Geraldine Santiago and her family do. They experienced God’s faithfulness firsthand through a life-changing journey of healing.
After that, they knew that God was calling them to something greater. That’s when their journey of serving God began.
At that time, giving tithes to the church was not part of their lives. But God was trying to tell them something—trying to get their attention. For three nights in a row, they would wake up from their sleep with Bible verses about giving, impressed on their hearts.
This led Geraldine to start working with Operation Blessing, CBN Asia’s humanitarian arm. She began partnering with the ministry in 2013 to help the survivors of Typhoon Yolanda. Hearing their stories and seeing how strong they were despite everything they had been through moved her deeply.
“I’d be more useful if I raised funds. I feel that if someone’s right in front of you who needs help, just act on it,” she said.
Through her paintings, Geraldine raised Php 800,000. Half went to rebuilding homes, and the other half supported the education of children affected by the disaster.
In July 2023, her faithfulness was tested. Just before her son, Austin, was set to return home from his studies in the U.S., his face suddenly swelled, causing him intense pain. They soon discovered he had cancer, but he couldn’t seek treatment immediately because he had no health insurance.
Geraldine flew out right away. When she saw him, she could barely recognize her son.
Thankfully, God is so good and used someone to help them. A family friend who worked at a hospital stepped in and helped Austin get the treatment he needed.
But while waiting for the approval of Austin’s treatment, the cancer aggressively spread across his face. The doctors even told them that he had only a 20% chance of survival.
“For the first time in my life, I told God, ‘I surrender everything to You.’ And I have been a Christian for many years already,” Geraldine shared.
Not long after that prayer, she received some good news. Austin’s insurance was approved.
After two long years of treatment, Austin fully recovered. But beyond the physical healing, it also deepened his personal relationship with the Lord.
“Someone asked Austin, ‘Do you love God?’ He said, ‘A thousand times,’” Geraldine recalled.
Today, Geraldine and her family continue to faithfully support and serve others through Operation Blessing.
What are you trusting God for right now?
Geraldine and her family’s story is a beautiful reminder that when we stay faithful and follow God’s lead, He shows up in ways we never imagined— answering prayers and working things out according to His perfect plan.
Do you also want to be a blessing to our kababayans in need? You can partner with Operation Blessing. To know more about the ministry and their heart to serve, operationblessing.ph.
