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Micro-Business in the Philippines
Picture Rolando and Kathryn
Personal
How it started:
I was raised in a strong Roman Catholic background and in my high-school years, I was a very dedicated altar boy and I studied in a Catholic school. I lived a double live: outside I was known to be a good boy but I was engaged in all sorts of worldliness. God knew my struggle and desire to know Him. I even decided entering priesthood but escaped twice when the priests came to bring me to the seminary. In college I took up a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering. My hunger for power and something deeper in life drove me into the world of occultism and mysticism. However, fear gripped my heart when I began to experience supernatural and eerie activities. I finally decided it was demonic and diverted my attention to the arts and sciences. In my second semester, I happened to chance upon a Christian bookstore and the pastor shared with me the gospel. He attacked my pagan beliefs and condemned my idols. I decided to read the Bible for the purpose of debating him and to prove that my religion was the one and only true way that would get me to heaven. I was however shocked to learn that I was wrong and that he was right. From then on, I pursued the growing hunger to know more about God and the Bible. I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior in 1982 and started to be active in the ministry first as a student evangelist. In school, I was known as a radical for Christ, witnessing to students, teachers, and even the staff. While studying, I was trained as a Church Planter and Community development worker and by the grace of God acquired knowledge and skills for the advancement of His kingdom. The Philippines is reeking with idolatry and spiritualism. Thus, I have encountered great difficulties in presenting true, unadulterated faith in God alone in the midst of great mysticism. My ministry has been mostly in supernatural healing and deliverance as many are involved in witchcraft and spiritism as I was in my early years. The people have long since placed their trust in the “anitos” (spirits) and “albularyos,” (healers) and many times, that is how they treat us,” a stronger witch doctor who can break the spell of weaker ones.” I deal with this by being radical in my presentations, dispelling that the “gods” harm them if they embrace my message. Another is the issue of Evangelism and Social Action. Poverty is a major issue which cannot be overlooked and each time we evangelize prostitutes or people with immoral sources of income, they come and ask us to provide them new jobs. Although I am not yet in the capacity to deliver such to them I to teach them faith and trust in the Living God because I know that in the near future, I will be used to be a great channel of blessing in this area. At present we are breaking the stronghold of poverty in the capacity that He is allowing us. I am now also engaged in anti-drug abuse and anti-child abuse programs as it is one of the issues that need to be addressed in our country. There are also former pushers and drug addicts that I am discipling as agents of change in this ministry. Now, as I look back, I cannot stop praising God for what he has done for me. I am now being used by God to oversee at least 23 local churches in Pangasinan and Nueva Ecija of which 10 of them are pioneered by me personally and at the same time, I’m the assistant General Overseer of the Christian Church of the Philippines. My Computer and Engineering background has placed me in a position to witness thru the internet and Websites too.
Personal Passion: Roland’s passion is church planting through the tangible Christian witness of Community development, Christian Education from pre-school to higher education, and the training of ministers to lead and serve with a radical commitment to win the lost at all cost and disciple them for the advancement of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His heart goes to discipling youth and developing children in need of special attention (abused, neglected, abandoned, street children, outcasts of society, orphans) to be Godly citizens serving God and men.
Personal Benefit: Roland’s drive for work and service stems from the internal motivation of fulfilling the vision that God has placed in his heart to accomplish. His joy is in seeing individuals and communities being transformed from rags to riches and from servants of darkness to successful servants of God.
Value to others: Roland serves as a mentor and discipler who has led many young people to fulfill their call as pastors and ministers of God. They see his commitment, dedication, and high value of serving God and are challenged to do the same. He also champions the cause of the fatherless, the abandoned and neglected children, and other children in need of special attention. To those who are willing and obedient he leads them to a brighter hope for the future, regardless of their past. His life of faith and obedience to God exalts the Biblical principles of Kingdom living for every disciple in search for the reality of practical Christianity. He started with virtually nothing, with each step of faith comes the miracles.
Our organization (COLM Int'l.) of which I am the Senior Pastor and founder has ten very young pastors and more than twenty church planters/workers. We place great emphasis on training workers, pastors, ministers and church planters to further the vision that God has placed in our hearts. We are known for our RADICAL APPROACH IN TRAINING MINISTERS in a variety of ways
Rolando pioneered an orphanage, 4 pre-schools in different village churches, a Bible Training center, and is continuously seeking for partners to develop and expand these ministries.
Business Potential (upside): Roland is pregnant with ideas for sustainability projects, business opportunities, and micro-enterprises that would sustain and even expand the orphanage, school-for the poor, and church planting ministries to reach out and serve even more for the glory of God. There are over 50 orphans, widows, fulltime workers, church planters, and pastors who are dependent on his leadership for sustenance. His schooling in business administration, engineering background, computer skills, social-services training, passion for God, and heart for the lost souls keep a constant brew of ideas on how to generate funds to sustain and expand the ministry of God’s Word.
Complexities, failures (downside): Having chosen to work fulltime on a voluntary basis despite various job opportunities abroad, Roland is not financially capable of supporting the business ventures he planned. Thus, he is praying for partners who believe in his cause and who share the same passion to bring into practical reality the principles in the Biblical discipleship and church planting like caring for the orphans, the widows, the downtrodden, and the “least of these.”
Vision for the Kingdom: Roland sees the Kingdom ministry as his field, sans boundaries. It is rich and full of untapped potentials that need to be unearthed. He believes that the kingdom of God is so powerful and that all Christians must know their positions as priests, kings, and prophets, in order to exercise their authority. His vision is to train leaders from all walks of life to be kingdom-minded believers whose impact can be seen and felt by the community they live in.
Impact from “Releasing Kings” shared by Mark Charles It was Mark Charles who shared the concept of “Releasing Kings” which has sparked Roland’s enthusiasm to continue on with what he is doing, to never give up, and to pursue this noble task of developing people to their highest potentials no matter what the cost.
How Can Roland Help You: Roland is a great resource in a number of specific areas.
· Goat-raising and dispersal project · Arts and Craft /Handicrafts · Canteen and Catering Services · Desktop Publishing and Computer services · Grocery store · Palay and Rice Trading · Garment Industry and T-shirt printing · TESOL TRAINING CENTER and ESL School in Dagupan Pangasinan · Picture Frame Making · Hollow Blocks making · Cacao Beans Plantation – source of production for chocolate products · Sand and Gravel supply · Fruits and Vegetable Merchandizing · Mini-printing press · Construction Supply · Internet Café · Plant Nursery · Kids Playland and Child Care Center · Training Center and Camp site · Vocational Institute Technological school
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