From the Field: This is why I work for ICM…

As the Finance Officer in the ICM Hong Kong Office, I spend most of my day on spreadsheets, filling out forms, and at the bank.  Last week I had the opportunity to visit our ICM base in General Santos with the Transform Program sponsors from Union Church HK.

When we were visiting the Transform Program, one woman stood up bravely to share her story with us. She told us about her former addiction to gambling and the hopelessness she had.  Because her family was poor, she didn’t see the point in working everyday to take care of them. Through ICM’s Livelihood curriculum, she learned how to make snacks and sell them for a profit. Pairing her new skills with the Values curriculum taught by their local pastor, she has found a reason for living. She now knows there is an opportunity for a more fulfilling life. She has stopped playing cards and now makes enough money to feed her family.

Another woman told us how she strayed away from God because of the daily struggles of life. Her family had a Bible but never opened it – it just sat in their home. She learned through the Values curriculum about God and His love and now her family reads their Bible regularly.  She is excited about growing closer to God again and said she has never had so much joy before!

This is why I work for ICM – to serve the poorest of the poor in the Philippines. Being able to hear these testimonies gives me motivation to work hard on the task at hand because I know the impact my work here has on thousands of families in the Philippines. I encourage you to use your strengths and abilities, no matter how small they may seem, in a way that serves God and He will bless others through you.

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Raquel Hopton, ICM Finance Officer – Hong Kong Office