Bro. Roel Paz: 1st KKB Disciple Among CVPC Working Scholars

By: Dan Jerome Barrera

Bro. Roel Paz was the first KKB disciple among the working scholars at the Negros Oriental State University (formerly Central Visayas Polytechnic College). Through His life, God has won leaders and more souls for His Kingdom. 

He has been a well-traveled man but has found God anywhere He went. He could not escape God and neither his calling. 

In 2001, he was a 2nd Year Diploma in Technology student at CVPC. One noon, a KKB leader, Melanie Valiente,  shared with him the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.  The message captivated his heart. From that point, he actively attended KKB gatherings during Wednesdays.

After about a year, he witnessed a great miracle. Ptra. Mardy Manguinimba prayed over his sick supervisor, a faculty member, and God healed him. From then on, he regularly attended the church's Sunday services at San Jose Ext., Dumaguete City. He became Ptra. Mardy's first disciple among the working scholars at NORSU. 

After graduation, he found himself in different places but also found God anywhere he went. In 2003, he went to Cebu for work but did not lose his passion for serving God. He found refuge at the JIL Cebu. In 2004, he returned to Negros Oriental and continued serving at the JIL Dumaguete. He then left the country and worked in Abu Dhabi, UAE, from 2006 to 2011, but also found God there and served at the JIL Abu Dhabi. 

In 2011, he returned to the Philippines and started a fruitful discipleship journey at the JIL Dumaguete. He actively shared God's word even to strangers. Bros. Arnold Diocos and Jasper Tecson became two of his victorious disciples after sharing the gospel and teaching them the way they should go. Bro. Arnold became the church coordinator of JIL Zamboanguita and Bro. Jasper became the JIL Bayawan church coordinator. 

In 2015, Bro. Roel married Marialou and bore Yeshua. Together, they continue to serve God at the JIL Dumaguete and share the joy from serving Him even amid trials and hardships in life.

Sis. Klex Maypa: 1st Female KKB President in Negros Oriental

By Klex Maypa

My experience as NORSU KKB chairman (2008-2012) was, without doubt, the most remarkable one. It brought about a great life turnaround for me. 

It started all the positive changes for me. It built up a strong foundation useful for life beyond anything I could learn from school and other sources. 

Being part of the organization alone was already a blessing. Without a family by my side, I got a bigger one through its members and Ptra. Mardy Manguinimba. They cared, guided, and encouraged me to go beyond who I was - a broken, helpless, low self-esteemed, no direction, and reluctant person - and be a leader. The process wasn’t at all easy, but it turned out really awesome and so worth it. 

At first, I thought I would just meet other youths and get the chance to learn drums when my friend invited me. I remembered having a lot of fun. The KKB provided niches for my talents and interests, many of which I just discovered and enhanced through this organization. 

The first visit got followed by another and became a weekly thing. I was drawn up, seeing these people talk and do things that really make sense. 

This was when I also encountered God, got to know myself more, and understand other people better. 

Knowing Him let me experience overwhelming love and joy that gave me a brighter perspective. It brought me unexplainable excitement to life and a drive to share Christ with others. I saw it as the only solution to the various life issues, taking a cue from my experience as someone who came from a very complicated background. 

I never thought that that invitation would become the greatest and most important invitation I could ever receive in my life. 

Being the NORSU KKB president convinced me that God is not looking at our past and current state but by what He can do to us and through us. I’m thankful for the people He used to see the potentials than the obvious weak version of me. 

I remembered KKB excelling in things, from consistently winning the NORSU booth competition even with the smallest budget to being recognized as Top Organization. 

KKB was also known to have dynamic youths who were passionate and willing to serve not only in church affairs but also in the community and the Philippines. When there is an opportunity to serve and proclaim Jesus, the team would actively march out to do it. Whooo!! This flashback stirs up that KKB spirit in me, and it has always been a great experience and feeling to remember and share. 

