Crawling Into the Water

My wife, Bekki, and I are back in the mission field after seven years teaching at Kettering College. This time we are serving as full-time volunteers in the Philippines rather than in West Africa.

Through the North American Division’s Office of Volunteer Minstries we are working with a ministry based in Washington State called In His Service Amianan (IHSA). They run a small mission station in the northernmost part of the Philippines in Pagudpud. Through the years they have established an infirmary and built a number of churches to serve congregations raised up through their evangelistic efforts. A big part of our job is to support and encourage these small, scattered churches alongside the local pastor, Pastor Joseph.

A High Sabbath to Begin With

The very first Sabbath after we moved to Pagudpud at the end of August 2025 turned out to be a high Sabbath for the district. Adventists in the Philippines, like most people, love to get together with their friends—and we often have friends in other local churches. About every six weeks all the congregations gather in a central location to worship and fellowship together.

This day was one of those district fellowships, and on Sabbath morning we loaded up a bus and the IHSA van and headed to Pancian, about 45 minutes away. The Pancian church had just completed a monthlong evangelistic campaign. Today was baptism day, and all the district churches were coming together for the celebration.

After a wonderful Filipino potluck and an afternoon program, we were finally ready for the main event: the baptism of 12 candidates.

The Pancian church is about a quarter mile from the beach, so of course the baptisms would take place in the ocean. Despite its being the rainy season, the morning had been beautiful—sunny, scattered clouds, and hot. Perfect weather for an ocean baptism.

It is good to be among people whose faith puts my comfortable, easy life to shame.

After an extended afternoon program, however, the rainy season caught up to us. It rained hard enough that I even joked to Pastor Jay that simply stepping into that downpour should count as baptism by immersion. 

Still, we made our way to the beach in the rain. The surf was strong, with waves rolling hard enough for good body surfing. It was quite entertaining to watch as one by one the candidates made their way into the ocean while the two pastors tried to keep their footing on the sharp rocks, the waves alternately lifting them and setting them back down. At times it looked as if all three were being baptized together as they disappeared beneath the waves. It was definitely one of the most unusual baptisms I have witnessed—and that includes baptisms of hundreds in India and river or cistern baptisms in Africa.

Two Witnesses of Courage

Most of the candidates were teenagers, which is always a beautiful thing to see. But two of them especially touched me.

One was an elderly woman who had suffered a stroke and struggled to walk. Her hands and arms were partially paralyzed. It took two men to help her into the water, waves buffeting them on all sides. When she was lowered into the water it looked uncertain whether they would be able to get her back on her feet. But they did—and she walked out of the water with a radiant, victorious smile.

The last candidate was an older man with a below-knee amputation. He left his crutches on the shore, dropped to his knees, and crawled toward the water. Two men came alongside him and helped him navigate the waves to Pastor Jay and Pastor Joseph. Getting him under the water wasn’t difficult; getting him upright on one leg was another matter. But eventually he rose, then crawled back toward his crutches.

I wondered if I would have that kind of determination, courage, and desire to be baptized under those conditions. Or would I rationalize that God understands my heart, or that we could schedule it for another day when the conditions were better?

It was not the Sabbath I expected. It was better. It is good to be among people whose faith puts my comfortable, easy life to shame. Watching them was a powerful, living illustration of what Jesus meant by “take up [your] cross and follow Me.” I had never imagined it could look like someone crawling on all fours into the raging surf to follow their Savior.

Meeting the Couple Behind the Testimony

I felt compelled to find out who these amazing people were. Fortunately, we returned to Pancian the very next Sabbath, and I was able to meet them in person and speak with them. As it turns out, they are married to each other—one living with paralysis because of a stroke, the other an amputee.

He was a carpenter who had lost his leg in a work accident on August 10, 2013. He had fallen from a two-story building, destroying his left lower leg, which had to be amputated below the knee. He had originally been baptized in 2004, but after the accident the stress and difficulties of living with a disability took their toll. Although he attended church with his wife, he took greater solace in alcohol than in a relationship with God. At one point he attempted suicide by drinking poison, but he survived.

His wife had been on maintenance medication for high blood pressure. When she ran out, she stopped taking it because she felt fine. Three and a half years ago she suffered a stroke. She was bedridden for a long time, but through massage therapy, determination, and God’s grace she is now able to walk.

When the Pancian church planned the monthlong crusade this past August, Pastor Joseph and his wife, Maribel, visited the couple and encouraged them to attend. It was during those meetings that the Holy Spirit broke through. They gave their whole hearts to the Lord, and the man found victory over alcohol.

What They Continue to Teach Me

These are truly amazing people. Even with their disabilities, they operate a successful business as fish vendors. The husband never received a prosthesis and now can’t because his knee has lost too much range of motion. Yet he drives a modified motorcycle—shifting with his knee—all over the district.

This couple has taught me so much about resilience and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. From Pastor Joseph I have learned the importance of never giving up on someone and the quiet power of a simple invitation. What a joy and privilege it is to live and work among people from whom I can learn so much.

To explore volunteer opportunities through the North American Division, visit HeSaidGo.org.—Editors.