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Dear Bro. Roger and partners in the Ministry,
Greetings in the mighty name of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ, whom we serve with gladness!
I am Ruben Laoagan, married to Janish Laoagan and have two lively sons. I serve
as a pastor at Cornerstone Baptist Church, established in April, 2009, which is
located at Brgy. Cataguingtingan Rosario La Union. I am also concurrently
pastoring Cornerstone Baptist Church-Baguio City. I also oversee the church
planting ministry at Cornerstone Baptist Mission, Bayambang Pangasinan.
Indeed! Being a partner with you and your ministry in the past 4 years have been
a blessing to me, my family, the church and people from our outreaches. As an
independent pastor in the past 15 years, I am ever grateful to people who have
the heart in reaching out to the lost in the community. The partnership we have
with you enabled our church in La Union, which is primarily comprised of
indigent people, to reach out to the community and conduct a feeding program for
all the people attending our Saturday Bible Classes among the children and the
adults.
Initially, we had three outreaches where we held the Bryce Feeding Program.
Majority of those who attend the Bible classes have not had their breakfast. In
most of the families we serve, “brunch” (breakfast-lunch) is prepared by their
parents every Saturday. This is done to maximize their limited resources. Thus,
it is a great blessing that the Feeding Program was established. Children and
their parents in three areas can now have a hearty breakfast. In addition, our
young people are being trained through these classes and have signified changes
in their behavior and personality.
Even so, with the passing of time, persecution arose among the kin of the
children attending our Bible classes in one of the areas; hence, with a sad
heart, we had to close the Bible classes temporarily. It is with hope that we
comfort ourselves with the thought that the Word of God we taught them in the
past 6 months would bear fruit in due time. This coming 2018, our volunteer
teachers are eager to try again and open this area as a Bible Class outreach and
a beneficiary of our Feeding program. The children who used to attend and some
parents are now showing interest once more in attending Saturday Bible classes.
Please pray that this time, the Word of God will have free reign and the
preaching of His Word be left unhindered. At present, the number of children
served in the two outreaches as well as the Sunday School totals to 45-50
children.
We also oversee three Bryce Homes – the Agting
Family, the Gache Family and Fabros Family. First, the Agting family where our
scholar Mark Benson Agting (he is 13 years old and is currently enrolled in
First Year High School) belongs to. Being estranged from her husband, Ofelia
Agting raises her 4 kids on her own. The family is actively involved in our
church ministries. Joan Fabros , 14 years old and is currently in 2nd year High
School, serves in the choir and plays the organ during prayer meeting and Sunday
worship service during the absence of the church pianist. She, together with her
older brother, also assists in the outreaches during Saturdays, while her
mother, Noemi, helps out in cooking the food for our feeding program. Angeli
Nicole Gache, 8 years old and is in Grade Two, dropped out from the program
sometime in August because of personal reasons. However, Bryce Homes already
provided all her school supplies and a two-month supply of multivitamins before
dropping out. Bryce Homes scholars receive both food allowance, transportation
allowances, school supplies (includes notebooks, pens, bags, umbrellas, and a
monthly supply of pad papers), uniforms, multivitamins, and all other school
dues and expenses like Parents-Teachers fee, monthly security guard fee,
reproduction of test papers, scouting, school contributions and other school
activity fees for camps and seminars.
We are also grateful for the Peter Dyksman Music Memorial Program where our
youth are trained in handling musical instruments like guitar, flute, piano and
ukulele. The choir in Baguio City is also undergoing voice lessons since most of
the members are not musically-inclined. Praise God! They will render a Christmas
Cantata on December 22, 2017. This activity not only improves their skill in
singing, but it is our prayer that the Lord will use this program to attract
unbelievers in the surrounding areas of Cornerstone Baptist Church- Baguio City.
In addition, all of the students both from Rosario La Union and Baguio City
rendered the prelude during the Joint Worship Service of La Union Fundamental
Baptist Churches last October 29, 2017. The brethren from 6 churches were so
blessed, they asked us to give the prelude again on the United Worship2018. In
addition, the beneficiaries and scholars of Peter Dyksman Memorial Program also
rendered a special number at Victory Baptist Church in Baguio City during their
Missions month (October 22, 2017).
With all of these, we are more than grateful to the
people who are used of God to sustain the above-mentioned programs. Please
continue to pray that this 2018, the Lord will direct the church to the lot of
His choice. We are still looking for a lot to purchase where the church can be
established. Please pray for God’s provision as well. In addition, the workers
and volunteers of our church are under heaviness due to financial and personal
problems. Please uphold the workers in prayer that their eyes will only be
focused on what the Lord wants us to do this coming 2018. Pray for wisdom for
the church leadership, the humility to seek God’s leading in every program and
activity of the church.
In all these things, we give God all the glory!
Sincerely Yours,
Pastor Ruben C. Laoagan
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