Another Success for God’s Kingdom

admin June 22nd, 2010

One of several being baptized and other joining by profession of faith.

 

By Louie Benitez, Prison Ministry Worker in Sablayan

Mr. Abelardo Bacolor is a prison guard from Muntinlupa or the so called National Bilibid Prison.  He was transferred to Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm.  He was branded as the “bad boy” among the employees of the prison.  One day, he was invited by one of our inmate brethren in San Isidro sub-prison to attend the following Sabbath worship program.  When the Sabbath came, everyone was delighted to see his presence, though he was too quiet and observing.  It became a big encouragement for the inmates to have him as a regular visitor during the Sabbath service.  Sometimes he was called to participate in the program, and there was gladness as he expressed words of encouragement.

Since Brother Abel was in charge of this group on Saturdays and during weekly meetings, every time he shared something with me about Mr. Bacolor, my heart was bubbling with joy and praise to the Lord.  We put him on our prayer list, praying that some day he would accept Jesus as his personal Savior.

For about a year Mr. Bacolor attended the Sabbath worship and studied the Bible with our inmate brethren.  His heart was moved by the Holy Spirit.  Mr. Bacolor has now sealed his decision to accept Jesus Christ as his personal Savior through a “Profession of Faith” ceremony.  The district pastor officiated at the solemn program witnessed by prison personnel and inmates.  We can say that it was another milestone and remarkable moment in our prison ministry, that a prison guard be a part in the great harvest of precious souls.

Rough Seas

admin June 22nd, 2010

By Mechel Cubil, Missionary Teacher in the remote village of Pinagbayanan

The vacation was over and it was time to go back to the village where I’m working for Christ.  My parents were very worried because of the strong wind.  They suggested that I should hike over the mountain.  They didn’t know that I was also worried.  I was praying that the ocean would be calm.  I returned to the mission headquarters with fear in my heart.  The day came that we needed to go to the village.  I was expecting big waves and strong winds.  But, God is really good; the sea was very calm and peaceful.  I appreciated the beauty of God’s creation.

We traveled calmly until we reached Binuangan.  Then I saw the big waves and I felt the strong winds.  “Wow!  This is what I feared,” I said.  My heart pumped very fast.  Ironically I enjoyed the waves.  I screamed every time the waves splashed over the boat and got me wet.  It was like riding on a roller coaster.  Actually we were having a lot of fun inside the boat.  We were all getting wet except Ma’am Mhae and Sir Joe.  They were sitting on the front of the boat and not getting wet.  To make it fair, Kuya Mario gave us a bowl to get water to splash water on them.  Ma’am Celestre tried to get water, but the strong waters got the bowl she was holding.  We laughed and laughed even though we were wet and felt cold.  I really enjoyed that trip.  I didn’t even notice that we were near our destination.  I thank God that we arrived safely and most of all that He helped me overcome my fear of the big waves.

God is really good!  Now I can enjoy traveling by sea without fear because I know that He will always help me.

Unselfish Service

admin June 22nd, 2010

By Mae Celestre, Missionary Teacher in the remote village of Pinagbayanan

Arjay is one of Ma’am Mechel’s students in Kinder.  He was diagnosed with streptococcus that caused him to be absent for almost the first week of 2010.  Ma’am Mechel took pity on him because he became so thin due to lack of nutrition.  He was not able to eat.  Ma’am Mechel then asked help from the team and with Tito Jim’s advice we decided to treat him with Amoxicillin for five days.  We could not trust him to take his medication religiously, nor could we trust his closest family to administer it, so, Ma’am Mechel and Ma’am Mhae volunteered themselves to do the job.  Every morning and afternoon, Arjay went to their house to take his medicine.  The two ladies prepared food for him to eat before he took his medicine.

The unselfish service came every night.  Between 9 and 10 o’clock every night these two ladies would wear their jackets, take any available umbrella and flashlight, and walk into the dark stormy night just to give Arjay his medicine.  The weather really tested their patience for after the medication, our nights became more fair and calm.  With prayers, love, and patience, Arjay became well.  He is back in school.  He is very thankful to God and to his teacher, Ma’am Mechel, who loves her students.  I believe it is God’s love to us that helps us love other people.

Peace Is with God

admin June 22nd, 2010

By Neng Betoya, Missionary Teacher in the remote village of Agbalite

People are hungry for peace and love.  Some people spend a lot of money to have peace and security in this false world.  People think that money and power give them assurance and peace of heart and mind.  Others go elsewhere to escape from the cruelty of this world and live in the country just to have peace of mind.  A safe place is not a guarantee of peace either.  It is only through God that we can achieve peace because He is the only One who has peace and is able to give it to us.

