CBN ASIA NEWSLETTER – FRONTLINES (January to March 2022)

Thank You, Partners!

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” - Isaiah 43:18-19, NIV 2022 is here, but not all of us are celebrating — we are still in the middle of a pandemic.

I understand that many people are feeling afraid. Yet, I hope you’ll find peace in our unchanging God who is faithful and true. He sustained and took care of you in 2021, and He is faithful to do “exceedingly beyond what you can ask or imagine” in 2022!

Cast out your fears now, in the name of Jesus, and allow His peace to surround and secure you. Remember His promise: Never will I leave you and never will I forsake you.

So, my friend, be encouraged as we enter a new year, a new season in 2022. Let’s be excited for what the Lord is going to do! You can move forward knowing that the Lord has gone ahead of you and will continue to take care of you. This is the promise He gave in His Word.

Our mission of “Proclaiming Christ and Transforming Lives” marches on unhindered as we trust in His powerful Word!

Our CBN ASIA Family cannot thank you enough, our faithful partners, donors and friends, for you have remained a constant source of inspiration for all of us with your faithful giving in spite of the challenges. Thank you so much for your prayers and faithful partnership that helped the CBN Asia Family of Ministries share the hope and love of God through different programs and projects this past year, most especially to our kababayans in Visayas and Mindanao due to destruction cause by typhoon Odette.

Your generosity enables us to continue producing inspiring online and television shows, support missionaries, pray for our viewers and callers, and provide social welfare programs on healthcare, disaster response, children, and water and sanitation for the least advantaged.

May God’s uninterrupted goodness flow in and through you in greater measure. Brace yourself for more breakthroughs coming your way to empower you to do more for Christ.

As Philippians 1:6 says, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” (NLT).

Together, join us in faith for provisions and opportunities to unfold as we pursue the mission of reaching and helping more people through our different ministries. GOD BLESS YOU!

In His Service,

PETER M. KAIRUZ President and CEO

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Do You Believe

that God Can Restore Broken Marriages?

Lucire Barcinas asked herself this question when she caught her husband Rodel in an affair with another woman.

Lucire’s picture of a perfect family was torn into pieces when she and her husband decided to break up their marriage. Being a solo parent to their two children wasn’t easy for Lucire. Tired and hopeless, she couldn’t help thinking of the one “solution” to stop her agony—to end her and her children’s lives.

“With a knife in my hand, I thought of killing my children before myself,” Lucire confessed with tears.

A few minutes before she did the unthinkable, God stepped in. Lucire was sitting on the edge of her bed when she chanced upon The 700 Club Asia.

She heard the host exhorting, “Someone’s watching right now. You’re sitting on the edge of your bed, holding a knife and contemplating suicide. The Lord wants to carry your problems. Leave all your burdens to Him.” Startled by how the host had accurately described her at that moment, it compelled Lucire to pray with the host. At that moment, she experienced God’s comfort soothing her broken heart. Instead of taking her life, she offered it to Jesus and prayed for her marriage to be restored.

After four years of wrestling in prayer, Rodel asked if they could start again as a family. “I praise God for answering my heart’s desire. I trust Him will all my heart. If He didn’t step in to comfort me that night, I wouldn’t be here to testify of His goodness and faithfulness,” Lucire said.

If God can mend Lucire’s broken heart and restore their marriage, He can also do the same for you! Call our Prayer Center at 8-737-0-700 so we can pray for you.

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How You Made

Arlene Hope Again The new year felt like a fresh beginning for Arlene. All her plans were set, and she was determined to return to work as a cruise ship waitress. It wasn’t easy to be a single parent, but that job helped her support her son.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic toppled all the plans she had built and set her hopes on.

“At first, I was terrified. My son was about to enroll in school. If only I knew that there would be a pandemic, I would’ve returned to work early,” Arlene recalled.

All Arlene could do was wait – wait for the pandemic to end so she could return to her job. She had to wait for an opportunity to earn because they have exhausted all her hard-earned savings. She kept on waiting for God’s provision.

The waiting lasted for weeks, months, and now, for a year.

She faced her financial struggles with prayers and watched The 700 Club Asia as her source of hope and encouragement. Likewise, the Prayer Center became her prayer companion, “The 700 Club Asia inspired me to read my Bible and to help those in need.”

Backing up her prayers with perseverance, she taught herself how to bake and ventured into a small business which she called Awlyn Sweets Delights and Delicacies. Despite the small income, Arlene is grateful that God sustains them every day and enables her to donate to Operation Blessing. “I save up so I can give. Through God’s grace, each time I give, my customers send me messages to order cakes. Praise God!” God’s provision did not waver. Arlene was in awe when she won Php 20,000.00 in a mall raffle!—allowing her to pay her son’s tuition fees in full, “I am so happy despite all the challenges. I am thankful because God did not forsake me!”

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Are You Anxious

about COVID-19?

Joel Aquino was anxious about the pandemic.

