, where Dr. Makhalema was able to identify her problem. She had a problem with her heart.
Eric Borja: A week later, I was shocked when the doctor told me that I have cancer – stage 3A cancer. The doctor said that it was leading to stage 4 cancer.
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Thankful No Matter What
An Executive News Special Episode
For the 106th Anniversary of the Church Of Christ
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Sister Gretchen Alibo
Cebu, Philippines
Gretchen Alibo: My family has been in poverty ever since I was a child. So, I decided to do all that I could to study hard in order to help my family.
Life was really hard in my youth. My father was a fisherman, and the rest of my family were farmers. To be able to support our schooling, we’d sell all sorts of things, such as food – we’d cook bananas and sell them to our neighbors.
My dream was to become a nurse because I was inspired by our school nurse. But I also thought that achieving that was impossible since some of my siblings didn’t finish their studies, because my mother and father didn’t earn enough to put us all through school.
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Hong Kong, China
Dennis Sarinas: At present, I live in Hong Kong with my whole family – my wife and kids. What I desire is to give them a bright future. I want to help them become stable and get a good education.
I received a job offer here in Hong Kong as a quality manager in an electronics company. I asked my employer if I could bring my family with me to Hong Kong.
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Brother Dennis Sarinas
Hong Kong, China
Dennis Sarinas: While we were preparing to move to Hong Kong, we were getting our belongings ready for our move from the Philippines, and that’s when my wife started to bleed. We were unaware at the time that my wife was pregnant.
When my wife received a check-up, she also got an ultrasound scan. That’s when we found out that she was pregnant, but the child had no heartbeat. We went to get a check-up with another doctor, and we were also told that there was no heartbeat. So, we were sad.
We asked for advice from our minister about what we should do, and we also asked for a prayer. He advised us to hold devotional prayers, and that whatever would be the will of God regarding the child, we should wholeheartedly accept it.
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Thanksgiving Worship Service
Quezon City, Philippines
July 19, 2020
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Brother Eduardo V. Manalo: Thus, we, Church Of Christ members, should not worry about whatever we encounter because God’s statement, which Zephaniah declared, is for us. We should not be afraid. We should not despair because our Lord God will help us so that we’ll overcome all the great tribulations we will experience in this life.
Brethren, whatever happens, let us remain members of the Church Of Christ. Whatever the situation of this world may be, we should not be afraid; we should not despair. We must firmly believe that God will get rid of whatever tribulation that may come or that we’ll experience in life.
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Gretchen Alibo: Ever since I was little, I learned to entrust everything unto God. And I really trust in what He can do for me in my life. We would pray every day and have a family hour. Even though the chapel was far from where we live, my family never missed a worship service.
My mother and father would always tell me to place the worship service and fulfill my Church duties above anything else. That if we put God first, we won’t fail in our plans.
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Ladybrand, South Africa
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Sister Betty Maleila
Ladybrand, South Africa
Betty Maleila: The good things that I appreciate, which happened in my life, is that I was able to get my children a better education. Not because I am clever or know everything, but because of what God has done for me – showing me the right way, the right path.
My daughter was attending university when she started to get sick, but they couldn’t figure out what was happening to her. She found work in Pietersburg, where Dr. Makhalema was able to identify her problem. She had a problem with her heart.
After eating, they were watching TV, and then before it passed 7:00 pm, she started to have trouble breathing. We called the ambulance, but they came after forty minutes, and she was already gone.
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Melbourne, Australia
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Brother Eric Borja
Melbourne, Australia
Eric Borja: In 2017, here in Melbourne, me and my wife went for a routine medical exam. They found something in my right lung and were confused as to what it was. It could be tuberculosis or something else, so I was referred to a government hospital.
And a week later, I was shocked when the doctor told me that I have cancer – stage 3A cancer. The doctor said that it was leading to stage 4 cancer. My wife and I hugged each other, and we couldn’t stop crying, because we weren’t expecting that that would happen all of a sudden.
When we received that news, we went to the local congregation of Altona to pray. In our devotional prayers, we asked God to give me a chance. I pledged to use all my remaining strength in serving God.
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Brother Eduardo V. Manalo: What the apostles said is this: “Whatever things may happen to you, continue to thank God.” When the Bible says, “continue,” we don’t stop doing it. We will uphold it for as long as we have life and strength because whatever happens in our life, the Lord God commands us to continue rendering thanksgiving to Him.
When God’s servants encounter severe problems and troubles come to their life, what do they do? They draw near to God. They seek favor from Him. They call to Him and cry for help. As God’s servant said, “You healed me.”
God heals not only our illnesses but also the problems and troubles we encounter in life. That’s why, brethren, it’s only right that, whatever happens, we continue to give thanks to God. We will never stop this. We will fulfill this as long as we live. We will continue to do this whatever we face in life.
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Gretchen Alibo: It was 2018 when I was a third-year medical student. At that time, we had an exam about surgery. I rushed because I had a choir practice to attend for the Thanksgiving worship service at 7:00 pm. I was a choir member at that time in the Local Congregation of Mandaue City.
When it was 6:00 pm, I was still answering the exam, so I rushed all of my answers. I wasn’t sure if my answers were correct, but whatever answer came to mind at that time is what I wrote down.
