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The Road to Rebuilding

November 27, 2020

Weeks after enduring a series of typhoons, a lot of our countrymen are still facing great difficulties. But God is using His people to give them the strength to rebuild. Here is the story of a group of mountaineers who served as God’s hands and feet to bring hope to the people of Daraitan.

The destruction brought about by Typhoon Ulyses was beyond what the people in Daraitan expected. The normally calm river flowed with rage, completely washing out houses along the riverbanks and bringing despair to communities that are already suffering from the temporary pause of tourism in the area.

Joharee is one of the mountain hikers who has marveled at the pristine beauty of Daraitan and its famous river during its peaceful days. He is part of a mountaineering group composed of Victory group leaders from Victory Metro East. After the typhoon, they immediately organized relief operations to serve the people they had come to love. “Napamahal na sa ‘min ‘yung Daraitan community ever since nagsimula kami umakyat. Madalas kami dun pumunta dati. Nung nalaman namin ‘yung condition nila after the typhoon, nag-initiate talaga kami ng fund-raising drive para makatulong.”

When they called for donations, they were believing to come up with 100 bags of relief goods. “It’s amazing how God moved para magawa namin ‘to. Because of His provision, we were able to distribute 250 bags of relief goods. ‘Yung iba dun galing sa donations ng mga friends namin, ‘yung iba galing sa church. The day before our scheduled trip, hindi pa namin alam kung pa’no namin madadala ‘yung mga bags sa Daraitan. Tapos biglaan lang, nakatanggap kami ng tawag from a friend who has a trucking business. Ayun, sinagot na n’ya yung transpo namin.”

When the group arrived at the evacuation center, they prioritized giving to some senior citizens. “Yung ibang senior citizens sa community, sila pa rin ‘yung breadwinner ng pamilya nila. They work as guides for the mountaineers. Since the lockdown, marami sa kanila ‘yung walang source of income. Tapos nangyari pa ‘yung bagyo at nawalan pa ‘yung iba ng bahay.” They went beyond the evacuation center and gave relief goods to those who have started to put up makeshift houses to have temporary shelter.

In spite of their seemingly insurmountable difficulties, the people of Daraitan are hopeful and very grateful for the help they’ve been receiving. The relief goods will certainly make several days ahead better than other days, but more than that, they give the people hope and strength to start rebuilding.

Joharee acknowledges that it is God who wants to bring hope and comfort to the people in Daraitan. He said that all they did was present themselves for His service, and God made it happen. In the midst of everything that is happening this year, God is reminding all of us that He is in control and that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

“When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them.”

Isaiah 41:17

Joharee has been part of Victory Metro East since 2011. He is also a Victory group leader and Kids Church volunteer.

We can all be vessels for God’s use. Let’s keep on praying for our countrymen who are still recovering from the destruction brought about by recent typhoons. If you want to help, you may visit victory.org.ph/TyphoonPHRelief for more information.

There Will Be Light

November 25, 2020

Darkness hovered over Luzon at the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses, as electricity was cut off in most parts of the island. But the light that broke through the darkness continues to illuminate the homes and hearts of people weeks after the devastation.

The Bicol region is one of the areas severely affected by the series of typhoons that blew through the country in the past month. Since Typhoon Rolly hit almost a month ago and until now, there’s still no electricity in some areas. Officials say it might take at least two to three more weeks for everything to be restored. Hundreds of families lost their homes and will be celebrating Christmas this year in evacuation centers.

Clay and John are two of the hundreds of volunteers that immediately got involved with repacking relief goods and distributing them to different municipalities in Bicol. Clay is an elementary school teacher and John is a third-year college student. They actively participate in the relief operations of Victory Legazpi, the church they are part of, and other volunteer groups.

Clay was part of a group that went to Pioduran. One of the things in the package they gave that made the people overflow with joy was the solar lamp. “Malaking tulong po sa ‘min ‘to sa araw-araw. Medyo matatagalan pa daw po ‘yung pagbalik ng kuryente.” This was what people often said. Clay will never forget the images of teary-eyed faces, eyes beaming with hope, as they distributed relief goods. “Nakapag-bigay din kami ng mga Bibles. Hindi ko ma-explain ‘yung joy. It’s really a privilege to be used by God to help our fellow Filipinos. Kaya nagpapasalamat din kami sa mga nagbigay kasi malaking tulong talaga ‘to sa kanila.”

