Jan 26, 2022 Christian’s Sardines, Philippines

One of the precious foods on the table of the people living in the remote areas of the mountains is the so called Sardinas or sardines. Our story is about a Subanen family who loves to eat sardines.

It was a rainy season, and the people who live there cannot easily go down to town to buy some foods due to the very thick, muddy roads and the danger of floods. Aside from that, the pandemic has limited people moving about. So, the trail ministry team made an initiative to go up in the mountains and distribute goods and foods to every household in a certain area, particularly Sinatalan. The families who received these gifts were very happy because we brought their sardine specialty that they had been missing when they only had camote, rice, or corn alone.

One month later, the pastor visited that place and conducted home visitation in their area and bought with him sardines and rice noodles. The families and neighborhood were very happy when they received the sardines. One of the families there was very hospitable, and they let the pastor stay in their home until the evangelism meetings started. The parents let their son, Christian, go with the pastor on his home visitation. When the meetings began, the church provided free breakfast and dinner during the week of meetings. The people went back to their farms to attend to their animals during lunch breaks.

The people were very eager to listen to the words of God because they did not know that there is a living God in heaven. Most of them are atheists who worship the trees, flowers, and stones. That’s why they are thirsty for the word of God. When they made a call to be baptized, most of them accepted Jesus as their personal Savior.

We can recall as Jesus also feed the 5000 people with five loaves and two fishes. He says in John 6:35, I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me shall not hunger and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

That common can of sardines is a very simple and unnoticed food in the urban areas but is valuable when used in the ministry of God. These people accepted Jesus and now believe in Him as their provider of all things. Let’s continue to pray for these new believers and practice sharing the little things that are actually big things in the eyes of the beholder.

---