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I have been exposed with the ACE system even during my early years in the ministry. As a church worker I became a Supervisor in the Preschool with Ace and Christi as well as in the ABC’s of ACE. This was during the early 90’s when I was still single. In 2001 when my pastor-husband decided to put up a school ministry we chose the ACE system. During one of the Conventions the BLESS program was introduced. We got interested and prayed about putting up a BLESS Center. We were thrilled with the idea of having an evangelistic-school arm in the church. So in September 2006 we trained for BLESS. We started our BLESS center November 21, 2006.
Having been exposed to the ABC’s of ACE for some time already I encountered no problem in preparing and teaching the academics of the program. I had some difficulties in dealing with the behavior of the children, some how they were different. I have had students in the past, but none quite like them. I have had students in the public school, but these were different. Their moral confidence was very low. They were constantly talking of how poor they were. And I can see this in their attire as well as in their mannerisms. There were even students who would not come to school because they have no P1 “baon”. I thanked the Lord for giving me wisdom to minister with their psychological needs as well as with their spiritual needs. The Lord gave me love abounding to let these children know God loves them. Aside from teaching these children the rudiments of reading, I was able to touch their lives for the Lord. They learned to trust Jesus as their Savior. They learned to trust Him in their everyday lives as well. The parents testified of how their children’s attitudes and behavior were changed for the better. Because of this, the joy of helping these children how to read and be literates only came second to the joy of being a channel of blessing in their personal lives. Praise God for BLESS!
Mrs. Ma. Graciela C. Dela Cruz
Mt. Olives Baptist Church, MRI
Novaliches, Quezon City
Copyright © 2008 Project: Bless A Child. All Rights Reserved.