Serving the Servants
by Nicole Carillo and Jessa Mae San Jose
“SERVANT… servant lang po ako.”
Ito ang sagot ng isang pastor nang tanungin ang kanyang posisyon bilang isa sa mga opisyales ng Sitio Lemblisong Kablon sa Tupi, Polomolok, South Cotabato.
What is a servant and what does it really mean to serve?
Serv-ant /’servant/ noun. Ayon lamang naman kay Ka-Merriam, ‘a servant is one who performs duties about the person or home of a master‘. Nilinaw din naman ito ni Pareng Oxford gamit ang depinisyong ‘a servant is a person who is devoted and is a helpful follower‘.
Four ordinary days turned into four great and awesome days- October 18, 19 and 20, year 2019.
Muling ipinakita ng Panginoon ang Kanyang kadakilaan sa ating mga kasama sa pananampalataya sa South Cotabato, Mindanao. The DEI Tribal Missions, founded by
Rev. Regor Bacani, Jr. in 2017, has held its 1st Tribal Pastors’ and Workers’ Leadership Training in Mount Gilead Tribal Training School in partnership with its head pastor by Pastor George Sampoling.
With the God-given desire to reach out and connect to the different Christian churches in Mindanao, it has been the goal file said mission to whole-heartedly encourage and equip the pastors and workers in continuing to serve
the Lord.
Three more pastors (Ptr. Paul James Cruzado, Ptr. Elmer Permites and Ptr. Kevin Capa) also gave their time and effort to give some talks for the said seminar. This 3-day mission trip was also joined by Rev. Regor’s wife, Sister Julie Ann Pabuaya Bacani and two of their four kids JR and Thirdy.
Friday and Saturday
By God’s graciousness, the team was able to accommodate a total no. of 64 pastors and leaders- sixty four devoted servants whose lives were called to perform duties for, through and about the Master, our one true Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Hindi madaling maging isang lingkod. Ang bawat pastor, sa katunayan, are just also ordinary people and they were called to do extraordinary roles to be of service to the
Lord and to God’s people. Silo ang inatasang manguna at mamuno sa paggabay sa mga gawaiin ng Panginoon. Sila ay katulad din noting mayroong kanya kanyang pamilya, kumakain at natutulog, umaawit at tumutugtog, nagbabasa at nagsusulat, ngumingiti at umiiyak. 0o, tulad din natin silang may nakararamdam ng uhaw, gutom, takot, pagdududa, kalungkutan at panghihina. The extra struggling part is- sa panahon ng kanilang kahinaan, paano ba sila bumabawi ng kalakasan? This is why the mission came up with the purpose of helping
these faithful Mindanao pastors and leaders to swim through the S-E-A-S of God’s grace; to Show them God’s strength, Extend God’s love and encouragement, Appreciate all their efforts and Support the whole church.
The mission pastors have poured out their love and service in preparing a set of topics and discussions which are as follows:
• The Heart of a Leader: Developing the Quali-
ties that Set Leaders Apart from Others
• 12 signs of Power-hungry Pastors
• How Pastors can engage in the Youth
• 8 Healthy Leadership Characteristic
• Guarding your Heart in the Pulpit
• 8 Reasons I Still Love Ministry
In relation to the last topic of how pastors can engage in the youth, the Crossover World Ministryhas donated 70 basketballs to be used by the pastors as an instrument in presenting the gospel to reach out the youths of Mindanao. Ika nga, mag-aya ka ng Bible Study walang sasama ngunit mag-aya ka ng basketball, paniguradong maraming sasama. Nagbigay ngiti rin sa mga church delegates ang pagkakaroon ng raffle prizes like smartphones and toiletries e.g. shampoo and lotion for the pastors’ wives. Nagkaroon din ng night fellowship kung saan may kantahan, game sessions at devotion. Lubos ang Nigalak at pasasalamat ng buong mission team sa provision ng Panginoon – hindi lamang sa pinansyal na aspeto ngunit pati na rin sa mga reliable resources just like the convenience of the place and the willing hearts of those people whom God used to successfully execute the planned mission trip.