by Tyra’nell PILLE-LU
EBC Japan Correspondent
TOKYO, Japan (Eagle News) – Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) in Japan are grateful to the Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ) for the tangible and intangible blessings they received during the Aid for OFW and Humanity event the church organized at Hilton Hotel in Odaiba, Tokyo on Sunday, the 2nd of June.
With huge smiles evident on the attendees’ faces, some guests said the event has cheered them up and comforted them from the loneliness and homesickness they have felt living away from their family and friends in the Philippines.
One of them is even feeling emotional as she thanked the Church for inviting her to an event where she got to see, meet and mingle with so many Filipinos, curing the loneliness she felt.
Invited Filipino guests — Jovelyn Petalcorin and Nove Felina Lumayno — who have just been in Japan for only three weeks told Eagle News how thankful they were to the INC for being invited.
“So thankful and blessed… lalo na po sa words ni God (especially with God’s words), nafulfill o na ano ung emptiness (it has fulfilled or eased the emptiness I felt)… Bago pa po kasi ako sa Japan, so homesick pa… (I’m still new here in Japan so I’m still feeling homesick),” Petalcorin, said when asked how she felt after the event.
“It’s my first time to join such event… and so happy to see many Filipinos gathering. Sobrang blessed po ako (I am so blessed),” Lumayno further added.
In the event, the Philippine-grown church distributed food, drinks, and giveaways in paper bags filled with goodies, treats and simply daily commodities to all their invited guests, regardless of their nationalities. Some of those who received the goods expressed their gratitude as the items they got were just what they needed.
“Unexpectedly, yung nasa loob (of the giveaway bags) ay sobrang useful sa bahay (these inside the giveaway bag are very useful at home),” Lumayno said. “Actually, lahat ng mga kulang ko sa bahay andito (all the necessities I lack at home are here),” she added with a happy smile as she looked at the contents inside the giveaway bag.
Many invited guests even posted on their social media accounts, their comments, and reactions of the gathering, along with their photos in the event.
William Chan, an OFW guest living in Chiba, said on his post, “Thanx much Iglesia ni Cristo for having me. It was such an honor & privilege (thumb up emoji) to grace this big event with no less than the overall mentor of Iglesia (ni Cristo), Brother Eduardo V. Manalo (applause emoji). Mabuhay Po ang Iglesia ni Cristo Japan (long live the Iglesia ni Cristo Japan).”
After the giving of goods, there was also entertainment where few Filipino celebrities shared their talents and performed for all the attendees.
But aside from the tangible things they got, guests are also thankful for the intangible gifts they acquired — the words of God from the Bible or the inspiring words — during the worship service that was officiated by no other than the INC’s Executive Minister, Bro. Eduardo V. Manalo who traveled all the way from the Philippines to visit the church’s members in Japan. Hence, the event has become such a memorable one not only for the invited guests but most especially for all the INC members in Japan who considered such day as a great blessing for them.
TAGALOG TRANSLATION:
Translated by Dennis John ONG-LU
EBC Japan Correspondent
Malugod na nagpapasalamat sa Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) ang mga Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) dito sa Japan dahil sa mga natanggap nilang mga regalong material at pang-spiritual sa inilunsad nitong “Aid for OFW & Humanity” noong Linggo, Hunyo 2 sa Hilton Hotel sa Odaiba Tokyo, Japan.
Kitang-kita ang bakas ng kasayahan sa mga ngiti ng mga nagsidalong panauhin. Ang ilan sa mga bisita ay nagpahayag ng kanilang damdamin at nagsabing naibsan ang kanilang kalungkutan dulot ng homesickness dala ng kalayuan nila sa mga mahal sa buhay at mga kaibigan sa Pilipinas.
Naging emosyonal pang nagsalita ang isang panauhin habang nagpahayag ng kanyang pasasalamat sa pagka-imbita sa kaniya ng INC na dumalo sa kilusang ito kung saan madaming Pilipino ang kaniyang nakasama at nakaniig na nakatuling mapawi ang kaniyang labis na pagkalungkot.
Sina Jovelyn Petalcorin at Nove Felina Lumayno, na ilan lamang sa naimbitahan sa okasyong ito, ay kararating lang sa Japan, tatlong Linggo ang nakaraan. Kanilang binanggit sa Eagle News ang kanilang buong pusong pagpapasalamat dahil sa mga nag-imbita sa kanila. Mabiyayang araw na sila ay nakapakinig ng mga aral na itinuturo sa INC.
“Bago pa po kasi ako sa Japan, so homesick pa…” ang mensahe ni Petalcorin noong siya ay tinanong kung ano ang karanasan niya pagkatapos ng event.
“Ngayon lamang ako nakadalo sa ganitong okasyon kaya ako’y maligayang makita ang maraming Pilipinong magkakasama,” banggit naman ni Lumayno. “Sobrang blessed po ako.”
Sa event na’to, namigay ang INC ng mga pagkain, inumin at mga iba’t-ibang kagamitan sa lahat ng mga dumalo, iba’t-iba man ang lahi nila. Ngiti at saya ang pasasalamat ng iba dahil sa ang mga kailangan nila ang kanilang natanggap.
“Unexpectedly, ung nasa loob (ng giveaway bags) ay sobrang useful sa bahay,” banggit ni Lumayno. “Actually lahat ng mga kulang ko sa bahay andito,” masayang sabi niya habang tinitingnan ang laman ng bag.
Marami din ang nag-sipag-post sa kanilang social media accounts, mga komento at reaksion ukol dito, kasama ang mga larawan nila habang nasa event.
Sa post ni William “Obing” Quirante sa kaniyang Facebook, isang bisitang OFW mula sa Chiba, narito ang kaniyang pahayag:
“Thanx much Iglesia ni Cristo for having me. It was such an honor & privilege (thumb up emoji) to grace this big event with no less than the overall mentor of Iglesia (ni Cristo), Brother Eduardo V. Manalo (applause emoji). Mabuhay Po ang Iglesia ni Cristo Japan (long live the Iglesia ni Cristo Japan).”
Pagkatapos mamigay ng mga goods, nagkaroon ng entertainment na tampok ang mga Filipino celebrities na nagbigay harana sa mga bisita at mga panauhin. Puno ng kasiyahan at nabusog ang lahat ng manonood.
Higit sa lahat ay ng pasasalamat ang mga dumalo dahil sa sila’y nakapakinig ng mga aral ng Dios na pinangunahan ng Tagapamahalang Pangkalahatan ng INC, Bro Eduardo V. Manalo na bumiyahe pa galing sa Pilipinas madalaw lang ang mga kaanib nito sa Japan.
At higit sa lahat, naging makabuluhan hindi lamang sa mga panauhin ang okasyong ito, kun’di lalong lalo na’t sa mga miyembro ng INC kung saan ay kanilang itinuturing na malaking biyaya ang araw na ito para sa kanilang espiritual na pamumuhay.
