Maranatha Demonstrates the True Essence of Christmas

When a heart is full of love, it will always have something to give. If this statement is true, then the folks at the Maranatha Christian Fellowship (MCF) must have hearts overflowing with love as demonstrated by their recent gift-giving activity.

On December 19, the Simbahang Pambata Ministry of MCF gave some 8,500 bundles of joy to street children and urban poor families at their church building at the Maranatha World Outreach Center on V. Gullas corner P. Burgos streets. It was on this location that the true essence of Christmas was demonstrated as ministry workers and volunteers handed out gift packs that contained simple, daily necessities such as rice, noodles and sardines to men, women and children who flocked to this local church.

The gift-giving activity has become an annual event for the Simbahang Pambata Ministry (SPM) team, as well as the street children and their families who come to receive their Christmas presents from Maranatha.

For its eleventh year of giving, the SPM was able to expand its goals and extend its borders. SPM Head Jesse Saberon said they intended to give 7,000 bundles of joy this year but ended up with more than they expected as donations came in from businessmen, students, ministry members, people who wanted keep their anonymity and people who wanted to give to their less fortunate brothers and sisters in the community.

This year's gift-giving event was also the first time local media covered Maranatha's annual activity. Broadcast journalist Leo Lastimosa and his team from the Halad sa Kapamilya TV program was on hand to witness the occasion and to air the SPM activity to thousands of ABS-CBN televiewers in Cebu and parts of the Visayan region. The media attention widens the exposure of the Simbahang Pambata Ministry beyond the four walls of the Maranatha building and way beyond the confines of Manalili Street.

The demonstration of the true essence of Christmas -- the spirit of love, giving and sharing -- has reverberated from the hearts of the folks from the Maranatha Christian Fellowship through their outreach to the urban poor. Indeed, when a heart is full of love it will always have something to give.


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a post Christmas look by Michael Anthony Machacon / photo by Ingrid Mae Codilla Tadlas