Obedience to the Call of Giving: A Testimony of Transformation of the Giver and the Receiver

by Leah Teresa Espino-Ponio

“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”

 2 Corinthians 9:11

I have an inherent business slant. From childhood selling “ice buko” to financial planning, agency, construction and real estate, skills were honed. After my brother Noe’s death in 2001, the workshop of Ptr. Alex Aronis, UCM, based on Ignatian Spirituality, heightened my intimacy with Christ. In 2012, God revealed His vision in an advanced leadership training in Maui that defines what I do today.

Understanding the Kingdom of God and His righteousness is the foundation of generosity.

Allowing ourselves to be distributors, discerning God’s chosen recipients and channels is taken up between couples, businesses. Like hearts follow His lead. In 2012, my mother Lumen prepared her holographic will and bequeathed our ancestral home in Tondo to me. I thought that if this was sold, it would translate to Php 5,000,000.00 but if this was donated for socio-economic and spiritual transformation, the harvest will be unquantifiable! In honor of my father, Catalino, I convinced my mother to bypass me. In 2014, we donated the property to Center for Community Transformation (CCT).

God intentionally connects the giver and the receiver for His purposes.

In 2019, Ben and I attended the 50th celebration of Haggai in Bali. Five messages of Dr. Ramesh Richard, Founder and President of Ramesh Richard Evangelism and Church Health (RREACH) captured 690 attendees from 189 nations. On our flight home, we were surprised to be seated beside the Speaker and his wife when it was our first to book business class. Today, we are supporting each other’s ministries.

There is abundance in giving and blessedness in receiving.

In marriage, I saw God commissioning me to build a wholesome family for Ben and our three sons (mother died five years prior) while we had children of our own. God’s faithfulness helped us overcome all; money was never an issue. Today our seven children have grown to be professionals, entrepreneurs and church volunteers. We continue to give towards missions and benevolence, just like our church does.

The spiritual lenses that God provides the giver and the receiver enrich lives in stewardship roles cannot be completed in a lifetime!

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