Building Up the Bamboo Church of the Lord

April 14, 2021 • in News & Events

Going to church to worship God every Sabbath excites Seventh-day Adventists, especially when with friends and when the seats are right in the feels. Feeling comfortable in a church and listening to God’s words is a whole different level of relaxation.

Unfortunately, not everyone has the privilege to do so. The churchgoers of Layi, Kinangan, Davao Occidental have to walk past mountains and rivers to go to a make-shift church made out of tarp every Sabbath, where 43 members gather sit together in a cramped space.

To make things worse, the members of Layi sometimes find their peace disturbed by outsiders. They get looked down on and made fun of by other groups as they do not have a proper church. The discrimination was so awful that it reached the point where they got stoned during their night of devotion with no apparent reason.

Seeing this problem, the South Philippine Union Conference and Davao Mission chose Layi for the ‘Bamboo Church Project.’ The project is intended to help their beloved brethren and provide them a much better place of worship where they can feel secure, comfortable, and ultimately, the solemnity of worshipping God.

Pr. Irnie Hemoroz, the supervising pastor of the district, immediately got to work. He planned for a date for when they can go to Layi. On April 4, Pr. Hemoroz and his crew went to help start the construction of the Bamboo Church. They were greeted with the church members’ grateful faces knowing that they will finally have their longed church soon. All the needed materials were already in place, so there was no more time to waste. They immediately started the construction.

Everyone toiled away the whole day. The work was exhausting, and it was not easy. However, beyond the tired faces, one can see a cheerful and excited expression showing enthusiasm to quickly finish the church and eventually sit in comfort inside to worship God.

As of Pr. Hemoroz and his companions’ departure, only the foundations were finished, and the church will occupy the 1000 square meters lot area, so the building still has a long way to go.

But this is the least of their worries. The construction of Layi Bamboo Church will never stop come whatever challenges and hardships. As long as the brothers and sisters offer help in building up the church, the day will undoubtedly come when it is done.

Hopefully, on that same day, when Layi Seventh-day Adventist Church’s members’ wishes are fulfilled, their problems will also at long last be over, and they can worship God’s name in peace inside their very own church. (Ivan Jay Obusa/Malita Youth)

(Additional Photos by Irnie Hemoroz)