As a public school teacher and a youth pastor, he wanted to remain optimistic to encourage other people. But no matter how he tried to keep his anxious thoughts at bay, fear finally overtook him when he tested positive for COVID-19.

“My whole body went cold; I was so nervous,” Joel recalled. “I teared up when I heard the news because I was so scared of what might happen to me.” It dawned on him that fear and anxiety have a way of blinding his faith.

He especially felt it when he had to stay in a quarantine facility – and, most especially, when his mother and nephew also tested positive.

In his solitude, Joel found comfort in watching CBN Asia’s online shows, “I rewatched Peter Kairuz’s guesting on Kapit Lang. I was inspired by how God healed him when he got sick.

I joined their prayer for COVID-19 patients.

I prayed, ‘Lord, thank You for using these shows in bringing comfort to people like me.’”

Apart from praying and reading his Bible, the online shows became his daily source of encouragement. Every episode, every prayer helped Joel get through the difficult days.

It is by God’s grace that many of us are healed.

Joel experienced this truth when he and his mother and nephew all recovered from COVID-19. They went home fully healed – as if the virus never touched their bodies.

The COVID-19 survivor couldn’t contain his gratitude and couldn’t stop praising Jesus and serving Him in any way he can.

If you are anxious about COVID-19, Joel has a message for you, “Pray and boost your spiritual life. Hold on to God because He is our strength.

We are limited, but God’s strength is limitless.”

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CBN Asia Partners

Touch Hearts, Rebuild Lives Here are just a few stories of how your support to Operation Blessing Foundation Philippines touched the hearts of our kababayans and helped rebuild lives bit by bit each day.

You touched the heart of Nanay Christy “We were trapped in a chest-deep flood inside our home. We lifted whatever we can and stayed on top of tables,” Nanay Christy recounted how their family survived a flood brought on by the Habagat. The 67-year-old grandma from Oriental Mindoro couldn’t help reliving the hopelessness she had felt at the memory. The flood had subsided, but it left the residents in deep despair and need.

Thanks to your help, Operation Blessing reached their barangay and distributed life-saving food bags and essential items! With the help of DLL Sagad Off-Road Volunteers, Philippine Army, church partners, and the local government units of Naujan and Baco, Nanay Christy and hundreds of affected families did not need to worry where they would get their next meal.

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Your generosity touched the heart of Nanay Christy and put a hopeful smile on her face, “I am thankful for the help we received from Operation Blessing. No words can express how grateful I am!”

Helping Popoy rebuild his life Like many of our indigenous kababayans, Popoy of the Hanunuo Mangyan tribe had a difficult past. Influenced into joining an opposition group, Popoy lived in overwhelming fear because of the group’s rebellious bent. He finally decided to leave in hopes of living a peaceful life, “I felt bad for my wife and child,” he confessed. “I didn’t want to do it anymore. I really hope this is the start of our good life.”

However, Popoy found that starting a “good life” could be extremely difficult, especially in the middle of a pandemic and a calamity at the same time. Thankfully, he was listed as one of the beneficiaries of Operation Blessing’s livelihood assistance!

Popoy and 42 other beneficiaries received farming tools and livelihood support so they can start anew! “I am very thankful to Operation Blessing. I have never seen this kind of generosity before,” he said. “These tools are helpful for our survival and it’s something that we can cherish for a lifetime.”

You delivered a new wheelchair for Sheila Born with hand and leg deformities, 17-year-old Sheila remains cheerful despite the challenges in her life. She is much more than a girl on a wheelchair – she is a consistent academic achiever and one of the top students in her class.

Though her family struggles to make ends meet, Sheila has faith that she can reach her dreams, “Living with this condition is not easy, but with loving parents and siblings who care for me, I’m confident that I can achieve what normal students dream of.”

To further motivate Sheila, Operation Blessing brought her a special gift – a new wheelchair delivered right in front of their home! “I am the happiest person today! Thank you so much, Operation Blessing.”

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Find Comfort

in the Arms of a Loving God Have you ever had to choose between career and family?

Cecille Marasigan had been in that situation before. For 17 long years, she served as a nurse in Saudi Arabia.

However, in 2014, she had to let go of her growing career to take care of her beloved father who had suffered from stroke. “I was taking care of other patients, but I couldn’t take care of my own father,” she shared. “I had to go home and take care of him.”

She and her three children flew back to the Philippines while her husband remained in Jeddah. They tried to make ends meet, but they used up their savings when their son suffered severe asthma while their daughter was hospitalized due to stomach problems.

“It was the most challenging season of my life. We came to a point when we only had Php 3,000 in our wallets,” Cecille recalled. She was worried about how to fund the medical expenses of her ailing father and children.

Where do you find comfort during tough times? Cecille found comfort in the arms of her loving God. During one of her sleepless nights, she chanced upon The 700 Club Asia. She was blessed by how God brought comfort to others through the ministry. She, too, found peace when she realized that God sustained them against all odds. She prayed about supporting the ministry and decided to give.

