(Eagle News) — Members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) or Church of Christ held a large blood donation drive in six areas in Hong Kong where at least 465 bags of blood were collected for the Red Cross on Monday, February 19.
At least 163,000 cubic centimeters (cc) of blood were donated by the INC volunteers in the blood donation activity held in Mong Kok, Causeway Bay, Tsuen Wan, Kwun Tong, Yuen Long, and Sha Tin that started at 11 a.m. and ended at 7 p.m.
There were even more INC members who lined up than can be accommodated as the Red Cross people had to turn away many when the cut-off time came.
Church ministers in the area led by INC District minister Brother Arnel Verceles also helped out in the event.
“There were so many who lined up willing to donate their blood,” said Brother Rojel Ferdinand Jaraza, one of the volunteers in the blood drive, who is also a Church minister.
The donated blood was given to the Hong Kong Chapter of the Red Cross.
Jaraza said that the Red Cross people were very thankful with the activity of the Church since “many people were in need of blood” at that time.
The Red Cross Hong Kong chapter said in its website that their blood inventories were running “low.”
“The blood inventories remain low, so we need to collect more blood of all types,” the Hong Kong Red Cross said in its website as it urged more volunteers to donate blood.
A few days before this, INC volunteers also held another blood donation activity in Shanghai, China.
Church members have long been conducting such blood donation drives to help those in need of life-saving blood worldwide.
Aside from this, the Church has also been conducting other programs that provide help to their fellowmen such as the “INC Aid for Humanity” or “Lingap sa Mamamayan,” “Kabayan Ko Kapatid Ko” (My Countrymen, My Brethren), and other INC Giving community activities across the globe.
The INC or Church of Christ has members from various nationalities in 142 countries. It will be celebrating its 104th anniversary on July 27 this year. This year also marked the Church’s 50th anniversary of establishing congregations beyond the Philippine borders this year.
(Eagle News Service)