All Glory to God!

After much prayer, the long wait is over. God intervened in a scale never before experienced by our local outreach here in Gensan, and so convincing was the powerful move of God that we could not help but just stand amazed in awe of His grace. The burden for the Ministry Center was first conceived in 2004 in our first
congregational prayer and fasting. The petition was rather simple and specific; that God in His grace would provide a property for the church somewhere in the suburb district of this growing city. There was no concrete plan for the building yet, just an acquisition of a property. Looking at Living Word-Gensan, this posed a great leap of faith. The congregation back then was relatively smaller than today, it had no savings and 90% of its members are government employees.

The church were challenged to raise up money and began scouting for a property in the city's suburb districts. Months after in 2005, it has raised up around 40,000 pesos practically out of nothing as a down payment for a property which we all do not know where to buy and when to buy. In the 2005 Pastoral Convention held at the Prayer Mountain, we heard the challenge of our elders regarding support for the on-going Ministry Center project in the central church as well as the medical help needed by Bro. Jesse Reguero, who was then suffering with Hepatitis C. Our local leaders after much prayer and conviction decided to give the amount set aside for the acquisition of property to the Cebu building project and to help Bro. Jesse Reguero.

It has been said that, we cannot out give God and that God's timing is perfect timing, so in 2007 after almost two years of just patiently waiting for the answer of God; a newlyconverted couple, in another congregational
prayer and fasting decided to 'donate' a property in the suburb district of San Isidro, this city. When we visited the place, they offered the other two adjacent lots for a very generous term without interests for 10 years! Suddenly LWCC Gensan found itself owning 857 sq meter property in the rapidly developing suburb of
Matatag, San Isidro where most of the housing developments of Gensan is located! It was God's answer to our prayer!

In 2007 LWCC began paying the monthly amortization for the two lots that were sold to us (the other one being donated), although the owners of the property gave us a 'pay when you are able' of fer, we decided to pay it promptly and monthly. By faith Living Word Gensan embarked into a costly endeavor, without any savings to start with, without any foreign support or whatsoever and adhering to non-solicitation and not to accept financial help from unbelievers (of which many were offering help).

We raised up funds inside the church voluntarily albeit slowly. By the end of 2009 around 250,000 pesos had been given to the project, this for down payment, monthly amortization and some expedient minor constructions in the area. Then suddenly funds dried up and the momentum waned, the church began to feel the financial stress and the project was far from being completed. The main building has not even began construction. The church continually beg God's mercy and God who is graciously good had proven time and
again that LWCC Gensan is His work! Two believing couples who are engaged in construction business learned of the project and began telling us their personal burden to help financially. At first we did not entertain
the offer but they continually pressed on. What happened next was a formal meeting between our local Diaconate and the two couples, to which they offer to sub-contract the main building in a 'build now, pay later' plan, with the other couple acting as a guarantor for LWCC Gensan.

It was an 'all-in' offer which LWCC Gensan will pay for 5 years and with a very minimal interest rate (at first they offer 0% interest, but it was Gensan who offered to give an interest). The main building will start construction next month and might be completed God-willing in 40-60 days. Said building will include a 200-seater Sanctuary (fellowship hall), 50-seater B-Hive ('B' stands for 'Bible'; function room), Shepherd's Post (Pastor's Office/Library), Powerhouse (prayer room) and the Asaph Room (technical room).
Various aspects like equipments, interior design, exterior finishing as well as landscape will be dealt in later. The church now focuses on the immediate need of transferring the Sunday fellowship and major ministries to the place which we dubbed as the Logos Point.

That's not the end of it, When God gives, He really gives! Last September 2009, the same couple fully donated another 1,000 sq meter scenic property in Conel overlooking the majestic Mt. Matutum and the historic Nopol Hills of Gensan. Since then our quarterly prayer and fasting are being held in the place, which
we formally dedicated as the Kratos Point last December. This will be the future LWCC Gensan's prayer campsite. Hallelujah!