John was part of the team that went to Ginubatan. Boulders and lahar washed from the slopes of Mayon Volcano buried hundreds of houses in this area, forcing families to stay in evacuation centers. Since there are a lot of NGOs giving food, the church gave not only relief goods but also practical items like solar lamps, butane gas, pots and pans, and blankets. “Nagulat nga po ako, pagdating namin sa evacuation center, kasi very orderly po. At ‘yung mga tao, makikita mo na hopeful kahit na nawalan sila ng bahay. Nararamdaman daw po nila yung pagmamahal ng mga tao at lalo na po ‘yung pagmamahal ng Diyos.”

Both Clay and John saw the importance of putting our faith in God in this time. In God, there’s always hope, no matter what happens. We can see God’s light even in the midst of a dark and challenging season. We have the assurance that God is always at our side, taking good care of us.

You, LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.

Psalm 18:28

Claydes is an English teacher and an active member and volunteer in Victory Legazpi. She has been part of our church since her first year in college.

John is a third-year civil engineering student and has been part of Victory Legazpi all his life. He got to know Jesus in Kids Church.

God is calling His people to be carriers of His light to the world. Let’s all stand in prayer with our fellow Filipinos who are still experiencing the aftermath of the recent typhoons. If you want to help, you may visit victory.org.ph/TyphoonPHRelief for more information. Thank you for your generosity and prayers, and God bless you and your families!

Hope Rises

November 20, 2020

The series of storms that hit Luzon has left the whole island under a state of calamity. Floodwater rose in different regions, completely submerging houses and causing damages worth billions. But as people faced the devastation, an overflow of help and support came from volunteers and organizations, causing hope to triumph above all.

Carmela is a third-year college student studying Public Health in Tuguegarao. The night Typhoon Ulysses battered the island with its strong winds, she and her family did not sleep. They spent hours packing important belongings and keeping a watchful eye on the rising water from the river. Some time during the night, she urged her parents to ask their neighbor if they could transfer some of their belongings to the second floor of their neighbor’s house. Before the typhoon had passed completely, waist-deep flood water had entered their compound. Carmela spent hours on their neighbor’s roof looking for cell signal to join the call for help to save Cagayan and give prepaid load credits to other students who needed to be rescued.

“Nakakadurog ng puso talaga. Kaya kahit pa-low batt na ‘yung phone ko at walang kuryente, nag-repost ako to call for help. Nagpapasalamat ako sa Diyos na may kapitbahay kaming may second floor. Marami ‘yung lumubog talaga ‘yung buong bahay nila at kailangang ma-rescue.”

The very next day, Victory Tuguegarao, the church she is part of, called for volunteers to help distribute hot meals to people affected by the flood. In spite of her own ordeal, Carmela joined and served. She had to walk on rooftops to get to the venue. She knew that God was calling her to serve His people. It was God’s compassion that gave her the strength and enabled her to rise above her own needs to minister to others. “Ako rin naman po, hindi ako pinabayaan ng Diyos. This is my way to share God’s love,” she said.

Carmela is actively volunteering not just in the relief operations organized by her church but also those organized by a youth group in her town. Because her father’s crops were completely destroyed during the typhoon, the future of her family looks bleak. But Carmela knows that God is trustworthy and He is always in control. “Itong buong taon, kahit na may pandemic, makikita natin na kasama natin ang Diyos. Hindi naman po tayo iiwan ng Diyos nang ganito lang. Hindi naman po sa pandemic o sa baha matatapos ang lahat. God is strengthening our faith in Him.”

In the midst of the calamity, God’s goodness and love are becoming more evident as His people rise up to serve as beacons of hope.

“. . . let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works

and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Matthew 5:16

Carmela is an active member and volunteer in Victory Tuguegarao and a Real LIFE scholar. She became part of our Kids church at 5 years old.