I had a student who made me so frustrated one day.  I shouldn’t have felt that way because this work is not mine, it’s God’s.  Humanly speaking, sometimes we don’t have peace because we lack faith and we also take things into our own hands.  I experienced this when this student (Bimboy) stole money and the cell phone of Sir Ding.  He has stolen many times before, and it wasn’t only money, but also things from other people.  When he got Sir Ding’s money and cell phone, I started to get frustrated.  Many times this kid has been advised, directed, comforted, and loved by us here, hoping that he would change, but he gets worse.  It is really obvious that no man on earth has the ability and capacity to change the human heart.  It is only Christ.  I realized when I felt the frustration and disappointment, that I took everything in my own hands, that I gave credit to myself.  What a shame on me!  I forgot that everything is under God’s control.  I forgot that I have a mighty and powerful God who created everything.  Why should I feel discouraged?  This work is not mine, it’s Gods.  When I thought about these things, the picture of Benjie’s face was visualized.  Then I started to appreciate the other side of the story.

When we found that Bimboy was missing that day we immediately suspected that he was the thief.  Joel also told us his suspicion of Bimboy when he stayed with him for quite some time.  When we heard this, our suspicion grew bigger.  Sir Ding decided to look for Bimboy in Kalansan, the nearby village.  Benjie and Albert, some of our students, saw him there before the flag ceremony on that day.  Benjie saw Bimboy and started to chase him, but Bimboy ran away when he saw Benjie.  When Benjie caught Bimboy, he started a conversation with him, and even comforted him along the way.  Bimboy was so furious at him.  He wanted to hit Benjie, but Benjie embraced him and said, “You are my friend, I can help you if you have a problem.  Don’t be tempted by Satan, just focus on God.”

Bimboy said, “Leave me alone.  I want to go to hell!”

Benjie still continued in convincing Bimboy to come back and confess, but Bimboy was so narrow and girded by his own will.  Bimboy had already closed his mind and didn’t accept any words of enlightenment from Benjie.  Bimboy continued walking, but Benjie didn’t stop following him.  It came to a point that Bimboy started to feel annoyed because of Benjie’s presence and intervention.  He started to threaten Benjie, but still Benjie followed him until Bimboy reached San Pablo, a village near Paluan. 

Bimboy and Benjie didn’t know that the teachers had already reported the incident to the police and the barangay officials in Paluan.  The barangay officials were already on the highway waiting for Bimboy to arrive.  When Bimboy arrived, one official approached him and confiscated his bag.  There they found the stolen money and other things which belonged to other people.  One of the barangay officials happened to be Bimboy’s relative.  When he saw the evidence, he immediately hit Bimboy’s face and chest, but Benjie covered Bimboy and defended him.

Bimboy slept at the prison that day.  The following day, Sir Ding and Ma’am Dada went there with Jimmy, the tribal police here in Agbalite.  They went there to get Bimboy.  The police in Paluan released Bimboy and turned him over to the officials of the tribe to receive the tribal punishment.  Bimboy was put in stocks for twenty hours and received eight beatings from the tribal mayor.

This story reminds me of God’s patience toward us.  God chases us, talks to us, defends us, encourages us, and comforts us every day like what Benjie did to Bimboy.  God never surrenders when He sees that there is still hope.  Though we always exchange Him for our own pleasure, desire, and wants, like Bimboy, He is always there ready to pull us away from the decoys of Satan.  God doesn’t want us to be hurt.  He is long suffering, but His patience has its limits.  At the end, when we will not listen, we will suffer the consequences of our doings.  As long as there is hope, let us initiate patience.

After the incident, I had a talk with Benjie and I asked him if he felt any fear toward Bimboy when he chased him on the mountain.  Was he scared that Bimboy and his family might take revenge for his intervention in the problem.  Benjie said, “No ma’am, I am very much at peace with God.”

“Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee.”  Isaiah 26:3

Great Touch of Influence

admin June 22nd, 2010

By Rose Enriquez, Missionary Teacher in the village of Sulong Ipil

Most natives of Mindoro (called Mangyans) are very reserved and shy.  Being one of their teachers, I have an opportunity to observe them and how they treat their parents.  They don’t express their emotions like others do.  They do not hug, they do not kiss, and they do not even say “I love you” to their parents.  If someone comes into their house, they rather hide than accommodate them.

After seven months with them, I just noticed that they are now different.  Some of them hug all their teachers.  They show up when someone comes and greet them with a smile.  Even if we fail to greet them, they will greet us, and I don’t know when all these changes started.  All I can remember is that we never failed to include them in our prayers.  We showed them that we love them in many ways, and if we didn’t hug the bigger ones, at least we touched them on their shoulders.

At this time, three-fourths of the class is responding.  They hug every time they go home and some of them won’t go unless they have hugged their teachers.  This is really a great change in the life of some of the native students.  We continually pray for those who are not yet as bold as others, that someday, somehow, they will be able not just to hug their loved ones, but to show them that they are special to them and to God.

