From the photos & happy faces of Natividad Tabotabo, Rudy & Solly Mendiola, Boy Urgello, Bert and Angie Sta. Aguida, all from BCBP Chicago, and sharers Peping and Nimfa Roa from BCBP Mactan, one could not imagine that these folks had to travel far and wide just to bring the Christian message to all who would want to listen.

For prior to this big turnout at our Sept 1, 2018 Merienda Cena at St. Elizabeth Church in Columbus, Ohio was a series of 14 monthly breakfast meetings and a CLP that yielded only modest results.

What was the secret? Well, simple prayer to the Holy Spirit and faithfulness.

Mina Obra: Superb Bonding yan! Building relationship with one another but most esp to HIM via the BCBPway👍👏🏼God is really good👏🏼stay safe nd Godbless your meriendacena breakfast👍👏🏼

Me: I told Baby Tabotabo, our secretariat team from BCBP Chicago, that after 14 months of the monthly sacrifice that God revealed his mercy and compassion to our efforts. She cried.

Joey Avellana: Praise God for your successful merienda-cena in Ohio.

Would be interested to get feedback on the activity…

Me: Joey, the Plan was simple. Pray to the Holy Spirit for help because, we told Him in prayer,” Lord, help us because it has been so long and we are tired. Pity your workers who had travelled from Chicago, NY, Washington DC, LA, the islands, etc and it seems the horizon is bleak. We are aliens here and what succeeds in our islands may not succeed here. So, please help.”

That was The Plan.

Now the Strategy. Stay close to the shadow of the parish… especially now that a Pilipino priest is planning to be a member of the diocesan clergy. Only the priest and the parish could really be the “true,” rallying point or center of the faithful. ( This thinking preceded the scandal that engulfs, seemingly our Church today)

So, because our target client gravitates around the parish church, why not do our “fishing,” there.

Joey Abellana: The Lord is good and He heard your cries…

Praise God!

In prayer, be sensitive to the leading of God’s Spirit; He will reveal His plan for your mission, and it will succeed, because it is His work!!!

Keep the faith, Brethren!

God is always with us!!!

Me: And so the strategy went into motion. But on the day of the Merienda, our room was still half empty. So more prayers.

Then on impulse, two brothers ( Bermoy and Boy Urgello) literally “harvested,” the waiting CFC members who had just completed their CLP and were waiting in the church ( it was pouring rain.) So, like the Lord instructed Peter to put their nets out into the deep, Boy Urgello and Bermoy brought in roughly 15 new comers to our Merienda.

Result? The largest Breakfast Group we ever had, with 15 first timers.

I told Baby Tabotabo of Chicago BCBP that finally The Lord pitied us ( “gi ka Loy-an sa Ginoo,” in Visayan, and Baby just cried

Mina Obra: ❤️🙏

Joey: Praise God!

Continue to lift up your plans in earnest prayer🙏

Call on others to join you, in prayer and in community.

God will reward your faithfulness 🙏

Me: Amen

Me: Now I can sense an energy and awareness and a humility and a sense of relief that The Lord had looked kindly on His BCBP vineyard workers and that He is blessing their work, and that God is making every worker aware that He is pleased

May Therese Almoro: Praise God! Congratulations.

Gary Grabowski: Continual belief in what is one doing and persistence pays off. Congratulations Brother @Eduardo S. Canlas on your and the rest of the BCBP efforts.

Comments:

Dr Yoyoy Serina, Long Beach: I’m tracking your activities (BCBP) like wishing I’m a part of something similar and noble. Is there a Cagayan de Oro anthem? Let me know the lyrics and score. I will stand, put my hand on my chest, remove my hat, the same way I do for the Stars and Strips. Thanks Ed. Yoyoy.