After we returned from a long and humid morning talking at an elementary school, we were told to go to the streets outside of the church and talk to the locals. We were to share the Gospel with them, invite them to church, or just introduce ourselves since we were the first Americans they had ever seen. Just meet the people wherever they were at.
We were given an hour, and in that hour, I had one of my favorite moments of the month.
Catherine, Stefany, and I, along with Adrian and Jen, two Filipino youths from the church, teamed up and set out. We met a number of people who we pass by on a daily basis in the streets surrounding the church. It was normal street evangelism I was used to, nothing new.
Nothing new until we were walking along the road our apartment was on. We hear about five adults yelling across their yard at us.
“Are you from America? Are you missionaries??”
When we replied that yes, we were, they proudly exclaimed they were having bible study in the very house behind them at that exact moment. Even though we were about 20 feet away from them, and on the other side of the water ditch separating their house from the road, their statement was obviously an invitation to join. An invitation where there was no other option except to respond in favor of it.
So even though they were across from us when we stood on the road, the way to get to their house was much more complicated. We set out across a much too narrow, rickety footbridge, down a few alleys, under numerous clotheslines, and found ourselves on the opposite street where someone from the house met us and led us the rest of the way.
In typical Filipino hospitality style, we were immediately met at the door with curious and eagerly expectant faces. A couple of women grabbed my hand as I walked through the threshold and brought it up to touch their foreheads, a sign of extreme respect. I was floored. I didn’t deserve that much respect from someone who was older than me, but they gave it without a second thought.
When we entered the small living room our attention was immediately drawn to Benito. He was a middle-aged Filipino man who came adorned with a guitar, a bolo tie, and a smile that filled the entire room. I have never met another human look more ecstatic for our presence than this man.
We were then drawn to about 20 other Filipino adults encircling Benito. They were all patiently and respectfully waiting for the interruption we caused in their bible study to settle down so they could continue on.
After shaking hands with everyone, the five of us were escorted to seats they scrounged up and it was then we knew, without having to say it, we were not expected to leave anytime soon. But not like we would have wanted to anyways.
Benito swung his guitar around front and started strumming and belting out the worship song ‘Alive’. Everyone looked at us hesitantly for a quick second to make sure we knew the song, and then began belting it out themselves.
Sweet, sweet music and the Holy Spirit filled the room. Song after song played out from Benito’s guitar, some in English others in Tagalog, until they could think of no more.
As the room quieted down and everyone turned to take their seat, I noticed the room had increased in members as people trickled in during worship. The room was full of people with eyes darting between the pastor and us, waiting to see what was to happen next. Visitors had disrupted their normal, weekly bible study and they were unsure of what the change would mean.
At this point I am pretty sure the pastor transitioned what was the original lesson to fit why three American missionaries were sitting in his living room. He read out Philippians 3:1-4:
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
He then prefaced to the group that us being missionaries, we had left everything behind in America to come spread the love of Christ. We had set our minds on what was above and did not look back. He asked us to tell our stories and then turned to look at us, assuming we would take it from there.
Well, I had never led a Filipino bible study before, but why not? The Race never ceases to surprise me and this country has continually brought me challenges to stretch and show me what reliance on the Lord looks like.
They asked us if we had left behind sweethearts, families, and careers. The topic of sweethearts is always a favorite among people here, I always receive appalled looks when I reply that he does not exist when asked where my husband is.
Stefany, Catherine, and I each told what was left behind for us and why. Why we had decided to lay down and walk away from all of what America had to offer, because what America had to offer was nothing compared to obedience in the Lord and what traveling the world had to give.
After we spoke, the pastor told his congregation to be more like us. Like us. The pastor told his church of middle-aged adults to be like us three twenty-something female, American missionaries. The weight of that statement was not lost on us.
This is when it hit us who we really were, what we were really doing, the impact we were having, and what we were bringing to the nations.
We left what was comfortable for the crazy.
We left what was expected for the unknown.
We left what was easy for the reckless.
As these thoughts were swarming around our minds Adrian sweetly tapped my shoulder and whispered that it was time to move on to the next house. So we stood up after staying far later than originally planned, shook everyone’s hand on the way out, and said our goodbyes.
This is what ministry here looks like. We got called, we went, and then we moved on to the next calling. Leaving behind us the joy Jesus instilled in all of us with others, and taking with us the knowledge that leaving everything behind will never not be worth it.
