Ate Ruth Launches 'A Question of the Heart'

Ate Ruth signs copies of A Question of the Heart for CCT Credit Cooperative community servant leaders.

Ruth Callanta, president of the Center for Community Transformation Group of Companies, recently launched the book A Question of the Heart: Celebrating Christ and the CCT Journey of Transformation.

In this book of more than 200 pages, she narrates the story of the non-government organization from its beginnings in 1991 when it set up office in notorious, densely-populated Tondo, Manila to its current status 26 years later as a group of ministries serving the Filipino poor. 

She asserts that overcoming poverty is a question of the heart: "It dawned on me that unless hearts are changed by the presence, grace and power of God, unless lives are surrendered to Him, poverty will never be eradicated. And that there is only one Being capable of changing the hearts of people – Jesus Christ."

Allotting a chapter each to describe the work done by CCT among the poverty sectors it serves (micro-entrepreneurs, street dwellers, factory workers, children, out-of-school youth, tribespeople), she shares stories of transformed lives from among these sectors, and states that because each sector has distinct needs, there must be a separate delivery structure [of poverty-alleviating programs and services] for each.

A riveting postscript to the book is written by a doctor who attended to Mrs. Callanta when she suffered --  and survived --  a heart attack as the book was being readied for print.  

A Question of the Heart was launched during the CCT Group of Ministry's annual membership meeting and general assembly in March 2017.  Two other publications were launched during the event: Volumes 1 & 2 of Message Outlines  by CCT Chairperson Bertram Lim and co-author Edmon Ngo, and the coffee table book Reflections by Philippa Tyndale, CCT supporter from Australia.

The books  may be purchased at the CCT Support Office, 5th floor, Joshua Center, Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila. Interested parties may call 02-524-18-19 local 214 for copies. A Question of the Heart comes in hardbound and paperback versions.