National Partners in the Harvest

Ate Donna is one of the translators and teachers with us. She has been serving in Bicol since she was 22. Her family is from the northern part of Luzon. Her dad came down to Bicol as a missionary when she was 20 years old. Although Ate Donna herself was not as big of a fan of the move.

“I rebelled against God. I rebelled against my family. I didn’t like the work of the Lord,” she shared—a story some of us may know all too well. Walking away from the faith, being pulled by relationships, weighed down by depression, or seeking comfort in the things of this world.

But the story doesn’t end there.

“Because of my dad’s life,” she said, “I continued his work and was called by the Lord.”

Ate Donna went on to say, “The Lord showed me what my father’s life was like in serving the faith.”

She shared how God called her back to Him:

“One day, my father was sick but still going out to do ministry. I asked him, ‘Why are you going? You’re sick.’
But he told me, ‘This is the Lord’s call to me. You cannot not do it.’

That’s when the Lord spoke to my mind and my heart: ‘Look at your father, willing to follow Me at 71 years old. Where are you using your life?’ Then I had a desire to turn back to the truth.”

Today Donna goes to other bible studies and also helps out at the bible school, teaching some classes and leading the youth.

“Of course I am doing work for the Lord. Every day of my life should always be soaked in prayer—always knowing the will of the Lord each day through the Word. Every step I take is for the Lord, not for me. I really need to depend on what God says in the Bible.”

She has now been working in this area for 14 years and continues to serve the Lord faithfully each day.

- Holland

Bicol Media Team

Faithful Through it All

It had been a hard day up until that moment. My stomach was hurting from something I had eaten, and I had a rough tear-jerking phone call a few hours before. As some of the team was headed to the mall bathroom, I followed behind so I could splash water on my face. Two teammates stayed behind with the backpacks. One was just going to wait and use the bathroom, but I thought, “I don’t really have to go. I can just wait and watch the bags.” So I switched places and sat on the chairs outside next to a young girl. 

I was slightly hesitant because she had a distant look on her face, and I feared I didn’t know enough Tagalog and she didn’t know English. But as I sat there, I felt this pull in my stomach—the Holy Spirit telling me to talk to her. Then the teammate next to me encouraged me to talk to her. I sat for another minute working up some courage when the Spirit urged me to “just do it.” With that, I started talking to her, using the little Tagalog I knew in my first few phrases. She responded in English to the questions, so then I instantly became relieved. Being able to understand each other became a whole lot easier. 

I was really thankful that we could communicate even though at times there were moments of awkward confusion. In those times, we started laughing, then went on trying to communicate by slower speech or with hand signals. In the beginning, her responses were really short, but then, all of a sudden, I asked how I could pray for her. She sat there for probably a good minute or two, and just when I didn’t think she was going to answer, she quietly mentioned, “Pray for my family, because it’s broken.” I thought to myself, “Wow—that took a lot of courage and vulnerability to say something like that. I haven’t met many people that would share that kind of thing with a stranger.” But in her saying that, I knew the Lord had guided me right where I needed to be. I knew that the Lord would use me. 

I asked her, “Can I share my story with you?”

She nodded yes, and I shared my testimony; I shared how my family was “broken” too, how I was angry at myself, angry at my family, and angry at God, and how He healed me, all of it. How God gave me peace, joy, comfort and love.

Now I opened the floor up to her, “Do you have a relationship with Jesus? Do you have a faith?”

She said, “Yes, I’m Roman Catholic.”

I asked, “Well, what does that relationship with Jesus look like?”

She said, “Oh, I just go to God and pray about everything.” 

It was still a little awkward, when all of a sudden, the Holy Spirit really spoke.

“Share with her Titus 3:5,” the Holy Spirit seemed to whisper.

So I told her, “The Lord saved my life, and He really showed me that it was only by faith and by having a relationship with Him. Titus 3:5 says, ‘He saved us not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.’” I kind of broke it down and explained what that meant.

I told her that it is by faith that we are saved—not by good works. I continued, “Have you ever heard this before?”

She said, “No. Only by you.” 

Immediately I felt like God was saying, “Okay, pull out your Bible and show the verses to her.” She spoke really good English, so I prayed she could also read the Bible in English. In such a short time, it was like we had become instant friends and had known each other for a long time. 

