World Missionary Press provides literature for the Philippines through Agape Ministries Press, Ontario, Canada, that sends it to their mission headquarters in Mindanao.
“Over the last three years, our mission was able to open up 19 sites for distribution. They were able to host many different Christian churches and mission groups. Together, we were able to gather volunteers, full time ministers, and gospel workers for these distributions. Mindanao is our main focus despite the fact that it is a very hard-to-reach place. The island has a tense history of Hindu, Muslim, and colonial interests vying for power. In 2017, there was a five-month civil war. Many different challenging groups don’t believe in the Lord Jesus, but we’re grateful to many zealous front-line volunteer workers who help us do the work." Our Agape Press coordinator from Mindanao reported that she was so thankful to hear from several men who received copies of the gospel booklets. She stated that the booklets were very helpful for youth and adult Bible studies, especially to those churches who were pioneering or had just started a church. Their members are increasing in number and even children’s programs are now growing because youth are being encouraged to help follow up and gather children for church worship. These two distributors are just a sample of the many Filipino ministries relying on WMP Scripture booklets to give the Word of God to all Filipinos. Container shipments have recently been shipped to our national coordinator and major distributor in the Philippines. May God bless His Word and His people as the booklets are shared and received.
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The Every Home for Christ Oikos project which began in 2018 aims to reach every single home in the Philippines in 20 years. That entails saturating all the homes and every province—109 million people in 81 provinces—with the Word of God. EHC’s Emer E. shares “The challenge is real; scattered islands, distant mountain ranges, weather that is either just right, too hot, or too wet and flooded, 8 major dialects! But we continue to step out in faith with God as our guide…because the Filipinos need Jesus. Across the nation pastors are eager to evangelize, but lack the ministry connections for substantial impact. “Many of our churches want to go, but they don’t have the training or the materials,” shares Ditas, an EHC leader. The Covid-19 pandemic covered the nation and personal door to door contact was restricted. Despite the challenges, church planters in more than 60 provinces left WMP Scripture booklets on doorsteps and evangelized in the streets. EHC gave out bags of groceries which also included a Scripture booklet. Sister Emer emphasizes their need for more Scripture booklets: “WMP booklets are very much needed as our stock is almost gone! Pastors from Ilocos are waiting for Ilocano booklets. Church leaders from Cebu and parts of Mindanao are anticipating the coming of Cebuano booklets. Many other churches are needing booklets in Hiligaynon.” “I am an evangelist. We take these booklets, along with Bibles, food, and personal items, to physically feed the homeless, the less fortunate struggling since the Covid pandemic, and into the homes of seniors. Our goal is to help meet their needs while also feeding them spiritually with Jesus. . . .
I have been saved for 32 years now, and I must say the booklets you have provided are far better than any I have ever seen. I already mailed some to people I know in the Philippines and Poland who were all very excited to see you had them in their native tongue. “I pray that God uses your mission like He has ours. I truly love Help from Above. It’s not just a guide to salvation, but it’s a mini-Bible for Christians to learn how to live a Christ-like life. God bless you for all you have done.” —Chuck P., Ohio, USA "Praise God for what the Lord is doing in the Philippines! Despite the challenges brought by Covid-19, the spread of the Gospel continues. WMP Scripture booklets are being delivered, door-to-door, through the church in more than 60 provinces. Others give out the booklets while doing street evangelism. Our God is unstoppable and His work in the lives of many people continues.
Since March of 2020, God has opened many ways to spread hope to the people during this difficult time. We are giving bags of groceries to the community in many parts of the country. Inside each bag, a Gospel booklet or a Bible portion is included. One of the pastors says that people accepting the grocery bag will always have a big smile on their faces and tears in their eyes. The Truth and Love of Jesus are shared with everyone, everywhere. WMP booklets are very much needed as our stock is almost gone. We are all praying for the arrival of the container for the Philippines." -Emer F. Added Note: The Shipment has arrived! The challenges of reaching Asia’s 4.5 billion people are often overwhelming. WMP ministry partners in Asia have developed unique evangelism methods, some as basic as an itinerate missionary walking or riding a bicycle from village to village, carrying a box of Scripture booklets. Others use tourist gift bags which include WMP Scripture booklets. In restrictive environments, the Holy Spirit leads believers to places where open hearts are waiting to hear the gospel. Each one relies on the printed Word to go where they may not be able to go, providing a continuing opportunity for someone to read the words of life.
In the Philippines, a partner ministry continues to share the gospel in the face of new restrictions. “We are grateful for the materials that WMP is sending. Since the Covid-19 lockdown started, there [has been] no available public transportation. We send our gospel materials to different parts of the country through express delivery. Covid-19 cannot stop us in sharing God’s Word! We find ways to bring them to every home. Happy are the pastors who receive the delivery. As the churches go, prayer is important to open the hearts and minds of the people receiving the printed message of the gospel.” —E.E., Philippines Shipments to S. Asia, Thailand, Pakistan, Philippines, Hong Kong, Solomon Islands, Fiji, and other areas in the South Pacific have either been shipped recently or are being prepared for delivery in 2021. Aloha Brother Joe and the Staff at WMP:
I'm so excited to share to you all at WMP that, as the Ambassador for WMP for Oahu, Hawaii. I was able to give WMP Bible booklets/tracts to the Seafarers Ministry in Honolulu Hawaii, who Pastor Jerry Saludez of Waipio Community Baptist Church to hand out to the Seafarers from Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines. These Seafarers are not allowed to leave/restricted to the piers in Honolulu. So Pastor Jerry Saludez who helps run the Seafarers Ministry in Oahu are able to have fellowship and share the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord, they also are feed with a nice dinner and even given some medical attention. The Seafarers Ministry are so happy to get these booklets provided by WMP and please pray for Pastor Jerry Saludez and his Seafarers Ministry team to continue to share the gospel to over 500 Seafarers/fishermen in Honolulu, Hawaii. Attached is a photo of Ellen who is one of the Indonesian interpreters for the Seafarers Ministry in Honolulu and sharing/giving a WMP bible booklet to an Indonesian seafarer. Aloha and God Bless all and keep sharing to those who need Christ as Savior and Lord; Americo (Rick) DiLoretto WMP Ambassador Oahu, Hawaii “I thought you might like to hear this story. A little more than eight years ago, through some friends I came into contact with a family in rural Mindanao in the southern Philippines. The little girl was starting in school, and her aunt who worked with me asked if I would be willing to tutor her online. The little girl would walk about 20 minutes each way to an internet café and clean it in return for using the computer for an hour to do her lessons. When I would correct her lessons, I would use the online Bible from YouVersion.com to put Scripture portions on the end of each lesson in her dialect which they call Bisayan, or—as you have listed it—Cebuano. She was asking so many questions, so I copied and pasted your booklet (either How to Know God or The Way to God, I don’t remember which one right now). I apologize because at the time I didn’t think about inquiring about any copyright issues. She worked an extra session to be able to print the booklet. As things developed, we established a children’s home with the help of some local leaders, including the village Catholic priest. He emailed me one time and told me how she would visit the ill and shut-ins and read the booklet and the Scripture portions that I had sent at the bottom of her lessons. She called this her little Bible. She gave the booklet that I had sent her to the priest and told him that he should read it. He told me that he told her that if she did what was in the booklet, she would find Jesus. We now have 22 children we take care of and are in the process of starting a school so that they can learn vocational and technical skills, allowing them to remain in the area and work instead of having to go overseas. The first classes in the school have been, at the request of the local leaders, Christian Workers classes so they can support themselves while helping in the school. This has grown out of a little girl sharing with others.”
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