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Wow… what a moment. As I prepare to stand before everyone at the dedication of Faith Community Center, I can’t help but feel overwhelmed with gratitude. What I’m about to share isn’t just a speech—it’s a testimony of God’s faithfulness and how He has been weaving a story far bigger than I ever realized.
This building—Faith Community Center—is more than just walls and a roof. It’s a reflection of love and sacrifice, a living reminder of those who came before us, and a symbol of the calling God has placed on our hearts to serve this community.
But as I prepared for this dedication, God revealed something deeply personal to me—something I had never fully seen before. It’s about legacy. It’s about how what we’re doing here today is actually part of something much bigger than any of us could have imagined.
Not long ago, during one of my usual Tuesday lunches with my brother, we started reminiscing about our parents. It’s something we do often, but this time, the Holy Spirit stirred something new in my heart.
For some reason, I felt a strong urge to Google my dad’s name. And what I found left me speechless.
The very first article that popped up shared how Dr. Ramon G. Hallare—my dad—had donated 2.5 acres (1 hectare) of land in 1992. That same year, my dad and I traveled to the Philippines. But what I discovered next brought me to tears.
The article mentioned that the granddaughter of Doña Restituta Galicia Hallare was the guest speaker at the dedication of that land. That was me. And I had no idea until now.
And then, another revelation hit me: My dad had donated even more land than I realized to help build Balaogan National High School. That high school stands today because my grandparents first gave land in the mid-70s, and then my dad followed in 1992. The very land where my father and his family had lived, farmed, and given back to their community became a place of education and opportunity.
And now, here we are, just miles away from that same land, building Faith Community Center.
Without even realizing it, we are continuing a legacy that God has been weaving for generations.
That night, as I sat with all of this information sinking in, I was overwhelmed with emotion. For three generations, the Hallare family has poured into this rural community—not because we planned it, but because God had already written it into our story.
I had no idea until that very moment.
The vision He placed in my heart more than 20 years ago—to build something lasting in the Philippines—finally made sense. It was never just my idea. It was God’s divine purpose unfolding before my eyes.
My parents’ sacrifices to come to America weren’t just about giving us a better life. They were about positioning us to give back—to return to the Philippines with more than just words, but with action.
And then, something else struck me: Bill’s family had a legacy like this too. His grandparents had land in Montana, passed down for nearly 90 years in the Leinart family. And just like in my family, we are now the third generation stewarding that land and legacy.
As we prepare for our upcoming family trips—to the Philippines and Montana—I realize something powerful:
This isn’t just about us. This is about the gift of legacy that God has entrusted to us.
We are so incredibly blessed—not just with land, but with faith, love, and a calling from God. And with that comes a responsibility:
That’s what Faith Community Center is all about.
This building isn’t just a structure—it’s a continuation of a legacy of faith, sacrifice, and love that started long before us.
But here’s the thing—legacy isn’t just about the past. It’s about what comes next.
This place isn’t just about bricks and mortar. It’s about:
This center represents our commitment to God’s calling. It’s about choosing to step into His purpose—to keep giving, to keep serving, and to keep building. Not just buildings, but people. Faith. Hope. Love.
So as I step up to give this presentation, my prayer is that we won’t just see this as a celebration of what has been built, but as a launching point for something even greater.
May Faith Community Center be a light in this region.
May it be a place of refuge and restoration.
May it be a reminder that when we say “yes” to God’s calling, He does more than we could ever ask or imagine.
Thank you for being part of this. Thank you for standing in this moment with me. Thank you for saying “yes” to something bigger than ourselves.
This story isn’t over—it’s just beginning.
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