Faith Promise Sunday and Answering God’s Call
We woke up looking forward to Sunday on our medical missions trip to the Philippines, and got ready to attend the morning service at Ley Sam Baptist Church. It was a special Sunday for the church because it was their day to turn in their Faith Promise missions commitment cards for the coming year.
Faith Promise Sunday at Ley Sam Baptist Church
Pastor Jerry Tanawan taught Sunday School and also preached the morning service. Both messages centered around missions and the responsibility churches have to reach the world with the Gospel.
During the service, Dr. Chen shared his testimony about how he came to know Christ and how missions giving played a role in his life. It was a good reminder that when churches give to missions, they are investing in people they may never meet until eternity.
By the end of the service, two people trusted Christ as their personal Saviour, which made for a joyful morning for the church family.
Afternoon Service in Santa Rita
After the morning service, we drove about an hour to a church in Santa Rita. This church holds its main services in the afternoon because they do not have electricity in their building, making afternoon services more practical for the congregation.
One of the missionary kids traveling with our group preached the message there and did a very good job. It was encouraging to watch a young man step forward and handle the responsibility of preaching.
Evening Service Back in Tacloban
We returned to the hotel briefly for about an hour before heading back to Ley Sam Baptist Church for the evening service.
Pastor Lester preached that night on the subject of not missing God’s second call, using the story of Jonah. Jonah ran from God’s first call but responded to the second one, and as a result, the entire city of Nineveh repented and was spared from judgment.
It was a helpful reminder that God often gives people another opportunity to obey Him, but those opportunities should never be taken for granted.
Closing the Day
After church, we went to a seafood restaurant that serves fresh local seafood. The meal was excellent—honestly some of the best seafood I’ve had in a long time.
We returned to the hotel afterward and got some much-needed rest, knowing the next day would be full of medical mission work.
Wonderful experiences. Praying for your team and the people that reach while you are there. Love you!