God can use all of us to help our fellowmen. No matter how small, our help is significant. Let’s all pray together to stand with our fellow Filipinos who are currently facing the flooding and destruction brought about by the recent typhoons. If you want to help, you may visit victory.org.ph/TyphoonPHRelief for more information.

Pag-asa sa Gitna ng Bagyo

November 17, 2020

Narito ang kuwento ng isang front liner na nag-abot ng tulong sa mga nasalanta ng bagyong Ulysses sa bayan ng Marikina. Sa gitna ng kalamidad, tinatawag tayo ng Diyos upang maghatid ng Kanyang pag-asa. (Here is the story of a front liner who extended help to those who were affected by Typhoon Ulysses in Marikina City. In the midst of calamity, God is calling us to be bearers of His hope.)

Richard is a nurse by profession and is a Victory group leader and admin support volunteer in Victory Metro East. He lives in Marikina, and while their home was not flooded, he immediately saw the devastation in their community when he went to the market. The muddied streets were filled with a mixture of household items and trash. People were covered in mud, and he wondered how long they hadn’t been able to change clothes. In the midst of this hopeless situation, he wanted to extend God’s hope and do what he could to help. Here’s his story.

Noong nakita ko ‘yung mga tao, noon ko naramdaman na parang hinipo ng Diyos ang puso ko. Alam ko na tinatawag ako ng Diyos upang tumulong sa kahit na anong paraan. Noong una naisip ko pa na wala naman akong masyadong magagawa o maibibigay sa mga tao. Pero habang tinitingnan ko sila, nagiging malinaw sa ’kin na hindi naman kinakailangan na malaking tulong ang maibigay ko. Kahit mga tuyong damit lang, malaking ginhawa na ’yun sa kanila.

Dahil dito, nag-post ako sa Facebook na tumatanggap ako ng anumang donation para sa mga nabaha sa Marikina, at nagulat ako sa dami ng taong handang tumulong. Sunod-sunod ang pagdating ng mga donation. Karamihan pa nga sa mga ito ay hindi ko alam kung kanino galing kasi hindi naman sila nagpakilala. May mga nagbigay din ng mga face masks at face shields. Naisip ko na kahit 50 packs lang ng relief goods ang magawa namin, marami na itong matutulungan. Pero dahil sa mga nagbigay, nakapag-abot kami ng tulong sa 74 na pamilya.

Ang Victory group ko, na puro college students dito sa Marikina, at ang aking pamilya ang kasama ko sa pag-repack at pag-iikot. Nakakadurog ng puso ‘yung mga nakita naming sitwasyon noong araw na nag-ikot kami sa mga lugar na nasalanta ng baha. Alam ko na hindi lang kami basta namimigay ng mga tuyong damit at konting pagkain. Nakapagbibigay kami ng pag-asa sa kanila.

Nakita ko na sa ganitong mga sitwasyon, walang maliit na tulong. Kahit pa isang damit lang ang maibibigay mo, isang lata ng sardinas, o anuman, malaking tulong ito para sa ating mga kababayan. Hindi man namin naipagdasal o naibahagi ang salita ng Diyos sa lahat ng naabutan namin ng tulong, alam ko na bawat isa sa kanila ay nakaramdam ng pagkalinga at pagmamahal ng Diyos. Ang panalangin ko ay makita nila na sa kabila ng lahat ng mga nangyayari ngayong taon, hindi tayo pinababayaan ng Diyos. Siya ang magliligtas sa atin.

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you . . .

For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

Isaiah 43:2,3

On Saturday, Richard will once again distribute relief goods that were donated by Victory in Metro Manila. With his Victory group, they will go to communities in Montalban, Rizal. He remains grateful for the support and love extended by the church community.

Richard is one of many volunteers who is reaching out to help those affected by the recent typhoons. We thank God for people like Richard who are serving as God’s hands and feet at this time.

You can join us in praying for our countrymen who were affected by the typhoons and floods in the different parts of our country. If you want to help the communities affected by the recent typhoons, you can visit www.victory.org.ph/TyphoonPHRelief for more details. May God bless you for your generosity!

