Planting seeds

While the agriculture team loves to work hard in the sun, they also have other important work to do - ministry. 

For four days a week, Tuesday to Friday, they work on the BOOST property, doing whatever needs to be done to improve & maintain the property. In the late afternoons they walk to surrounding villages and share the gospel and have Bible studies. On Friday evening they drive to one of two villages (they alternate weekends for each village) to spend the weekend doing full-time ministry. While I was there, we went to San Roque. 

We always travel with dogs.

San Roque is only a 15-minute ride from the BOOST. The village is on top of a hill, and does not have running water in the houses. Water must be gathered from the stream at the bottom of the hill, about a 10-15 minute walk. We stayed at the house of the pastor, who shepherds a house church in the village. He also raises chickens and goats, so at any time in the yard there were no less than 20 or so chickens 'clucking' around, and a few roosters 'crowing' with them. The two goats also made their presence known constantly through bleating. We enjoyed catching chickens a few times, and the kids seemed to love it more then we, for they would gather the chickens together and play catch.

The weekend days were spent sharing the gospel and having Bible studies. Like many villages, people here are open to talking about faith and religion, and listen to whatever you have to say. Some are interested, asking questions and trying to learn more, some accept Christ as their Savior. We had one man who had waited at a small sari-sari shop (think a bathroom-sized convenience store) for us to pass by because he wanted to hear about Jesus. This man eventually accepted Christ. 

On Sunday we had church at the pastor's house, with a congregation of about 10 including us. The pastor even had a ukelele to lead worship! I say even because I have been to multiple services where no instruments are present; worship is all acappela. But it is times like these I think of the Heart of Worship song. Certainly no instruments of man are necessary to bring praise to God. And thank goodness, for any tune I could play pales to the heavenly orchestra I imagine heaven can boast. 

The team is doing some cool things here. We're finding some interested people, some have come to Christ. Pray God would use this team to lead more people to Him but also to strengthen the believers here so that His word would continue to be preached and they would continue to grow in Him. The team gives thanks for continued strength and health. 

The kids were really shy at first, but we found common ground. 

Church at the pastor's house