We kept talking. I pulled out my Bible and showed her Titus 3:5. I re-read it and showed her exactly where it was in the Bible.

Then I said, “Here’s another one- Ephesians 2:8-9: ‘For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.’”

We talked a little more about that. We prayed together. Then I asked her, “When did your family break up?”

She said, “When I was seven.”

I got a little giddy at this because it was amazing to see how my story related to someone else and at the same age. I managed to keep a straight face and said, “That’s crazy- me too.”

She also smiled at this, and we giggled a little bit. It may have seemed like a crazy coincidence, but our meeting each other was divine intervention. We got to hug each other goodbye, and I believe we both left a lot happier than when we first sat in those chairs outside of the bathroom. 

So we had a lot of similarities in common. I feel like the Holy Spirit definitely worked. He pulled me toward her, and God definitely guided me, even when I was down, even when I couldn’t feel Him; because He’s still working, continuously and always.

That was definitely a very encouraging God moment. The Lord really supported me in that conversation. I had been so worried she didn’t speak English, or that I couldn’t speak Tagalog well enough.

But a little bit went a long way, and the Lord, and the Holy Spirit, really worked. A seed was planted because He saw potential even when I couldn’t.

A Sweet Ate

In Filipino culture, Ate (pronounced ah-teh) means “older sister,” but it’s much more than a family title. Like Kuya, Ate is a term of endearment and honor, used to show respect and warmth toward an older female, whether she’s your actual sister or not. It breaks the ice and softens interactions, acknowledging age and care without stiffness.

The Ates we’ve come to know here have lived up to the name in every way. They’ve become our big sisters, giving advice, sharing their stories, and guiding us through culture, language, and life. Whether they’re translating at Bible study, teaching us guitar chords, or patiently  explaining how to say “ano pangalan mo” when what we say is totally not what they just taught us, they carry a calm strength and joy that makes us feel safe and seen.

One afternoon while going door to door, I got to talk with one of the Ates. She shared her testimony, surprisingly similar to my own, and it gave me so much perspective on serving God through the ups and downs. She gave her life to missions in her 20s and has served faithfully ever since. As a single woman, she steps into ministry daily with unwavering joy and strength—an incredible encouragement to me as I seek to do the same. 

Another Ate shared how she waited until she was 40 before the Lord brought her a husband, a powerful reminder that God’s timing is always perfect. When he proposed, he promised to do all the laundry. She tells us these days, it’s 50/50, but she says that’s still proof God answers prayers. And honestly, the bar is officially raised.

Some Ates are now wives and mothers, and watching the way they honor God in both their ministry and their marriages has been such a gift. They serve with humility, lead with grace, and support their husbands each day. Their lives are living examples of Proverbs 31—strong, wise, and full of the love of Christ. Whether single or married, they model what it means to serve the Lord with gladness and to trust Him in every season.

These women are bold, faithful, hilarious, and endlessly patient. They’ve welcomed us into their lives and treated us like family from the beginning. They truly embody what it means to be an Ate.

- Holland
Bicol Media Team

A Real Kuya

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
– Philippians 2:4

In Filipino culture, kuya means “older brother,” but it’s more than just a word. Calling someone kuya breaks the ice and signals respect, it marks age or seniority without sounding overly formal.

As someone who has two older brothers who are always there to tease me, watch out for me, make me laugh, or just be someone to talk to, it’s been hard being away from home for two months without them.

Here on the ag team, we’re paired with some of the local kuyas—the guys who know what they’re doing and graciously pretend like we know what we’re doing too. They’ve taught us how to build A-frames, make bamboo baskets (which sounds easy until you realize bamboo fights back), clear brush with machetes (don’t worry, everyone still has all ten fingers), and make little seed starters.

But their brotherhood goes way beyond farming.

They’ve gone shopping with us (even when we spent 30 minutes deciding between two snacks). They’ve climbed coconut trees to get fresh coconuts for us during the hot ag workdays and climbed mango trees while we waited for Bible study to start, jumped in puddles with us and acted like monkeys just to make us laugh. They’ve translated our choppy sentences, prayed with and for us, laughed with us (and at us), and welcomed us into the rhythms of their lives without hesitation. They’ve guided us through their culture with so much joy and patience. And they’ve watched out for us like real older brothers.