An Outbreak of Hope

September 23, 2020

When we obey God, there is really no telling what He can do through us. Here is the story of a volunteer who said yes to God’s call to minister to uniformed personnel in our nation and is now seeing lives transformed by the gospel.

Four years ago, a friend asked me to consider volunteering in a nonprofit organization that aims to empower parents and strengthen families and marriages of those in the Philippine National Police (PNP). I was excited about their vision and felt the peace of God when I prayed about it, so I said yes. I served as a facilitator in their once a month event for those in uniform. When the meetings became more frequent, I prayed and asked God for direction. Without any doubt, I knew that God wanted me to continue serving Him this way.

In just a short time, we began to see the hand of God move. Doors opened left and right, and we started to have more opportunities to engage those in the PNP. After several months, I started serving as a life coach in the Special Action Force (SAF) unit of the PNP. Before the pandemic, we would travel to different camps all over the country and partner with churches to conduct our programs. Armed with biblical truths and principles and tools that aim to restore and strengthen families in this sector of our society, I went in faith, knowing that God will accomplish His will and purpose by His great power. I’m really grateful for the initiative of those who lead this organization, several of whom are members of our church. They have been instrumental in launching this platform for us to reach out to our police and participate in nation building.

At one of the trainings for the Philippine Air Force in Clark before the pandemic.

When we obey God and allow Him to use us, there is really no telling what He can do through us. Our organization was well received by the top officials of both the PNP and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), that they integrated our program into their training system. Slowly, we started planting God’s truth in the hearts of these men. We have the assurance that in God’s perfect time, we will see a great harvest of changed lives. I am personally seeing how God is bringing healing and restoration in some of the families of these uniformed men. Marriages on the brink of annulment are getting restored and, as heads in their household, they are realizing more and more how important it is to take the lead in keeping their families together.

Contrary to what we thought would happen when the pandemic started, our ministry kept on growing. We are now getting invitations from the Department of National Defense, AFP, and Bureau of Fire and Protection to conduct our programs with their personnel. Because people are now more comfortable with online meetings, we regularly meet with our uniformed officers nationwide. With PNP-SAF alone, I meet with around 50 men every week, grouped into six teams. Surprisingly, despite this pandemic, they are holding on to hope instead of fear because they realize how much they need Christ, and that in Him, they have everything they need.

We are also given the opportunity to reach out to members of the PNP who are in quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure. We meet with them virtually every week. It brings us great joy that when PNP officials thought of addressing the mental and emotional health concerns of the police force during quarantine, they thought of us. It’s a privilege to be given that level of trust, and it assures us that God is working through the organization and bringing transformation in the lives of these individuals. With the crucial role that our armed forces have in implementing the laws of the land and securing peace and order, we firmly believe that these transformed lives will have a great impact in the transformation of our nation.

. . . and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.
For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.
Psalm 22:27,28

Wilmer has been a member of Victory Fort for ten years and serves as a team leader in the ushering ministry. He has been a volunteer of Pamilya Muna Pilipinas, a nonprofit organization that aims to empower parents and strengthen families and marriages in the Philippines, for four years. Wilmer and his wife are actively involved in church.

Kaagapay Natin si Jesus sa Biyahe ng Buhay

September 9, 2020

Ang naganap na lockdown dahil sa COVID-19 pandemic ay labis na nakaapekto sa mga kababayan nating jeepney driver. Narito ang salaysay ng isang maybahay na pamamasada ng jeep ang pangunahing ikinabubuhay ng pamilya.

Isa akong dispatcher ng mga jeep sa Victory Central Mall noong 2011 nang maimbitahan ako ng kasama ko rin na dispatcher upang dumalo sa service ng Victory Caloocan. Hindi nagtagal at isinuko ko ang buhay ko kay Jesus. Malaki ang pasasalamat ko sa church dahil gumagaan ang pakiramdam ko tuwing dumadalo ako ng worship service at mas nakikilala ko ang Panginoon. Nagkaroon din ako ng maraming kaibigan. Ang asawa ko ay jeepney driver, at ngayon nga na may kinakaharap tayong lahat na malaking pagsubok, sa Diyos lang talaga kami kumakapit.

