By Randal Dick
Superintendent of missions
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines--A killer earthquake struck here in 1991. To make matters worse, a powerful typhoon hit the area at the same time. A lot of people died.
Baguio was all but cut off--landslides severed the two roads leading into the area, and some who were trying to get through were killed by the effects of the typhoon or by the landslides.
(Note: I saw this type of danger firsthand, when Eugene Guzon, our Philippine regional business manager, was driving me out of the mountains surrounding Baguio to the Manila airport July 25. A typhoon was beginning to pound the area.
(We were cut off by two landslides--one behind and one in front. I took my cues from Eugene, who seemed to think that this was normal. I must admit that I changed my plan to nap all the way to Manila.)
Bermie Dizon, who at the time of the killer earthquake pastored the San Fernando, Pampanga, church, asked for volunteers to get relief supplies through to the brethren in Baguio City. Bermie cautioned them that they could lose their lives if they went, yet he was moved to see the number of brethren who volunteered to go.
One volunteer was a widow in her mid-60s. When the stunned pastor asked whether it was prudent for her to volunteer, given the inherent dangers, she insisted that she was serious about going.
When asked for an explanation, she told Bermie that in all her years in the church she had been served in many ways.
She said it was a rare occasion, which may never come again, when she was asked by the church to be willing to set aside her life for others. She said that there was no way she was going to let that call pass without response.
I found that incident moving in light of the journey on which we find ourselves as a fellowship. Many of us have been members of the church and have been served by the church for much of our lives.
It is a rare opportunity now that the church has asked us to recognize a need to lay down part of our lives so that others may receive the words of eternal life.
Like that spiritual giant in the form of a little lady in San Fernando, Pampanga, I hope we will recognize both the sacrificial nature and the rarity of this opportunity to recommit ourselves, and that we will not let it pass without response.
MANILA--Several years ago Philippine President Fidel Ramos issued a presidential decree that called upon every Filipino to participate in a quality program for moral recovery.
Retired General Saveedra, who became a Christian some years ago, has undertaken, with President Ramos' blessing, to begin a movement to restore moral values in the Philippines.
Trained instructors of the Movement for the Restoration of National Discipline have access to government offices, military bases and employee cafeterias. Included in this group are about 20 ministers and lay members, men and women of the Worldwide Church of God, who have dedicated themselves to this cause and have been trained and credentialed as instructors.
They are invited to discuss Jesus Christ and the Bible in the context of moral values. If people wish to pursue further spiritual education, the instructors are welcome to invite them to participate further.
Working in concert with other area pastors, our members have volunteered to produce seminars for, and concentrate their attention on the employees of the National Power Corp. They will be given free access to employees during their work time.
The plan involves a stair-stepped process from initial seminar to follow-up Bible studies. Our people are encouraged to invite any interested people to become part of small groups or even begin to attend worship services.
Mr. and Mrs. Enrico Mercader are members who live in a town at the southern tip of Luzon, the largest Philippine island. Mrs. Mercader, seeking to make a difference for Christ in someone's life, volunteered to keep a group of underprivileged children in her home as part of a government-sponsored day-care program.
It didn't take long before the parents of these children realized that something was different--their children looked forward to spending the day with Mrs. Mercader.
They saw the peace, the joy and the values that were lived out in the course of the day and which affected their children's attitudes. The parents became interested in knowing more about Christ, so they asked our members to give them some Bible studies.
This was obviously not an intended outcome, but Mr. Mercader, with the encouragement and mentoring of the pastor, Alberado Balisnomo, agreed to serve. About 15 people came to the first Bible study, which Mr. Mercader conducted on a Saturday afternoon. These studies continued, with the size of the group growing and their desire for spiritual food increasing.
Eventually Mr. Balisnomo began conducting monthly worship services for the group. The Mercaders' humble desire to represent Christ in a small way has led to a group with more than 100 in attendance at the last monthly service.
That's not all. Now another group has heard of what is happening and is now asking if they too could have the same kind of regular teaching.
After services Mr. Balisnomo's wife, Puring, helps ease the economic pressure on these people by teaching the wives to cook some item which can easily be sold at the street markets.
Two powerful spiritual principles are at work here. First, we must never underestimate, no matter how menial our effort, how much Jesus will multiply those efforts for his Name's sake.
Second, Mr. Balisnomo had better concentrate on equipping others, in order to be able keep up with what the Holy Spirit is doing in his area!
We are unable to do anything without Christ. However, he often will choose not to do something without us. Being sensitive to what Christ will do for us, and doing even little things (like giving a cup of cool water) in his name, can bear powerful spiritual fruit.
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