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| Ceremonially breaking the ground (left to right): Pastor Reinard Manahan, special projects manager at the Wholistic Transformation Resource Center; multi-awarded Filipino scientist Dr. Bonifacio Comandante Jr ; former Allied Banker Mr. Leonso Pe, husband of Kaibigan Ministry Inc. (KMI) trustee Julie Pe; Zaldy Lugay, head of Kaibigang Maaasahan Multipurpose Cooperative Construction Services; Angel Diel of KMI; Ariston Balala, general manager of Kawanggawa Primary Multi-purpose Cooperative and Rachel Baguilat of CCT's Business Development Services unit. |
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| Rosemarie Abaya of the Cabanatuan City agriculture and livelihood management office, representing Cabanatuan Mayor Jay Vergara, lowers into the ground a time capsule containing a Bible, a copy of the vision and mission of the Kaibigan Ministry, a copy of the ground breaking ceremony program, and a blueprint of the site development plan. Looking on is KMI president Ruth Callanta. |
Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija – A groundbreaking ceremony for
the Lupang Pangako project of the Center for Community Transformation (CCT)
Kaibigan Ministry Inc. (KMI) was held here on May 10, 2014. The housing development project benefits transformed
former street dwellers being served by KMI.
KMI President Ruth Callanta said Lupang Pangako is the
beginning of the fulfillment of the vision in Isaiah 65:21 and 24: “They will
build houses and live there. They will plant vineyards and eat fruit from them.
Before they call, I will answer. While they're still speaking, I will hear.”
Pioneer beneficiaries of the project are five couples who
used to live on the streets of Manila, who expressed interest in doing
agricultural work, and who have lived in one of the Kaibigan villages in Cabanatuan for more than a year. "Matagal-tagal din po namin pinangarap ang magkaroon ng sariling bahay," said Edwin Agcopra who was a street dweller from his youth. "Maraming salamat sa Panginoon!" (I thank the Lord for this! Owning a house we can call our own is a long-held dream.)
The project site is Kaibigan Village 7 in Kalikid,
Cabanatuan City where the five couples and their children will be allocated 1,000
square meter lots per family for housing and livelihood. They will pay for the lot on easy terms and will be assisted in building their houses by the Kaibigang Maaasahan Multipurpose Cooperative construction services.
“Someday this place will be filled with green trees, and
people who live here will themselves eat the fruit of trees they planted,” Ruth
Callanta said. “Most importantly, they will have a good relationship with God
and with one another.”
She reminded the beneficiaries and guests gathered for the
event that businesses will eventually rise on the site and will be sources of
income provided by God. “But the
question is, will we be faithful to God for the long-term? Are we willing to work with our hands to
bring this vision to fulfillment?” she
asked.
KMI ministers to street dwellers initially through evangelistic
Bible studies and a feeding program held on the streets. Follow up programs to help transition them back to mainstream society include skills training, education, job placement and enterprise development intertwined with discipleship and spiritual
development.
Mrs. Callanta explained that the Kaibigan Ministry now owns a
total of 23 non-contiguous hectares of land in Cabanatuan City, beginning with
a one hectare piece of land donated several years earlier. All these will eventually be developed into projects and structures for the benefit of former street dwellers, she said.
Pastor Seymour Meman, CCT spiritual development worker for
the provinces of Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan said in his dedication message: “All
the earth belongs to God. This community will be a God-fearing community. People
in the surrounding areas will see the difference in the lives of the members of
this community.”
