Felix Y. Manalo Foundation Brings Aid to Refugees and Immigrants in Brooks, Alberta
Naomi Delacruz: This week on INC News World.
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Host continued: Watch the overwhelming response of aid for refugees and immigrants through the Care For Humanity project in Brooks, Canada. From North America, Europe, and Africa, watch the latest events of the Church Of Christ happening around the world. Your INC News World starts now.
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Naomi: Welcome to INC News World. I’m Naomi Delacruz coming to you from the INC Media studios in Anaheim, California.
Humanitarian efforts of the Church Of Christ continue to become more diverse and extensive, serving those in need. Like in Brooks, Alberta, Canada, where a high percentage of refugees and immigrants are currently living, timely aid was given to residents to help them cope in their new homes. And for one refugee living in Brooks, he found renewed hope like many others through a humanitarian effort of the FYM Foundation. Brother Johnny Adalla has the story.
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Brother Johnny Adalla: Brooks, Alberta, a city where many families migrated to in pursuit of beginning a new chapter in their lives. Refugees like Agostino remember what it took to get where he is today.
Agostino Jada (Refugee, Brooks, Alberta, Canada): After the trouble that happened in Libya, and then I couldn’t find a way to go back to join my family. It is very horrible when you are really separated from your family, and you are not even [able to] take a rest. So it is very hard [for] us when I [was] always alone. Libya, I was alone, and then in Malta, I was alone. And then one year in Canada, so many years [alone.]
Brother Johnny: And refugees coming into Brooks, Canada, like Agostino, go through organizations like Brooks And County Immigration Services that help refugees and immigrants adjust to living in Canada. And yet, economic hardships are still part of their reality.
Cai Bernardo (Counselor, Brooks & County Immigration Services): The issue here is, in the beginning, it’s hard to settle. You don’t know what the resources are in the community, what are the benefits you can get, [and] communication with other people.
Rodas Massey (Representative, Brooks & County Immigration Services, Alberta, Canada): Not just limiting it to the clients we serve. We know inflation is a thing. We know groceries are more expensive.
Brother Johnny: But it would be here at the JBS center in Brooks, Alberta, Canada, where these challenges would be lessened by an outreach event.
We are here now in Brooks, Alberta, Canada, where the community is coming together for a truly inspiring event. The FYM Foundation is once again demonstrating its commitment to providing help for those in need by organizing this grand event of care and love.
A hope now extended to residents in Brooks through the Care For Humanity project. The outreach effort of the Felix Y. Manalo Foundation is helping people like immigrants, refugees, and struggling families. With hundreds in attendance, aid was prepared for struggling families through about a thousand care packages filled with food and basic needs items. An outreach event so grand, never seen before by refugees like Agostino.
Agostino (Refugee, Brooks, Alberta, Canada): I never see [an event like this] in Brooks before. Maybe in the big cities. [This event] really touched my heart.
Rodas (Representative, Brooks & County Immigration Services, Alberta, Canada): So just the effort of actually wanting to give out groceries means a lot to a lot of people. So, it is really nice to see people, especially some of the clients that I’ve seen come through that I know are deserving. This is very, very heartwarming.
Brother Johnny: This heartwarming effort also extended to charitable groups receiving monetary donations to continue providing services in their community, like Brooks & County Immigration Services and the Society of St. Vincent De Paul.
Linda Bidyk & Greg Patterson (St. Vincent Paul associated with St. Mary’s Church in Brooks): Well, we saw some of them today leaving with groceries, so I think we might not see them this week.
Linda Bidyk (St. Vincent Paul associated with St. Mary’s Church in Brooks): We do help a lot of people with food, rent, utilities, lots of different things that money is scarce in a lot of the households, especially, you know, some of our lower-income people in Brooks. So it’s awesome to be able to receive a donation like this. It’s just phenomenal.
Brother Johnny: But the most important help the INC looks to provide is the knowledge of the truth through the words of God, which was held through an evangelical mission led by the Supervising Minister of the Ecclesiastical District of Calgary, Brother Voltaire Tamisin, a means of introducing the Church Of Christ and the reason why the FYM Foundation provides aid until this day.
Brother Voltaire Tamisin (Supervising Minister, Ecclesiastical District of Calgary): We are doing this in celebration of the 137th birth anniversary of the Messenger of God, Brother Felix Y. Manalo because it was through the messenger that we learned about the true faith. Just like us, we are sharing with people here today. But also, he taught us through God’s words also in caring for those who are in need. This is why helping people in need and even the FYM or Felix Y. Manalo Foundation is named after him in continuing not only to remember how he taught the importance of God’s words, but through this foundation, we also fulfill God’s will to help the poor and to help those in need.
