At the height of this global crisis we know as COVID-19, there’s one church ministry that is most affected by the lockdowns: literature ministry. One would wonder how our literature evangelists (LEs) are faring in these unusual and challenging times. As we would see in the following stories from the South Philippine Union Conference (SPUC), God is turning these challenges into blessings.
Doors are closing and people are social distancing, but beneath this gloomy surface, hearts are opening to the Word of God. The Publishing Ministries Department of SPUC has deployed LEs in every city in its territory to meet the needs of thirsting souls. Each LE has been trained to comply with the health protocols imposed and strictly monitored by local government units. As they go about bringing hope and light through the printed pages, they experience God’s guidance and sustaining grace.
The Central Mindanao branch of Philippine Publishing House tops the entire Philippines.
In the first quarter of 2020, doors of homes and establishments started closing, including those in the province of Bukidnon. There were fears that the sales and distribution of our books would be greatly affected. Instead, the year ended with ₱1.5 million more remittance than that of the preceding year. The Central Mindanao Mission (CMM) branch remitted a total of ₱4,897,572.00, surpassing the remittance of ₱3,327,195.00 for 2019.
Branch manager, Lynuel Wayne Solis, and area Publishing Ministries leader, Reynard B. Truta, believe it is the guiding hands of the Lord that brought them these tremendous blessings. Doors are closed, yes, but hearts are open—ready to receive the timeless truths through these printed pages. Subsequently, the CMM branch topped the ranking of all mission/conference branches of PPH nationwide in terms of sales for the year 2020.
Adventist Church in Western Mindanao Train Students to Become LEs
Seventy-five students trained as literature evangelists on July 10–11, 2021, at the Western Mindanao Conference (WMC) headquarters in Ozamis City, where Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) was being imposed. These young people trained in the art of selling and basked in the spiritual messages given as part of the program.
The Student LE training program has become a bridge for these young people in their search for fulfillment. During the training, three young ladies not only dedicated their entire summer to the canvassing work but also surrendered their lives fully to God. They demonstrated that surrender through the rites of baptism, and now they are dedicated missionaries in the field.
The training was intended to teach them the strategies of canvassing work, but it also became an avenue for young people to be heard and resolve their issues. Two of the male students testified that their biggest problem was overcoming cigarettes and alcohol. The spiritual experience transformed these young people and gave them the chance to become a better version of themselves.
The recruitment and training program is a joint effort of Pastor Eddie Caimor, WMC publishing director, and Timoteo Dagame, Jr., the WMC PPH branch manager, while Jerson Puno supervised the actual fieldwork of the trainees.
Student LEs in SPUC Territory
There are 489 student literature missionaries in the SPUC territory. They work with the written pages to spread faith amid fear. They are adapting themselves to the changing times and ringing phones behind those closed doors. They are using the newest technology to reach people. In areas where face-to-face transactions are allowed, these student LEs present the books to their customers the best way they know how while observing health protocols. In SPUC, we fervently pray for our student literature missionaries every day. May this work of spreading the Word through the printed pages continue until Jesus comes.
Pastor Nildo Mamac, Publishing Director of South Philippine Union Conference
This article was originally published on the Southern Asia-Pacific Division’s news site