Ancop Canada BC

ANCOP is an acronym which stands for Answering the Cry of the Poor. A Christian, Catholic non-profit organization that dedicates itself to proclaiming CHRIST, and the Christian faith, by uplifting the plight of the poor.

[ancopcanadabc]

ANCOP WALK 2013

VANCOUVER - On August 25, 2013, nearly one thousand people, from all walks of life, gathered together for the annual ANCOP walk at Burnaby Central Park, which celebrated its 10th year anniversary this year.  Nationally, the walk took place in 11 cities in Canada including Vancouver. Internationally, the ANCOP Global walk was held in 33 cities in North America, and globally in Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Qatar, Riyadh and Nigeria. ANCOP is an acronym for Answering the Cry of the Poor. The walk is an annual fund raising event led by Couples for Christ (CFC) to support shelter and child sponsorship for impoverished families.

The participants were made up of the various chapters in the lower mainland. The diversity of walkers was exemplified by the family ministries of CFC (Couples For Christ), which were HOLD (Handmaids of the Lord), SFC (Singles For Christ), YFC (Youth For Christ), and KFC (Kids For Christ). The newcomers this year were the Holy Cross Mission Team, from Holy Cross Catholic High school in Surrey, who had the largest contributions for donations amounting up to $12,000 and more.  In 10 years, ANCOP Canada has built more than 2, 700 homes for the poor, and has sponsored more than 6,000 children who come from impoverished families in need of education. Rene Garrucho, Area Coordinator for ANCOP Vancouver, explains that these milestones have been possible through God’s blessings alone, and prayed that, “every step we take be a prayer of hope, of peace, and of love.”

Driven by the sole purpose of helping alleviate poverty in the Philippines and other developing countries, the sea of participants in neon yellow t-shirts truly witnessed their faith in God and love for the poor as they walked the 5KM route around Burnaby Central Park. Vancouver MLA, Mabel Elmore of Kensington, further affirmed the participants when she said, “Indeed just like Christ Himself, whatever we do for the less fortunate we did it for Him.”

The Dog Show was presented once again, attracting all dog lovers, and families alike for some entertainment. Moreover, there were performances from each of the family ministry which were: a dance by CFC-Youth KFC leaders, LiveLoud songs performed by CFC-Youth and SFC, and notably, the much anticipated dance performance by HOLD, which never fails to bring cheers and applause. Moreover, awards were given to the fastest runner and walker, oldest and youngest participant, walkers from farthest area, and the walker with the biggest family of walkers.   Furthermore, the park was turned into a mini Night Market, filled with the aromas of a variety of classic Filipino and Oriental food, which were thoroughly enjoyed by the participants. ANCOP Walk was indeed a showcase of fun, entertainment, exercise and food.

One of the inspiring highlights of the program was the shares by CFC-Youth leaders who went to the Great Adventure Tour (GAT) in Philippines earlier this year.  GAT is a program led by CFC-Youth where youths are fully immersed in the Philippines, visiting orphanages, ANCOP villages, as well as attending mass and having a daily prayer time. Paolo Dantes shared that, “being able to stay in the village was a true manifestation of God’s love. The love we experience in mass, the love of the Lord for us, was made tangible in helping the people there.” Another youth who helped build homes in the ANCOP village, Nikki Dionisio, said, “I was so humbled by their way of living. I felt like they had everything compared to me despite how little they had materialistically. The joy, happiness, and faith they had, was so inspiring.” Finally, Jimmy Arzadon, the CFC Area Coordinator of Vancouver, affirmed the young and old participants and said, “there is no age limit in helping the poor!” and quoted Mother Teresa, “You know in this life, we cannot really do great things, we can only do small things with great love.”

Overall, the walk raised nearly $40,000 in pledges and donations, and is still accepting donations until September 25. While the walk was a success in numbers, it was also a spiritual success in that the overwhelming presence and enthusiasm of the youth in helping the poor, shows God’s relevance in a culture that is increasingly secularized and self-centered. By living out their calling as missionaries of the faith, the participants in the ANCOP Walk bring hope of a future focused on helping the poor out of love for their neighbors. Indeed, answering the cry of the poor need not consist of conquering the world all at once, but by simple acts of kindness done out of love for one’s neighbor, just as God Himself loves us.  

By Joyce Bermejo

The photos for the ANCOP WALK 2013 can be found in here: 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/90179179@N05/sets/72157635270139201/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/90179179@N05/sets/72157635309078536/

  Youtube ANCOP Walk 2013 recap video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAZ0mNEglA8

(all media credits go to the Youth COMmunications [YCOM] program of CFC-Youth For Christ)

[theeverygirl]

[ancopcanadabc]

Agape Walk Reflection

EAST HASTINGS, VANCOUVER - March 19, 2013

It's been a while since I last went to an Agape walk... Close to a year. It was really providential that today is also St. Joseph's solemnity, his immediate response to God's call is what really drove me to say yes to walking today, despite my tiredness from a full day of classes.

