Ministry Continues

My ‘Stateside Assignment’ is half way done.  After another 7 months, I plan on returning to the Philippines for one more term.  Some have asked about the work there while I am away.  Capable pastors and mature leaders have continued to lead our Filipino churches in evangelizing the lost and discipling the saved.  The goal of a missionary is to see churches growing and multiplying to the point where he is not needed anymore.  Still, in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines, many areas remain where we have no churches.

One of my best workers has stayed very active in my absence.  I’ve told you before about Bro. Danny and his wife Emy.  Danny is being supported by our Baptist Global Response ministry as he travels daily to different villages in his province of Lambunao.  As a community developer, Danny’s task is to guide village leaders in recognizing their most pressing problems, then mobilizing them to utilize local and outside resources to solve those problems.  This process can take months to years, during which time Danny is sharing the gospel and taking the first steps toward organizing a church in each village.  The idea is that when we are active in meeting peoples’ physical needs, they will be more open to us in ministering to their spiritual needs.

During the past year, Danny has begun work in 11 villages.  A village (or barangay) can have hundreds of families.  Many villages are in isolated areas with limited road access.  Some may not have electricity.  Nearly all are farming communities.  Problems often encountered are lack of water supply, poor sanitation, inadequate schools, no source of livelihood, illegal drug / alcohol use, and poorly maintained farm to market roads.  Danny doesn’t give out money for these needs.  Such a strategy may provide short-term relief but usually doesn’t provide long-term solutions.  Instead Danny conducts trainings that help villagers discover local resources and sometimes government programs that can assist in solving community problems.

Bro. Danny and his wife, Emy

In the 11 villages that Danny has worked in during the past year, he has mobilized 6 of them to begin projects that include raising chickens, planting gardens, improving roads, and increasing farm produce.  He has also led ‘values formation’ trainings that present the gospel and aims to build stronger families and stronger communities.  He has conducted house to house visits as well as communicating with village and municipal government leaders.  To date he has seen 62 Filipinos profess faith in Jesus Christ. 

You can provide a lot of help for Bro. Danny and his wife, Emy, by praying for them.  Pray that Danny will have more encounters for gospel sharing.  Pray that those who have made a profession of faith will be motivated to grow in their relationship with Christ.  Pray for ministry partners for Danny who can assist him in his work, especially in following up new believers.  Pray that Danny will not grow weary in doing good, but that he will continue to persevere in training community leaders on how to solve their own problems and discover the resources they can have in Christ Jesus.