03.04.2024

„I believe Diaconia can be creative!“

Experienced in Germany and the Philippines: Priscilla Quezon has worked in different contexts of international diaconia. Photo by: UEM

Priscilla Geizi Pascua-Quezon is a new Coordinator International Diaconia in UEM. After her arrival in Wuppertal in January 2024, work starts immediately: The current Master Course IMADM* meets for the 1^st study block in Bielefeld, Germany. Here, Priscilla is part of the team coordinating the course.

Her first encounter with UEM she made as a child: Her father served in UCCP* as a Bishop. From his working travels he would regularly bring home note pads, pencils and exciting stories from UEM. Later, Priscilla, a teacher by profession, became a UEM volunteer, doing her service in Duisburg, Germany, and worked as an Ecumenical Worker at UEM in Bethel, Germany: First as part of the Centre for Mission and Diaconia, she witnessed first hand the transition to the Education Centre Bielefeld Bethel – Global Learning in Ecumenical Perspective. After the end of her contract with the UEM on 2018, she went back to the Philippines and started studying the International Master Course in Diaconic Management (IMADM) until 2020, which she is now coordinating herself.  She is also currently the secretary of the ICDM*, the Alumni network of the IMADM

At the start of the pandemic, the today 38 years old, became the coordinator of the UCCP Batangas City diaconic program where she was able to apply the significant knowledge and skills that she acquired during her course and her experience while working in Germany. “For me it is important that the church continues to be the salt and light, even in the midst of darkness and blandness,” she says. This was especially important in times of crisis such as Covid-19. “With the help and support of all the local church workers and leaders, we did what we can do: We set up financial support for families and sold rice at below market prices. We visited prisoners in jail and organized livelihood projects.” A choir concert with the community was also prepared, led by her husband Leo, who is a UCCP diaconal minister for church music. “What fascinated me during this time is how the Holy Spirit works through the connection and engagement of the people who did not know each other!”, she says.

“I believe Diaconia can be creative. Especially in the UEM communion. For me, UEM combines openness and diversity with solidarity. Thinking globally and acting locally on the ground, that really happens here – and it starts with the Prayer Alerts, when the churches and individuals pray for each other, we also experience this in ICDM” is how Priscilla describes her motivation to work diaconically and internationally. She is also motivated to work together with the people whom she was able to work with before.

In her free time, she listens to podcasts on faith topics and likes to dance and sing. Coloring is a hobby of hers, where complex patterns are colored in by hand.

For her start at UEM, we wish Priscilla Quezon all the best and God’s blessings for her work in the Department International Diaconia.

*UCCP = United Church of Christ in the Philippines (a member church of UEM)

*IMADM = International Master of Arts in Diaconic Management (Study Course of UEM, in cooperation with Universities in Asia, Africa and Germany)

*ICDM = International Community of Diaconic Management