Moreover, tonight I got the opportunity to volunteer  with 2 west cluster brothers and a sister.  In addition to the 3 regular walkers, we were quite a large group. 

But the quantity of our volunteers thankfully did not deter the people away from us but actually attracted them even more. 

Every time I go on an Agape walk around downtown East Hastings, there's  always something new that makes me see God's light in a different angle. At first we barely met anyone as we started to walked down the street, probably due to the heavy downpour, but eventually people appeared. 

People refer to us, volunteers who wear red jackets, as the "candy people." But quite a handful of women recognized our mission, as representatives of the Catholic Church, that we also pray out of love for them. This time around, I noticed how we now also hand out catholic Q & A sheets, which reflects the new evangelization of the church.

It was a pleasant surprise to meet a woman who was a practicing Catholic and actually asked which parish she could go to. It was also surprising to me, one who doesn't go out into the streets on a daily basis, that there are women who were baptized catholic but just strayed off a bit due to their situation. Some asked for prayers and even rosaries, some sincerely loved our ministry and even expressed how thankful they are for our service, and often think about us. It's an eye-opener to really see God present in each and every single one of these women in innumerable ways. 

  One peculiar came up when I saw two young people, one young man, a teenaged girl and a woman, who looked like they are just strolling by, stop and asked if they could say a prayer for us.   It was so out of the ordinary that I just kind of listened and probably 8 or 9 of us, these people, agape volunteers and two homeless people, gathered in the middle of the sidewalk and just listened to this prayer. 

The young man started to pray: "God thank you for the work these people do in breaking class barriers and just doing it for you Jesus..." He breaks off and the woman continues it....

I can't remember all that they said word by word but it struck me because not only where they praying for us, who were praying for these homeless people, but the way this young man prayed was just straight from the heart, and so honest. It really struck me odd that when I offered candies to these women, my way of talking to them seemed almost mechanical, in comparison. It inspired me to be more authentic in the way that I prayed with heartfelt honesty for lifting up other people's concerns.

Furthermore, two women I met also struck me. I talked to this woman who called herself "anonymous" and at first seemed generally accepting of our mission. But she pressed on about Jesus, after one of the volunteers shared with her about how Jesus died for us because that's how much he loves us. She says she reads the Bible and asked deeply theological questions about it. Since this was something I was learning, apologetics, I eagerly struck a conversation and tried my best to answer her. We talked for a while. Eventually we had to break off but we left her with the Catholic Q & A and invited her to the closest church in the neighborhood. This woman really brought hope in me, that despite her dire living circumstances, she was still deeply seeking God not just on the surface but the mystery of the faith-- really goes to show how you cannot judge people by their looks, but by their heart. Then on our way back home, a younger woman, A, who had a very lovely smile ran a block just to "get candy" but was very accepting of God, told us, after we gave her a bag of candy and prayers, "May God be with you on this walk." Her eyes shone with sincerity and joy, and it made me want to share with her more about God but we had to leave so we said farewell. She told her friend, who also came by last minute, that "she would find candy somehow" to which her friend replied "yeah! You brought them to me." But the woman said "No.. They (referring to us) brought them to you, through God's mission." (Or somewhere along those lines).

 It amazed me how truly affirmed this woman was of exhorting God's goodness even in that little way of receiving candies. It showed me that although we, the volunteers, intended to give them the love we came there for, they too returned that love in so many more ways.... It is such a humbling thing to really step into their life even for these few hours of interaction. Though most of them call us the "candy people" there are those who truly show their love for God and recognize Him through these small acts of kindness. I can truly attest to Mother Teresa's words when she said , "it is not much we do, but how much love we put into that action."

ad majorem dei gloriam.

  Post by Joyce Bermejo

[osvnews-deactivated20200406]

There was a profound contradiction in all of this, of course. The A-list of modern media decamped in Rome with cameras and microphones pointed toward the basilica to capture every word of the new pontiff, even as they declared with near magisterial authority that the Church is no longer relevant to the modern world.

Dr. Matthew Bunson, “Rooftops and relevance” (via osvnews)

[tillitisyou]

Prayer for the Pope

Christ Jesus, King and Lord of the Church, in your presence I renew my unconditional loyalty to your Vicar on earth, the Pope. In him you have chosen to show us the safe and sure path that we must follow in the midst of confusion, uneasiness, and unrest. I firmly believe that through him you govern, teach and sanctify us; with him as our shepherd, we form the true Church: one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. Grant me the grace to love, live and spread faithfully our Holy Father’s teachings. Watch over his life, enlighten his mind, strengthen his spirit, defend him from calumny and evil. Calm the erosive winds of infidelity and disobedience. Hear our prayer and keep your Church united around him, firm in its belief and action, that it may truly be the instrument of your redemption. Amen.