While I was waiting for a jeepney, all of the jeepneys were full – the passengers were packed in. I could’ve squeezed in because I’m small, so I tried to squeeze into one of the jeepneys. One of the other passengers argued, saying that they got there before me, so I chose to get off the jeepney to avoid getting into an argument.
I was tearing up, but I stopped myself from crying. What I did instead was to catch a ride with a motorcycle, and I told the driver that I’m in a rush. I prayed to God to keep me safe.
We passed the jeepney that I was supposed to get on. It got into an accident. The jeepney collided with a 10-wheeler truck. All of the passengers were injured.
During the choir practice, I couldn’t stop crying. I prayed to God, saying, “You kept me from going that way so that I wouldn’t end up in danger.”
Dennis Sarinas: We went to inquire at a hospital nearby to schedule an appointment to have the child removed. The schedule of her operation was the same day of our Thanksgiving worship service at our local congregation. After holding our devotional prayers every evening, we attended our Thanksgiving worship service. We wholeheartedly came to terms with the fact that the child was not alive.
Betty Maleila: It hurt me a lot, but I was able to overcome this through prayers. Through the Thanksgiving worship service, I was able to ask God to help me heal inside and for me to be active in continuing to serve Him until the end.
I had to continue to worship and give thanks to God for the life I still have, the life that God gave me. And I am happy because she was a member of the Church Of Christ.
Eric Borja: It so happened that Brother Eduardo Manalo would be conducting a pastoral visit here in Melbourne. That was when my doctor told me that those months are when I would be in critical condition because I was recovering from the chemo and radiotherapy.
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Thanksgiving Worship Service
Melbourne, Australia
July 22, 2017
Eric Borja: When Brother Eduardo came to visit to officiate the Thanksgiving worship service, my wife and I agreed that it would be the perfect opportunity to thank God for never forsaking us throughout the years. We still had our life and strength, and we’re still able to perform our Church duties.
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Thanksgiving Worship Service
Melbourne, Australia
July 22, 2017
Eric Borja: After the worship service, we were accompanied to the room where Brother Eduardo was. He reminded me that, “God is merciful. He won’t abandon you.” And then he prayed for me, and afterward, he embraced me. I felt so blessed.
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Brother Eduardo V. Manalo: God said that when life is heavy, when we face severe problems, and what’s happening in our lives is too much to bear, “Wait for hope to appear,” It’s not only for this life but also for the life to come.
Who among Church Of Christ members or God’s people in His nation can be sure to receive the hope that they’re waiting for? The Bible tells us to train in holy living so we’ll have hope not only for this life but also for the life to come. That’s why the Bible says that we need to focus or center our thoughts on the grace we hope to receive from God.
So, I would like to announce to all the brethren in the Church Of Christ, our theme for the Church’s 106th anniversary: “Put All Your Hope In The Grace That Will Be Yours.”
Brethren, just a little while longer, and we will receive what God promised. If in this life, we encounter hardships, various persecutions, and afflictions, yet, even in this life, we’ll also be given the graces we need to uphold our services to God until we reach the promised salvation.
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Dennis Sarinas: Right after our Thanksgiving worship service, we went to the hospital, my wife was admitted, then the doctor told me to go home and wait for a call as to when my wife would be able to go home. After that, when my wife was admitted to the hospital, I got on a bus. I was worried about my wife and how she was doing.
When I was about to get off the bus, my wife called me. She told me to come back to the hospital because our child now has a heartbeat. I rushed back. I was so happy because I never expected that that would happen. It was a great miracle that our third child lived.
Eric Borja: My health has greatly improved since 2017. My wife and I have become more active in the propagation activities. I was able to help someone join the Church. If there’s a propagation activity, we offer our house to be used as a venue. We are also very active in the Christian Family Organizations’ activities in our local congregation, as well as in other Church activities. I can say that whenever a trial or problem comes into my life now, I remain strong.
Gretchen Alibo: Our exam results came back after a day. I was surprised to find that I had the second to the best exam results.
Because I prioritized my Church duty over my studies, God didn’t forsake me. There aren’t enough words for me to express how thankful I was to God during that time.
Betty Maleila: I am very, very happy to thank Him for everything that He’s still doing for us.
Dennis Sarinas: It was all the more proven to me that I should give thanks to God.
Betty Maleila: I’m praying that we attain salvation, especially my brothers and sister, who are not yet called inside the Church. I’m just praying that God would give us the words and soften their hearts so they could accept and know where the truth is for them to attain salvation on Judgment Day.
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Brother Eduardo V. Manalo: We should be steadfast and immovable in our God-given election. There’s no other way for us to receive the hope we’re longing for that God promised but by being inside the Church Of Christ.
That’s why, as the Bible says, “My dear [brethren], be steadfast and immovable.” Never stop fulfilling the works for the Lord. If you want to be able to put all your hope in the grace that will be yours – you should be an active member of the Church Of Christ.
We should not forsake all our duties to our Lord God that He expects us to do. In that way, we will receive the blessings that God reserves for His chosen ones. We will not be on the losing end if we dedicate ourselves to fulfilling our duties. If we put our hope in the grace that will come, it will be ours. When? When we become more active in upholding our membership inside the Church Of Christ.
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© Executive News 2020
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