Fear to Faith
By MAYANG
HI, THERE! Call me Mayang.
Before I joined the Light of Jesus Pastoral Care Ministry, I was not really good at communicating with other people. I simply had so low self-esteem that I terribly feared talking with people–especially about their concerns.
Thankfully, I found out about the Light of Jesus Pastoral Care Ministry. Here’s how…
Though I had low self-confidence, I’ve been blessed to have this desire to serve people in need. When I was a teenager, I used to be a missionary, evangelizing residents in communities in need, sharing with them the teachings of our Lord Jesus.
Coming from a poor family, I dreamed of landing a job, earning a regular income but at the same time, continue being a missionary.
And my dream would come true.
You see, I learned about the Light of Jesus Family and its founder, Bro. Bo Sanchez, from my cousin, Clarisse Isidro, who’s an LOJ member. Learning
I needed a job, she referred me to the Shepherd’s Voice Publications (SVP), LOJ’s spin-off media ministry.
I started as a volunteer staff in SVP’s Marketing Department in 1995. The staff warmly welcomed me, and at once, I felt Jesus in them.
Then, I became a regular employee in SVP’s Circulation Department. Yes, dream-come-true! In SVP, I received regular income. What’s best, management allowed the staff to go on community outreaches. So, I’d been able to freely continue my advocacies.
More Mercies
At SVP, I learned about the LOJ Pastoral Care Ministry, and my officemates encouraged me to serve as pastoral carer. To qualify, I took up the Basic Orientation on pastoral care.
Later, however, I had to resign from SVP. In 2000 I went through a delicate pregnancy. So, I decided to quit working to focus on my family.
In the next ten years, I gradually recovered from my ailment. So, in 2008, I decided to go back to SVP. At the time, there was no vacancy for personnel there. But there was one at SVP’s sister media ministry, the Shepherd’s Voice Radio and Television (SVRTV) Foundation.
SVRTV took me in as full-time worker for one of the ministries under its care, the Kerygma Family (now called Feast Family),
Bro. Bo’s online, borderless faith gathering, then headed by his sister, Sis. Tina Galvez (right).
While working at SVRTV and the Feast Family, I continued my Mercy advocacies.
I visited Grace To Be Born, our ministry for women in crisis, to pastor the mothers and pray over the babies.
After a few years of serving in Grace To Be Born, I shifted to our He Cares Mission for Street Children.
Together with Daryl Tamon I served at the Sinag Tala religious organization. We guided the mothers and their kids there to live a Christian life. It was a joy in my heart to serve these people who are in need of love and affection.
Every time I said goodbye to them, I saw to it to hug especially the kids.
It was my way of telling them that God loves them and that they deserve to be loved.
And the Caring Continues
Also, during my stay at SVRTV, I served as a volunteer pastoral carer at the LOJ Pastoral Care Center.
In August 2020, I had to resign from SVRTV for health reasons.
Also, 2020 was the start of the Coronavirus Disease Pandemic. At the time, my family and I were living in Cubao. To follow Pandemic quarantine protocols, we moved back to our house in Cavite.
Still, I decided to serve in Pastoral Care, to continue my service for people God called me to take care of.
Since I’ve been dealing with my clients, the Pastoral Care ministry has gradually helped me get over my fear of talking with people.
I know now how to relate and communicate with other people.
I can say that I’m happy being with my co-pastoral carers. Above right, the happy servants of the Ministry led by then Directress Sis. Ditas Español (extreme left).
Being with my co-pastoral carers is a joy because I can be myself– being transparent, with no walls. and no shame at all.
This is how God has healed me, transforming my fear into faith.
Yes, as I help people to heal of their weaknesses, I am also healed of mine. For all of us have been well blessed by the Number One Pastoral Carer of all—our Lord Jesus.