[ancopcanadabc]

Small Things With Great Love

I just recently watched a musical production, "Right Here Write Now" that spoke closely to my heart. I currently serve in ANCOP and after watching this musical, I know inside me that I am blessed to be in ANCOP. The musical was a way to help the less fortunate, and it inspired me so much that a great number of audience watched it. Those people may not know that this is for ANCOP, but nonetheless, God has called all the people who watched and I am extremely happy that they all have said 'Yes'.

There was a line that was mentioned during the musical production, "Not all of us can do great things, but we can small things with great love." This quote was from Blessed Mother Teresa, who is an inspiration to a lot of people. That quote from Mother Teresa is a great example of how we all should live our lives. Many times we have been so busy thinking about how we should change the world. We are too busy to do great things, but then, we often don't know when and where to start.

I do firmly believe that thinking about the bigger picture is great; however, figuring out where to start is a struggle that all faced in our everyday lives. I firmly believe that a simple action is what God has been calling all of us to do. A simple action like smiling and talking to the less fortunate is a loving action that a lot of us just take for granted. If we think deeply in our hearts, and think about how this SIMPLE action affect the less fortunate, we will see a joyful heart inside them. We will be able to let them feel that there is hope for their future and that they are loved.

The musical production has demonstrated a great example of that, during graduation, most of us are so excited to finish, but it is hard to move on after thinking about the past. As simple as thinking about the past and reflecting about it openhearted is already an act of simple action within us that has greater meaning which is the greater love that God wants us to hold deeply in our heart.

The musical presented a great example of how family is so important. Within family, there will always be struggles and confusion, but what is so blessed is that a family will always be together. A simple action such as eating dinner together or going to mass together are actions that has a greater love within. Every time a family struggles, God will always be there. Every small moment that every family has together are small things that have great love. Every small action that we do with great love is already great and big in the eyes of God.

Praise God for the poor. Praise God for families. Praise God for the opportunity of small actions done with great love.

[ancopcanadabc]

Whatever you did to them, you did it for me...

Living in a first world country, it is so easy to forget about the less fortunate as we go about our busy schedules at school and/or work. It’s so easy to just walk by and take no notice of those people standing by the sidewalks near the sky train.

According to UNICEF, “Canada’s child poverty rate is higher than Canada’s overall national poverty rate” (link). This is significant because it shows that even one of the most wealthiest countries in the world suffers from one of the most extreme forms of poverty which is child poverty. We look at this and wonder how we can possibly make a difference when we ourselves are struggling paying for our tuition, our family's needs, rent, or whatever it may be. 

However, today’s Gospel reminds us that Jesus comes in disguise through the faces we see in the streets, those in prison, sick, disabled and anyone in need. Extending a helping hand doesn't necessarily mean giving money. But the gift of presence and time are just as valuable, but so rarely done these days. What if what all Jesus wanted us to do is to acknowledge their presence?

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,  naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'  Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?  When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'  And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'

 -- Matthew 25: 31-46

Ask yourself:

"Do I still remember to pray for the less fortunate inspite of my own hardships? How can I help my neighbor today?"

[ancopcanadabc]

" The entire musical runs against a background of music that will move your feet and your hearts as our graduates take us on a heartwarming journey through the pages of their adventures, leading up to their commencement… and ours. "

The first ANCOP Musical! In support for the education sponsorship and shelter building the Philippines. Come join us :)!

[i-am-the-oracular-spectacular]

[ancopcanadabc]

Poverty is not only found in the developing world; it affects over three million Canadians, including 600,000 children.

[c0mpromise]

[ferksta]

[ancopcanadabc]

Be grateful for your life.

[ancopcanadabc]

Beneath One Sky & ANCOP presents the

BUILDING FOR HOPE Benefit Concert

Saturday, September 29, 2012 : (CLICK FOR MORE INFO)

[bejoycee-blog-blog]

And he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” - Matthew 18:3 

#ancop #fullblastgat2012

I miss these kids… they truly bring the child out of me and in turn, I love them that much more. God bless ANCOP Villa Gracia!

[yfc]

For the 1st time, Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish from Surrey, British Columbia Canada will be sending 10 youth missionaries to the Philippines under the program of ANCOP. The team will be lead by the ANCOP Program Volunteers, Rocky Nguyen and Celine Diaz. They will be bringing 8 other...

[ancopcanadabc]

This is a couple months late... but hey, better late than never! Praise God for the Young Cagliero's Outreach Movement!

[myedol]

[alicejkim-deactivated20130102]

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

                  —1 Peter 5:8

[ancopcanadabc]