Dan’s Journal Entry - Bridge to the Islands

April 19, 2025

(Written early Saturday morning – day before Easter here in the Philippines. I got up early this morning to share with you, heart-to-heart, about some events from yesterday.)

Yesterday was an extremely hot and exhausting day. We got to bed late, and tired. Honestly, I was hoping to get some good rest, and sleep in today, if possible. Writing a journal entry was not at all on my radar. However, sensing that the Lord wanted me to share some things about yesterday with you, here I am – at my computer, to write to you.

I know that some of you may not have the time of day to even give this a second thought. I get it. Life is busy. However, there may be a few of you who take the time to read this entry, and if you do, I believe your heart will be touched, and you will be inspired! How amazing, and awesome God is! He does awesome things, and is greatly to be praised! Glory to God!

FRIDAY MORNING WATCH

Yesterday morning started very early. We have small group gatherings early on the Friday morning before Easter in various places to rejoice and celebrate Jesus being alive. This is done in the midst of an environment and culture where many are publicly mourning and lamenting the death of Jesus this time of year. Groups of people flood the streets carrying crosses, and flagellate, beating themselves and others bloody, with whips.

In contrast, we gather (start around 6 a.m.) to celebrate that Jesus died once and for all for our sins, rose from the grave, and has become the Savior of the world. He is no longer dead but alive forevermore. Because of His resurrection, we have hope of resurrection, too, and eternal life through Him.

Young Man From India

As I left our home around 5:30 a.m. to go to one of our gatherings, I found a young man from India at our gate. He had gotten to our home around 5 a.m. and I found him sitting there at the step in front of our gate waiting for me. He wanted to go with me to our Friday morning watch. He came by himself, traveling from a distant city (around 45 minutes away).

During our time of sharing together at the service, he gave testimony to his life being changed by Jesus. In India they have thousands and millions of idolatrous gods. He has come to know Jesus, and been exposed to the truth that Jesus is the only true God. Now he knows that Jesus is the only way of salvation, and is very excited about the gospel message. He doesn’t want to go back to the old life. The people who gathered yesterday were very blessed by his testimony, and expressions of faith.

This young man is currently attending University. In part of his testimony yesterday he shared that in one of his classes, although he had studied and prayed, he didn’t pass. He was amazed when his professor and Dean decided to help him pass, so he doesn’t fail. He considers it a miraculous answer to prayer. He had been fasting and praying, crying out to the Lord for help. Failure to pass the exam would mean another year of study at the University. When he went to take the re-test (which he had been studying a lot for that week), he sat there waiting, but they didn’t give him the test. They told him that he didn’t need to take it. They are just passing him without taking the re-test! It was an ‘unheard of’ thing to happen! He was totally over-joyed and dumbfounded. He was so surprised! (Their Dean has a reputation of being very strict.) He said he cried tears of joy for around half an hour! He is so thankful, and gives the Lord praise!

Although living in a distant city, he has been coming to our last two all-day leadership training modules (once a month). He has been asking me to mentor him, and been very open to instruction… We hope and pray that the Lord equips him, and enables him to reach many of his people with the powerful, glorious gospel.

JESUS FILM SHOWING

Having a film showing is a major ministry effort to administrate and coordinate in the midst of everything that is going on here. I’m so thankful for our faithful teammates who helped with it last night. It was definitely a team effort! There’s a lot to it – from publicity and barangay preparations, to set-up, tear-down, chairs, P.A system.; transportation, ministries, etc…

We had the film showing last night in a basketball covered court area, at a Barangay we had never penetrated before with a Jesus film showing. It was in a very challenging setting, with the mournful sounds of people singing into a mic’d system at the same time – right across the road, next to us! Along with that, flagellants and cross bearers would come by periodically, and stop there, beating themselves to a bloody pulp. It was quite the distraction, to say the least…

Before we started the Jesus film showing, we gathered the children for a story from the Bible. In the picture below, Colleen is sharing about the resurrection of Jesus with flannel graph. In these days of video, flannel graph is a novelty, and children love it…

Ministry to the children before the Jesus Film

Before the Jesus film ends, we always stop the film (at the crucifixion scene) and give people opportunity to accept the Lord. As I observed the crowd, seeing that the majority of the people who had gathered were from our BTTI congregations with only very few attending from that neighborhood, I was tempted to make an adjustment to our presentation, since many of them had already heard the gospel message. However, I’m so thankful that we continued on, as planned!

