Art & Joy Ornias

Art & Joy Ornias — Canvas

Art & Joy Ornias

Church Connect / Homelife Manager

Philippines

Years in Ministry

Calling & Mission

Building relationship by empowering pastors, churches and community leaders in reaching the marginalize sector of the country with the end goal of eradicating poverty by providing food/feeding and spiritual nurturing.

About Our Work

I am deeply committed to reaching the marginalized communities in my country. My work involves impacting each community by establishing feeding centers and mobilizing pastors and community leaders to work towards eliminating poverty. Our mission continues until every child is reached by the Gospel through our feeding efforts. Every child deserves to be free from poverty and empowered to reach their God-given potential. Food should not be a barrier that stalls or delays the future of Filipino children.

How God Called Me

I was a church pastor until the pandemic hit and I lost the church. Even before this, I had been volunteering in the feeding ministry, setting up communities with pastor friends who deeply cared for evangelism but lacked the tools to reach out. Following Norman's guidance, with whom I became friends, I began gathering pastors and community leaders. We started cooking food for them, with Pastor Arvin leading the delivery team. The pandemic caused the feeding ministry to explode from 10,000 cups a week to 60,000 cups a day. It was so overwhelming that we literally covered all of Metro Manila with porridge. During this time, we also began inviting youth from the Cuatro community to quarantine at the YMC for a camping experience. At night, Norman and I would conduct Bible studies with them until Norman asked AJ, my eldest son, to lead the youth group, which they called YL, the youth arm of Kids International. I have never known God in the way He revealed Himself during this time. He is an "AWESOME GOD." For many, the pandemic was a curse, but for us, it was the salvation of many people—children, youth, adults, and even new churches planted in unprecedented ways. I call this period "ACTS OF GOD IN THE MOST AWFUL CRISIS!"

Why This Place & People

The work entrusted to me, and the influence it carries, spans the entire country of the Philippines. Metro Manila is the center of operations. Meanwhile, my wife and I are working with the least in society by running the Boys' Home called the Region under New Faith OF Kids International Ministries. My wife serves as the homelife manager, and I function as the father to this bunch of boys - the apple of our eyes. The starting point of our ministry is the heart of God. We call it "Grace in Motion." Leading and loving these boys has been a defining moment in our lives as a couple. We were already thinking of becoming empty nesters since all my children are now professionals, but I signed up to embrace the work with the boys' home without telling my wife. I got in a bit of trouble for a time, but now Mama Joy is fully loving the boys. Many times, she would cry, praying for them and their future. She always tells me that God needs to take hold of the boys one by one, and that God would give them a second chance for a "FOREVER FAMILY."

Moment by moment:

My wife and I, every time we look at the privilege God has given us in serving Him through the feeding ministry, the boys' home, and the many pastors and community leaders, are reminded that the impact is because of Him alone and we are just instruments. It is all from Him, for Him, through Him, and to Him, for the glory of God forever!

Lamentations 3:22-23 — " The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Philippians 1:6 -"Being confident of this very thing, that he who begun a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

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Community Outreach

Discipling the Pastors