Dumaguit Family
The Australasian Union Conference would like to officially welcome the Dumaguit family to Australia; we pray that your stay here will be a very blessed and wonderful one.
Three members of the Dumaguit family, Brother Rolly, Sister Mercy together with their son David, arrived in Sydney on Tuesday the 19th November 2013. Their eldest son Abraham will join them later on this year.
Born in the Philippines, Brother Rolly and Sister Mercy Dumaguit both have a huge passion for the canvassing and the health work. As a young man, Rolly graduated as an agricultural engineer and while working for the Philippine government in the scienced epartment doing research he received a call from the Philippine Union to enter the Lords’ work as the Union Colporteur Leader this was due to Brother Jamie Campos returning to Brazil.
Rolly continued this for twelve years; during this time he married Mercy and also was ordained as a minister in 1998. At the 1999 General Conference (GC) Session he was elected to be the GC Colporteur Leader.
In 2002 they were asked to move to Belize to establish the colporteur work there, and while there at the 2003 GC Session the GC Colporteur and Missionary Departments were merged and Brother Rolly was elected leader again.
Due to Br John Ciric’s health problems which caused him to resign from this post as GC Pacific Regional Secretary, Br Rolly was appointed by the GC to take over that position. Since this work takes him all around the Pacific Islands, it was decided that it would benefit him best to reside here in Australia; also the work in the Australasian Union will definitely benefit by them being placed in Sydney Australia.
Sr Mercy is very supportive of God’s work and is happy to share her amazing conversion experience with us which we will publish in the next issue of the Good Tidings. Their eldest son Abraham who is still in the Philippines is doing his Naturopathy course. David also has started doing his Naturopathy course and has completed his first two years, however, his plans have slightly taken a turn as he is one of the students doing the Missionary Training Program for the next four months.
The Dumaguit family is currently living at the caretakers’ residence on the premises of the Australasian Union Headquarters.
May God bless the sacrifice of all workers and their families, who have put self aside and given their talents and their all in the service of the King.
Family Pedrosa
The Australasian Union Conference would like to extend a very warm welcome to brother Arnaldo, Sister Richel and their daughter Adelaide Pedrosa, who moved from British Guiana, South America to Auckland New Zealand.
Born in the Philippines, Brother Arnaldo and Sister Richel have served the Lord for many years, combined they have almost thirty-six years of service between them. In the Philippines Brother Arnaldo was the secretary/treasurer for the field for four years and colporteur for one year; then for two years as Publishing Director for the Union during this time he was also ordained as a Minister of the Gospel and then transferred by the General Conference to British Guiana as a Bible Worker/Minister in September 2005. He also built up the Colporteur Department in British Guiana while he was there.
Sister Richel worked as a colporteur in the Philippines for ten years prior to accompanying her husband to British Guiana. During that time, in order to benefit her own health, she became very interested in natural treatments and was impressed to do a massage course.
Sister Richel also studied on-line to be a “Nutritional Consultant” finishing it in 2010. Since completing her nutritional course, she also upgraded her massage knowledge by graduating in special needs massages e.g. stroke patients, myoskeletal therapy, lymphatic draining etc. This knowledge was instrumental in building up the Health work in British Guiana.
With minimal finances and a very humble beginning Sr Richel together with some brethren and by the help of the Lord in 2010 opened a health clinic where she applied massages and natural treatments. This clinic is operating now for almost four years serving the local community. Through monetary donations and goodwill of people in the government this work has been able to continue.
The Pedrosa family lived and worked in the British Guiana until July 2013 when a new call was made to come and work for the Australasian Union as New Zealand Field Leader due to the transfer of the Thiel family back to Australia. Brother Matthias Thiel, his wife Lizy together with their children Alyssia and Cameron are now residing in Sydney NSW and we welcome them back to Australia!
I asked Sr Richel what was her feelings when she found out she was coming to New Zealand, her only concern was the cold weather, as she has always lived in a warm climate; but she is very happy to be wherever God sends them to go and work for Him.
We wish them all God’s many blessings as they continue to serve Him.
~ Lidia Voncina