mga kayumangging manlalakbay
a community called to plant its own garden, to drink from its own well, and to walk through the valley... with Christ

Through the Valley...with Christ is a multi-dimensional ministry of the pilgrim people of the Philippines (kayumangging manlalakbay). It is a ministry in the image of the upper room ministry, a community empowering ministry - "Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away; and when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying...When the day of Pentecost had come...suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:12; 2:1-4).

It is a ministry in the image of Jesus' ministry, a small group disciples-making ministry - "And he called to him his twelve disciples...Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, (Zebedee), Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James (Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon (Cananaean), Judas Iscariot (Matthew 10:1-4).

It is a ministry in the image of the first apostolic community witness, a social wealth sharing ministry,  - "And all who believed were together and had all things in common; they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need (Acts 2:44-45).

It is a ministry in the image of Jesus' teaching ministry, a cooperative learning ministry - "As he landed he saw a great throng, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd;  and he began to teach them many things. (Mark 6:34).

Hence, as used in this website,

UPPER ROOM is the home page of the Through the Valley...with Christ-FAITH SHARING MINISTRY.

SMALL GROUPS is the on-line resource page supporting its various field ministries : campus, hospital, prison, port, workplace, military barracks.

COMMUNITY COMMERCE is the online resource page supporting the banking & finance services managed by the ministry for a group of Filipino migrant workers, and 

COOPERATIVE LEARNING is the on-line resource page supporting the United Methodist Cooperative Learning System, Inc. laboratory school in Tala, Caloocan City and also the Theological Education by Extension program of the Union Theological Seminary in Dasmarinas, Cavite.