Last December, my husband Servais and I hopped over to Singapore from Manila to see Vassula and hear the latest, and share with her the different happenings in the Philippines. Accompanied by TLIG Scotland’s Carol Chamberlain, Vassula stopped in Singapore for a few days, enroute home to Greece from Nepal where she had been invited for the first time to bring True Life in God to Catholics, Protestants, Hindus, Buddhists, and Muslims in audiences there. We were enthusiastic to update Vassula on the situation of True Life in God in the Philippines, telling her about TLIG Philippines Association’s dynamic Evangelization projects and our success in raising funds to support them, showing her the TLIG Philippines Anniversary Magazine.
|
Vassula was quite impressed at the initiative TLIG Philippines took in their creative efforts to evangelize and raise funds, and requested us to share them with our TLIG Family worldwide. We then resolved to write this article to be posted in the TLIG International Website for everyone to read. The following day, we were overjoyed and in awe to hear that out of Vassula’s mouth came a Message from the Lord for the Filipinos! It was short and direct, and the confirmation of the mission given by the Lord to every Filipino:
„They are My channels to Me“
(Singapore, Dec. 19 ’08 – Message given to Vassula for the Filipinos)Filipinos today are to be encountered in nearly every major city and in every continent of the world. Due to the difficult economic situation back home, the majority of them have chosen to seek their fortunes in Asia, America, the Middle East, and Europe employed as medical doctors, nurses, aids, construction engineers and workers, IT programmers and specialists, seamen, entertainers, and domestic helpers. Millions of Filipinos, specifically OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) have been dispersed in the world, bringing the empty churches in the West back to life by filling them and being of service. Many in some places are persecuted and unable to openly practice their faith, but nevertheless persevere. This exodus and migration of Filipinos all over is a phenomenon we believe is orchestrated by God, it is part of the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Vassula recalls that Fr. Michael O’Carroll, her spiritual counselor at the beginning of her mission, had already then recognized the role Filipinos played in our era. They are God’s instruments to bring His Word to those who do not know Him and who have forgotten Him. The Lord’s Message given to Vassula for us last December 19 is a confirmation of the Filipinos’ mission today, as they humbly and for many, unconsciously take up their positions in Heaven’s brigade of „Apostles of the End Times.“
Vassula in the Philippines
Vassula has been to the Philippines on 8 occasions since her first visit in 1991. She has spoken in meetings all over the country, to audiences ranging from 300 people to 400,000. The Messages of True Life in God have found their way to the 3 main islands of this archipelago lying between the China Sea and the Pacific Ocean: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. In this staunchly Catholic country, the only Christian country in Southeast Asia, the response to the Messages has always been enthusiastic because Filipinos are generally open and sensitive to the workings of the Holy Spirit. Any oppositions to the authenticity of the Messages are being dealt with and are slowly being overcome by the good fruit of countless conversions, the charitable activities of readers who have been touched, and the untiring work of the True Life in God Philippines Association to continually update the Church hierarchy.
True Life in God Philippines Association – „The Writing on the Wall“
Founded immediately after Vassula’s visit in 1997, the TLIG Association in the Philippines organized itself to publish and translate the Messages to the different Filipino dialects to be able to bring them to the grassroots. From 1 TLIG Prayer Group in 1997, over 20 are now scattered all over the islands, diffusing the books, forming new Prayer Groups, and establishing TLIG Beth Myriams. The Messages have taken root in our country whose mission it is to evangelize and pray for the conversion of the world to the love of God and Christian values.
|
In 1998, Vassula returned to the Philippines for a series of Meetings, and to deliver a Message to us from the Lord through His Handwriting on the wall of our fledgling TLIG Association’s Office – „I bless you all, I Jesus love you.“ What a grace our country received that day! These words have rung through our minds and hearts ever since, and are our deepest source of inspiration. Infinitely thankful and totally aware, we continue our work, for we know to whom much is given, much is expected…
TLIG Phils. Association’s goal – „TLIG Bk. 1 for every Filipino“
Last year, the True Life in God Philippines Association met and resolved to simplify its task by going down to the basic reason for its existence, which is to diffuse the Messages of True Life in God. After some brainstorming, the members were unanimously inspired to set their main objective and take on the supreme challenge: to place TLIG Book 1 in the hands of every Filipino on this earth!
