Jun 9, 2021 Villages You Can Only Reach by Motorcycle
I would have laughed if God told me that eventually, I would be transporting TVs during this pandemic, laughed Pastor Greg Olivan III, but I praise God for His faithful provision. We will keep sharing Jesus no matter the challenges.
At the beginning of the pandemic, many people in the Philippines were unsure of what the stay-at-home order and travel restrictions would mean. Many stores closed, transportation stopped, schools and many businesses had to stop too, shared Pastor Greg. Social and religious gathering were strictly prohibited because we need to stay at home for safety.
I asked the government for special permission to deliver food and supplies to our church membersÑand praise God, I was granted permission! said Pastor Greg. But the gospel workers in the Philippines could have hardly imagined the creative ways God would inspire them to continue sharing the gospel.
Many people in the Philippines survive on their day-to-day income. And unless they’re in certain essential fields of work, they’ve lost their daily income to provide for their families. Our church leadership provided food and financial assistance to our members, but it was so hard to distribute it due to the lockdown and lack of transportation. I really praise God for making a way for us to continue meeting the needs of members and praying with them, shared Pr. Greg.
Pastor Greg’s motorcycle, provided by QHM donors, was given to him at the start of his internship. He serves as the district pastor in Far East Camarines Sur, Southern Luzon, Philippines. My district is quite spread out, and it would have been impossible for me to reach all of it, shared Pastor Greg.
I praise the Lord for my faithful Yamaha motorcycleÑit was the only key to reach all the churches and communities I serve, said Pastor Greg. Without this motorcycle, I would not be able to serve the brethren in need. My work field is far from the cities, so public transportation is not an option. And a lot of the churches and companies are in places which are not easy to reach.
Tinawagan church is a small mountain village company meeting each Sabbath to worship. Tinawagan is situated between the base of Mount Isarog and Lagonoy Gulf, and is only accessible by sea and motorbike. When you reach the top of the mountain, shared Pastor Greg, you can see the beauty of God’s creation all the way to Tianwagan church. I thank God because my motorbike always brings me to my destinations safely. I’m happy that it allows me to do visitations.
Summer is typically when most evangelism is conducted in the Philippines and Pastor Greg was determined to reach new areas within his district. One of the unentered places in my territory was Lidong, Presentacion, Camarines Sur, shared Pastor Greg. The place is in the middle of the mountain and very far from the citiesÑ45 kilometers away from the municipality of Caramoan. There are also 5 kilometers of steep, rocky road, which only motorcycles can enter. With the help of 12 church youth from his district, they spent two weeks there holding evangelistic meetings. It wasn’t easy, said Pr. Greg, but we did it for the ministry. And now, we praise God that five precious souls were baptized from our meetings, and many more are preparing. I have confidence now that they will continue to share Jesus in their village.
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17
While physical meetings are still very limited, Philippine gospel workers were now faced with the challenges of how to integrate online campaigns with remote villagers who had no internet. We thought of an alternative way to continue to reach people and spread the good news of salvation, shared Pr. Greg.
Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me? Jeremiah 32:27
We had and are still currently conducting a series of online evangelism via Facebook. But in the case of my district where internet connection is poor, we are having an offline evangelism. So, for these remote villages, we distribute the messages that have been saved on flash drives. Now the tough part was distributing televisions to the districts along with the flash drivesÑcan you believe it? I’ve delivered 10 televisions! Two TVs at a time on my motorcycle! But even more amazing is that through this hybrid online and TV evangelismÑ187 souls have been baptized! Praise be to God! Pastor Greg and his ministry partners went on to share that this would have been impossible if they hadn’t brought televisions to the people to hear the good news of salvation. Praise God these gospel workers are using their motorcycles and creativity for the Lord!
Will you continue to pray for our gospel workers? Many are facing challenging situations like this in the Philippines and around the world.
How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things! Romans 10:14-15
