After yesterday's trek to Olango Island, Molong thought I needed a rest. So, I stayed at the house most of the day, resting, reading, and chatting. In the morning, and keeping one eye on the score of the Royals game! We ate fruit in the back yard under the palm tree--mango, papaya, watermelon, and another fruit that I had never seen before (and I forget the name), but it was quite good. Molong and I chatted about the Kingdom of God, and what God was doing in our respective spiritual families.
I was able to get a great grasp on his vision at the different hubs. Each hub is where several disciples live. Most are so poor they don't even have jobs. I learned that in the Philippines many people don't work because they can't live on the pay. Mostly they get paid minimum wage ($7/day) or less, which is not enough to live on. Many do not have work skills, either. Life is lived day to day. Molong has started a store where things can be sold to raise money for the poor. That is also where they make their hammocks that they sell, as well as bamboo cell phone speakers. Albert, one of the disciples here, runs the hammock business. Albert is 23 years old and learning how to serve the Lord. The bamboo speaker business is run by Jomie, and will be eventually used to provide jobs and work skills for his family. The family currently has no work, and limited skills, but because of this business, they will be able to make an honest living and support their family. The speakers they make will be sold in the store or on the internet.
Molong wants to see each hub--the mountain, island, and others--with a business that will provide work for the disciples, and an opportunity for them to make a living AND to give to others around them that the Kingdom may grow. Filippinos are good at giving, anyhow. This is an exciting vision that can truly be a testimony to the world around of how God takes care of His people. This is one way of shining the light of the Kingdom, so that others may see and glorify God!
You may remember that on Day 9 I mentioned that Peter dropped by. Peter is a long time friend of Molong. He went to traditional church when Molong did, but has since left and does church organically now. He and Jomie went to the island today to complete the concrete floor of the new room we are building. After he returned, he, Molong, Jomie and I were sitting in the yard talking to him before he left. As we spoke, he kept mentioning a calling that he felt he had from the Lord. He had mentioned it to me the day before also. Eventually, the subject of baptism came up, and in reference to Peter's questions about God's calling and the frustrations that Peter seemed to be having spiritually, Molong asked him if he was truly dead. By that he meant, had his old self truly died. He re-explained that baptism is just that, the burying of the old, dead self, and the resurrection of the new life of Christ in us (Romans 6:4, Galatians 3:27). Was he willing to be buried with Christ. Peter realized that perhaps he really hadn't understood, and he wanted to be re-baptized. So, we all looked at each other, and Molong told us to quickly change our clothes. We hopped on the motor bikes and went to the ocean. It was aleady dark, but Molong had a flashlight and held it, as Jomie and I baptized Peter in the warm ocean water. It was a glorious experience! We could tell that Peter had experienced something in the midst of that. His face simply lit up. Jomie prayed for him to receive the Holy Spirit. Then we spent some time swimming in the ocean before returning to the house.
Upon return, it was time to eat, and Peter, who had intended to leave earlier, sat down with us for our Kingdom meal. The table was long and full of saints who enjoyed each other's fellowship, and rejoiced in the newly baptized member of the Kingdom of God.
In the west, we have struggled with baptism, but here it follows a confession of faith directly. We don't wait for the "evidence," we just bury that old dead person as quickly as possible so that the new life can arise.
Jesus commanded it, the apostles followed the command all through Acts, and we debate it, scrutinize it, theologize it, analyze it, and disect it in order to try to understand it. Jesus just said to do it. We leave the rest to Him!
No comments:
Post a Comment