It is quite an ambitious goal to supply more than 80 million people with Book 1 of the Messages…and whenever we are faced with this daunting challenge, we bravely reassure each other by recalling the words from Scripture – „..with God nothing is impossible!“ This monumental task entails translation and publication of the books in the different Filipino dialects, spreading the Messages to Christians and non-christians in the different regions of these 7,000 islands as well as in the many Filipino communities abroad, and the raising of the necessary funds to achieve all this.
We have an enthusiastic group of Filipino men and women in our TLIG Association. Cora and Raymond have faithfully manned the Association HQ since it was formed in 1997. Their work is translating and publishing the books, preparing TLIG materials for Meetings and Retreats, and coordinating with the local TLIG Chapters and the Associations worldwide. Fr. Richie Santos, SDB has been the Association’s Spiritual Director from the start, and the Evangelizer along with Ronnie, Beni, Celia, Marivic, Francis, Mica, Dr. de Laza, and others in the TLIG Prayer Groups, Prison & Hospital Ministries, and the TLIG Beth Myriams. Many are currently involved in a monthly TLIG Evangelization Course based on Vassula’s 27 Questions to raise the much needed TLIG Witnesses.
The preliminary steps are being taken to enable us to go out and share with others what we have freely received. We all attribute the change for the better in ourselves and in our lives to the gift we have been given in the Messages of True Life in God. This is what binds us together, Unity starts here!
TLIG Fundraising Activity – „A Christmas Carol“
We decided there was a need to start raising funds… The idea came up to celebrate TLIG’s 23rd anniversary in Manila by sponsoring the November 30th matinee performance of the stage production of the musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ „A Christmas Carol.“ This well known tale of a miser’s realization of life’s true meaning, and his conversion gave the ideal focus to our event at the start of the Advent season.
|
|
|
|
This was also the perfect training ground for the whole TLIG Philippines to cooperate in a project to evangelize and raise funds. Our efforts involved the following.:
- Raising the money to buy the „Christmas Carol“ Stage Production package for one afternoon by selling 800 tickets and promoting the project among our circles.
- Publishing a TLIG anniversary magazine for Evangelization purposes containing articles on TLIG Philippines Association’s activities in Prisons and Hospitals, Prayer Group schedules, Testimonies, Beth Myriams, the International Ecumenical Pilgrimages, Vassula’s visit to the Philippines, etc. There were several pages with articles contributed by some TLIG Associations abroad about their own TLIG activities and Prayer Groups. The magazine also contained letters of support from the President of the Philippines, Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the Mayor of the City of Manila, and His Excellency, Archbishop Ramon Arguelles.
- Soliciting donations from local sponsors and selling advertising space in our magazine to finance the publication of this effective tool to inform and evangelize.
- Producing a video presentation of our TLIG activities that was featured on a big screen before and after the show.
|
|
|
|
Archbishop Ramon Arguelles was present to grace the occasion and witness the successful realization of our project. All the 800 tickets were sold and the theater was filled to the brim with many joyful TLIG members, their families, and friends among the audience. We had all worked very hard and were able to distribute the magazines for free to our TLIG donors and supporters, as well as raise a good amount of funds for the maintenance of the Association’s HQ and the financing of our 2009 projects.
TLIG Teamwork – Love and Humility
The beauty of the whole exercise was to experience the joy, peace, and harmony in working together for the Lord, as each preparation was a happy sharing of our time. Our efforts to sell the tickets and advertisements, to put together our Association’s video presentation, and to publish the magazine were priceless opportunities to test our talents and bond as a family. Managing a project in the spirit of True Life in God, using the keys of Love and Humility, is certainly the way to success. Our work goes on, the Association is on fire and has launched its ambitious programme for 2009 by structuring the Association and forming the proper committees according to the TLIG Foundation Guidelines, remodelling its Evangelization projects, and looking for ways and means to effectively realize them…all according to the Lord’s Plans of course!
We wish to thank the Lord first of all for our deep faith in God and our strong devotion to Our Lady, and for bringing Vassula and the Messages to our country. We thank Vassula for inspiring us with her courage and perseverance in her mission for Christian Unity.
We appreciate the moral support from the TLIG Associations in Ireland, India, Chile, and the USA, and thank them for their generosity in contributing to our magazine. May the Philippines and all the world become the perfect dwelling place of the Two Sacred Hearts.
By: Cecilia B. Lutz
TLIG Philippines Association
Manila, Philippines.
