Gospel spreading in Philippines despite COVID

People are going to great lengths to share the gospel in unlikely circumstances in Southeast Asia.

In the middle of summer, a local ministry leader alongside his team was travelling when they were stopped by highway patrolmen.

The group was off to "another province on the island of Mindanao as part of a project to proclaim Christ and plant churches" according to a report made by Kevin Zeller with Mission Network News. 

The check stop, due to the pandemic, was taking some time. That's when the ministry leader decided to share the gospel. 

"I told them, 'Since you are holding us longer than expected, and we cannot reach our destination, I want to share with you the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ'," says the leader. 

He shared how Jesus came to the earth to die and offer forgiveness to humanity, quoting John 3:16-19.

It was at this point one of the officers told the leader that they were Muslims. This fact didn't deter the leader but had him sharing more verses and good news with them. 

"I then ended it by prayer," the leader said. "After my prayer, I asked them to accept Christ as their Lord and I rejoiced greatly when they confessed!"

Another ministry in the Philippines holds Bible studies and church services in an area so remote it requires three hours through rough terrain to reach by motorcycle.

While the novel coronavirus hasn't affected this remote community, it presents a different sort of danger to ministries. 

This area is surrounded by high mountains and deep forests. The cover of the land has attracted communist rebels and Islamic extremists. 

People living in the area who are impoverished are vulnerable to be recruited by either party. 

"Seeing the fear and anxiety faced by people who have no hope, so that most can be easily recruited by these groups, gives us the strength to carry on the mission," the ministry leader says. "Though the area is tricky and critical, seeing the eagerness and the longing of the people there to know about Jesus Christ made us set aside our own fears and worries."