February 16 - 28, 2019
PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY
21
ANCOP CANADA CELEBRATES
GOD’S LOVE WITH
A PHILIPPINE CELEBRATION
TOUR
To celebrate God’s love, ANCOP
Canada gathered members of
Couples for Christ (CFC) all around
Canada for its first-ever “ANCOP
Canada Celebration Tour,” where
they visited several ANCOP sites
in the Philippines which they
sponsored. This allowed them to
see for themselves the fruits of their
labor from their donations and
volunteering to the organization.
The tour started on January 22,
and ended January 27 on CFC
Mission Core Retreat at Baguio
City.
Together with 35 participants,
composed of CFC couples and
HOLD members from different
states in Canada, they started
the first day at PAR 2 Homes at
Moonwalk, Parañaque City, where
students from Toronto Catholic
District School Board (TCDSB)
recently held their build activity.
They went to see the progress of
the site, which is in partnership
with Parañaque Rotary Homes, as
well as checking the people living
in the area which are the prospect
home partners. They then went to
Fr. Hofstee-PCCF Community at
Caloocan, where they held a short
program with sharing of stories from
the home partners of how thankful
they are and how much their lives
were changed because of this
housing project. The last site they
visited for Day 1 is the San Miguel
Ville at Brgy. Santulan, Malabon
City. A program to welcome the
participants were held, attended
also by the representative of this
site’s partner donors, the Diocese
of Kalookan, EMME Foundation,
and the Local Government Unit of
Malabon.
After spending the night at
Bulacan, they also made a visit at
the Starville-Tony Vickar Village at
Baliwag, Bulacan. They attended
the Groundbreaking of its Phase 2,
together with ANCOP USA and the
Local Government Unit of Baliwag
which are the major donors for the
project. The participants really felt
the hospitality of the people, as
they were welcomed with festive
dances and delicious lunch at
the Mayor’s residence. After this,
they proceeded to meet the home
partners at ANCOP Vancouver
Homes at Paniqui, Tarlac. They
had some time to go around the
village, and later on shared some
food and stories with a Fellowship
Night with the villagers. Later that
night, several participants spent
the night on some of the home
partner’s houses to immerse to
their lives.
The next day at Tarlac started
with a Holy Mass then followed by
a Turn-over Ceremony of 11 new
houses to its respective owners.
The houses were blessed after the
mass. It was truly a beautiful sight
to see the new home partners get
a hold of their new homes, giving
them new hope for their families.
Their stay in the site was short but
sweet, witnessing the grace of the
Lord unfold to our poor brothers and
sisters. They later on proceeded to
Bayambang, Pangasinan to witness
once again a Turnover Ceremony
for the first ten finished houses
in CFC ANCOP-Calgary-Mojares-
KKSBF-Bayambang Community.
The program was attended with
the key donors, including ANCOP
Canada,
Bayambang
Local
Government Unit, and Kasama
Kita sa Barangay Foundation Inc,
while CFC Pangasinan is well-
represented as well. The new
home partners are truly grateful
to the great act of kindness of the
donors with their beautiful homes
on a beautiful community. The rest
of the houses are set to be finished
on March 2019.
After all their site visits, they
now proceeded for a Fellowship
WWW.PHILIPPINEASIANNEWSTODAY.COM
Night at Malasiqui, Pangasinan
then attended CFC MC Retreat at
Baguio City, marking the end of
the ANCOP Celebration Tour.
Bro. Ricky Cuenca, ANCOP
Canada
President,
always
highlighted to the home partners
that they too, are grateful for all
these things. He told them that
most of the donors from Canada
are striving hard just to gather funds
in supporting ANCOP programs
and projects. He reminded them to
take care of these things, as these
are also fruits of hard work of their
brethren in Canada who do their
best as part of their service to God.
As for the participants, they are now
much more eager to help our poor
brothers and sisters, as they saw
joy in having a heart for the poor.
(CFC ANCOP Communications /
pmb; Photos by Patria Ballilia))