This month in the Philippines we have been doing door to door evangelism and outreaches in the community. During one of our outreaches, I notice an older Filipino woman fishing by the waterside with a net and bucket. After watching her for a few minutes, I feel the nudge from the Holy Spirit to approach her. The scripture in Matthew about the man fishing came to mind.
“Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men ” Matthew 4:19
I grab Adrian, one of the boys from the youth group at church. Adrien has become an expert at evangelism, so I knew he would be the perfect one to take with me to talk to her. As we approach this lady and start talking we realize that she speaks a good bit of English. Adrien translates anything she’s not able to communicate. I begin asking her a few questions about her church background and relationship with God. She asks us what religion we are so we share with her that we are Christians. Most people in the Philippines are primarily Catholic. We go on to tell her about what we believe about Jesus and how he’s our Savior. After hearing her share we soon realize she has a relationship with Jesus too. We still share with her the story of the fisherman and read a few Bible passages with her. We continue talking and share our names. She shares her name is Addett.
Addett then invites me and Adrien over to her house that is nearby. She takes her fishing net and bucket and walks towards her house wearing her big black rubber boots. As we are walking towards her house we jump over stones that are surrounded by water to get to her house. When we approach her house we find a nice place on her porch to sit. Addett introduces us to her husband Adder and grandchildren. She wants to know more about us and what we are doing in the community. We share about what we are doing with the church and the ministry. She shares with us more of her testimony and how she has walked with God over the years. She tears up as she shares some of her personal struggles and hardships. She shares with us how God freed her husband from alcoholism many years ago. Several of Addett’s grandchildren live with her and as we are ending our conversation she wants us to pray with her granddaughter that was born blind. Me and Adrien pray with her family. It was clear to me upon leaving that God sent us to encourage and refresh Addett. To remind her that God still wants to use her in her old age. This is one of the experiences from this month in the Philippines that I will always remember. The kindness that Addett showed us and how she invited us over to her house.
