God’s Word cleanses hearts and minds in the Philippines

Guiguinto Pastors’ Association volunteers distributing ‘Light to the Home’ Bibles. Photo: Philippine BS (PHI06DJ-26JPG)

PHILIPPINES — Among the most recent beneficiaries of the Philippine Bible Society’s thriving Ilaw sa Tahan (‘Light to the Home’) program are the residents of Northville 7 relocation site in Barangay Malis. Here, some 200 volunteers from local churches distributed Bibles in September to each of the 1,700 families who have been relocated under the government’s policy of moving people from impoverished urban areas to new housing communities.

Barangay (the smallest local government unit in the Philippines, similar to a village) Malis is located in Guiguinto, in the northern province of Bulacan. It is the 14th place in which the Bible Society collaborated with local churches to distribute its special Light to the Home Bibles, which contain both the easily understandable Tagalog Popular Version text and articles about family and community issues, in 2006.

Before the distribution took place, the Rev Roly de los Santos, adviser to the Guiguinto Pastors’ Association, shared his vision for the relocation site once its residents had received God’s Word.

Two girls engrossed in colouring books distributed by the Philippine Bible Society Photo: Philippine BS (PHI06DJ-27JPG)

“From Barangay Malis, this community will surely become a ‘barangay malinis’ (‘a clean barangay’) because of the changes the Gospel will bring into the lives of the residents here. Their hearts and minds will be cleansed by God’s Word.”

After a successful distribution, Bible Society Communications Development Manager Juliet Jimeno highlighted how God had guided and supported the distribution team.

“It was God who made all of this possible,” she said. “The rain did not come. He paved the way for us to collaborate with the local churches here in Barangay Malis. The people welcomed his Word with joy in their hearts.”

As they left Barangay Malis, the Bible Society Light to the Home team were already planning its next trip. This would be in the Southville relocation site in Cabuyao, Laguna, where 4,000 Bibles would be distributed.

Previous articles about this program can be found in World Report 379/4, 381/8, 384/4, 388/21, 389/30, 393/6 and 397/27.

(WR 407/3 - 12.06) [3 photos]