604th Worldwide Blood Drive to Give Life Through the Love of the Passover

Passover Blood drive

Manila, Mandaluyong, Las Piñas, and Parañaque Branches organized a Blood Drive

Proclaiming the Passover of the New Covenant and the love of God embedded in the Biblical feast, the Manila, Mandaluyong, Las Piñas, and Parañaque branches of the World Mission Society Church of God organized a blood drive in the Philippine Red Cross Blood Center. The drive, titled “The 604th Worldwide Blood Drive to Give Life Through the Love of the Passover,” took place on April 11, 2016. It drew 350 participants, 153 of whom passed pre-donation screening and successfully donated their blood.

Sharing blood, saving lives

The church’s efforts did not go unnoticed. At the April 11 event at the Philippine Red Cross Blood Center, PRC secretary-general Gwendolyn Pang delivered her message of thanks, saying, “[To] the Heavenly Mother … of the World Mission Society Church of God, thank you very much for helping us save more lives.”
The Passover itself was established according to God the Father and God the Mother’s wish to grant eternal life to Their children, allowing them to eat even Their flesh and blood (Jn 6:53-54) out of sheer love. With the heart of Heavenly Mother who wishes the best of health and strength to Her children, the Church of God will continue to proclaim the life-giving Passover of the New Covenant through blood drives and an assortment of other activities aimed at sharing love throughout nations and with the rest of the world.

Across islands and nations

The blood drive at the PRC was not the only event in Metro Manila on that day. The Churches of God in Quezon City, Caloocan, and Antipolo united for another blood drive in the Lung Center of the Philippines. 350 participants came to this event. The Church of God in San Pablo also flocked to the Pamana Hall of the local city hall compound for a blood drive, also held simultaneously.
Still other blood drives took place in the Philippines within days of the PRC and LCP events.
On April 10, the Church of God in Cebu amassed 113 participants, while the Church of God in Laoag gathered 18 participants. The Churches of God in Pagadian and in Tacloban also held blood drives supported by local Red Cross chapters.
On April 17, the Church of God in General Santos saw 100 participants at its event in Robinsons Mall. They also received support from the local Red Cross chapter.
The Philippines was far from the only country to have such a series of blood drives. Churches of God all around the world had their own blood drives in various places, all conducted at more or less the same time and with the same goal: sharing God’s love embodied in the Passover.

Passover awareness boost

The Passover of the New Covenant is the Biblical name for the famous Last Supper scene. Christ Jesus breaks bread and pours wine for the twelve disciples, calling the bread and wine His flesh and blood (Mt 26:26-28) in a ceremony which He Himself refers to as the Passover (Mt 26:17-19; Lk 22:15). Even after Jesus’ ascension, the disciples still keep the Passover (1 Co 11:23-26).
The feast is meant to be a lasting ordinance (Ex 12:14). However, not many people nowadays know about the Passover, even if Jesus—God Himself in the flesh—directed its celebration during the Apostolic Age.
The Church of God keeps the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month of the sacred calendar (falling on March or April of the Gregorian calendar) every year, adhering to God’s word. Wishing for more people to know and keep God’s true commands, the church also holds annual blood drives around the time of the feast, proclaiming the Passover through such good deeds.