Keep on Rowing!
In February 2017, I joined a group of pastors to visit a group of Mangyan tribes in Mindoro. After a few hours on the ship, we had to take a boat to get to our destination. We traveled about 5 hours to the area. After two days of visiting and meeting with the locals and as usual, we had to board the boat back to the Port area. As we sailed early in the morning, I felt a sense of fear, because I was looking at the waves and weather were not good. As we were walking away from the beach, we were hit by strong waves. I know even my 6 fellow pastors have a little fear, and pray. Along with the strong and high waves is the strength of wind and rain. I just saw a big waves that seemed to rock us up and falling down the water would beat us.
About 10 meters from our boat I saw a shark fin, a fellow pastor saw it too but we kept quiet so that our colleagues wouldn't panic. In the midst of the vast sea, great waves, and strong winds, I silently pray, memorizing verses and remembering the story of the Lord Jesus stopping the storm with his disciples.
I suddenly thought, that I never thought I would experience the same, and feel the same way the apostles felt. After 5 hours we reached the dock, when we saw it we shouted with joy. As in Matthew 8:23-27, the Lord Jesus and his disciples traveled to the lake but a great storm and waves erupted. The disciples were afraid of what had happened, but Jesus said to them, "What are you afraid of? Your faith is very small". So he arose and rebuked the wind and the sea, and they were silent."
In reality, the storms and the strong waves of trials cannot be avoided. Like them, they are normal experiences we experience in our world, also in our lives as believers and servants of God. Every day of our journey we cross difficult roads, strong waves in the sea, and face trials. It is not surprising, it is inevitable, it cannot be prevented from coming, but can be overcome with God's help.
Let's just keep on rowing our boat.
As I continued the journey God had given me, I continued to experience trials. I'm not surprised by it, instead I'm expecting it. My life hasn't changed completely. There are still a variety of challenges, there are not many new opportunities that come to the ministry, and my health continues to be a big challenge.
But despite all this, what I could do and a better lesson happened to me was that I became stronger. I can't change my situation, but I can change my attitude and my reaction to it. I can't get rid of the storm and the hardships of my situation, but I can increase my faith and trust in God.
I can't resist the trials, but in Christ I can do all things without fear. because of all this, whether I was in the midst of a storm, strong winds, and strong waves, I felt at peace because the Lord Jesus is with me. I will continue to walk in this journey and keep on rowing until I will be victorious by God's grace. I thank God that despite my circumstances, His grace is strong enough.
Since January this year, my lower back pain has returned. I don't understand why despite my precautions. In many cases, this illness limits my ministry when I feel pain in my back.
Nevertheless, I continued to work in the ministry. I am delighted with what the Lord has done in our Outreach at Junction, Cainta. For the second time, we were able to schedule a Bible study for the parents of the children. The best part is that besides the parents, there are also young people who attend.
And I pray if God wills, we could start a new Bible study for young people ages 14-18. One of the strategies we use for children in outreach is to take a holistic approach to them. We focus not only on the spiritual aspect of their lives but on other aspects. I believe discipling them should be a holistic approach and in holistic development.
This way we can develop better relationships with them so that we can be more effective in our ministry with them. In addition to teaching them the Bible, they also encouraged reading skills in the program, in developing their art skills and now I see their interest in sports.
So we had a sports outing at a Sports venue nearby. Through this, more children, young people and parents came with us. This will not only help them to develop their sports skills, but also help them to get rid of the bad habits that surround them.
This will also deeper our relationship and gain the trust of their parents. We pray that one day we can help them more about their schooling.
On the right, the Kids are playing volleyball with their improvise net.
We continue our ministry in our former volunteers of the Youth Passion. We had the opportunity to visit them again who had helped us in the Youth Center for a long time, but the best thing was that we were with some of the former volunteers I had worked with. We had the opportunity to have a simple reunion to, encouraging one another and pray together.
After 14 months without a preaching ministry, God answered my prayer and a birthday gift for me, to return in preaching. On Wednesday, I received a chat message inviting me to speak at a small Filipino service of a church in Marikina.
Although I had a short time to prepare for it, but still this is an opportunity and I believe it's God's answer to my prayers. Thank God for giving me the opportunity to preach again in a worship service. I hope this is the beginning of my preaching ministry again.
As I said, my health has been a big challenge for me since last year because of my lower back pain. I don't know if this has anything to do with the previous accident I experienced in 2019 although I have some back and foot pains.
As I pondered God's Word, I read Psalm 38:6-8, "I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning. My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body. I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart.”
We are asking for your prayers:
Pray for the spiritual lives of every children and their families so that they can come to know God better.
Pray for more opportunites to share the Gospel young people on the streets and juvenile shelters.
Pray that I will always follow God's direction and serve faithfully.
Kindly pray that God may provide for our daily needs and in His work.
Kindly pray for my health everyday, that I may able to have a new strength and recovery from my Lower back pains.
Thank you for your faithfulness to God my brothers and sisters in the Lord.
From the bottom of my heart God knows how I am grateful with your support and prayers. To your lives and faithfulness I felt so blessed.
Everyday I am amazed how God work in us and to his ministry. Truly, God is powerful, faithful and loving.
Praise God for all the great things He has done in His work. To God be Glory. !!!
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58
Your co-servants in the Lord,
Bro. Jong