Nang magsimula ang lockdown at mawalan ng pasada ang asawa ko, hindi kami pinabayaan ng Diyos. Nagkaroon ako ng puwesto sa malapit sa amin at nakapagtinda ng almusal. Ilang linggo rin na iyon ang pinagkunan namin ng kabuhayan. Minsan may mga lumalapit na kaibigan namin na driver din at humihingi ng tulong dahil wala na silang makain. Mahirap talaga, lalo na kung malaki ‘yung pamilya at bata pa ang mga anak. Hindi mo matitiis na makita ‘yung mga anak mo na nagugutom.

Ngayon na anim na buwan na ang nakalipas at hindi pa rin bumabalik sa dati ang biyahe ng mga tao, marami sa mga kasamahan namin ang walang-wala na talaga. Wala naman kaming mga ipon at umaasa lang kami sa araw-araw na kinikita namin. Kaya naisipan ng mga driver sa grupo namin na mamalimos na sa kalsada. Isang araw, nagulat na lang ako dahil may tumawag sa ‘kin na pastor. Napansin daw niya yung mga namamalimos na driver, at doon na nga nagsimula ang plano na tulungan sila.

Noong nakaraang linggo, Setyembre 6, pinuntahan namin ang 48 na driver mula sa dalawang grupo ng mga driver dito sa Caloocan upang makapagbigay ng relief goods. Hindi lamang sila nabigyan ng makakain. Naipagdasal din sila ng mga pastor at mga volunteer. Napakalaking tulong nito para sa mga pamilyang apektado ng sitwasyon ngayon. Mahirap ang mawalan ng trabaho, pero mas mahirap ang mawalan ng pag-asa. Kaya labis ang pasasalamat naming lahat dahil ang mga ganitong tulong ay nagbibigay sa amin ng pag-asa na malalagpasan namin ang isang napakalaking pagsubok nang matiwasay.

Sa panahon ng pandemic, mahirap man o mayaman, lahat tayo ay nakararanas ng lockdown at naaapektuhan ng mga nangyayari. Para sa pamilya namin at sa iba pang mga pamilya na nasa pamamasada ng jeep ang ikinabubuhay, isa talaga itong napakahirap na sitwasyon. Kaya labis kaming nagpapasalamat sa lahat ng mga taong patuloy na tumutulong.

Dahil sa kanila nararamdaman namin ang pangangalaga ng Diyos at ang pagmamahal Niya sa amin at sa aming pamilya. Siya talaga ang kaagapay natin sa anumang paghihirap sa buhay. Hindi Niya tayo pababayaan.

Kayo, O Diyos ang tumutulong sa akin.

Kayo, Panginoon ang aking maaasahan.

Salmo 54:4

Si Ruby ay 55 taong gulang at aktibong tumutulong sa ushering ministry ng Victory Caloocan.

Samahan ninyo kami sa pananalangin para sa mga pamilyang labis na naapektuhan ng kawalan ng mapagkakakitaan ngayong panahon ng pandemic. Bilang isang iglesya, patuloy nating ipahayag at ipakita ang katotohanan ng ebanghelyo sa kanila.

Our Mission Never Stops

July 13, 2020

Since last month, we have been visiting hundreds of locally stranded individuals housed in the Villamor Air Base Golf Club, Villamor Air Base Elementary School, and Philippine Army Gym. Those who stayed in the Philippine State College of Aeronautics have already been brought back to their provinces, but for several weeks now, some parts of the Libingan ng mga Bayani have also been converted into a temporary shelter for more stranded travelers. Hundreds of them can be seen sleeping on folding beds and cardboard boxes placed under open tents that were set up near the entrance of the national cemetery.

As we continue to partner with the government, our team—composed of pastors, staff members, and volunteers—have been going to these temporary shelters to donate rice, food packs, disinfectant solution, hygiene kits, folding beds, mattresses, towels, energy drinks, and snacks. Even our volunteers have been pooling their resources so they can go back and provide meals every day. Our pastors from different Victory locations have also been conducting debriefing sessions with them and connecting them to people in their respective provinces who can reach out and talk to them.

