MCGI Calls for Good Works, Not Fireworks for 2013

As the rest of the world lit up firecrackers to welcome 2013, the Members Church of God International (MCGI) lit up faces by giving food and money to indigents on the streets.

“I’m really happy. It’s my first time to receive such gifts from anyone,” said a recipient living along Taft Avenue in Manila. She and her mother were some of the families helped by MCGI and media network UNTV during the latter’s Repaso 2012 coverage on December 31st.

Through UNTV News and Rescue teams roving the streets of Manila, MCGI’s food and livelihood giveaways found their way to the hands of poor families and individuals.

Along Roxas Boulevard, two families sharing a side of the road for shelter thanked UNTV and MCGI Leaders Bro. Eli Soriano and Bro. Daniel Razon for the gifts they received.

Seeing however that the said families had little children and infants, Kuya Daniel tasked the UNTV team to bring the indigents to the Clinic ni Kuya for checkups and vaccines.

Also among the recipients was a 70-year old man who came to Manila in 1955. He has been roaming the streets of the Philippine capital ever since. The old man was very thankful for the “blessing” he received.

Food Over Fireworks

“Would a rich family who spends PHP 100,000 on fireworks in a single night be willing to give it to the poor?,” was a question that Bro. Daniel posed during the Repaso 2012 coverage on UNTV. The veteran broadcaster is known in the country as “Kuya Daniel” for his various public service initiatives.

Apart from campaigning against public use of fireworks in new year celebrations, Kuya Daniel urged viewers to instead use the money to help others, like by giving food. This is the same principle that Bro. Eli has been booming in his Bible Expositions, The Old Path (Ang Dating Daan) program, and even on social media.

Bro Eli, using his @BroEliSoriano account on Twitter, tweeted in 2009, “If every centavo used for firecrackers will be utilized to help the poor, it’s more than enough to feed them for the whole year.”

This year, the International Evangelist tweeted on December 31 that his followers save instead the money they would have spent on fireworks, and “save it for a better opportunity to help the needy.” He added that “GW [God willing] we will launch a campaign for the hungry.”

Written by: Rigor Arellano

Photography by: Mark Santillan