Last Saturday, I joined the small group (student missionaries) in their annual hiking & outreach program in Sampaloc, Taal Lake, Batangas. We left AUP 3:30 am & arrived at the shore by 5:30. There were more than 40 students & there are only 3 sponsors – Sir Casel, Shane & I. We rode boats to bring us to the island. We hiked the Taal volcano in the morning and did the visitation in the afternoon. The activities were house visitation, conducting health lecture, Bible story with the kids, clothes distribution, and book giving. There were seven groups organized to visit different houses in Brgy. Sampaloc.
Kuya Ronnel accepted us warmly in his simple abode. We saw his three kids & he told us that he gets a living from the tourists who use his horse to hike Taal volcano. A get-to-know conversation started and he asked, “ ano ang maipaglilingkod ko sainyo?”. We said, “Nandito po kami para dalawin kayo, kamustahin at ipanalangin”. Then he asked again, “may dala ba kayo na Bibliya?”. He further told us that he finished reading the Bible and wanted to check whether we have the same kind of Bible. I was happy to know that he finished reading the Bible and that he tells his kids the story from the Bible. I imagined the kind of Bible that I have. He confidently showed his Bible. I saw an old notebook and an obviously read one as the pages were worn out. It was a Bible story notebook.
 |
| Kua Ronnel, the one in the center holding a white cloth. |
I saw Kuya Ronnel’s passion in reading the Bible story notebook and I looked up to him for that. But I also felt helpless. I wished that I brought a Tagalog Bible to give him one. I also wished that one of our members brought a Tagalog Bible. But none of us brought one. Fortunately, we are ready to give him the book, “Ang Dakilang Pag-asa” [The Great Controversy] as planned. He was so happy. I was relieved when I saw his smile. We prayed for his family and moved to another house.
My encounter with Kuya Ronnel reminded me that there are people out there who have no idea on what the Bible looks like, have not touched the Bible, and have not read the Bible. They are still wishing that one day, that miracle day, they will be able to see, touch, and read the Bible. And I also wondered how many people out there, including me, have Bibles inside our lockers, on top of our desk and inside the bookshelves but have not given the time to touch, scan and read the Bible? May we all be reminded to read our Bibles, not just our electronic Bibles, but the actual Bible book while we have all the freedom & opportunity to do so.
 |
| The team... |
 |
| worship on top of Taal |
