WHAT A DAY! WHAT A TEAM!

At the debriefing this evening, here were some of the reports that were very encouraging according to the team leaders.

1. RECEIVING TEAM (Tonie Aguilar)

“It was encouraging how God provided. There were moments when we were running out of canned goods and then someone tells us that carts of boxes are coming in filled with sardines. One time, we were low on supply of bottled water then 100 boxes would arrive.”

2. TRANSPORT (Emil Abello)

“People would walk in and volunteer their 4 x 4’s. They weren’t even from Victory or didn’t know anyone from Victory. It was cool how God would provide transportation. They wouldn’t even let us pay for the gasoline. They said, it was part of what they volunteered.”

3. DELIVERY (Miko Tangco)

“We were able to deliver relief packs to 12 areas which would include Taguig, Pasig, Caloocan, Quezon City, Marikina, Taytay, Cainta, Taytay… Since we had 376 volunteers, we were able to easily go in, drop the goods and go to the next area.”

4. VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT (Patrick Mercado)

“Ok naman kami…We were able to systematize the volunteer management. Since we had lots who came, we divided the time into one hour chunks. They would come in and sign up in the time they’d like to volunteer. This way, everyone had an opportunity to help out.”

5. PRAYER (Jonathan Camcam)

“This became the power source and lifeline of the whole relief ops. We were so inspired to keep praying and worshipping because we would get reports that when supplies were low, God would pull through with His provision. Glory!!!”

6. COMMUNICATIONS (Ramir Mallari)

“We had our volunteers in the communications department also out on the field. Many of them were our volunteer photographers who documented the delivery so that we can properly appreciate and thank all who donated.”

7. RELEASING (Elain Ojeda)

“We were able to deploy 10 teams. At the end of the day, we were able to release and deliver 6130 relief packs, not including the few hundreds that were picked up by the Taytay team.”

8. STORAGE/NON-FOOD ITEMS (Weena Tusoy)

“We had a family who apologized and said that they couldn’t come earlier to donate. The reason they couldn’t come earlier was because their house too was flooded. After they were able to leave their house, they went straight to Every Nation building to donate. It’s amazing that they didn’t think about themselves first but the others whom they could help.”

9. ADMIN SUPPORT (Mae Perez)

“People have been generously been donating even online and through cash gifts. God continues to provide. I also stepped in the Worship and Prayer room and I wasn’t even there 2 minutes and I was already in tears because the presence of God was so thick.”

The testimonies go on and on and on and on and on. This post won’t be enough to tell you all that God has done.

To the rest of the team, you know who you are. Thank you thank you thank you.

To Mark Tusoy who had an egg eating contest with some of the volunteers on the side, that was insanely funny.

Our job’s not done but I know that with God’s grace, we will be able to continue what we’ve started.

Oh, one last thing, to our Operations Coordinator, Dennis Isleta, who has been ever so tireless, hardworking and organized … bro, YOU ARE THE MAN!!! Grabe ka. Astig na, angat pa.

AN IMPORTANT RELIEF OPS TEAM

As the relief operations goes in full swing, we divided the staff and volunteers of Victory Fort into teams – Admin, Receiving, Storage, Repacking, Transport, Delivery, Volunteer Management, Benevolence, Releasing.

But equally important as those teams is this one critical group – prayer team.

This has been a power source and have become a lifeline for the teams.  Worship and prayer went on pretty much the whole day starting at 9am.

Tonie, our lead campus minister at Spark, shared during our debriefing in the evening that when the supplies would start to run low, just in time, someone will donate. When our bottled water were running low, then someone comes with boxes of it. When canned goods supply were running low, then a family comes with boxes of it.  It was really a sight to see.

Then this morning, we were just wishing for some pandesal because many haven’t had breakfast yet, then BOOM!!! … someone comes with 4 bags of Pan de Manila.  GOD IS GOOOOOOOOD!!!

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking,
and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.
(Matthew 7:7, NLT) 

TULONG PINOY

In the last 24 hours, Metro Manila and its neighboring cities have been affected by heavy rains causing the overflow of dams resulting in massive evacuations in low-lying communities. Thousands of families have been displaced and are in need of basic goods and medical attention.

We invite you to join us at Victory as we begin relief efforts for those affected by the floods and heavy rains over Metro Manila.

More details here.