I saw KKB lived out its mission, seriously inspiring and teaching the youth to live for Christ and the country. 

I saw young people, including me, being transformed through the group to live better or even best lives and help others achieve it, too. 

Until now, its energy is not dying down but instead getting better at conquering campuses, cities, and towns. 

It was indeed the most radical and productive years of my life. 

Thank you so much, KKB Dumaguete! I am forever grateful for being part of the family.  

Bro. Carl Matthew P. Garcia: 1st KKB NORSU LSO President & 1st Himamat Organizer

By: Carl Matthew P. Garcia

Sunder. 

Stalemate.

Shift.

Promotion. 

One leads to the other. 

Breakthrough!

Let’s start our journey with a little bit of backstory. 

Who was he?

From an upsetting episode of dallying from one school to another, this brazen character arrived in Dumaguete with nothing but a traveling bag and pocket change. He pursued school enrolment with no documents. But through a high score during admission (and a whole lot of God’s favor), our not so likely character was now a NORSUnian!

Immersed in the epicenter of campus evangelism and public dialogue, his passion for the youth suddenly had an avenue. A second chance, perhaps. He embraced his newfound direction with a warm heart. Campus ministries became his path towards fulfilling his own personal journey with the Lord. His distinct restoration. 

What happened next?

Wearing shorts, slippers, and a loud personality, he swiftly became the LSO President. Now with influence and a visceral desire towards young people, he organized the first-ever HIMAMAT. He focused entirely on providing a platform for all the youth from different beliefs, ideologies, and denominations to come together as one for Christ Jesus. HIMAMAT became the breakthrough from the longstanding stalemate in his personal struggle with his calling! 

Finally! 

HIMAMAT means ‘contact.’ It became the contact point through which hundreds of young people received Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. 

The shift of incidents that lead towards this breakthrough was never done through typical circumstances. Every heartbreak, every hurdle, and every encompassing pressure of irrelevance in life would eventually lead to our own personal contact, ‘himamat,’ with God’s amazing grace.

Even though his journey in Dumaguete was short-lived, his contact with the Lord became his legacy.

Anyone can and will become God’s general. All you’ll ever need is to be ready (and stay ready) until your once-in-a-lifetime event, YOUR HIMAMAT with the Lord, will take place!

Kudos, Generals of God's Army!

HIMAMAT lives on! 

Ptr. Edgar Manguinimba: 1st President, Kristiyanong Kabataan para sa Bayan - Dgte (1999-2000)

By: Clief Richard Burgos  

Who would have thought?   

A simple boy from the far-flung mountains of Butuan became the first president of the KKB Dumaguete chapter from 1999-2000. Never had been in his wildest imagination came the thought of becoming a leader of numerous city people. He knew nothing about the city culture. His journey began when, as a son of a Manobo Tribe leader, he rolled his sleeves and took the challenge of taking his venture to college. He started in Cebu, where he met a good friend who introduced him to the Jesus Is Lord Church, where he joined and was trained. Being part of the church's office personnel, he received tasks that molded him with principles that became useful in his destiny. 

Destined to be a leader?  

It was a question he gradually answered. A shy sojourner came to Dumaguete at last! He started his first semester as a scholar until he focused on studying with his family's full support. Taking the nautical course in college, he made many friends. He initiated a spiritual gathering inside a classroom at the Central Visayas Polytechnic College, the predecessor of Negros Oriental State University. The bubbly young man realized his potential and eventually became the KKB president. Standing on his favorite verse, Numbers 13:30, he quieted the doubt and led the KKB in conquests.  

Where is he now?  

The servant-leader chose the destiny to fulfill his calling rather than pursuing his personal ambitions. He became the husband of Ptra. Mardy P. Mangunimba and is gifted with beautiful twins. He pastors the JIL Bethel Church in Dumaguete and is very known for his servant spirit, teaching his disciples the ways of Jesus Christ described in Matthew 20:28 that “we are here to serve, not to be served."