In Remembrance: Celebrating Year One
On the 7th of February 2022, Grace City Zambales celebrated its first birthday. With a year that has flung by and with the many testimonies, challenges, and victories that God has shown His people, what better way to admonish this milestone than to refresh our memory with the humble roots of how Grace City Zambales was born.
Filled with prayers and dreams of desiring a physical church dwelling, God reminded His people to never lose hope, for those who hope in Him shall never be ashamed. The growth of His church in Zambales did not grow as if it was just one big bonfire that could only be sustained by one big log and would wane later on. It was a testament of a continuous, earnest, and hopeful journey for the people of Zambales, that the Lord would provide a physical sanctuary for His children to be favored with.
In Retrospect: Through the Eyes of His People
In recollection, His people paired prayer with action. In the year 2021 during the month of January, they would travel around Castillejos, a municipality in the province of Zambales, every Tuesday to locate where God would seek to establish his church edifice in their city. The municipality of Castillejos, where they would normally stand in front of after traversing the city, would remind them that in pursuit of His kingdom to flourish in the city, kingdom work needs to stem from obedience and trust in the Father’s plan. Little did they know that in one of those days where they would do their routine search, one of the workers veered from their supposed route, and there the Lord led them to their prayers.
Grace City Zambales is a faithful testament of God answering His people’s prayers. After only a month of seeking land to build a physical worship sanctuary, He led his people to a place where they normally wouldn’t go.
February 7, 2021, was the day when Grace City Zambales was born. At San Roque, Zambales, the Lord showed His goodness and faithfulness, that through the church and the lives of His people, His glory would be made known throughout the city. A year has passed and they cannot seem to fathom how God has truly moved in that city and through the hearts of His people.
In Keeping the Faith: Greater Things Have Yet to Come
What was closely etched in the lives of His people was the Word of the Lord that has always lived the truth in their hopeful hearts. In John 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” Staying connected to the vision truly required deep devotion, dependence, and confidence in the Lord. This also reminded them that the God who provides, not only gives the provision but also sustains the provision. For one year, they had experienced God’s outpour of blessing and favor. Difficult seasons have risen over His people, but they continued to walk on the path of obedience.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5 NIV
A year has passed and great expectations matched with unwavering faith haven’t laid dormant. The bigger dream for His people, then, was to further experience the goodness of God by initially asking the Lord for a 100sqm lot. Thinking that that was already exceedingly enough to ask our generous God, the 100sqm lot was given, but ten times larger at exactly 1226 sqm in lot size. Surely, it is God’s great pleasure that we expect greater things from Him.
Jerry Ofanda, Grace City Zambales’ church leader, quoted,
“Do not be afraid to put our uncertainty to a certain God”
–Corrie ten Boom
All praises and glory belong to Him!