RECEIVING JESUS

During the film, I noticed a crippled man sitting there with his walker, listening very attentively. At the time of invitation, after leading people to pray to receive the Lord, I asked those who had accepted Jesus and were interested in receiving a ‘Bridge to Life’ tract and a Bible gift (if they wanted to have a Bible study in their home) to come forward (if able). I was amazed when the crippled came forward (with the physical assistance of some of his friends). He was formerly a Barangay Counselor. He had met with an accident with his van, which crippled him. He was very excited to receive the Lord, wants a Bible study with his wife, and says he plans to come to our Easter service tomorrow!

Another man who came forward is the cousin of one of our members. He also wants a Bible study with his wife, and excitedly says he plans to come to our service tomorrow.

You don’t always know what the Lord wants to do, and is doing in people’s hearts. The gospel is so powerful! Let’s keep sharing the Word, and watch the Lord work, and do wondrous things!

A BACKSLIDER

I was delighted when a young man came to the film showing that I have been very concerned for. In fact, the night before I had made a special effort to go to his home (around 40 minutes away) to make contact with him and his family (along with several others in that area). During a time of prayer at our workers meeting that day, the Lord had put a prayer burden on my heart to go visit him, and seek him out. When I got to their home, I was disappointed when he wasn’t home. He hadn’t come home from work for the last 3 days, his wife told me. She didn’t seem to even know when he would be there, or if he would even be coming home that night. I was just about ready to leave, when…? You guessed it! He came driving up on his motorcycle! That was so amazing! What timing! Just another minute or two, and we would have missed contact. Obviously, it was unmistakably a divine appointment! I was able to make contact with him, and pray with him. He seemed very respectful. Although I had invited him, I was surprised to see him come to the film showing last night. We haven’t seen much of him for a long time. He has been drawn into the ways of the world, and become inactive in our services. After the service, he told me he plans to come and bring his family to our Easter Celebration tomorrow, too – Hallelujah!

CONCLUSION

Ok. So, you might wonder – “why are you sharing these things with me”? Good question. Possibly to encourage you to keep going for it. You never know what is going to prosper, this or that. There are some settings that are much more difficult to navigate than others. Don’t be discouraged. Keep faithfully, diligently, and whole-heartedly doing what the Lord is leading you to do, and the Lord can use it for His glory – in His good timing and way. Some of the things that we might consider big might be small to the Lord, and some of the things we might consider small He might want to make big. Let’s be his faithful servants, and as we are, we will be amazed at what He can do through us, and will do – for His glory, if we are willing!

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P.S. Update: It’s now Easter Sunday afternoon. We had a joyful Resurrection Day Celebration Service today! Our theme for the message is shown in the picture below. It’s interesting to note that in the Matthew 28 account of Resurrection Day, the first recorded word Jesus said as he revealed Himself to the women running to share with the disciples the angels message that Jesus had risen from the dead was – “REJOICE!” The resurrection message is one of great joy!

Matthew 28:8,9 – So they went out quickly from the tomb with… GREAT JOY, and ran to bring His disciples word. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “REJOICE!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.

P.S.S. The backslider mentioned above in the post attended the service today (with his family)! Hallelujah! PTL! Also, another man I invited the other night who used to attend services regularly many years ago came today for the first time in many years. He was drunk when I saw him the other night, so I wasn’t sure how serious he was about coming – but he happily attended today, too! Glory to God! However, I am sorry to report that the 2 men I mentioned in the post above, (who prayed to receive the Lord at the film showing Friday night) didn’t make it to the service today, as expected. I’m not sure what happened. but we plan to follow them up this week, and have some Bible studies with them to help them understand the gospel message better, as able…

P.S.S.S. The man from India came to our service again today. We had a wonderful time together! He was very helpful with set-up and tear-down, loading, and unloading before and after the service. We had an Easter meal time together in our home this afternoon, and some great fellowship together for a number of hours. We continue to share vision with him to help reach people in India with the gospel, and he seems very willing. We are excited to see what the Lord is going to do through him…