The Center For Change family outside of the ARK, the evacuation centre built to Category 5 typhoon standards, used for all kinds of activities.
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Margaret Pashley always knew there was a reason she was in the Philippines, she just didn’t know why until a few cheeky kids began making the mail run a bit difficult.
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On Saturday, June 21, the Living Waters Church will be hosting a female-only event with Ms Pashley as a guest speaker to talk about her mission to help children in the Philippines get off the street and on to a different path in life.
Named ‘Sisters Gathering’, the afternoon function will allow attendees to hear about Ms Pashley’s journey from humble beginnings in Australia to starting the foundation, Center for Change.
For those who can’t wait to hear about her journey, here’s a rundown.
At 16, Ms Pashley moved from her home in Gladstone, Queensland to Brisbane to study a secretarial course, and a girl in the hostel she was staying told her about Jesus.
The girl invited her to church, and she saw how happy everyone was, so she returned a second time.
“Suddenly, the holy presence of God came in that meeting, and it seemed tangible. God was so close,” she said.
“For the first time in my life, I felt that I was the most wicked person in the world.”
Her journey with faith began from that moment and catapulted her into a new world of mission and love for Jesus.
She first moved to the Philippines on November 28, 1987.
Margaret Pashley is heading to Kyabram for a guest speaking gig at Living Waters Kyabram on Saturday, June 21.
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She spent seven years working at a Bible school, another seven years travelling with the Jesus film, and at that point she questioned what exactly she was doing in the Philippines.
“I said at the time, God I think what I’m doing, the Filipino people can do and do better – but I know you’ve called me here, and I won’t move without a definite word from you,” she said.
“And it wasn’t long that I had an encounter with street children.”
The kids on the street were hounding her for money and food, but she had been taught by locals that you shouldn’t give either to them, or they will begin begging for more and bully those who receive.
She got to the point where she complained to the police about them because they kept hounding her, and there wasn’t anything she could do.
“I was upset at myself, I said, here you are – a missionary, and here you are complaining at the police station.
“I said, this is not what should happen with these kids. God, why isn’t somebody doing something?”
It was that moment that she made a commitment to help the street kids and give them a better option other than begging for money.
After a few years of moving a shelter for kids to a few different places, she got enough money through surrounding church groups to buy land for a house specifically for street children to live and grow up.
She began a foundation with the house at the centre, called Center for Change.
On February 26 this year, the foundation celebrated 23 years of keeping kids off the streets in the Philippines, and has helped a record of more than 500 kids grow up in a safe, warm and sheltered environment.
Ms Pashley said many children she had helped in the past had gone on to have secure futures, with some even coming back to help with the foundation that once saved them.
“There’s a lot of people influencing the lives of these young people, and of course, God is at the centre,” she said.
“It’s exciting when you see change in people’s lives.”
Margaret Pashley has been a missionary in the Philippines for almost 30 years and is the founder of the Center For Change.
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To hear more about Ms Pashley’s journey in the Philippines, attend Sister’s Gathering at Living Waters Church, Kyabram on Saturday, June 21 from 3.30pm to 8pm.
There is no cost for tickets, but an RSVP is required for catering, which will include a delicious Filipino feast for all.
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