News

Philippines Mission Reports

November 4, 2013

(Pastor David Sims from Pacific Virtual Church and Brother Chris Sparks from Restitution Ministries have been on a mission trip in the Philippines with Brother Ray Mendiola, since January 30, 2014. They plan to be there until April 30.)

At one home church we met a single mother named Melodie who suffers from a degenerative eye problem, and is almost blind. We were about to travel to the sanitarium run by our brethren, so we decided to take Melodie and her youngest daughter with us, that she might receive some nutritional therapy and other treatments. Melodie told us that meeting us and hearing the revival meetings we held for a week in her town was the answer to her prayers to return to God. (Nearly the whole church of 40 members and many visitors accepted the truth about God, and many were led to a closer walk with Christ). She told us how she had backslidden in her experience, and had not been formerly baptised, and after studying with Pastor David at the sanitarium, she wanted to commit herself to the Lord, and be baptised. She and 6 others were baptised. We also conducted the ordination of Brother Carlos to the Gospel ministry.

In an accident a young boy and his uncle were hit by a cement truck while riding a motorcycle, and since they were poor only the boy's broken leg was plastered at the local hospital, but nothing else was done for the other wounds of either. The uncle’s wounds had become badly infected, so we applied some simple poultices to their wounds.

The next morning they were both happy and pain free. We changed the poultices several times over a couple days and the brethren at the sanitarium are now continuing the treatments: “All gospel workers should know how to give the simple treatments that do so much to relieve pain and remove disease” (Ministry of Healing, p. 146). This opened the door for us to share with a large number of their family members. They were excited with the things they heard, and after the meeting they said that they were going to tell their elders and leaders the new truths they heard.

One Sabbath morning on a farm where a small community of brethren live and worship, we were wondering what would be the best message. I had a touch of doubt whether I should share my message. Would it impact those present, and change lives, and help the people? As I was about to speak, we were surprised to see a group of about 30 men marching up the driveway. Then I understood the reason for my doubts, and my perplexity vanished. I then decided to change my message to something that would meet the need of these visitors. We later learned that these men were traffic control workers who were receiving some training at their supervisor's home across the road. The supervisor had been invited by one of the sisters, and had decided that morning not to come alone, but to bring his workers to the meetings. As the message was being translated, many of these men looked deeply interested, and during the afternoon health talk given by Pastor David they had many questions. Pastor David concluded with an appeal to them to give their hearts to the Lord. We witnessed the providence of God, and felt privileged to have been able to share the truth with them.

A certain Methodist church invited us to come and speak to them in their church. One of them had previously been a leader in the regional group of Methodists, and another was a former chief of police. They had formerly studied with Brother Carlos, and after a lengthy Bible study given by Brother Ray, these leaders gladly accepted the truth about God. They have also accepted the Sabbath, and we trust that through them many of their church members will be led to accept the present truth. These leaders actually own the property and church building, so they won't be kicked out.

Please remember us and the work here in your prayers for the rest of our stay here, for God to continue to open doors to share the truth.

Chris Sparks