Christian Love Daroy-Gagno, the fifth of seven children in her immediate family, grew up in the Philippines, where her father served as clergy for The United Methodist Church. She studied business administration, but then joined the UMC young adult mission program and became a mission intern. After mission service, she worked for one of the church’s mission institutions, Kapitiran-Kaunlaran Foundation, Inc. (KKFI), where her life course took a new direction. Today, she works with the Indigenous community of T’boli in South Cotabato, Philippines.
Christian is one of the average 50 scholars who receive United Methodist scholarships for higher education through the World Communion Sunday offering each year. The lives these scholarships impact and the dreams and aspirations they fulfill are not just those of the scholars, but of the many people reached by them as they complete their studies and develop ways to fulfil God’s calling in their lives.
Your gifts on World Communion Sunday, supports the Ethnic Scholarship which enables The United Methodist Church to equip gifted, qualified students from around the globe to become the world changers God created them to be.
“I am excited to share what I am learning with those I serve.”
Christian Love Gagno’s career and purpose have been formed by God over time. Growing up in a Christian family, serving as a UMC mission intern, and then as a program director of KKFI made her wonder about the lives of the people she encountered. She pivoted from her business studies and, with her scholarship, concentrated on a master’s degree in Social Services and Development at the Asian Social Institute. She is currently working on her thesis.
After she took off work to care for her first baby, she found deeper meaning in her studies and was struck with the idea of starting an NGO (nongovernmental organization) to work with vulnerable children, youth and families in Cotabato.
“We started the NGO I prayed for and we are implementing programs and projects for community development,” Gagno confirmed. “We work with the T’boli Indigenous group in Surallah, South Cotabato, Philippines.”
Children and youth in this community must walk 2½ to 3 miles every day to get to school. Meanwhile, at home, their parents have trouble meeting the most basic needs of the family, so, many children eventually give up the trek and remain home to work. People in this community are subsistence farmers, and many work odd jobs like charcoal making or as hands on the pineapple plantations and cornfields.
“My heart goes to the children and youth who are in vulnerable situations, either due to poverty, injustice or abuse. My experience as a missionary and my work at KKFI have opened my eyes to the ugly truth that poor communities face daily. I believe that the fullness of life can happen through Jesus and we can be part of God’s mission.”
These words from Christian Love Gagno to the church on the important impact congregational giving makes for scholars were also echoed by Claudine Leary and Olga Choto:
“I feel privileged to be a recipient of God’s grace through you. You are the Lord’s vessel, so I can do what God calls me to do. Your giving allows us to experience God’s love and generosity and it makes a huge difference to my life and to many children, youth, families and communities.”
story by Christie R. House, consultant writer and editor with Global Ministries and UMCOR.
One of six churchwide Special Sundays with offerings of The United Methodist Church, World Communion Sunday calls the church to reach out to all people and model diversity among God’s children. The special offering provides World Communion Scholarships, the Ethnic Scholarship Program and the Ethnic In-Service Training Program.
When you give generously on World Communion Sunday, you equip gifted, qualified students from around the globe to become the world changers God created them to be. Give now.
World Communion Sunday
The World Communion Sunday offering provides scholarships and leadership development opportunities for international students and U.S. racial-ethnic students who are pursuing advanced degrees. Gifts not only make an impact in the lives of individual students, but also the religious, social and civic communities in which they lead and serve. These funds are administered by Global Ministries in collaboration with the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.
Connect here to give online and mark World Communion Sunday.
