Modern Day Missionaries of Old - The God's Soul Winning Ministry
By Anne Benavidez
Last May 2011, the Youth Mobilization team held its first missions camp in New Tribes School of Mission located in Dinalupihan, Bataan (about 4 hours to the north of Manila
They belong to one of the ethnic groups in the Philippines
Their testimonies became main highlight of the conference.
Windows YP 2011 - The Missions Camp where the God's Soul Winning Team gave their testimony
Before giving their testimony, I had the privilege of talking to their assistant team leader, Liza, who gladly shared with me how their team and ministry were “born” and how the Lord has been using them for three years now. Liza herself is a youth leader of her church.
God's Soul Winning Ministry, the name which they call themselves, started in a vision. They received this vision after attending YM’s Overnight Modular Training (OMT) in 2008 . The three who attended the training sought God on how they will put into reality the vision they have received. Two months after the training the Lord led them to attend the Encountering God Seminar, and there Liza said that the Lord revealed to them in details on how they will conduct the evangelistic crusade. Before the year 2008 ended, they launched their first evangelistic crusade among their tribal ancestors. In the following months they would travel by walking (because they don’t have money for public transportation nor a vehicle) from town to town, village to village to bring the Gospel to their own people even in the remotest villages and mountains.
Liza’s story on how they did their evangelistic crusades is truly amazing and personally humbling for me. These young missionaries went from one remote village to another and climbed mountains by foot. Sometimes, it takes them 18 hours just to go to the next village and they also experienced 2 days of walking! They go to a certain village bringing only uncooked rice and salt. On their way they look for anything to cook. The Lord would bless them with fruits like papaya or some vegetables along the way and those became their meal. If they find none, then they are contented with just rice and salt for their meal. They also sleep along the way. They just pitched their tent made from used sack of rice and many times, they slept under a tree. They bring sweaters or jackets and blankets which they use to keep them warm during the cold of the night. They usually arrive before sundown and even though exhausted they are still ready for the evangelistic crusades. They usually stay in a village or a town for two days and spend two days again of walking back home.
These modern-day missionaries are so passionate for God’s calling and vision that nothing can stop them from fulfilling the mandate that they have received from the Lord. Even without money, or any means of transportation they will still go. Even the dangers of climbing up and down the mountain and the risk of staying out there in the night, all of these they are willing to bear just to obey the Master’s call upon their lives. In their hearts they only have one goal - to “reach the unreached Aetas” even in the remotest parts of the Philippines
The group’s favorite verse and tagline is “nothing is impossible with God!” For them these words are enough for them to step in faith and wholeheartedly fulfill the Great Commission even to the remotest part of the earth. To God be the glory for the lives of these modern-day missionaries of old!
Joshua encouraging and praying with the God's Soul Winning Ministry Team right after the Missions Camp held last May 2-4, 2011 in Dinalupihan, Bataan
No comments:
Post a Comment