In our desire to continue spurring hope amid their situation, we held an activity last Saturday inside the Philippine Army Gym. Volunteer artists and musicians came together to bring familiar music and entertainment to stranded travelers from different provinces. We also served food and engaged with them through the help of our Victory group leaders.

We know that what we do can’t alleviate the pain that they are feeling for being away from their families and loved ones. But it is our prayer that through the little things that we do, we will be able to provide comfort to their tired bodies, put a smile on their faces, and give hope to their weary spirits by showing God’s love to them.

The situation in these temporary shelters is a reminder that our mission to declare and demonstrate the good news continues—with or without the pandemic. Let us do what we can to extend help and bring hope to those around us.

If you would like to serve the locally stranded individuals, you may email us at info@victory.org.ph or send a message on our Facebook page.

Locally Stranded Individuals Get Help from Volunteers

June 22, 2020

Hundreds of stranded travelers were housed in the Villamor Air Base Compound, Philippine State College of Aeronautics, and Philippine Army Gym after staying for days under a bridge near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). Most of them are Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who were waiting for a ride home after their flights out of Manila had been canceled.

With the help of our generous donors and volunteers, some of our pastors and staff members visited them last week (June 12–17) to give food packs, mattresses, industrial fans, slippers, and face masks. A group of volunteers led by a couple from Victory Fort also went there to provide taho (soybean pudding) and ice cream to stranded OFWs.

Though most of them had to sleep on cardboard mats while waiting to be reunited with their families, they remained hopeful and resilient. They were ready to smile at everyone in spite of what they were going through. As one volunteer put it, “Even in the toughest times, they were still smiling. It’s inspiring and humbling at the same time.”

Aside from contributing in our own little way to extend help, we also prayed for them and the people in uniform who had been assigned to ensure their safety. We are in faith that God will work in their situation and make a way for them to go back to their hometowns and families.

Though times are hard, we can continue to hope in God and be His hands and feet in these trying times. Let us believe Him to provide as we do everything we can, no matter how small, to help those in need and spur faith.

As of this writing, we have teams available to provide prayer, counseling, and debriefing.

Bringing Hope to Homes

April 29, 2020

Michelle and her Victory group have been reaching out to families in a barangay in Santa Rosa, Laguna long before the COVID-19 pandemic. She and other Kids Church volunteers have been doing outreach programs in that barangay to minister not just to the kids in the area, but even to their parents and families.

When the coronavirus outbreak started and most regions were placed under enhanced community quarantine, one of the parents from that barangay reached out to Michelle and sought help from her group. When she told her Victory group about this, they immediately responded by giving donations. She was soon overwhelmed with all the help they were willing to extend to those families.

Though unable to involve her Victory group in the packing and distribution of the relief items because of the community quarantine, Michelle had all the help she needed from her own family. And to her surprise, what she thought as a one-time thing was soon followed by more donations from people who were all willing to bring hope to families in need.

Now, they have been sorting and distributing relief packs every week not just to one barangay, but to three barangays! God’s generosity overflowed through different people, and it was way more than they expected.

God’s provision also paved the way for them to be an even greater blessing to the kids in the area. Aside from the relief packs, they have also started preparing and distributing snacks for the kids in those barangays every day. And in order to continue what they have started prior to the lockdown, they brought their Kids Church classes online through a messaging app. Aside from the lessons and snacks, they also provide activities and crafts for the kids and their parents.

In this season of uncertainty, we can go beyond helping people in need by sharing the message of the gospel with them. Michelle and her group have seen the changes in the lives of the kids they minister to and even in the lives of their parents. And it’s what motivates them to continue reaching out.

Like Michelle, her group, and all the other people who are doing what they can to be a blessing, let us bring hope all around us. In spite of the crisis, we can be a channel of blessing because we trust that God will always provide for us.

Michelle Papa is a Kids Church teacher and one of our Victory group leaders in Victory Santa Rosa.

There’s Always Hope in God

February 4, 2020

God can always turn a hopeless situation around. He can always bring hope in every circumstance.

