Catanus brothers: (standing from left) Shem, Gospel, Godfrey, Eliezer and Hosea (sitting) Juan (jr), 100 year old their mum and Dan. All the brothers, except Dan, are pastors. Catanus sisters: (clockwise from left) Phebe (former missionary to Thailand), Beulah, Didit and Leah (the eldest of all the siblings), with mum at the centre.
Shem Catanus retired this year after 40 years of mission with Emmanuel International. His family members are a big part of EI and instrumential in EI’s founding in the Philippines. This is how the Catanus brothers and sisters contributed to the work of EI…
Godfrey Catanus was introduced to EI by George Middleton, which led to the founding of ERRP (as EI is known in the Philippines). Hosea and his wife Lea (a nurse from Dallas) became EI Control Couple of Kabankalan Team in 1982 and became leader of Mabinay Team in 1983. When they returned to the US, Hosea became Pastor of Filipino Immanuel Baptist Church in Chicago. Dan (an agriculturist) joined EI’s Team in Malawi in the 1980s and met Linda (a nurse from England who joined the team) who later became his wife. They are now living in Canada. Beulah was a nurse on one of the Jamaica teams in the 1980s and met Doug Anderson, EI’s Overseas Director at that time. They later became husband and wife. Genoveva, fondly called Didit, was also on the team in Jamaica at the same time as Beulah. Later, Didit joined EI’s Pampanga Team in the Philippines and met Jun (Francisco) Gamboa, EI’s Team Leader in Porac, Pampanga. Jun later became Didit’s husband.