Isaiah 25:1 ESV. “O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.”
The partnership of Emmanuel International and Kabankalan Fellowship Baptist Church (KFBC),
Negros Occidental, Central Philippines, began in the later part of 1979. Shem was chosen by KFBC to lead the Team.
Shem reports: “In September 20, 1979, I went to Canada for the two months training program. There were six expatriates who joined with me in that training – three Filipino-Canadians from First Filipino Baptist Church, a Canadian young couple, and a German young nurse.
After the training, I returned to the Philippines together with the expatriates. The partner church selected six nationals to comprise the whole team.
After a brief orientation, in December 1980, the community development projects and church
planting ministry were started. It was a four-year holistic program launched in the rural areas of Kabankalan. The expatriates had only a one-year contract in the program. A new expat team was sent each year to work with us.
The projects were composed of medical and dental missions with free consultations and medicine, health and sanitation, water, and goat raising. After the four-year program, seven local churches were established in different areas of the project sites. All of these churches are still existing and growing by God’s grace.” I was in the ministry serving the Lord through Emmanuel International from December 1980 to March 2021. I thank the Lord for giving me this opportunity and privilege to serve Him.
How I came to know about EI and how I came to join the organization happened not by accident but by appointment. I believe it was all by God’s plan. I thank EI and I praise the Lord for what He has done!”