Whenever we walk through the city, they naturally fall into triangle formation—one in front, one in the middle, one in the back—like a security detail… but with flip-flops and machetes. And every time we grab a machete and say, “I got this,” you can see the concern flash across their faces like, “She does not, in fact, got this.”

These guys aren’t brothers by blood, but by the kind of love that shows up, that serves, that steps in and says, “Don’t worry, I’ll go first.” The kind of brotherhood that feels like safety, laughter, patience, and humility all wrapped into one.

They haven’t just shown up for the easy, fun moments but also through homesickness, language mishaps, long team nights, and days when the heat feels endless and the eggplant seeds never end. Through it all, they’ve remained patient, protective, encouraging, and steady.

And that’s what makes them real kuyas.

Not just because we call them that—but because they live it.

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
– Proverbs 17:17

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Boldness in the Midst of Lies

Have you ever been challenged to be bold about your faith in the midst of lies? 

The journey began with an hour-long truck ride through winding backroads, followed by a rough hike a mile straight up a mountain trail. At the top, hidden in the heights of a tropical mountain range, they found a small mining village with around a hundred people. The team brought school supplies for the children and the community was very thankful. When they arrived, the entire village gathered together in a small open-air shelter that overlooked the vast green landscape. It was a beautiful view, but what stood out more was the atmosphere in that room. This village was under the leadership of a local religious cult. Inside the shelter were symbols, paintings, and objects representing their beliefs. The team described the room as heavy. Not physically, but spiritually. One team member even said “the room had a certain weight to it, the weight of all the lies these people put their hope in.” 

The village chief welcomed them warmly and gave them the chance to speak in front of the whole village. The team at that moment was challenged to share openly and boldly the message of Christ! All under the painted eyes of false gods and counterfeit saviors. Surrounded by the visual reminders of deception, it became overwhelmingly clear just how powerful and freeing the truth of Jesus is. Our God is greater than any lie, and His heart is for every tribe, every people, and every mountaintop!

When the team left, they left encouraged. Not because the whole village believed in Jesus that very day, but because a seed had been planted. Planted in a place where people are blinded by false lies and darkness. 

Dear reader, are you willing to be challenged and be bold about your faith in the midst of lies and false beliefs? 

Bamboozled in Bicol

Bamboo houses, bamboo baskets, bamboo mats, bamboo beds, bamboo chicken pens, bamboo terraces. Basically, if you can name it, there’s probably a bamboo version of it here in the Philippines. Back home, I thought bamboo was just that fancy stuff growing in serene Chinese gardens—purely decorative.

But nope. Turns out bamboo is the duct tape of the Philippines. It's strong, shockingly versatile, and somehow manages to be both a building material and a dinner ingredient. Welcome to Bicol, where the Ag Team (aka us) has been living in a real-life bamboo bootcamp.

We’ve been chopping down bamboo with machetes, carrying it up steep mountainsides, and using it to build garden terraces. Let me tell you—when we say "cutting bamboo," don’t imagine it’s like slicing through a stalk of celery. These Kuyas make it look like butter, but the rest of us? We're over here wrestling and hacking at it.

Fun fact: Bamboo can be ridiculously itchy. There’s this little powder on the outside of the stalks that gets into your skin and basically turns you into a scratching maniac. Which means we get the joy of wearing long sleeves while cutting bamboo in 80-degree heat. Nothing says “tropical paradise” like sweating buckets and trying not to itch your arms off at the same time.

Rainy days + long and thick bamboo = someone falling 100%. And when you do, it’s like a reflex: throw the bamboo in the air so you don’t get bonked in the skull by a flying terrace beam. Safety first, dignity second.

The bamboo itself is actually kind of cool. The older stuff is a darker green, heavier, and used for construction—like terrace frames, baskets, fences, and whatever else we need to engineer farm-style. The lighter green, younger bamboo? Soup. Yep, we eat it. And not just like, nibble politely—it’s actually pretty tasty.

