Tara and Tanner spent yesterday in a community called Tagoloan while I stayed back to care for our fever-ridden Keaton. I think I’ve written before about her ministry to a family who has a disabled child there (Norman). Norman is four-years old, blind and cannot walk. We blessed there family with a stroller so that Elsa, his mother, could get around with her young daughter and Norman. Tara also had the best blessing of all of leading Elsa to Jesus. She had continued visiting with them and teaching them every time she could get to Tagoloan.
Tara and Regan with Norman’s little sister who was so shy at first that she wouldn’t even look at Tara or come near her!
Tara with Norman and Elsa, on our first visit back after Elsa began the journey of following Jesus!!
Because we have been in Iligan for a couple of weeks, we hadn’t been by in a while, so Tara arrived excited to see Elsa again. What she learned made her entire time here in the Philippines. Not only has Elsa been taking her entire family to church every Sunday, but she also has been taking several friends with her. While Tara was there, Elsa went and got her sister-in-law, who, after hearing Tara share more of Jesus, also accepted Jesus. Then, a second friend came over, but Tara was needing to leave to catch a Jeepney. This second friend, Nilla, said she just had one question. So, Tara stayed to discuss this one last question.
Nilla asked Tara if she could be baptized. Then, Elsa said she wanted to be baptized, too. Finally, one of our translators, Malou, piped in that she wanted to be baptized also! Tara was overwhelmed and unsure how to proceed, but realized that we should go to the local pastor and see how we could facilitate these baptisms. As a result, I will be blessed to baptize at least three people tomorrow in the ocean at Tagoloan!!! Pray that it will be a Spirit-led and worshipful time, a time of great rejoicing as these three women publicly follow Jesus with their baptisms. Pray that my heart is completely at rest in Jesus as I get to walk alongside these who are simply loving and following Jesus! Pray also that many others in the community will be inspired to give their lives to Jesus through this public act of obedience!