Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Tribute to Carmena Cruz and Lina Padilla

Carmena and Lina celebrated their 25th anniversary of serving the Lord at MEANS. The MEANS volunteers surprised them with a creative drama, some congratulatory words from our ministry partners via cyberspace and written tributes from the MEANS volunteers.

Below is the letter read by Ken Borromeo at the retreat to express appreciation to their service at MEANS. Soli Deo Gloria!

“You are both unique individuals possessing unique qualities and gifts that work well as our MEANS leaders and our models of faithful servanthood. Through the years, you have been full of new ideas, wisdom, and energy for MEANS. You regularly attend Willow Creek’s Global Leadership Training, taking vacation time from your jobs to be able to attend COSIM (Coalition on the Support for Indigenous Ministries) and Balikatan (IVCF Philippines Alumni Group of North America) conferences and ECFA seminars. You seek to apply what you have learned from these to MEANS. You sacrifice your time so much for the good of MEANS that sometimes people think that MEANS is your full time job. You also open your home to MEANS ministry partners. You are like mothers to our ministry partners. You look at their needs and think of ways on how to provide for their needs in the ministry. MEANS is always in your hearts.

For many years, the MEANS ministry has always been a good topic for conversation, whether in the coffee shop, campgrounds, vacation, or anywhere. With your leadership, MEANS partnerships with the donors and ministry partners have grown to 84 ministry partners, 63 sub-ministry partners, 424 donors, and 22 volunteers, and many partners, donors, and volunteers have been given the opportunity to serve the Lord according to their expertise, gifts and skills and be a blessing to others as well. Through your example and faith, some peoples’ lives have been changed for the glory of the Lord. On behalf of the MEANS family, we thank you for being good leaders, faithful and dedicated servants, and as friends. We enjoy your company and we are blessed that we grow and learn with you as Christians. We are blessed and honored to be a part of your lives. May your legacy with MEANS continue. Congratulations to your 25th anniversary.”