Agostino (Refugee, Brooks, Alberta, Canada): That God be with him [Executive Minister]. May God bless him a lot and let him continue [expanding help to others], and God will touch his heart. For me, that’s what I pray for.
Brother Johnny: The results of today’s Care For Humanity event have not only provided help to those in need here in Brooks but have also provided hope through the words of our Almighty God. Many more people were able to witness for themselves the important role of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, Church Of Christ, in sharing and spreading the true faith. Brother Johnny Adalla here in Brooks, Alberta, Canada. INC News World.
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Naomi: From Canada to California, Spain, and Africa—We witness how Church Of Christ members uplift, cultivate, and share their faith around the globe. Let’s take a look.
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Naomi: Our first stop takes us to the ecclesiastical district of Edmonton. Situated on the scenic North Saskatchewan River, the capital of the Canadian Province of Alberta. It is here that the youth members in the Church Of Christ showed off their vocal prowess in the CWS or Children’s Worship Service singing competition entitled “Songs of Faith, Love, and Hope.”
In commemoration of the 105th Anniversary of the Children’s Worship Service Organization and the 137th Birth Anniversary of Brother Felix Y. Manalo, God’s Messenger in these last days, members, along with their guests from across Edmonton gather at the Life Auditorium to listen to Contestants from the CWS Organization perform Original INC Music.
Naomi: In true sportsmanship, the audience cheered not only for their respective local congregation’s representative but also for each child that performed. And during the awarding ceremony, Nero, a CWS contestant from Eastwood, was crowned as the winner.
Nero Salazar (Winner of CWS Songs Of Faith, Love, and Hope): Really happy, because they get to participate in God’s activity.
Naomi: Included in the Songs of Faith, Love, and Hope was an Evangelical Mission—led by Supervising Minister Brother Rolando Gaviola. This gave guests, like Daniel, the opportunity to not only experience the talents and brotherhood inside of the Church Of Christ but also hear the true words of God from the Bible.
Daniel Nkunzi (Guest, Edmonton, Canada): What made an impact for me today was the kindness and love and the welcoming of all to come to church and to honor God, to respect him. It was just gorgeous, lovely.
Brother Rennel Romero (Minister of the Gospel): Activities like this encourage all the CWS in participating in the activities in the Church. May this give more glory to our Almighty God.
Naomi: As we go to our next stop—the ecclesiastical district of Northwest California, located about 22 miles East of San Francisco, is the city of Lafayette.
Where a CFO or Christian Family Organization Day and CWS Unity Games were held, youth Church Of Christ members were given the opportunity to play various sports, including volleyball, basketball, track and field, and even chess. Competitors were able to hone their skills while also displaying Christian brotherhood throughout the event. And even INC Ministers participated in the Unity Games.
Brother Arturo Bairan (INC United States West Office Coordinator): We thank our Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, for the support he is giving to all of us members of the Church Of Christ here in this part of the world.
Naomi: And through this CFO Day and Unity Games, the youth were able to not only compete in friendly competition but also bond with fellow Church Of Christ members throughout the ecclesiastical district of Northwest California.
Brother Ed Javier (Supervising Minister, Ecclesiastical District of Northwest California): This activity is so important for the Christian Family Organization. Knowing that nowadays, parents and children have a very busy schedule. So having this kind of activity, meeting the brethren from different local congregations creates a bonding for the brethren.
Naomi: Next, we move around the world to the ecclesiastical district of Spain, where the friendly competition was also heating up in Madrid. Beginning with a parade of colors showcasing the various local congregations across Spain, the event also included a cheering exhibition led by the youth members from the local congregation of Madrid Norte. Participants were able to join in various sports, including basketball, volleyball, football, and various board games. And those who won in each category would be awarded trophies and medals. Although prizes were given to winners in their respective games, all in attendance left with a smile, being able to spend time and build stronger friendships with Church Of Christ members throughout Spain.
Naomi: And for our last stop, we move far south to the ecclesiastical district of Southeastern Africa, where Church Of Christ members from Area 25 Group Worship Service were inspired to share their faith through the distribution of God’s Message magazines and pamphlets. Equipped with Magazines and pamphlets in hand—the members in Africa were seen with all smiles as they shared the truth about the Church Of Christ with those living in the surrounding area.
Through the guidance of the Church Administration, Church Of Christ members throughout the world are inspired and motivated to strengthen their love for one another through various activities and encouraging one another to be united in their services to the Almighty God.
To keep up with the latest activities in the Church Of Christ, visit INCMedia.org/incnewsworld or subscribe to our Youtube channel @incmedia.official.
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Naomi: Well, that does it for us on INC News World. Tune in every Saturday for new episodes of INC News World on incmedia.org, our youtube channel, and on streaming platforms . I’m Naomi Delacruz. Thank you for joining us, stay safe, and we’ll see you next time. God bless!
