A young girl’s simple act of faith leads her skeptical uncle to healing and transformation during a free Adventist medical mission in Puerto Princesa—part of the church’s Harvest 2025 evangelism initiative.
In a modest Adventist elementary school nestled in one of Puerto Princesa’s quiet barangays, 10-year-old Julia sat in class not knowing that something in her small hands would change her family forever.
She clutched a pamphlet her teacher handed out—an invitation to a free medical and dental mission happening over the weekend. Organized by Seventh-day Adventists in support of their evangelism initiative, Harvest 2025, the event promised more than just relief for physical ailments. It was a ministry of healing and hope.
At home, Julia thought of one person who needed it the most—her Uncle Erwin.
A tricycle driver in his late forties, Erwin had long suffered from severe dental pain. Yet he stubbornly refused any help, often muttering, “Adventists are all the same, just trying to convert people.” The pain, however, had worsened, and Julia could see it in his winces and shortened temper.
She handed him the pamphlet.
“Uncle, they can help you. Just go. Please?”
He grumbled, but how could he say no to the little girl who always brought him a glass of warm water at night?
Reluctantly, Erwin showed up at the Adventist compound where the dental mission was held. There, two volunteer dentists served tirelessly, caring for over 40 patients in one day—each with the same patience, warmth, and grace that stood in stark contrast to Erwin’s expectations.
“I thought they’d hand me a tract and preach while pulling my tooth,” Erwin said with a laugh later. “But they didn’t preach. They just served.”
What began as a reluctant dental visit became the first seed of transformation.
That evening, Erwin sat quietly at the back of the first evangelistic meeting of Harvest 2025. The kindness he witnessed moved him to return the next night and another. Through music, messages from the Bible, and the warm fellowship of the Adventist members, his heart began to soften.
A week later, Erwin made a decision he never thought he would—he accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior.
His story echoes that of another young girl found in 2 Kings 5:2–3, where a nameless servant girl told her master Naaman, a powerful commander afflicted with leprosy, about the prophet of God in Israel. “If only my master would see the prophet…” she had said in faith.
Like that ancient servant girl, young Julia’s words were simple but sincere: “If only my uncle could see…”
A man found healing—not just in his aching tooth, but in his soul—thanks to her faith and a community of believers who chose to serve without condition.
As Harvest 2025 continues across the Philippines, stories like Julia and Erwin’s remind us it sometimes takes the faith of a child to open the heart of an adult to the love of Christ.