Onesimo’s 16th Foundation Day

Why do we celebrate Onesimo’s Foundation Day? We celebrate what we are. We celebrate also our beginnings, our journey. And we look forward to what we hope to become.

We must never forget that all that we celebrate is as nothing without the God who saves and teaches and empowers. When we accept Christ, he comes to us and embraces us. He changes us little by little into what he is. Our minds start, unbidden, to think like he does. And when He caused to write the following:

“For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not turn back [my wrath]. They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals.

They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed”. Amos 2:6-7 NIV

… we come to know that Christ is a steadfast friend of the poor and the oppressed. That he will avenge himself upon those who make them suffer.

Onesimo was born out of Christ’s heart cry! “Embrace the poor and the suffering for I love them,” He shouts. And in Onesimo, we do so. And we urge everyone we come into contact with to love the poor and the suffering as Christ does.

Last Wednesday, I was with Kuya Chris at a lunch for the Filipino-Swiss Business Club. He was introducing his and Christine’s book, “Rubble and Redemption” to them. In the process he was saying that the book was the fruit of Jesus’ call. And I believed him all over again. Onesimo is God’s hand of care and love. And Onesimo is God’s mouth speaking of His mission of redemption for every youth in the clutches of evil and every family in the dumps of corruption and despair.

Advocacy must be the responsibility of everyone in Onesimo – Trustee, Member, Staff, Client, Friend. When we celebrate Foundation Day, we thank God for taking us into Himself and making us his hand and his mouth. We declare in humility – the Lord has carried us. We have journeyed with him. That is what we were. This is what God has made of us. Before us is the glory that God has prepared for us and for all of God’s children.

We call out to the world happily, we cry out desperately! How wonderful the plans of God for the Youth! Come join us, come help us, come labor alongside us. It is actually Jesus calling out.

And we join our shouts with his!

Hallelujah!