Skinning bamboo might just be the most satisfying part of the whole process. It peels easier than wood and makes you feel surprisingly capable. There you are, deep in the thick, machete in hand, shaving down bamboo like you actually know what you’re doing. It’s giving “National Geographic meets summer camp craft hour”—with a weird tan line and a mild fear of tetanus.

All in all, bamboo has become one of the MVPs of our time here. It’s strong, stubborn, slippery, and sometimes soup. Basically, it’s got range. And while I might not be ready to build a bamboo skyscraper just yet, I can tell you which pieces are baby, which will knock you flat if you’re not careful.

Stay bamboozled, my friends.

- Holland

Bicol Media Team

Scripture Memory & Daily Life

Besides singing the water buffalo song and "I have decided to follow Jesus", laughing about our day and debriefing from the previous bible study, our times in the van as we travel long distances have been filled reviewing and memorizing scripture.

When we wake up, we read these verses, at breakfast we’ll challenge each other's minds, on long rides we stutter and fight through getting a verse we just started memorizing, while building and helping where we are staying we'll pull out those worn cards, at dinner we quote a verse before eating and as we go to lay our heads, once again we read another verse.

Living out Deuteronomy 6:5-9

'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.'

Although as we learn verses, we pray that we don’t just memorize words as if we are cramming for the final exam, but living out each verse.

Some teammates shared their reflection on the verses we have been memorizing:

Acts 20:24 I consider my life worth nothing, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me; the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace

“I’ve really been hung up on the ministry given to us by the Lord. Something that I need to remind myself is- that my job is not to convert people. My job is to humbly testify of the gospel of the grace of God. The Holy Spirit is the one to prepare and bring conviction into the hearts of people. I am only here to be a vessel of the Lord, His hands and feet.”

Titus 3:5

He saved us not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

“It’s been amazing to apply this to my heart as we do ministry- to remind myself the things we are doing are simply an overflow of the Lord’s mercy.

Also it’s been a blessing to explain that verse to someone who things they are following Christ, but are constantly drowning in trying to be enough for Him (the Roman-Catholics here). They are lost and searching, so for them to hear the truth is incredible!”

Please pray for us as we continue to memorize verses, that we will not simply memorize words but memorize instructions for our life and words to guide others to life.

Pray as we implement each verse into our daily life.

- Holland

Bicol Media Team

As you go

I recently got a haircut. My supervisor told me about a reputable local shop that she had been to. Even better, she told me the stylist was open to spiritual conversations. 

Emma and I were in the salon for nearly three hours (much longer than we ever anticipated). Emma got her roots touched up while I sat on the couch scrolling on my phone, trying to be productive somehow. 

Eventually, they started washing my hair so they could cut it. For a long time, I sat there quietly, just wanting my hair to be done so we could leave and go to a market for some fun. 
But I kept feeling the need to talk to him, so I started simple by asking him about his job. 

Eventually, I heard him mention that he goes to the temple to relax. This was a perfect in to religion. I shared the Gospel, and then he shared a dream he had. He used his best English, but when that failed, acting came into play. His dream showed Jesus being lifted up on the cross, being on the cross, and then dying. Emma got to share the Gospel shortly after. 

He sat down to start back at my hair, but Emma told me later he was tearing up, trying to compose himself. Since then, we've invited him to church, as he showed interest. 

Pray for this man, that he would make Jesus his Lord and Savior. 
Pray that there would be more dreams like this for our hairdresser and for others. Pray for this man to encounter more Christians who will proclaim the truth. 

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," Matthew 28:19. May we make disciples as we go.

Letters to Mom

Below is a compilation of team members writing to their moms about our summer-long mission trip. Each section comes from a different girl and includes what she calls her mom back home, along with stories, reflections, and a whole lot of love.

Mama,

I’m here in the Philippines! I feel great and I love my team! For most weeks, Tuesday through Friday are “ag” days, working on the mountain where we are staying and it is SO much fun getting to work and getting to know the Kuyas. 

The weekends are reserved for bible studies and Mondays are our off days. Bible study days are where we usually split into two groups and go to two to three bible studies at peoples houses and we share our testimonies and either we will share the gospel or share a story from the bible. We also had a week of door to door ministry where we walked through neighborhoods and shared our testimony and creation to Christ. Something surprisingly unexpected is how well the team has connected with our national partners. They are definitely my favorite Filipinos. Although the heat has been challenging for me. It took me a week to get adjusted!

