“The Highest Goal of Learning is to Know God.”
This slogan was emblazoned across the entrance to Rizal High School administration offices. A statue of Jose Rizal, a national hero, was placed at the entrance of our gate. I joked to the local Gideons that, given the book in Rizal’s hand, maybe we should give him a new Bible from the Gideons. They joked back that Rizal probably had an old King James version!
To the side of our entrance gate was displayed Jeremiah 29: “For I know the plans I have for you,…”
That morning was the usual early pick up from the hotel. Then followed a forty-minute drive through Manila in busy and chaotic traffic to get to the high school. We needed to get there before the first shift of students coming in the gate by 6am. The teams of Gideons covered four gates to the high school that morning prepared with 11,000 Bibles.
And once the students started coming in, it was all hands-on deck! Gideons were handing out Bibles as fast as possible as students poured through the gate. Others worked to keep Bibles coming from boxes through to those distributing. This went on for hours in the high humidity as we worked together as a team till our work was done.
That afternoon, we were off to another high school with 11,000 students. Nagpayong High School is situated in a high density suburb in Pasig. With no extra room, classrooms are in close multi-story buildings sandwiched into the busy neighbourhood. To get to the school entrance, we parked our car down a narrow alleyway as it was impossible to navigate it any further. The high school principal was a gracious lady, like so many we encountered, very welcoming of the Gideons and the offer of Bibles for her students.
“The Lord knows the story of each of the 877,000+ individuals touched by an interaction and the Bible they were given.”
The school entrance emptied out on to a small T-junction. It was flanked by a health centre on one side where people sat outside on benches waiting to be seen by a nurse. Around the alleyways there were small shops. Street vendors planted their carts in the mayhem hoping to sell ice blocks and cool drinks. Students streamed in and out of the gates and came from the side alleyways. Parents and children of all ages formed part of a crowded busy mix coming and going.
As we stood at the gateway, there were so many opportunities to offer Bibles, provide a word of witness and to pray with members of the public. I personally had opportunities to go through the gospel with some high schoolers on the other side of the alleyway and to pray with a young mother, for her and her five children. The scene struck me profoundly – I stood in the middle of the narrow T-junction and turned around 360 degrees to survey the scene thanking God for this opportunity!
During the two-week Blitz it was so encouraging to see young people come to Christ. Elementary school distributions (Years four to six) provided an opportunity to openly tell students of the good news and to let them know how much God loved them! There were many opportunities with university students and members of the armed forces.
There are many more stories to be told. They are stories of how God was moving in Manila during the Blitz! The Lord knows the story of each of the 877,000+ individuals touched by an interaction and the Bible they were given. Please pray for the men and women of the Filipino Gideons who continue to reach out to millions of their fellow citizens.
Glory to the Lord God Almighty!
“Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!” – Psalm 34:3 (ESV)
