As in many other places in the world, the global pandemic has pushed millions of Filipinos and their children further into poverty. But a global partner of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), The United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), has responded in creative ways not only to feed the children’s bodies but to deal with their psychosocial needs as well.
In a virtual international solidarity forum on Tuesday, the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) asked its ecumenical partners around the world to enjoin, pray and call for an independent international commission to investigate human rights violations in the Philippines.
The United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) will host an International Virtual Solidarity Forum from 8 a.m. through 10 a.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, Nov. 17.
Lucia Santos, a young Filipino marriage migrant, lost her Korean husband in their fifth year of marriage. Their two little children awoke one morning without their father at their side. She discovered that her husband had died by suicide.
Mary Jane Veloso has 26 days to provide testimony against her traffickers who are currently on trial in the Philippines. She is the last witness for the prosecution. If she successfully testifies, she may be released from prison in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. If she doesn’t, she will remain on death row, awaiting execution for a crime she did not commit.
I still remember the first words from the first church leader I met as I first arrived in Manila: “You are welcome here, but you are not needed here.” Those words, spoken with wisdom and love almost two decades ago, would go on to shape the course of my time as a Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) in the Philippines. I didn’t know it then, but that same sentiment shaped the YAV program at its inception. And it continues to guide our current vision for the program as volunteers serve around the world and witness the holy ways the Spirit is leading them.
Cathy Chang and her husband, Juan Lopez, are mission co-workers in Manila, Philippines. They help global partners such as churches and non-governmental organizations address issues of migration and human trafficking. During her visit to Grace Presbytery, Cathy spent time with members of several churches to help spread awareness of her mission work.
