Gemma Bacuyag was a gem and on the road again

Gemma Bacuyag passed away Wednesday in Manila due to stage 4 stomach cancer. I first met her in the early 90s when she was a dentistry student and worshipped at the Sampaloc Bible Church (SBC) located in Manila's University Belt. I worked at SBCs drop-in center for street kids with my long-time Canadian ACTION battle-buddy Ron Homenuke. Years ago Gemma told me she was convicted by the Holy Spirit because Amerikanos were helping Filipino street kids and she wasn't so she left her lucrative dental practice to study social work in order to work with street kids. Gemma became the directress of the Papa John Centre named after a Norwegian evangelist who had a deep concern for Filipino street kids, taught social work at the university level, was a reliable co-worker in our joint ministries, a faithful wife and loving mother. Gemma had a unique personality, was skilled and gifted so she can't be cloned but she'd be pleased to add her voice to our cry to the Lord of the harvest and Head of the church to thrust out more workers to serve among the millions upon millions of kids surviving on city streets, scrounging for food, sleeping in vacant lots, being prostituted and trafficked. Her passing is our great lose but heaven's gain. Gemma was a real gem.

We're on the road again. Tomorrow Mary Ann and I go to Pasadena to attend Sunday's dedication of our grandson 9 month-old Ethan. I'll also preach in the service and we'll give a ministry update during Sunday School. We'll be back in Spokane late Monday evening and return to Minneapolis Thursday.