The people have really changed since we first met. The kiddos at BTBS (Bicol Tribal Bible School), were first too shy to talk to us but as the summer has gone on there’s been so many sweet moments with them, especially at the youth event!

Oh and the youth event! At the youth event that we had, the kids were extremely engaged and you could tell the Holy Spirit was stirring in their hearts. We wrote down things we wanted to give away to the Lord and burned the papers as a symbolization of turning from ways that do not reflect who He is. We then all got in a circle and prayed for those next to us and there were many tears and the kids were definitely impacted.

Momma, I prayed that God would move. In the hearts of those we meet and in our own hearts and He definitely has!! He’s continued to give me intentional personal time with Him, and also intentional time with others one and one and in Bible Studies. God has been teaching me how His love covers all things; it’s the reason we’re here and it’s what allows us to carry on even as we struggle. It’s what heals us and restores our joy.

I’ve truly enjoyed sharing C2C in the different villages and Bible studies. Sharing the Gospel and telling people that God wants them and that He wants their relationship to be restored is so powerful.

Mom,  I remember staring into this older woman’s eyes as I said, “God wants you. He wants you and His family to follow Him, to be redeemed and restored to Him. But, it’s your choice. You must choose for yourself to follow the Lord to be restored with Him.” As I shared with her, I could see it in her eyes. I watched as the scales fell from her eyes, she was truly understanding! After talking to her some more she proclaimed the name of Christ and wanted to follow Him! She placed her belief in Him!

A lot of our ministry doesn’t look like this. It doesn’t look like flood gates of salvation being opened. A lot of our ministry looks like faithfully sharing the Word and discipling others. Each day of ministry is so sweet but when we get to partake in watching chains break through the blood of Jesus, it is a true blessing and precious moments to remember forever!

God has also been teaching me how to truly lean deeper into the Holy Spirit in every circumstance. He’s been teaching me how to fully rely on Him in choosing to react with fruits of the Spirit rather than emotions that may rise up in different situations. He’s been teaching me to hear His voice and the small nudge to be bold and share something or talk to someone when I wouldn’t have before. 

One day while doing door-to-door evangelism, my team came across a massive Catholic shrine—about the size of a small state park. It had life-sized figurines showing Jesus’ arrest, crucifixion, burial, and resurrection, but the final scene wasn’t the risen Christ. Instead, it ended with Mary holding a dead Jesus, surrounded by the most candle residue of all—people praying to her. It broke my heart. The truth was right there, but their eyes were fixed on the wrong thing. It reminded me of John 14:6, where Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Seeing this only deepened my passion to share the Good News with every tribe, tongue, and nation.

Momma, please pray for health, strength, discernment, and wisdom in what God has for me going forward. And pray for those we are serving. Pray for unity, vulnerable hearts, endurance for our national partners and supervisors, and more laborers for our supervisors. The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Tell the church and the riders to pray as well.

Something unexpected that I’ve been struggling with is Jeffery. Who is Jeffery you ask? It is my parasite friend that has decided to join me on this journey. Also, I’m having to really rely on God when I feel alone and miss the family and friends back home. I also am learning to rely on God when it comes to sacrificing things in my life. He hears me and he listens, I just have to let him work. 

Also, I’ve earned a new nickname on this trip…you may now call me your big mosquito. No context….I’ll tell you that later…

Muma, I gotta say this country is beautiful. I grew up hearing your stories about living here, and now I’m experiencing it for myself. The mangoes are amazing! I eat them like apples!

It’s been super fun taking pictures and writing things for the Nehemiah Teams blog. I can’t wait to show you all of the pictures, I think I’ve taken at least a thousand!!

Your support has meant so much to me! All your prayers, encouraging texts, and phone calls remind me I’m not alone—that I’m supported and cared for, even from across the world.

Thank you for staying up until 2 a.m. to help me pack- I’m not sure I would've remembered my toothbrush or had trail mix to last all summer without you. Thank you for picking up all of my amazon packages and taking care of everything while I’m not home.

I miss you and everyone lots (give Bandit a good tushy scratch for me!) and say hi to everyone!

With Love,

Your girl