Is that a bridge or a roof?

This is the Sindangan Bridge, the longest in Zamboanga del Norte province of Mindanao, Philippines. It runs almost one kilometer in length. It runs over a mostly dry riverbed, and many poor families have taken advantage of the structure for an available roof. 

Pastor Greg, pastor of Shiloh Bible Baptist Church Sindangan, estimates 25-30 houses, representing many family members, use the road for a roof. Here is what he tells us:

"But I see that this case is also dangerous especially recently wherein floods is hitting our province of Zamboanga del Norte. I am afraid for their situation because I know that the place wherein they are living is a former river that is now dead but when strong floods come, this will be very prone that the flood waters will come back to its original route and would harm this people. I am praying that through the children's bible class that we conduct here we will be able to reach the children as well as their parents God's word and preach to them salvation through Jesus. Please help us pray for them."

The flooding Pastor Greg mentions is a very real possibility even now, because a new tropical storm is threatening Mindanao, the island where most of the pastors with whom we have a relationship live. You may remember the damage done to other areas of the island during the last typhoon in December.

The children learn about God's word in Sindangan.

Pastor Greg is thankful that the church was able to extend some outreach to the families recently, extending the children's Bible study to include these children.

Pastor Greg also told us about the burden on his heart to reach Datagan, a village within the municipality of Sindangan. Datagan is in the mountainous region, so remote that there is no way to drive there. "The only access to get there is through walking or riding horses or carabaos (from the proper or center of the village)," Pastor Greg said. "We have to cross 7 rivers to get there and I am sad that some portions of the place is till untouched by the gospel. I am praying that God will give us the capacity and strength to reach them."

He is burdened to blitz the area with the gospel, using tracts, open-air preaching and things like that. These are his prayer requests:

"We are praying that God will provide us additional loud speakers, microphones and megaphones," he said. "We are praying also for lots and lots of gospel tracts to be handed to these people. We are also praying for 20 additional plastic chairs needed for the village saturation. Our church workers and volunteers are still small in number but I am praying that God will stretch their spiritual capacity to be involved in this ministry."

We will close the blog entry with some photos from Shiloh Bible Baptist Church Sindangan's baptism service, just because we like to show photos of baptisms. Recently, four people were baptized. That's why we help the pastors; we help them reach the lost in their country. Let's join with them in praying for these many needs.