MY full name is Renato Si. Eng is my nickname. Wag uulitin, ha? I tell folks, in jest, not to repeat the name because say it three times and it sounds like a fast-moving vehicle— Eng-Eng-Eng!

But really, I am very much like a fast-moving vehicle. I am always moving, can’t stay still — as you can see, I have not only one, but a couple of images on the photo at left, taken during the 10th Anniversary on June 15, 2019, of Feast Quezon City where I now serve as District Builder.

Yes, I can’t sit still because I have this mission to make disciples for our Lord Jesus, the mission He gave to His disciples, the mandate we in the Light of Jesus Family have embraced as our core mission.

But wait… I love my real name. Google “Renato” and you’ll see this:

“Renatus is a first name of Latin origin which means “born again” (natus = born). In countries of Italian, Portuguese and Spanish languages it exists in a masculine and feminine form i.e., Renato and Renata.”

Wikipedia adds: “The name has a spiritual, not literal meaning, i.e., to be born again with baptism, i.e., from water and the Holy Spirit. It was extensively adopted by early Christians in ancient Rome, due to the importance of baptism…

“In Persian Mithraism, which spread widely in the West as a religion of the soldiers and officials under the Roman Empire, persons initiated into its mysteries were designated renatus (with the meaning of regenerated).”

Other sources say Renato in Latin means reborn, and in Spanish,

What’s in a Name?

It must not be mere coincidence that I was named Renato.

Since ancient times, it’s been said that you are what your name is — like the name Jesus comes from the Hebrew Yeshua or Y’shua, meaning
to deliver, to rescue.

So, yes, I am Renato, born again, reborn, regenerated, rising again.

I come from a family of Chinese-Filipino origin—my father is from Amoy, China, and my mother from Zambales. I grew up in Metro Manila.

I first went to a public school, Juan Luna Elementary School in Sampaloc, Manila, and then Philippine College of Commerce for high school and the same school for college where I took up Accounting. I was a working student— employed as clerk-typist—until, by God’s grace, I took up and passed the Board exam to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). I worked in Accounting departments in various companies in the early ‘80s and then moved to Sales and Marketing. From there, I decided to be self-employed, a jack-of-all-trades— skills that now come handy as I pursue my calling.

Becoming My Name

Indeed, I’ve become what my name is.

Early on, my job as a sales person brought me to various places– and to various vices. Even up to the time I got married to lovely Nimfa. Yes, I was practically dead in my spiritual life. But I would experience an intense spiritual renewal yes, a new life, when, through Nimfa, I found the Light of Jesus Family.

Nimfa worked in Grepalife Makati where she learned from an officemate about the Tuesday Prayer Meeting of the Light of Jesus Family at the San Miguel Auditorium, Ayala, Makati City. She told me about it, we checked it out, we went back– again and again. Then, we also learned about LOJ’s Victory Celebration held at the St. Paul College, Quezon City, the origin of our present-day Kerygma Conference.

And soon, we were already signing up for mission assignments. At first, we joined LOJ’s early ministry, the Discipleship Community for Christ (DCC) which eventually transitioned to the Homes for Christ for married couples. Then, we got invited to join the mother group, the Light of Jesus Family, in December 1989.

Above, here we are being blessed by our founder, Bro. Bo Sanchez, during Feast Quezon City’s 10th Anniversary celebration.

And in LOJ, there was no turning back anymore to my old life, following the inspiring message in my favorite Bible guide from Proverbs 3:5-7: Trust in the Lord with all your heart. And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways submit to Him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and shun evil.

Here I Go!

It’s not been a perfect journey for me, but as I look up with holy fear of the Lord and, by God’s grace, endeavor to shun evil, I’ve been blessed with overflowing miracles. Just to mention two…

I was healed of my pestering goiter in 1989.

And we were blessed with the baby girl we yearned for, Reina Carmina, born July 2, 1990 — added to our brood of boys: Renwald Carl, now 40 years Old; Rafael Jae, 37; Rey Jerome, 24; and Ren Joseph, 22.

Plus, I continued to grow with the Lord with the ministries He kindly entrusted to me — as chapter servant head of Homes for Christ, North Chapter, head servant of the Light of Jesus Training Ministry – Light of Jesus. Yes, as I sing in praise of the Lord with my Feast Quezon City co-members, God has given me more than enough blessings!

And now, here I am as District Builder of Feast Quezon City District which includes four Feasts: at the Bureau of Soils and Water Management on Visayas Avenue; Trinoma (Ayala) Mall at EDSA/North Ave.; SM North EDSA; and Fairview Terraces Mall. Plus, Feast Light at the Ateneo University, Quezon City Hall, Philamlife Village, and Ever Commonwealth, FCM at Regalado Ave.

As in other Feasts, we have not been able to hold our live Feasts. We are doing well with our Feasts at Home, now our New Normal.

Even amid this formidable challenge, I am Renato–reborn, born again, regenerated, rising again.

So, again, in this photo, I am moving…And with Jesus, I encourage my co-members to simply move on with our mission. Go! Go! Go! Eng-Eng-Eng!

#LOJat40