Prayer Challenges

admin June 22nd, 2010

By Joel Marshall, Missionary Teacher in the remote village of Agbalite

            God has given me some challenging and rewarding experiences this past month. One Sabbath afternoon as I was reading in Desire of Ages, I was inspired by the chapter, “Go Teach All Nations,” specifically about the author’s commentary on the verse, “They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Mark 16:18. She wrote, “He turned away none who came to receive His healing power. He knew that those who petitioned Him for help had brought disease upon themselves; yet He did not refuse to heal them. And when virtue from Christ entered into these poor souls, they were convicted of sin, and many were healed of their spiritual disease, as well as of their physical maladies. The gospel still possesses the same power, and why should we not today witness the same results?… And He is just as willing to heal the sick now as when He was personally on earth. Christ’s servants are His representatives, the channels for His working. He desires through them to exercise His healing power.” While laying in a hammock in our rest hut I pondered these things and prayed about them.

            That night I had a wonderful time in pray with God in our garden. Not many weeks earlier we had paid villagers to cart the mulch from their rice harvest to our garden. Since then I had enjoyed many times praying on the soft layer under the stars. This evening God brought to mind the rich blessings that are ours as His children. Our eternal inheritance seemed so real and I regretted the times I had chosen the world’s pleasures over God’s eternal graces. In that time of meditation on heaven, everything the world glorifies seemed worthless. Filled with joy I praised Him and gave thanks. If only we could walk always with this heavenly view. Satan would not be able to draw us away with his cheap thrills and temporary pleasures that work ruin in our lives.

            After some time I retired to my house and slept. Meanwhile, in the village Neneng and Mildred were busy tending to a lady who was having a severe asthma attack. For hours they stayed with her. First she requested that Ding and Dada come to help her and then finally at 1 am she requested that I come and pray for her.

            Suddenly a light shone in my bedroom window and a man called for Benjie, one of my students. I was surprised and called out to him, but he just continued to call for Benjie who was sleeping in my classroom beside my bedroom. I joined with him in his wake-up-call until finally Benjie staggered into my bedroom. I listened carefully to their conversation trying to understand what was being said. I understood little. After their brief conversation, Benjie informed me that I needed to go with Him. This worried me a little as this kind of visit only comes when there is trouble. As I followed the man, I prayed. At the man’s house I discovered the ongoing ordeal. Remembering what I had learned just hours before, I prayed with faith that God would heal her. After the prayer her condition was unchanged. Her eyes revealed the panic within and I was compelled to continue praying beside her quietly, holding her hand. Several times we moved until finally we ended up on the rough concrete floor of her house. For hours I continued my desperate prayer while she continued to labour for breath. At about 4 am she finally fell asleep. About 20 minutes later we left wearily to find a couple of hours sleep before the dawn.

            That morning Mildred visited her. The woman tearfully expressed her gratitude. After we had left she had become worried and wanted to call us back, but her husband had had pity on us. She was okay now and experiencing only a little pain. Mildred also instructed her in some lifestyle changes that she should make. They seem to have more money than most of the other villagers and frequently drink coffee.  A lot of the villagers also use MSG.

            When I heard the news I thanked God for healing her the way He did. Immediate healing is not always His will. In times of need like this He often allows opportunity for us to draw closer to the people through their needs. The struggles endured also test our faith in order that it might grow. It is not necessary or profitable to doubt God. He has given sufficient evidence of His love and care for us. Fretting grieves His heart and removes us from the protection faith brings. Confidence in God will not be disappointed in the end. “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised).” Hebrews 10:23.

Don’t Limit God’s Strength

admin June 22nd, 2010

By Mildred Uy, Missionary Teacher in the remote village of Agbalite

It was a wonderful Sabbath day! We rang the bell for church. I was in the Nipa (native thatch) hut while waiting for the villagers and children to come. After awhile, I saw the children coming and went inside the church. They started singing while waiting for the others to come. As they were singing some villagers arrived and joined the children’s singing. I walked down to the house and went inside my bedroom. When I was in my bedroom, I felt pain in my abdomen. Slowly, I laid down on my bed, but the pain became worse. Church would almost start in a few minutes. I really wanted to go inside the church to play the guitar, but I was very weak. I could not stand. “How can I lead the singing group?” I said to myself. The singing group would sing before the message. Shortly, I whispered a little, fervent prayer, “Lord, please give me of Your strength and use me today in the church.” After I prayed, I gained a new strength. Totally, the pain was gone. Immediately, I dressed up, got my Bible, carried the guitar, and went inside the church.

Inside the church, while I was playing the guitar, my heart was bursting with joy that God had healed me. God taught me a lesson that I should not limit His strength. I’ve also learned that God’s strength is always available to all. There is only one spring of strength that will not dry up as the time passes by. Isaiah wrote, “Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard? That the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, faintest not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no night he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:28-31
God’s power and strength never diminish. His strength is our source of strength. When we feel all of life crushing us and cannot go another step, remember that we can call upon God, to renew our strength. Don’t limit God’s strength!

Next »