Guided by Brother Mark Malicat, district Christian Family Organizations (CFO) overseer of the Ecclesiastical District of Metro Manila East, in the Philippines, officers of the Christian Medical Dental and Paramedical Society (CMDPS) from the said district imparted knowledge about proper care for the kidneys.

The said health seminar was held on September 28, 2024. The house of worship of the Local Congregation of Pasig served as the host site for the district-wide event; other congregations witnessed the discussion via livestreaming.

For the activity, the organization invited a CMDPS member from the Ecclesiastical District of Rizal, and a doctor of medicine graduate whose specialization is internal medicine, Portia Bernice Domingo-Saddoy, as the resource speaker.

During the seminar, she discussed to the brethren the crucial functions of the kidneys. She emphasized the importance of maintaining good health to prevent diseases, including kidney failure, which can truly affect their daily life, as well as performance of Church duties. She then advised the brethren to stay hydrated, exercise regularly, quit smoking, maintain a balanced diet, and monitor their blood pressure.

After the seminar, Brother Malicat reminded everyone of God’s will to take care of themselves to avoid faltering in fulfilling their Church duties, which are pleasing to the Lord. He also admonished the brethren that whatever illness they might have, they should not forget to pray to God and seek anointing of the sick.

Attendees were thankful to the Church Administration for the seminar, such as Lyn Layona and Darwin Nery, the district CMDPS president and district Buklod president, respectively. “This event has been vital as it raises awareness among brethren about taking care of our body to avoid serious diseases, for us to continue pleasing God,” said Layona. “I learned a lot. With this activity, the Administration’s concern and love for the Church has been evident, consistently overseeing not only the spiritual welfare but also our physical well-being,” added Nery. — With reports from Troice Cardenas