Our family used to run a small contractor business. In 2014, we failed to get the payment for the projects we handled, so the business went bankrupt. It took a hard toll on us. We felt hopeless and at the end of our rope. We didn’t know what to do.

At that time, my husband wasn’t a Christian yet. But somehow, because of what happened, I got the chance to invite him to our worship services. I was pregnant then, so when it became hard for me to walk and leave the house, I didn’t expect him to continue attending without me. To my surprise, he continued to join every week. Little did I know that in the midst of what our family was going through, God’s Word was already working powerfully in his heart.

In one of the services, my husband received Jesus in his life and started joining a Victory group. It was amazing to see him experience God’s love like never before. Having a deeper knowledge of God increased his faith, and seeing his faith in God strengthened mine.

Later on, by God’s grace, my husband landed a job in an international construction company. It was an opportunity we never expected. Slowly, it helped us get back on our feet and pay our debts little by little. Though we are still paying our debts until now, we are grateful for the grace of God that kept our marriage strong despite the trying situation we faced.

We are thankful to God for turning our situation around and more than grateful for the hope that my husband found in Christ. God’s love and grace displayed in our lives will always be more than enough.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

There’s no situation beyond God’s grace. He can turn every hopeless situation into a powerful testimony; His Word will always minister to us and give us hope.

Rowena and her husband serve in our church in Valenzuela and lead a Victory group for couples.

If you have stories to share, please email them to stories@victory.org.ph or send them through the Victory app!

God in Our Midst

May 24, 2019

The recent election season elicited mixed responses online and somehow contributed to a growing divide in our nation. In the midst of various reactions toward the midterm election results, will we—as Christians—remain steadfast in our faith and choose to hope for our nation?

Below are some of the points from our interview with one of our pastors, Bishop Juray Mora, who encourages us to be the voice of faith and unity amid fear, hopelessness, and hostility.

Pause and Reflect

Battles are never won or lost on social media. One reaction will always elicit another reaction, and the chain will be endless. As powerful as it is, social media is limited; it will not allow us to put the whole context of what we say or believe in a single post or tweet. We have to pause and take time to think if what we’re doing is simply provoking a thought or provoking a negative reaction in someone else. We have to be sensitive and consider where all these are going: Will our reactions help the nation or will they cause an even wider divide among us?

Pray and Trust

Amid all the chaos and noise, we can go to God and call people to pray—not out of fear or anger, but out of faith. We should stir up each other and rely on God as we entrust to Him not just our own future and individual lives, but even the future of our nation. We should focus on Him and believe that He is sovereign. Someone bigger than all of us is in charge.

Commit and Act

As we rely on God, let us not wane in our passion to serve and see the nation transform. All of us have a part to play in setting a foundation that will allow the next generation to take it further than where it is now. If we want to bring change, we should not let our circumstances hinder us from being involved and upholding righteousness wherever we are—in our marriages, in our families, in our communities. God can use us and provide an avenue for us to bring change in different ways.

Unite and Believe

It says in Proverbs 21:1, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.” Whatever issues we have in our nation, God can make great things in our midst—little miracles—that we don’t expect to come. Instead of letting divisiveness reign, we can stand together and believe that the will of God will prevail. God’s purpose will be fulfilled through whoever is in leadership.

Juray Mora serves as a bishop in Every Nation Philippines, which provides spiritual leadership for Victory, Every Nation Campus, the missions work of Every Nation in Asia, Every Nation Leadership Institute, and the Real LIFE Foundation. Juray is married to Deah; they are blessed with six children: TJ, Iya, Sophia, Juliana, Celina, and Raymund.

More Like You

April 4, 2019

Who do we look up to and aspire to become? In this article, Elmo recounts how God gave him the grace to follow Him and be molded into His image day by day.

I grew up in Tondo, Manila with my family. Unlike most kids, I was introduced to smoking, drinking, gambling, and other illegal activities at a very young age. Seeing people being consumed by vices became a normal thing for me. I saw it every day while growing up.

Aside from doing things that I saw being done by the people around me, I also started putting so much value on material things. I thought those things could make me secure and happy. I thought my image depended on the things I possessed.

