Frontliners on their duty.

Still with Love and Thanks

MCGI’s Covid-19 Journey

Despite the many heavy and abrupt changes in people’s lives around the globe due to the coronavirus pandemic, some choose to remain unfazed.

And it isn’t because they are unaffected by it, but because the need to go on — daily, persistently — is well worth facing the dangers at hand.From medical practitioners to garbage collectors, supermarket attendants, bank tellers, and the media — all found themselves instantly at the forefront of dealing with “a new normal” for their sake and their fellowmen.

“I still go to work every day. Despite the sickening smell of garbage, I must do my job.”

Michael Gonzales, Garbage Collector

Arrow right.

“I can’t leave my colleagues in this battle. Who am I not to engage?”

Jovic De Leon Bermas, Nurse, COVID-19 Survivor

Arrow right.

“To my comrades, before we perform our duties, let us pray for guidance.”

Neil Sarez, Police Officer

Arrow right.

As an organization taught to do good unto all, the Members Church of God International (MCGI) keep on finding ways for its charitable and evangelical works to continue, with the help and mercy of the Lord.

Love in Deed

Days before his birthday on April 4, 2020, MCGI’s Overall Servant Bro. Eli Soriano requested something extraordinary from the MCGI brethren — a gift.

Extraordinary, because it has always been Bro. Eli who gives gifts whenever his birthday comes around.

The gift he requested? Just some rice, canned goods, like corned beef, and other basic necessities — not for himself but for the church members’ loved ones, friends, or neighbors who must be experiencing problems about their day-to-day subsistence because of the lockdown.

Earlier in the same month, Bro. Eli gave a donation of 1M to the City of Manila for its Covid-19 relief efforts.

And that was just part of the beginning. From donating food supplies to personal protective equipment or PPE in different cities and municipalities, MCGI’s desire to maintain its attitude of love towards its members and fellow people strengthened in such a trying time for the whole world.

Kuya Daniel Razon on KDR TV Live.

Love in Word

Apart from sharing Bro. Eli’s financial load with MCGI’s needs and charitable services, Assistant Overall Servant Bro. Daniel Razon also launched a webcast to help fight another disease from spreading: misinformation.

A veteran broadcaster by profession, Bro. Daniel knows that delivering factual, timely information especially during a crisis can help save lives.

So on March 16, 2020, Bro. Daniel began a series of discussions centered on the coronavirus situation on KDR TV or Kuya (big brother) Daniel Razon TV.

The Instagram and YouTube series brought to the public authoritative information on coronavirus prevention, mythbusting, and more.

Upon the instruction of Bro. Eli, Bro. Daniel also put up a 24/7 Digital Clinic overnight, so people can consult doctors on the phone.

People gained easy access to medical practitioners to know whether what they have is Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, or just the flu without leaving their homes.

Some of the Philippines' city mayors that guest on Get It Straight with Daniel Razon program.

Meanwhile on his morning program on UNTV, Get It Straight With Daniel Razon, Kuya Daniel interviews city mayors to help keep their constituents abreast with:

  • Quarantine updates
  • Where to get government financial assistance
  • Delivery of relief goods
  • Where frontliners can get IDs and passes to go to work

Kuya Daniel also launched a new program called Serbisyong Bayanihan (Service Through Cooperative Efforts) on UNTV, where viewers can seek help about various problems during the lockdown and other Covid-19-related concerns. Kuya Daniel is the CEO of UNTV, the Philippines’ public service channel.

Knowing that not all problems are financial or physical in nature, Kuya Daniel would regularly have Bro. Eli as a guest speaker on KDR TV’s coronavirus coverage to provide biblical insights concerning the crises that the world is facing now.

While the platform is new for Bro. Eli and Bro. Daniel, the practice however isn’t. In fact, they have been preaching online as early as the year 2000.

With the Internet opening a new avenue to connect people across the planet, Bro. Eli and Bro. Daniel launched www.AngDatingDaan.org in 2000.”

Familiar Firsts

With God’s help and mercy, MCGI’s use of internet and satellite technologies since the early 2000s has allowed the organization to keep God’s commandment on valuing gatherings and preaching His words, while observing government protocols on social distancing and other safety and health measures.

The Worldwide Bible Exposition connects guests in MCGI or The Old Path Coordinating Centers around the globe to ask Bro. Eli their questions live on air using the World Wide Web.

The livestream is also beamed across six continents by seven satellite providers, so that those with receivers at their homes can tune in for free.

Prior to the pandemic, Bible Expositions and Bible studies were done about three to four times a month in the Philippines, usually before Live Mass Indoctrination sessions began.

Since governments the world over started to impose lockdowns however, MCGI’s Bible Studies and Bible Expositions in Filipino began to run each weekday at 7 pm.

(See the schedule of Bible Studies and Bible Expositions in Spanish and Portuguese.)

Brethren attending Bible Study online.

Each night, about 30,000 devices on the average tune in to the webcast, with comments and questions from guests pouring in on Facebook Live and on YouTube by the thousands.

The services are also available on Twitter via Periscope and on Instagram via the official social media accounts of The Old Path and Ang Dating Daan.

The Worldwide Bible Exposition connects guests in MCGI or The Old Path Coordinating Centers around the globe to ask Bro. Eli their questions live on air using the World Wide Web.

The livestream is also beamed across six continents by seven satellite providers, so that those with receivers at their homes can tune in for free.

Prior to the pandemic, Bible Expositions and Bible studies were done about three to four times a month in the Philippines, usually before Live Mass Indoctrination sessions began.

Since governments the world over started to impose lockdowns however, MCGI’s Bible Studies and Bible Expositions in Filipino began to run each weekday at 7 pm.

(See the schedule of Bible Studies and Bible Expositions in Spanish and Portuguese.)

Brethren attending Bible Study online.

Each night, about 30,000 devices on the average tune in to the webcast, with comments and questions from guests pouring in on Facebook Live and on YouTube by the thousands.

The services are also available on Twitter via Periscope and on Instagram via the official social media accounts of The Old Path and Ang Dating Daan.

In the Bible

For many, it is only until recently that people have heard terms such as “lockdown” and “community quarantine,” much less, have any idea of what they’re for.

And while it is helpful to consider the explanation being given by people in authority, Bro. Eli points to a more reliable reference.

Being on Lockdown

Before the last plague that hit the Egyptians, which compelled the pharaoh to finally release the Israelites from 400 years of bondage, God advised the Israelites to not go out and to shut their doors.

Exodus 12:22-23 King James Version

22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.

23 For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

The Practice of Quarantine

Many know that the practice of quarantine or keeping people with disease away from healthy people has been done since the Middle Ages. But more than 1,000 years earlier, it had already been practiced in the Bible.

Numbers 5:2-3 King James Version

2 Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead:

3 Both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell.

On Government Ordinances

Despite being higher than any king or lord on earth, Christ commanded His followers to observe the mandates and ordinances of men. It is written in 1 Peter 2:13-14.

1 Peter 2:13-14 King James Version

13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

Good Hygiene

Today, there is no argument that handwashing helps stop the spread of germs. But long before people knew about the existence microbiology in the 17th century, the Bible had already advised the practice of proper hygiene.

Leviticus 11:28 King James Version

And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you.

Use of Copper

Copper, and even brass which has traces of copper, has helped protect people from the spread of serious diseases since hundreds of years ago — and even way, way back, if we consult the Bible.

Exodus 30:18-21 King James Version

18 Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.

19 For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:

20 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the Lord:

21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.

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TO GOD BE THE GLORY

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