THE PHILIPPINES—At sundown after the Sabbath of May 11, volunteers from the Angeles and Baguio-La Union congregations pooled their flower-arranging expertise at the Philadelphia Church of God Philippines national office to arrange bouquets of roses for the Mother’s Day flower sale fundraiser.

Including Preaching Elder Pedrito Cara, Local Elders Broderick Tongco and Reniel Padua, Local Church Elder Benedict Marquez and some Philadelphia Youth Camp campers who went straight from the conclusion of camp on Sunday to help with sales, 62 people volunteered in Angeles City and 24 volunteered in Quezon City.

Materials for the fundraiser were purchased from about 90 miles away in Baguio City, then arranged into dozen and half-dozen bouquets by volunteers performing assigned tasks and trying to meet certain goals.

At dawn on Mother’s Day, male volunteers unloaded and set up tents at five locations across Angeles City and some of the volunteers manned the stations, calling out to passersby offering the bouquets. By 6 a.m., fundraiser coordinator Roderick Ranises announced that the initial sale had been made. Volunteers said that this added to the excitement and motivated the flower arrangers to finish the remaining arrangements.

A youth volunteer said, “It was a rewarding experience selling the flowers for the first time, especially when everyone cooperates and happily serves. It is indeed a family Work.”

The Philippines mid-term elections occurred on the same day, which disrupted the routines of potential buyers. But after the last station closed around 9 p.m. and the totals were added up, the pcg volunteers found that their profits were 18 percent higher than last year’s.

One volunteer said, “It was tougher this year to meet the target, but the sacrifices are worth it because we know that God the Father is pleased as it is all for the Work.”