Part I
A team of six Americans and six of our Filipino staff boarded a small boat in Surigao City and sailed to Dinagat, which was known as “The Witchcraft Capital of the Philippines.” They were strongly cautioned about accepting food from strangers on the island because of its potential to be poisoned. Missionaries had been run off in the past, and the area was largely controlled by a satanic cult.
Upon arrival, the team saw no smiling faces, which is highly unusual in the Philippines. The local police asked for copies of their passports for identification purposes in case of an emergency and offered the protection of armed guards. Our team declined the offer and said they trusted their God to protect them.
When they shared about Jesus with the locals, there was no recognition of His name in the eyes of the people. Everyday, the team faced various challenges, such as injuries, mountainous terrain that was difficult on their vehicles, and they had trouble finding boats to transport them from island to island. God overcame every single obstacle!
It was obvious that God had clearly prepared the hearts of the people, as well. They were immediately given the opportunity to present the Gospel in the market. A reporter from the local news station was present and recorded the entire message with his cellphone! Many responded to the invitation to trust Jesus Christ as Savior! When our team returned to preach in the market the next morning, the same reporter was there with a video camera. He had already set-up a sound system for their use, and once again, recorded the Gospel message they shared. They went back to the station afterward, where Charles Stone was interviewed and shared the Gospel with the other employees. Footage of our team was shared on the TV and radio stations during their week there, which facilitated their entrance into the schools to share the Gospel! Many souls were saved, and they received requests for Bibles at every school.
