Monday, March 11, 2002 11:39 AM

Philippines Beth Myriam

Beth Myriam in Dasmariñas, Cavite (approximately 60 km. from Manila, the Philippines)

The Beth Myriam in Dasmarinas, Cavite, is being handled by Francis and Beth Melmon. Before getting hold of the first book of TLIG, Francis, a civil engineer and contractor by profession, had only one goal in life – to become successful. God or anything about religion had little or no place at all in his plans. Beth, on the other hand, was afraid that her family was headed for ruin and disunity. So, she asked for help from Our Mother of Perpetual Help, knowing very well that she could not save her marriage and family on her own.

On the third quarter of the year 2000, Beth attended a recollection for parents at the school of her children, given by Rev. Fr. Jesus Richie Santos, SDB. She brought home one each of the Book-1, English and Tagalog. It was Francis who read the English book first and was converted almost immediately. After Beth finished reading the first Book, they came to the TLIG headquarters in Quezon City with their 4 children to get hold of the rest of the messages and to see the “Message on the Wall”

Early last year (2001) they started praying every evening, using the TLIG prayer guide. Soon, children from their neighborhood [of other religions: Protestants, Jehova’s Witnesses, Iglesia ni Kristo (a masonic-based religion in the Philippines) and children with problems (abandoned, abused, battered, etc.)] began attending, too. Today this Beth Myriam, which started as a prayer group, number to around 25-30 children, with ages ranging from 8-17 years old. Today, these children who used to be problems in their homes, schools, and neighborhood, have become more responsible, more respectful, more humble, more forgiving, and more patient. They frequent the Sacraments of Confession and the Holy Eucharist. (Even the priests who give them confessions, are AMazed at them. They end up asking to what prayer group these children belong, and who teaches them. The priests become intrigued by the TLIG messages. They end up being “evangelized by the children). The children themselves testify that praying every evening keep them away from vices, drugs, bad habits and even gang wars.

Beginning last June 2001, this Vineyard, together with Fr. Jesus Richie Santos, SDB, began to evangelize three barrios in Batangas. They used to go house-to-house with a statue of the Sacred Heart & the Blessed Mother to teach barrio folks how to pray and get to know God more through the messages. They visit the barrios once a week (sometimes, once a month) to attend the prayer meetings in these barrios. Most of those who attend are children, too. In the barrio of Calo alone, there are around 25 children who attend; in the barrio of Malaya, approximately 20 children attend; in Kaylaway, approximately 15 children attend. They have started evangelizing Barrio Rodora (very near their place), and children have started attending, too. In the barrio of Calo, they now have a chapel, which Don Bosco helped finish with Francis as the building contractor, where they hold their prayer meetings every Friday.

Like all other TLIG prayer groups, this vineyard is not exempted from persecutions, trials and temptations. Francis and Beth have been accused by some parents and neighbors of brainwashing their children. Please keep these children also in your prayers because they are frail and are easily swayed and tempted by the world around them. Some children, who left a few months back, have asked for forgiveness and returned to the prayer group. The Melmon family have taken into their home an abandoned boy, who used to sleep on the sidewalks, and a teen-age girl who was left in their home by the mother. They are being sent to school, tutored, clothed and fed by the Melmons. The family share with their over-extended family whatever food and clothing they have every evening after their prayer meetings. They plant vegetables, raise poultry and pigs to supplement their food supply. TLIG-Philippines solicits donations (rice, noodles, canned goods, biscuits, clothes, school supplies, shoes, beddings, towels, bath soaps, laundry soaps, toothpastes, etc. and money) for them.

Francis is just a small-time contractor, badly hit by the dwindling construction industry. The Melmon family was forced to sell their previous house and lot because they could no longer afford to pay for the monthly amortization, and bought a vacant lot (more remote than their previous one) instead, where they intend to build a Beth Myriam. For the meantime, they all stay in a make-shift shelter, built from scrap construction materials from Francis’ previous projects.

TLIG-Philippines is giving out solicitation letters to help build this Beth Myriam which we pray that it be presentable for the inauguration during Vassula’s visit this year.

Details of how to contribute to the general Beth Myriam fund can be found at: /bmdonations.html or by replying to this email.