Kelly Kinsley, MD
Medical Evangelism in Siargao
Last summer, my family and I went on a medical evangelism trip to the Philippine island of Siargao. It was our first mission trip but (little did we know) it wouldn’t be our last. It was an amazing experience. We were as touched, and changed, as those whom we witnessed to.
After that trip, my twins (Micah and Anya) and I wanted to return to Siargao the following February, but now with students from their academy. What an opportunity for young people to practice medical missionary skills, to present the gospel, and to see the fruits of their labor.
Thus, when Micah and Anya returned that fall to Weimar Academy, they shared their mission experience and then made a proposal: a medical missionary trip to Siargao the next year. The request was accepted, faculty sponsors were assigned, and the dates were set.
The big day came on February 24, when eighteen Weimar Academy students, three staff members, and I departed San Francisco, lugging with us boxes of medical supplies, laptop computers, and LCD projectors.
We landed in Manila and, after a brief stay at the North Philippine Union Office, went to Siargao, in Mindanao province. You could see the excitement on everyone’s face. There we were joined by Dr. Brent Hildebrand and his wife, Carol. Pastor Louis Torres, President of the Guam Micronesia Mission, served as our evangelism coordinator and instructor.
Prior to our arrival, local Pastor Nelo Seda had coordinated Bible workers to prepare the soil. Once we arrived he also enlisted several bilingual pastors for translation. In addition, the Mindanao health outreach team joined our efforts. Thus we had medical people, preachers and Bible teachers—all eager and willing to spread the gospel.
Together we reached out to seven of the main municipalities on the island. We followed the blueprint: medical outreach followed by preaching Jesus. We brought a health clinic to a different location each day; at night, we gave health lectures followed by a gospel presentation.
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The clinics were the “entering wedge.”[/caption]
The people who attended the health clinics received blood pressure screening, blood glucose testing, dental work, and visual acuity screening. In addition, there was ongoing health education and instruction about natural remedies. Many people would get new eyeglasses, a new toothbrush, needed medication, and prayer for health and healing. They all also received an invitation to attend the evening meetings, which many did.
No question, the clinics were the “entering wedge,” not only to the nightly meetings but also to the ongoing work on the island. The local Mayor talked to his people when we were there last summer, and they were overwhelming positive. When he heard that we would be returning in February, he not only had our coming announced but provided transportation.
Each evening, after the medical clinic, the students divided into teams to give an evangelistic presentation in each of the municipalities. Two students would join up with one of the local pastors, who would translate. The students would then take turns either presenting a ten-minute health talk or the main biblical message. The meetings were well attended; some nights up to two hundred people came. Before heading off to each location, Pastor Torres coached the student speakers and helped them learn how to make an appeal. This really helped the students gain confidence; most importantly, it helped them realize their great need of the Spirit of God. By the third night, hundreds made the decision to be baptized, and many more were learning about Jesus.
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The evangelistic meetings concluded on Sabbath with a large baptism.[/caption]
The evangelistic meetings concluded on Sabbath with a large baptism. By 9 Sabbath morning people started arriving. Some came, 3-4 on a single motorcycle; others in Jeepneys, with 60-70 people crammed inside or even sitting on the roofs. In all, over 600 people publicly gave their hearts to Jesus that day. The waters stirred with people going under and coming up with new lives in the Lord.
As with the first trip, we—the preachers, teachers, and medical staff—we were changed. It’s wonderful to be used by God. Outreach and witnessing are as important for the one doing them as they are for the one receiving the message. No doubt that’s part of the reason we have been called to do just that—outreach and witnessing—whether in our own communities or in the farthest corners of the world.
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