The E-vangelist: LNP-CDE & Pentecost TNP Celebrates Advent!

By: Rina R. Manuel

CDE & Pentecost TNP Joint Advent Celebration at
the barangay covered court of Varsity Hills, Loyola Heights, QC

Last December 5, 2010, our District held a Joint Advent Celebration with the Pentecost Tahanan ng Panginoon (TNP), a ministry of Ligaya that seeks to share with the poor the Good News of God’s love and hope. The Our Lady of Pentecost Parish in Loyola Heights, Quezon City is one of TNP’s areas, which consists of members from 4 areas of informal settlers - Daan Tubo, Marytown, Park 7, and Rona's Garden. Pentecost TNP is supported by the Central Sector’s Ministry of Compassion which is led by the inspiring service of CDE members, Rudy and Marilou de Ocampo, whom we fondly call “Papa Ru” and “Mama Lou.”

Praise and Worship led by
brother Rino Emano of Pentecost TNP

The Joint Advent Celebration was held at the barangay covered courts of Varsity Hills in Loyola Heights, Quezon City. It started with a spirit-filled praise and worship, which was led by Rino Emano, a leader from Park 7, and one could hear the singing of praise songs strongly reverberating from the covered court! It was such a sight to behold 600 Pentecost TNP brothers and sisters, together with their children, joyfully praising and worshipping the Lord, together with our LNP-CDE brothers and sisters.

Our brother Ben Aganon opened the program and introduced Papa Ru for the opening remarks.

Ben Aganon welcomed everybody
at the start of the program.

Brother Rudy de Ocampo, fondly called 'Papa Ru',
gave the opening remarks.

Meanwhile, the funny action songs led by TNP Music Ministry at the start of the program broke the ice between the two groups and made everyone giddy and at ease with each other.

Pentecost TNP youth members
entertained everybody with the funny action songs.

CDE brothers and sisters, led by Theo and Abbie,
tried to copy the funny actions to the hilt!

CDE women enjoyed imitating the very funny actions.

Fr. Bong Tupino, parish priest, welcomed everybody to the celebration and thanked the District for its support of the Pentecost TNP. He turned out to be a classmate of our brother Joem Endaya way back in the seminary!

Fr. Bong Tupino gave the welcome remarks
and thanked CDE for its support.

We had great entertainment through the lively presentation of various Pentecost TNP area groups with their dance and song numbers, complete with costumes.

Pentecost TNP members dancing creatively to a
Christmas tune with Muslim-inspired steps and costume!

Pentecost TNP members rocked the dance floor,
complete with their Santa hats and outfit!

After eating special palabok prepared by Pentecost TNP members, we all had fun with the two special games prepared by our District – the “Christmas family action story” led by Boots Endaya and Joey Teotico, and the ala-“Pera o Bayong” game for Pentecost TNP children led by Nonot Paler and Monching dela Cruz.

Sister Boots Endaya and brother Joey Teotico
calling on the different "casts" of the
Christmas family action story!

Everybody in the covered courts listened attentively
for their cue as sister Boots narrated the story.

Brothers Nonot Paler and Monching dela Cruz
dished out trivia questions to the Pentecost TNP kids,
ala-Pera or Bayong style!

In-between, there was gift-giving through the funds raised by the District for raffle prizes consisting of school supplies for the children, media noche packs for adults, bags of rice for unit leaders and household heads, and bags of goodies for all the children.

CDE-FOJ Kimi Manuel giving away
a raffle prize to a Pentecost TNP child.

Pentecost TNP kids lined up for the candy give-aways.

Central Sector Coordinator and CDE brother Melmarx Marcojos
handing out some Christmas bags to the children.

Through this special celebration with Pentecost TNP, we hope to have concretely expressed our solidarity and shown the face of Christ to our brothers and sisters in Pentecost TNP this Advent Season.