SULADS STORIES

THREE STRANGE VISITORS

by: Cyrile Macarayo

Dapilo-an Mission School

September, 2000

Dapilo-an Mission School vibrates every morning and evening with children’s heavenly music in their worship.  A new church is already built and is full packed every Sabbath.  Children are the most active members.  We SULADS missionaries just guide them on what and how to preach and sing.  Adults participate too, but they always give the time to children.  Sabbath is celebrated as a grand day for the Lord.

There are a few more left in the village who are not baptized yet.  One of these is Sanny a family man.  He joins a group for our Bible studies.  His companions have already received Jesus as their Savior but Sanny has no decision yet.  He sometimes attended Sabbath services.  But, whenever he feels like not attending he sneaks out to the forest.  I asked him one day.  “You were attending our Bible study group. Do you believe the Bible truths we’re presenting to you?”

“Yes, and I don’t have any question.”

“And when will you decide to be baptized”, I followed up.

“Not this time yet sir, he replied.” 

“It is not that I am in a hurry for you to decide, but the Lord is waiting for you to give your heart to Him now,” I explained.  He just kept quiet.

One Sabbath morning, after the usual serenading we invited Sanny to attend church that day.  “Yes sir he replied.”  When his wife and children were ready to go, they invited him again.  Let’s go papa.  “I’ll just follow, he answered back.  But in his mind he did not plan to attend church.

Sanny’s house stands just about 30 meters away from the church.  Church goers  were flocking in.  The church came alive with children’s songs, but Sanny just tarried there, not knowing what to do.  Shall I attend church or not.  He can’t decide.  What seemed so long a waiting, the singing stopped and this time he heard a boy preaching.  He could hear, but he couldn’t understand.  The village was quiet, because almost everybody in the village was in church.  He found a seat outside to hear the message of the child preaching.  But he had a second plan to sneak out to his farm in the woods.  It was early noontime, he was sitting there waiting for a chance to sneak out so that we missionaries couldn’t see.  And then...who could these strangers be? he said.  From down the slope coming up to his house were 3 handsome, long nosed big men all in white.  They went straight to the church and passed by him.  He’d never seen such kind of men with that structure.  The two men from left and the right stayed behind just outside the church.  But the center man went straight inside.  He did not sit with the congregation, but on to the pulpit he continued and to the boy preaching.  Sanny could hear another voice now, no longer a voice of the child, but a man’s voice.

Sanny could no longer hold himself on his seat.  He stood up and went straight to the church door.  He would like to hear the stranger preaching.  What could his message be?  But, when he had just stood at the door the service was over. 

“You came late,” the brothers greeted him.  But he was speechless.  His eyes were focused on Somebody. 

“What happened to you?” his wife asked.

“Where’s the stranger?”

“What stranger!  What are you talking about?” 

Only then he realized that he was the only one who saw the the strangers.

He pursued them behind the church and sure enough he saw them there. 

“Who are you?” he greeted.

“This is not yet the time to reveal who we are.  Don’t you know that we are here present every day and night in your worships?  Most especially on Sabbaths the Holy Day of the Lord.  Right now, we’ve just come from Bulalang.” (Bulalang is a former SULADS mission school closed by SULADS because of the presence of government school.  This is a neighbor village to Dapilo-an who’s church is full every Sabbath with worshippers.  Still active in church even if there are no more missionaries.) “Tell your teachers here and your people to keep up the good work.  Be strong in faith because the Lord is coming very soon.  And those who are found faithful especially in keeping the Sabbath holy will be saved.”

He was struck with fear!  “Lord, please forgive me!” he cried.  There was a long pause.  He was looking on the ground contemplating on his situation.  He looked up again to ask the strangers but...they’re GONE!

Sabbath Sept. 23, 2000, Sanny together with 8 others received Jesus as his personal Savior through baptism.  These were the last few in the village.

Our SULADS MISSION is to “reach the unreached” who are especially the unserved indigenous tribes of Mindanao by providing them non-formal education which hopes to help alleviate illiteracy, poverty, diseases and promote social awareness, yet give due respect to their traditions, beliefs, customs, aspirations and interest so that they may see the richness and the beauty of their cultural heritage and their whole life.

SULADS is a ministry that is dependent upon God to move the hearts of people to support its work.

Donations for the support of missionaries my be sent to:

 

SULADS

C/o: AWESNA 

2417 S. Azusa Avenue

West Covina, CA 91792

Mark your donation for MVC/SULADS.  Donations from the United States of America may receive a tax deductible receipt if sent thru this address.