IP’s in Coro Received Christmas Gifts

The Mamanwa Tribe is the group of ( IP’s) Indigenous People living in a sitio of Coro, a place which is about 5 kilometers from the municipality of Jabonga, Agusan del Norte.
Last December 2010, a group from Northeastern Mindanao Mission made a surprise visit to the place with their vehicle loaded with Christmas gifts packed in colored cellophanes for individual family. The group was headed by President Pastor Solomon V. Mongaya . With him are some directors Mrs. Leonor Mongaya, the Family Life Director, the ACS coordinator Pastor Jerson Arellano with his wife Merlyn, the Gospel outreach Missionaries Mr.& Mrs. Perfecto Tecson , Mrs. Elizabeth Medina, sister of the president and some brethren from Jabonga. This Mamanwa tribe has just been visited by the missionaries prior to the gift distribution. They were very much welcomed by the tribe there while staying in their place for quite a time. So to support the program of the missionaries , our Mission ACS coordinator Pr. Arellano proposed to the president of the gift-giving which he thought can make the tribe feel the love of Christ through this humanitarian endeavor. The support was taken from the remaining budget of the Adventist community Services (ACS) Fund for 2010 with the additional budget coming from the Mission Treasury. Two hundred eighty-five families (285) were the lucky recipients of the Christmas gifts.The Mamanwas really were very much thankful for the blessings they never have expected in their whole life. All of them rejoiced expressing their gratitude in addition to their glad and joyful heart. They said that the Seventh- Day Adventists Church was the first religious group to have given gifts to them on Christmas which they really appreciated very much..At this time, we hope that we can fulfill our mission to have the Everlasting Gospel be penetrated to the indigenous people throughout the Caraga Region.
Our missionaries there are very enthusiastic to be able to build up an indigenous seventh-day Adventist Church in that territory for they were able to acquire a lot from the municipal government for this sacred purpose. It needs our fervent prayer .
May God bless these people and our brethren there.