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Winning Maui For Christ! Couples For Christ – Maui, First Island Anniversary

November 6, 2020

Couples For Christ – Maui, First Island Anniversary
By Rico Manianglung

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit--fruit that will last--and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” (John 15:16)

CHOSEN AND SENT
“We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God. Immediately we abandon to God, and do the duty that lies nearest, and He packs our life with surprises all the time…. Leave the whole thing to Him, it is gloriously uncertain how He will come in, but He will come.” (Oswald Chambers), wrote sis Vinya Manianglung on her Facebook on August 10, 2019…and she wrote a year later: “We were sent to plant seeds in Maui a year ago. Now we are certain.”

Bro Joe and Sis Gloria Gage’s Story:
It came out from a PPC meeting that the Parish has to establish a Family and Life Ministry and Father Augustin Uthuppu asked Bro Joe to look for a Family Ministry to help. Browsing the internet, Bro Joe came across with Couples for Christ in Oahu and on June 14, 2019, he emailed Bro Rico: “I am a part of Marriage and Family Ministry here at Christ the King here in Maui. At our meeting a couple of days ago, we were looking for ideas for an upcoming meeting with some couples at our parish. Wondering if you are up to flying over and doing a quick 1 hour presentation for us?”

Bro. Rico and Sis Vinya Manianglung’s Story:
On that same day they received the email, Bro Rico made a follow up call to Fr Gus who apparently had no knowledge about the email but he was glad that the Parish Council chose Couples for Christ.

On August 29, 2019, a team was sent to do an initial presentation; the team was composed of Mark and Maricel Sebastian, Rico and Vinya Manianglung and Oswald Bumanglag for Singles.

Bro Dector and Sis Gie Torricer’s Story:
“Today a prophecy was fulfilled. I (had) just remembered, during the “Ablaze” Singles for Christ Conference in 2008, we were asked to choose a continent to go to if called to serve beyond borders, I chose the Americas, (Gie, during the “Brave Heart” SFC Conference some years before the Ablaze Conference, also went forward when they asked who felt like the Lord was leading them to serve beyond borders)….true enough, me and my wife were able to serve in the first ever Christian Life Program for Couples here in Maui.”, Dector wrote on his Facebook on October 26, 2019. 

Being a long-time CFC Singles For Christ members who eventually crossed-over to Couples for Christ, Dector and Gie were longing to have a “household” in Maui, so that, when they came to know that a CLP was being conducted, they attended just like that, two aliens popped up from nowhere, ‘who are they?’, the team asked themselves. “Homeless” no more! Couples for Christ is now in Maui…God be praised!”, Dector wrote further.

OUR STORY
And, so, a Christian Life Program was conducted on October 26-27, 2019 at St. Marianne Room in Christ the King Parish.

The Team:
1. Chito Noriega (CFC SoCal)
2. Rico and Vinya Manianglung
3. Rudy and Ching Flores
4. Jojo and Vangie Semana
5. Orlando Ragudos
6. Ronnie Carag

The Seed Couples:
1. Joe and Gloria Gage
2. Brian and Kat Ortogero
3. Jeffery Grimes and Carol Sadiri (who later on took back their commitment to the household)
4. Dcn Ken and Charmaine Bissen (who continued their CLP online and eventually committed themselves to the household)

The team, sponsored by Bro Joe and Sis Glo, left Maui in high spirits with God’s victory, leaving the HOUSEHOLD to Bro Dector and Sis Gie Torricer. On November 10, 2019, the first household was conducted at St. Marianne room. On February 15, 2020, the first “home” household was conducted at Bro Joe and Sis Glo’s home, that time Bro Jeffery Grimes and Sis Carol Sadiri were no longer attending household however, Dcn Ken and sis Charmaine joined in – from three couples to three couples. Then the Pandemic came, but before the lockdown, the last face to face household was conducted at Bro Dector and Gie’s home on March 14, 2020.

“God is the farmer and we are the gardeners; the seeds He planted grow to trees we know not how but certainly God makes them grow, we are just there to care so they will thrive and bear fruit, fruit that will last.”

God planted THREE SEEDS, and those THREE SEEDS were called to grow and to WIN MAUI FOR CHRIST!

Couples for Christ (CFC) is a Catholic movement intended for the renewal and strengthening of Christian family life. CFC couples have committed themselves to the Lord and to one another so that they may grow in maturity as men and women of God and fulfill their primary vocation of raising families grounded in Christian values, in the service and love of God. In 2000, CFC was recognized by the Holy See (Vatican) as a private international association of the lay faithful of pontifical right. If you would like to know more about Couples for Christ, please email Rico and Vinya Manianglung at ricvin.cfchi@gmail.com.