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HISTORY OF CAINTA CHURCH OF CHRIST It was a Sunday afternoon of year 1997 when I first heard of the intent to plant a church in Cainta. I heard it from three leaders of Antipolo church who were talking and were contemplating on their Sunday morning lesson. I remember clearly that one of them said that he felt in his heart that God does not want the church in Antipolo to be complacent or be contented of being the only church of Christ in the province of Rizal. He further said that it seems that God is telling them to start a church somewhere in Masinag maybe or Teresa, Tanay or Cainta. The other two nod their heads in agreement and then suddenly one of them exclaimed, “Cainta! How about that place?” “Yeah! Why not,” the third one said and further added, “Three members of our congregation live in that area” (sisters Juvy Corpuz, Rebecca Tajor and Fe Magno). The other one seconded the idea and also said, “Devotionals were held there almost every Saturday at Nanay Luling’s place. The odds are good and it seems that God is really moving us towards that direction.” This thought about God’s call to plant a church in Cainta proved not just a wishful thinking when in the third quarter of 1998, Hixson church of Christ agreed to support the church-planting project in the municipality of Cainta. Hixson church of Christ is the sponsor of the World Bible School office, which is located in Antipolo. Brother Donald T. Williams (an American missionary), who was then the director, and the two local evangelists of the said office, brothers Rajahpad M. Buo (me) and Eduardo “Jhun” C. Ma Jr., became the pioneers of that church-planting project. Preparations were then made for the “launch” of the project. We (Don, Raj and Jhun) first informed Antipolo church about the plan and then sought their blessings. We attended a purpose driven seminar for additional knowledge and then together with the members of Antipolo church, who lives in Cainta, we knocked doors and conducted a survey for us to determine the religious background of the community and its felt needs. On October 25, 1998 at East Garden Chinese Restaurant, we had our “Sending Out” worship service wherein Antipolo and Pasig churches of Christ joined hands together in a special prayer for the three workers of Cainta. November 8, 1998 when we had our first worship service. It was held in an old and unused catholic chapel. We originally planned to have our first worship at sister Rebecca Tajor’s house, but due to a miscarriage two days before the said date; we made a decision to move it to the nearest possible place – the chapel inside the residence lot of the Tajor’s. The service started at 9:10 am. Brother Jhun Ma was the speaker. The attendance is 28 (18 adults, 5 teens and 5 kids) and our total offering is Php 1,030.00 or about US$ 19.00. The young church of Cainta experienced “a little persecution” on its third week. We learned that some of the catholic neighbors of sister Rebecca were very displeased at us. They do not like the idea of “a protestant group” using their small chapel for holding Sunday morning meetings. So beginning 22nd of November 1998, the church held its worship services instead at Aldox Trading, an office space rented by a generous lady friend of sister Rebecca. The Purpose Statement of Cainta church of Christ is: “We exist to bring people to Jesus and membership in His family, develop them to Christ-like maturity, and equip them for their ministry in the church and their life mission in the world, in order to magnify God’s name.” During the infant stage of Cainta, we (leaders) did our best to communicate to the members our vision for the church and the church’s purposes. Our sermon topics were based on our vision and purposes, and our programs and activities were designed around our purposes. Some of the evangelism programs and training seminar that we had during our first year were the following: “The Man Without Equal” film showing, Vacation Bible School at Sitio Victoria, mass distribution of World Bible School introductory lessons, Free Medical and Dental Clinic with the mission team* from Lubbock Christian University (Texas, USA) and “Leadership in the Kingdom” seminar by brother Ian Fair* (Ph.D.). We had six baptisms on our first year - sisters Edith Bassam, Laeila Bassam, Tita Reyes, Anela Williams, Alisha Williams and brother John Fernandez. Sadly also on our first year, a change of leadership occurred. On the second week of June 1999, brother Jhun Ma left the work in Cainta. Brother Allahjari “Dhon” M. Buo later replaced him on September 19, 1999. On October 9 of the same year, the church in Cainta moved to and leased an old two-storey apartment situated at the boundary of Cainta and Taytay (another town of Rizal province). This place became the home of the church for five blessed years.
The Lord did wonderful things with and for and through Cainta church in the past five years. The following are the most memorable: the National Single’s Retreat that we hosted on December 2000, the founding of the Single Mom’s Support Group on September 2001, the Marriage Enrichment Seminar on the third quarter of 2002, the orphanage visit on December 2002, the Day Care program of the church from November 2002-March 2003, the Young Men and Women’s Forum on the first quarter of 2003, the inter-congregational door knocking campaign at Cainta on May 2003, our 40 Days of Purpose on May-June 2004 and the Ladies’ Circle on November 2004. In addition to the above list is the one month on the job training that we provided to the five students* of Cebu Bible College on May 2002, the participation of Cainta members (Raj & Dhon Buo, Sonny & Gina Catalan and Andrea Vendiola) to the bi-annual MARCH for Christ Medical and Dental missions, plus the twenty baptisms* that we had in Cainta.
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*LCU MISSION TEAM: Jeremy & Courtney Rose Porter, Jared Nelson, Anita Seitter, Scott Prather and Tracy Chandler. *DR. IAN FAIR is the director of Center for Church Enrichment at Abilene Christian University (Texas, USA). *CBC STUDENTS: Arnel Dolatre, Clark Sumangil, Earlie Buo, Oliver Daracen and Richard Matias. *TWENTY BAPTISMS: (1) Gina Flores (2) Kenneth Flores (3) Mary Ann Magno (4) Ma. Theresa Reyes (5) Mary Anne Abad (6) Erwina Capanang (7) Jovielyn Aglibot (8) Michael Verano (9) Elenita Alberto (10) John Leo Olavario (11) Jonar Reyes (12) Irene Alberto (13) Edeson Capanang (14) Annalyn Zamora (15) Alvin Zamora (16) Carmelita Leano (17) Veronica Sison (18) Van Bryan Tajor (19) Czarinah Paula Magno (20) Maidee Legara. The Lord also, in the past years, sees us through separation-grief and difficult times when two of our dear leaders and church families left Cainta – Don, Deanne, Alisha and Anela Williams on May 2000 and Allahjari “Dhon” Buo on July 2004. It is brother Sonny Catalan who is now laboring with me, continuing the ministry work that brother Dhon Buo left in Cainta.
The church now worships at a warehouse owned by sister Rebecca’s parents. We moved here last November 2004 due to a decrease in our church funds. The place is free of charge, more spacious and quieter than what we formerly had. It needs a “make over” though for its roof is leaky, doesn’t have a ceiling, and the walls and floors are rough. The ladies and the young people, little by little, are doing some improvements to make our new worship place more presentable. Our attendance since we moved here increased and our worship services were noticeably livelier. Last 21st of December 2004, we conducted a Free Dental Clinic here in our new location. This is in cooperation with the Centennial, Pasig church of Christ (a nearby congregation) and made possible through the generosity of MARCH for Christ (anesthesia & medicines) and the brethren from Pasir Panjang, Singapore church of Christ (milk powders for kids). We treated a total of 31 patients in a half-day of clinic. Brother Sonny and I are now busy conducting follow-ups during Saturdays, offering a once a week, thirty minutes of Bible Study with the patients and inviting them to attend our Sunday fellowships.
Written By: Rajahpad Menor Buo Minister of Cainta church of Christ
Written On: 15th of January 2005
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