Although Cecille wasn’t expecting anything in return, a mighty rain of blessings started to pour into their lives. God healed her loved ones and blessed them with a product center of herbal supplements and a health and wellness clinic. Cecille’s husband got to go home for good because they even surpassed their earnings while they were working abroad!

“It’s a joy for me to help. God’s mathematical equation when it comes to giving is multiplication,” Cecille declared. “The more we give, all the more He will course His blessings through us.”

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Sharing God’s Boundless Love

to the Kids of Cambodia When Pia Bautista realized that God was calling her to be a missionary, she dropped everything and responded in faith.

Pia gave up her corporate job to focus on her calling. Her budding love for God’s ministry continued to flourish when she attended the Missionary Training Program of Asian Center for Missions (ACM), CBN Asia’s missionary training arm. She flew to China for a 10-day mission trip which opened her eyes to the reality that many people still live without experiencing the saving love of Jesus.

However, when she decided to do long-term missions in China, her visa application was denied. Not knowing what to do or where to go, Pia waited for two long years.

“I struggled and doubted my calling,” she confessed. “I waited but I felt that God was silent.”

Without a full-time job, her monthly bills added to the weight on her shoulders, “God stripped me of everything that I held in life. Job, finances… those kinds of security. He humbled me and taught me to be dependent on Him,” said Pia. But she continued to trust God in her journey.

God started to open doors of opportunities for Pia. ACM offered her a position as an English teacher in a school in Cambodia. There, God provided for all her needs and even promoted her as a school administrator. Now that she’s back home in the Philippines, Pia started an online English class for Cambodians called “Amazing Learners Online” where she teaches not just the language, but also Christian values to young Cambodians.

“I see all my classes as discipleship. It’s planting the seed of faith to the young generation,” Pia shared. “God filled my heart with His love for people, for the Buddhist nations, for children. You know such love is not from us, it’s from Him.” Thank you for partnering with ACM in sharing God’s boundless love to other nations. Together, we continue to press on Towards No More Unreached!

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3 Ways to Support

Kids’ Mental Health in the New Normal You know better than anyone how COVID-19 pandemic has affected your child’s life. Although many kids proved remarkably resilient, some are still understandably struggling to adjust with the changes.

This is natural. The routine that once gave them a sense of control and freedom vanished practically overnight.

Their classrooms have become computer screens, playgrounds became off-limits, and they can’t see their friends anymore. So it’s understandable that they would be irritable, frustrated, or even sad sometimes.

Have you been wondering how you could support your child’s mental health?

Here are 3 ways you can help them:

1. Talk to your child Children often feel big emotions that they don’t always have the words for. So it’s best to ask and help them identify how they feel about the current situation. Validate their emotions. Explain why they can’t go out. Ask if they have concerns or questions then answer in a truthful, calm way. Reassure them that you are always there whenever they need someone to talk to.

2. Encourage healthy habits Kids can feel and do better during this challenging time if they get enough sleep, eat healthy meals, and exercise regularly. That’s why it’s important to establish your family’s

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daily routine in this new normal—including your child’s online classes, household chores, and relaxation. Encourage activities that boost their mood, such as watching child-friendly shows like Superbook.

3. Help them develop a sound mind Everyone—including your child—is prone to stress, cabin fever, and moments of fear.

Help them develop a sound mind and find comfort in God by teaching them how to pray.

Superbook opened its Kids Prayer Line to help kids pray! Children may call (02) 8-7370-700 or send their prayer requests through Batang Superbook’s Facebook page.

Feeling Discouraged?

Here are 3 Inspiring Songs to Add to Your Playlist If you’re feeling a bit down and in need of lifting up, CBN Asia brings you a refreshing blend of Filipino contemporary Christian music that is worth adding to your playlist!

Reverb Worship PH, CBN Asia’s music arm, presents four brand new singles to inspire hope, strength, and encouragement for you and your loved ones:

Love and Light Rising artist Joselle Feliciano encourages you to rediscover God’s love and light in these bleak times. Give it a listen and let the song’s catchy tune bring feel-good vibes and a ray of sunshine to your mornings.

2AM Wide Awake Inspired by the story of The Prodigal Son in the Bible, Neo Rivera teamed up with Jericho Arceo for his first single of 2021 as a message of God’s love, grace, and forgiveness. This relatable song is a perfect anthem for anyone seeking God’s comfort during these trying times.

Pansumandali Promising new artist Shekinah Gram sings about life’s reality—how everything is fleeting and temporary. This acoustic masterpiece is your wonderful reminder that though people and feelings come and go, God’s love for you will always remain.

Stream Love and Light, and 2AM Wide Awake on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Tidal, Soundcloud, and YouTube! Watch out for the release of Pansumandali on February 2022, and follow Reverb Worship PH on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more updates.

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