by Louise Joachimowski, Creative Resources Officer
Spending a month working in the Philippines always has its ups and downs. There’s been tropical storms, ferry cancellations, lack of internet and extremely bumpy car rides getting lost in remote villages! But through the challenges, the thing that makes it all worth it are the people we meet.
We’re here to find the nominations for this year’s ICM Awards – participants, pastors and staff who have seen outstanding transformation over the past year.
We’re traveling to seven different bases, interviewing as many people as we can, and the stories I have heard over the past month are each astounding. I have had people open up and share things that they have never told anyone else before, men and women in tears, telling me that ICM has brought so much hope into their lives.
What an incredible privilege to witness this all first-hand. These heroic people constantly inspire me to never give up, to make the best of every situation, and that tomorrow can be better than today. Sometimes to us, the change that happens after ICM’s Transform program can look small. We think: “they’re still poor”, and we can struggle to see the difference that our program makes.
But the people I have met over the past month have shown me that just a little injection of hope, coupled with some fine-tuned training and a group of supportive friends, can be the first step on the long journey of transformation.
ICM Transform education – www.caremin.com/our-work/transform
ICM Hong Kong Banquet – www.caremin.com/events/hkbanquet
Good day! My twin nieces are in the ICU PGH pediatric section right now due to Pulmonary Atresia and the other one with Pneumonia, we really need to ask for financial assistance for their daily medicines and laboratories.One of our little angel need for heart surgery for 4times. We don’t have that enough money to cover all that expenses, I am worried that if we cannot pay for the laboratories and medicines at all, my nieces life will be at risk and we really don’t know what to do. Please do help us, contact me at 0917-751-9550. thank you and God Bless you all!
Thank you for contacting ICM. We understand that this is a difficult time for you and your family. Our sympathies and prayers go out to you. . (Maraming salamat sa pakikipag-ugnayan sa ICM. Nauuunawaan naming ang inyong kalagayan. Kami ay nananalangin sa Panginoon para sa inyo.)
As you may already know, ICM’s mission is to release the poorest of the poor in the Philippines from spiritual and physical bondage. We do that primarily through community based education programs (delivered in partnership with local slum churches) that focus on strengthening families in the areas of values, health issues and livelihood opportunities. While not our core program, on some occasions, we also help indigent patients residing within our areas of operation to receive treatment for a limited number of specific surgical and medical conditions. ICM currently operates in Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Bohol, Northern Panay, Northern Palawan the areas surrounding Koronadal, Dipolog, General Santos, Cebu, and Iloilo.
Alam nating lahat na ang misyon ng ICM ay tulungan ang mga Filipino na makawala sa sobrang pagdarahop sa buhay mula pagkakagapos sa ispiritwal at pisikal na kahirapan. Ang ginagawa ng ICM upang maisakatuparan ang misyong ito ay ang pagbibigay ng sapat na kaalaman patungkol sa pagpapatibay ng pamilya sa larangan ng wastong pag-uugali, pangkalusugan, at pangkabuhayan. Ito ay ginagawa ng ICM sa pamamagitan ng pakikipagtulungan sa mga lokal na simbahan upang magkaroon ng sapat na ugnayan ang ICM sa mga taong tinutulungan nito. Sa kasalukuyan ang ICM ay nasa mga lugar ng Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Bohol, Northern Panay, Northern Palawan, Koronadal, Dipolog, General Santos, Cebu, at Iloilo.
If you reside in one of these areas and would like more information, please contact our local office: (Kung kayo ay nakatira sa mga nasabing lugar at nais ninyong makipagugnayan sa aming mga sangay maari po kayong magpadala ng liham sa mga sumusunod na “email address”
Bacolod: bacolod.areasec@caremin.com
Dumaguete: dumaguete.areasec@caremin.com
General Santos: gensan.areasec@caremin.com
Koronadal: koronadal.areasec@caremin.com
Palawan: palawan.areasec@caremin.com
Dipolog: dipolog.areasec@caremin.com
Bohol: bohol.areasec@caremin.com
Iloilo: iloilo.areasec@caremin.com
Roxas, Panay: roxas.areasec@caremin.com
Cebu: primo.sistual@caremin.com