Text by Inah De Guia Tolentino
Read:
“James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.”
James 1:1
Reflect:
Dispersed abroad. Doesn’t that sound true for Filipinos? I once went on a zip-lining tour in a remote rainforest in Belize, a country I had never heard of, yet I met Filipino workers on that trip. I was walking in Juneau, Alaska when I felt drawn to this monument smack right at the center of a round-about. It turned out to be a monument of Jose Rizal, in honor of the significant population of Filipinos living there.
We are everywhere.
According to the Commission on Filipino Overseas, there are approximately 10.2 Million people of Filipino descent lived or worked abroad. It’s one of the largest diaspora populations, spanning over 100 countries. When we leave the Philippines, we bring with us our culture, values, and hopefully, our set of beliefs.
Not all of us have to be “missionaries” to plant a church. Come to think of it, we simply need to be Christians wherever we are. Part of that is sharing the Word wherever we go.
I can imagine that if only each and every Christian seafarer, overseas worker, and immigrant shares the Gospel with the people where they are, Jesus would very soon come.
Respond:
Let us pray for the Filipino believers who are also workers, seafarers, students and immigrants scattered all around the world.
Dear God,
May you stir in the hearts of every Filipino abroad a passion to share the same love that they receive from You. Make them recall their First Love. Remind them that it is You that made this transition possible. Please make them realize that they are not being pulled away from the church, but they themselves become Your Church – Your dwelling places in these very places that You sent them to.
May their kindness, hospitality, and generosity to the local people be a beacon that leads them to You.
We pray that You strengthen their faith. In times of loneliness, be their constant companion and the love of their life.
Protect them from evil. Shield them from temptations of greed, lust and apathy. In a place where everything is permissible, may they remember that You are Holy, and we are likewise called to be holy.
Lastly, dear Father, give them the words to speak Your Truth. May they find opportunities left, right and center to share the testimony of Your goodness, and the salvation for whom Your Son Jesus has died for us to have.
As we go to the nations, let us carry Your presence with us. And as we move forward, may we keep going where Your presence leads.
Amen.
Inah is a mother, a wife, a world traveler, a trainer, a public speaking coach, a writer, and a legit lipstick hoarder. She's passionate about sharing the gospel to people from around the globe. She gets to do that by working in international companies that employ people from very diverse cultures. She loves that the Word of God is always alive and true. She believes that the Bible is a narrative of His promises fulfilled - the same promises that still ring true to our lives today.
AUTHOR: INAH DE GUIA TOLENTINO