When I reached college, a friend invited me to attend a worship service at Victory Katipunan. I didn’t know why, but for some reason, I kept going with him. I started attending weekly, until I became really interested to know God more. All along, I was unaware that deep down inside, I was actually seeking God—there was a void in my heart that no vice or any material thing could fill.

After a few months of attending our worship services, I accepted Jesus in my life and got connected to Victory Malate. I joined a Victory group, finished ONE 2 ONE, and went through Victory Weekend. I also started serving every Sunday as a volunteer in our church, but for some reason, I knew a part of me was still struggling in my relationship with the Lord.

In 2017, I got an offer to work in UAE. Just a month after I arrived, I received a call from my mother. It was the worst phone call ever. My father was dying, and he didn’t have much time left. That news broke my heart and knocked some sense into me. I prayed and cried out to God like a son pouring out his emotions to his father. For the first time, I surrendered everything to Him. And it was during that time that I became really serious with my relationship with Christ and received Him not just as my Savior but as Lord of my life.

Though I lost my father just a few days after I fully surrendered my life to Christ, God gave me the peace and grace to accept his passing. I may have lost my earthly father, but I gained a heavenly Father who will stay until the end.

God’s love filled my heart like no other vice or material thing ever could. His love inspired me to walk in His love and be like Him in every aspect. And there’s nothing like it. Nothing compares to being able to reflect Him in the way I live my life. There’s nothing I desire now but to be more like Him every passing day.

Now, I am part of our Every Nation church in Abu Dhabi. And I am blessed to be a witness of how more and more people are coming to know Christ and desiring to be more like Him in this part of the world.

The world will offer us so many things that will influence us on how we should live our lives and whose image we should try to imitate. But nothing comes close to a life lived according to God’s plan. Nothing comes close to a life lived for Him and a life that reflects His image.

Loved by a Great God

March 27, 2019

When Angelo battled with suicidal thoughts in 2016, God’s love gave him hope in the midst of the chaos and silenced all his blaring thoughts. Here is his story.

Everything started when my father was diagnosed with lung cancer in the third quarter of 2016. My brother was suffering from depression then, and my sister was reviewing for her board exam. Not wanting to add further burden to my siblings, my mother and I decided to keep my father’s condition between me and her.

Unknown to my family, I was also dealing with so many things at work and in my personal life at that time. A lot of painful and difficult things happened in my workplace; it came to a point where I didn’t even want to go to work anymore. Problems kept piling up; it felt as if everything in my life was in utter confusion and chaos.

That’s when suicidal thoughts started plaguing me on repeat. I could not think straight anymore and negative thoughts started to consume me. But I still refused to open up to anyone. I bottled up everything inside me.

On April 8, 2018, God knocked some sense into me. Instead of allowing myself to be alone with those thoughts, I went out of the house and told myself that I should take a stroll somewhere to shake them off. But as I was about to withdraw the last money I had left in my account, my ATM card was captured by the machine. Left with not much option, I decided to just head home again. I took a longer route and eventually passed by an old mall. At the back of it is a terminal of a bus company heading north—and its name suddenly reminded me of my sister who’s attending in Victory Caloocan.

I immediately messaged my sister and attended a worship service with her. My heart was really heavy then; I cried and wept throughout the service. I knew it was God talking to me that day. He was telling me to find what’s good and beautiful in the midst of all the chaos and noise.

After that, I surrendered everything to Him. I lifted up my hands and cried out to God. I sang away every dark thought and allowed Him to replace the unpleasant thoughts with the beauty of His grace.

And I never looked back after that.

Now, I am part of a Victory group and continuously growing in faith. There are times when I still make mistakes, but God always proves to me that He is faithful; He never gets tired of bringing me back to Him. He is the best gift I ever had, and I will be forever thankful to Him for saving me and giving me a new beginning.

Life is precious, and my life is so valuable to Him. I am deeply loved and valued by a great God.

Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you… Isaiah 43:4

We are all loved and valued by God. We are all precious in His eyes. Any dark or negative thought cannot take away the great love that He has for us.