Winnipeg – INC Giving Project

Welcoming Refugees from DR Congo

Imagine living a life where your freedom and sense of security is taken away from you. There are many refugee families that have experienced much suffering and turmoil because of the wars that have been happening in The Democratic Republic of Congo. Due to the violence, many were forced to leave and relocate to refugee camps in Uganda.

Finding better opportunities in Canada

Many of those refugee families were fortunate enough to move to Canada to find better opportunities and a safe haven from struggles they experienced back in their home country. However, with this sudden transition come many challenges, such as learning new languages, adjusting to the climate, and dealing with culture shock. Indeed, it is very difficult to establish a new life but some took the risk for the sake of the future of their family.

Upon learning this, INCGiving volunteers decided to make this transition a little easier for these families by holding an INCGiving Outreach Program.

Creating a new community

INCGiving Volunteers, Fey and Dan Aviles, who have a friendly relationship with one of the families from Congo, stated that, “As I got to know her, and their family, I found them as religious people. That’s when we started to invite them to attend our bible studies. They are very involved during the preaching of the words of God.”

Much to their surprise, they consistently showed their interest in the words of God and continued to bring their whole household to hear the doctrines of the Church of Christ.

Realizing that many more refugees have recently arrived in Canada, this sparked an idea by the members in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, to conduct an Outreach Program.

Weeks before the Outreach event, the INCGiving volunteers gathered donations given by the brethren of the Local Congregation of Winnipeg South and Central Canada Region. They prepared relief bags; which contained non-perishable foods, such as canned foods and personal hygiene items. The volunteers also prepared clothes; especially ones that were suitable for the extreme weather conditions in Canada.

Faida Mbwiriza, who has been attending Bible studies invited many of her fellow countrymen was happy to see how welcoming all the volunteers were. When asked about those who she invited, Faida stated, “They liked the people here. And said they liked being here and really liked the people. I was happy to hear that too!”

Due to the current affairs happening throughout the globe, the members of the Church Of Christ have displayed an immense amount of effort in giving back to their community through the INC Giving Project. The INC Giving Outreach Program will continue to provide a lending hand to those in dire need.

In such a diverse community such as Canada’s, members of the Church of Christ stand as a whole in helping others despite cultural barriers.

Contributed by: Denisse Roque, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Love For Our Teachers

It’s June and the school year was almost over. As many youngsters and students were already thinking of their summer plans and eagerly anticipating the upcoming months of sleepovers, no homework, and fun in the sun, it’s easy to overlook the staff and teachers who took care of our children for the last ten months. However, this was not the case for the Church of Christ, Iglesia Ni Cristo, in Winnipeg, Ecclesiastical District of Central Canada. Church members organized a Teacher’s Appreciation Day for the teachers, workers and school trustees for the different school divisions in Metro Winnipeg.

This was the very first event of its kind in this Region. And members from the Winnipeg congregations were eager to show their love and appreciation to the school teachers in attendance.

“Teachers were very important to me because they’ve allowed me to really change my community and help me shape my identity in a way where I can contribute,” says Renato Mamucud, from the Local Congregation of Winnipeg South who graduated with a Law degree from The University of Manitoba. “Teachers are one of the few kinds of people that kids see every day, that is a positive influence.”

The event featured food and entertainment, including musical performances by the children and youth of the local congregations of Winnipeg. Certificates and flowers were also given to the many teachers in attendance to show the heartfelt appreciation and gratitude the brethren had for them.

“It was just such a pleasure to be here! Just the fact that the kids wanted to include us in the event, it’s just very humbling!” says Lauree Kopetsky, a high school teacher from St. James Collegiate in Winnipeg.

When asked about his experience at the event, high school teacher Steve Halbert responded: “To be part of this was just very flattering, greatly appreciated. We had so many kids that come from families that are members of the Church. We are just very happy to be part of the festivities!”

Contributed by: Jeb Javier, Winnipeg, Canada

Sprucing Up for Earth Day

On this year’s Earth Day, members of the Church Of Christ from the newly established Ecclesiastical District of Central Canada joined their fellowmen in showing their love for God’s gift of nature by conducting a community clean up.

Despite the cold weather, about 400 volunteers from the local congregations of the Manitoba and Saskatchewan region gathered in their designated areas early in the morning to show their unity with this project launched by the Church Administration. As a way of acknowledging this cause, the government provided Earth Day awareness shirts to the volunteers.

The activity began with an opening prayer to ask for God’s guidance throughout the course of the event. Soon after the prayer was finished, brethren were give maps and a few reminders about their respective city’s guidelines for garbage and recycling before hitting the streets.

Carrying their cleaning tools and happy faces, children and adults, together with their loved ones and friends, scattered throughout the streets, public parks, sidewalks, and all the areas their city government requested assistance in.

They also took this wonderful opportunity to share their faith by giving out God’s Message magazines, INC Media cards, and invitations for the upcoming Evangelical Mission.

Their desire to follow one of our Lord’s commandments – to love our neighbors – moved their hearts to help their fellowmen in keeping their respective communities clean and presentable in the sight of God. Activities like this also help parents and children to strengthen their ties as Christian families inside the Church. Most of all, these kind acts of giving show our love for and strong unity with our Almighty God because this is the manifestation of His continuing guidance to the Church Administration.

Contributed by: Sis. Christine Daquial, Bro. Frederick Perey, & Bro. Jan Bernard Javier, Winnipeg, Canada