She is one of the pillars of one of the biggest health brands to ever come out of Mindanao and while strong will and business acumen may have etched her name in the history of the country’s wellness industry, her solid hold of her faith is what has guided her decisions and life choices day after day.

“Without me believing in Christ, no Holy Spirit is going to guide me, going to teach me,” says Gina Espejo, Managing Director of DMI Medical Supply Co., Inc.

“I believe in that one because, once upon a time, I was a sinner, saved by grace,” she says.

So indispensable is her religious faith that crucial decisions in her life’s important chapters were made with divine intervention, including decisions for her personal relationships, for the business, and even for family members who have encountered health emergencies.

God is forever faithful and good, she says, citing the book of Matthew 21:22 in the Bible, which says, "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

And God’s faithfulness, she says, has always been abundant, even in times when she and her family were in their lowest of lows.

Losing a huge amount of money in an unsuccessful venture and being handed a cease and desist order against her company’s main product would have been enough reasons for others to surrender but Gina’s heart chose to see the world in a different way.

“It started with a desire,” she says when, at that point in her life, she saw the need to help families of hospital patients who, due to lack of resources, settled to stay outdoors on flattened cardboard boxes just to keep an eye on their loved ones in confinement.

“Nakikita ko natutulog lang sila sa semento with the karton… mga wet t-shirts nila, sinasampay lang sa fence… I desired that one day man lang, may matulugan man ito sila, kawawa naman sila,” she shares.

What came to mind was Philippians 2:3-4, which calls on believers of Christ to look out actively for the interests of others rather than focusing solely on one’s personal interests.

TEMPORARY SHELTER

This was how the Capernaum Care Lifestyle Facility in Davao City was born.

Using the money she received as down payment for a property, Gina, with full support from her husband George, decided to start building the facility. She says the money would have been substantial enough to restart their business but they decided to give the center their all so they could serve others in dire need of help.

Since it opened its doors in 2014 and up to 2019, the facility has provided temporary shelter to over 35,600 patients and their companions from outside Davao City. Clients of the center also receive daily healthy meals and food supplements.

“The facility serves as a haven for those needing accommodation while awaiting follow-up appointments and medical care at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC),” reads the website of DMIRIE Foundation.

The website also says that SPMC donated two lots for the facility and, through a Memorandum of Agreement, has committed to provide utilities, amenities, housekeeping services, social workers, and security personnel. The foundation, on the other hand, manages the facility's maintenance and operations.

Policies and procedures are developed jointly by SPMC's designated authorities (Medical Social Welfare Section/Office) and the DMIRIE Foundation Board and staff.

The center closed temporarily during the Covid-19 pandemic but reopened in May 2021.

MINISTRY

Gina says that because they never doubted their faith, the decision to give their all for others paved the way for even more blessings. From that point onward, her product, MX3, received unprecedented support, not to mention the cease and desist order on the product getting lifted. 

“I’ve seen the goodness of God after that,” she says.

Because of this, Gina says she makes it a point to share the message of salvation wherever she goes.

She also hopes the Capernaum can get replicated in other areas in the Philippines so that more people can benefit from the service and will learn the value of wellness.

Aside from her religious ministry, Gina also takes pleasure in helping others live a healthy lifestyle. Her pieces of advice: Proper nutrition, restorative sleep, and exercise.

As someone who consumes a plant-based diet, she eats seven kinds of fruits at 9 a.m. and 13 kinds of vegetables at 3 p.m. She also runs and walks five kilometers or targets 10,000 steps every day.

She sets the example in serving others because leadership, for her, “is all about the Biblical principle of being a servant.” It says, the greatest among you must be a servant but those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves must be exalted, she says.

“I want Jesus to increase upon everyone’s life and I just decrease,” she says, embracing a principle of abandoning one's pride, ambition, and desire for recognition. 

HOPE FOR WOMEN, COUNTRY

As a woman who has faced and surpassed daunting challenges, she hopes that other women, particularly those still finding their way into the world, find love in faith.

“The greatest of all is love talaga. There is hope, there is faith, but love talaga,” she says.

As a point of reflection, she says:

“How do you love God? To seek him first… how is your prayer time? Are you reading the bible? Are you believing in the Lord Jesus Christ? Are you embracing the Bible? Do you obey?”

She also hopes that women make the decision to love their husband and their children in line with the teachings of their faith.

For the Philippines, this is the desire of her heart:

“I am praying for the Philippines that the Philippines will really fear the lord because it says, the fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom, is the beginning of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment because wisdom will multiply your days and add years to your life. Without spiritual wisdom, hindi tatagal talaga lahat.”