The next three days’ blog entries will probably be a bit longer than the previous ones. Our group is being divided into a couple different groups so that we can see more of the churches and minister to more people. This will mean that there is more information and pictures to share each day.

 

Today, we stayed together for the morning, visiting several of the extension ministries of Iloilo Baptist Church. First, we traveled to a Saturday morning Bible club, which one of the staff ladies conducts every week. It was amazing to see around thirty children walk in pouring rain to squeeze into a small front area of a house for their weekly club. It is obvious by the smiles on their faces that this is a highlight of their week. We watched them sing Bible songs with such joy and enthusiasm, quote numerous Scripture verses, and listen to the story of Namaan with great interest. These children are such precious souls, and it is wonderful to see this ministry making a difference in their lives. It is obvious that they know that they are loved by God and by their church.

 

After this, we walked in heavy rain across a small creek to get back in our jeep. From there, we headed to the town dump where a Bible club is conducted with scores of children each Saturday morning. There are many families that literally live on top of or directly adjacent to the dump. We saw children, teens, and adults who wait near the front of the dump for the next delivery so that they may scavenge anything of value, including recyclables that they can sell to help support their family. We talked to one man who was born here and has lived at the dump for thirty-five years. We passed out tracts and talked with several of the folks before leaving. It is so sad to see their physical living conditions, but even worse, is to imagine their eternal destiny if they are not reached for Christ. Iloilo Baptist Church is doing their part to ensure that these folks will have a mansion in Heaven someday.

 

We returned to the hotel around noon, and group one headed to the Negros Island, while group two visited more extension ministries in Iloilo.

 

 

This group embarked upon a “first” for any of our previous missions trips - an overnight trip to visit one of the churches we have supported, sleeping in their village.

 

We left for the boat ramp at around 12:15 p.m. We loaded an OceanJet at 12:45 for the hour and fifteen minute trip to Negros Island. After arriving at the island, we loaded up into a jeepney to visit Pastor Ernie at the Cubay Baptist Church, which we have fully supported financially. Because of the travel ahead of us, we were only able to stay for a few minutes with him, but it was exciting to see what God is doing and to hear of Pastor Ernie’s vision to start other churches nearby in the near future.

 

We made a short drive to a bus station, where we loaded up on a bus for a three-hour trip to the part of the island that we would be visiting. The common driving practices in the Philippines are MUCH different than what we are used to in America, and this fact is only magnified when it is a large tour bus that you are riding in. It was a unique experience, to say the least. Once we arrived at the bus stop, we hired another jeepney driver to take us to our destination. After about thirty minutes, driving into areas that were less and less populated, the driver dropped us off at a gravel/mud road in the middle of a sugar cane field in the pouring rain. Each of us grabbed our things and began the thirty minute walk through the rain and the mud to the village we would visit. It was pitch black outside, so we had no idea what  type of area we were heading into.

 

After passing several houses along the way, we finally turned the bend to see a small church house. Then, we saw something that we were not expecting under these dark and rainy conditions - the church house was full of around eighty people waiting to greet us. For some of these people, it was the first or one of a handful of times that they have ever seen people from America. We walked in soaking wet and muddy, but excited to meet them.

 

This church has recently gone through a great heartache. The pastor, Pastor Jenel, was the pioneer who planted this church with the financial backing of our church. He was a man with a burden for people and a passion for God who was reaching many people in this village. At the age of twenty-four, while having a conversation in his small parsonage with another IBC graduate, Pastor Brian, who was preparing to start a church nearby, Pastor Jenel suddenly collapsed. Many of the villagers, who were also his church members, began to carry his body down the same road that we had walked to get to the church. They were trying to get him to a hospital, but by the time they did, he was pronounced dead of an apparent heart attack. Pastor Brian stepped in and has assumed the pastorate of this wonderful group of people. This was not in anyone’s plans other than God, but He has used it for His glory. In fact, Pastor Jenel’s parents were miraculously saved and baptized as a result of his death.

 

We greeted the folks and then Pastor Brian began a service. He led in several songs and then introduced Bro. Moyer, who brought a great message for the folks. He preached on the miracle of Jesus turning the water to wine.

 

Following the service, the people had planned a very generous meal for us, their visitors. We sat down to a home-cooked meal of chicken, fish, pancit, soup, and rice. As we ate, the members did not want to go home. They stayed around, fellowshipping and watching the Americans.

 

After saying, “goodnight,” the people prepared our sleeping quarters. We were all about to enjoy a new experience, sleeping on the bamboo floor of the church parsonage which was just a few steps from the church building. The parsonage is a two-room bamboo hut. Each room is about the size of a king-sized bed. All seven of us retired, thanking God for the safety in travel, and the wonderful people we were privileged to meet. We are looking forward to what God has in store for us tomorrow.

 

 

We headed out in the afternoon to visit a jeepney route with some of the Iloilo Baptist College students. The area that we visited was a “bamboo city” which was built over top of a river. The conditions that these children live in can only be described as utter poverty, yet their joy and excitement about church and the things of God is humbling and challenging to all of us.

 

Seeing these children, you cannot help but have your perspective changed as you realize what really matters in life and where true joy comes from - knowing God and living for Him. These children have none of the material possessions that are so common in America, yet they have a love and joy that is unfortunately too uncommon in our homeland.

 

After spending time with these people, we headed to dinner and to an outdoor market near the hotel. We got back to the hotel later in the evening. We are preparing to visit and preach in two different churches tomorrow morning.