Hamilton is the third largest city in Ontario, the 9th largest city in
Canada and the largest Hamilton in the world. It is situated at the westernmost end of Lake Ontario - the city wraps around
the lake and continues towards the Niagara Escarpment, referred to by locals as 'the mountain.
Hamilton 'Steel Town' remains
the province's major industrial area despite the loss of thousands of factory jobs over the last twenty years. This city
could be compared with Detroit in the USA as a once rich and proud city, the fifth largest city in the country at its peak,
now fallen on hard times. The downtown of Hamilton has struggled lately, and some of the districts still suffer from
high unemployment, crime, and homelessness. In the book of 2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will
humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive
their sin and will heal their land.
Bishop Bro. Eddie Villanueva, once said that “Where there is a Filipino, there should
be JIL Church.” Statistics shows that Filipinos are rated as the 5th largest immigrant in Hamilton.
In the summer of 2006,
there were a couple of church attendees in Toronto (Mhilet Rimorin and Recie Yasay) who came all the way from Hamilton
which is over an hour travel via coach. They eventually approached Bro. Nelson asking to inform the leadership of Toronto
headed by Rev. Pastor Bong Gonzales that there were about ten JIL people who were very eager to have a JIL Sunday Service
in Hamilton. The JIL Toronto office then immediately contacted Miles Cabasan (a former JIL associate pastor Tag-Pat district).
Prior to this, Hamilton was already in the WIN prayer item list. God has answered our prayer!
In November 2006, the leadership of
Toronto met with the Hamilton people composed of 13 individuals. And with a prompt action, Pastor Bong laid down the vision
to have a Sunday service in the city. Majority of them (12 people) decided to join and agreed to be a part of this glorious
vision.
The day before the launching, an intensive prayer gathering was launch by the WIN ministry headed by Sis. Rowena Jagolino
who along with her co-servants went to some government offices in Hamilton for a pray over. A Jericho march was also done
around the Filipino Community Center of Hamilton building where the Sunday worship services would be held. In January
7th 2007, JIL Hamilton Outreach Sunday Service was officially launched, highlighted by a powerful message by Rev. Nicanor
Gonzales on 'Breaktrough'. It was attended by about 90 people mostly from Toronto.
The JIL Hamilton just celebrated her
1st Thanksgiving Anniversary with theme: "Let Your Kingdom Come".
Zech 4:6 it says, 'Not by might nor by power,
but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty.
TO GOD BE THE HIGHEST PRAISE!