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This is Good News! A Story from GT Ignite

Nilo and Ruth Mariveles, and their family.

GT Ignite is the multicultural expression of Glad Tidings (GT) Church in Victoria, B.C.  The Ignite campus began as a small group of Filipinos and, by the grace of God, has turned into hundreds of multicultural believers meeting weekly. The community has been led by Pastor Nilo and Ruth Mariveles since 2014; their heart and vision is that people would leave more in love with Jesus, confident to passionately serve Him and share Him.

Pastor Nilo moved from the Philippines to Vancouver Island in 2008 and was joined by his family in 2010. He knows what it is like to create a new home across the world, and he has a heart to reach newcomers to Canada with the gospel of Christ. Out of that desire, he founded GT Ignite’s Welcome Wagon ministry.

Welcome Wagon exists to connect with newcomers and help them adjust to life in Canada. It builds relationships, provides basic needs and shares the life-giving message of Jesus Christ.

The ministry goes far beyond a one-time welcome. Team members have provided airport pickups for newcomers, welcomed families into their homes for regular meals, and helped students navigate their studies and employment. In some cases, they have given ongoing practical support such as driving people home from their workplaces at night when local buses are not running. Even during the pandemic, the ministry team saw people come to Christ and experience peace and healing.

Months ago, Eugene and Gaze Del Castillo were blessed by the Welcome Wagon. Today they attend GT services and small groups, and now serve on the Welcome Wagon ministry team to reach others.

 “They visited our apartment, welcomed us and gave us groceries,” Eugene and Gaze recall. “Most especially they prayed for us; God used them to bless our new journey. A night before that we prayed to God to give us friends in Victoria and when the morning came, He gave us more than we asked for—He gave us a family.”

#ThisIsGoodNews #GoodNews

Photo above courtesy of GT Ignite.

Photo on the home page © iStockphoto.com.

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To see previously posted “This is Good News” stories, please click here.

To view or download posted “This is Good News” videos, visit www.paoc.org/theloop.