By Flordeliza Dequino, ChangeMaker in the Philippines

Thank you for this opportunity. I pray that through this article, the readers will be encouraged to be brave while facing circumstances in the ministry.

I am Ms. Flordeliza A. Dequino. I work with the Ati tribe in the southern part of Negros Island in the Philippines. I am happy to share my testimony.

I got saved when I was 16 years old. I was led to the Lord by Pastor Henry Adrias who served in the BMAP ministry led by Pastor Doyle and Ma’am Linda Moore. After I graduated high school, I studied management in a secular school, but stopped this course after two years. I felt that God was calling me to fully serve Him, so I went to the Bible college to study. I received a full scholarship for my tuition and finished my Bachelor degree in four years. I worked as a church worker and a school teacher for six years in our Baptist academy here in the Philippines. I spent three years as a missionary in Cambodia. I have now spent 12 years with the Ati tribe.

I had the privilege to finish my secular course while working in the mission and doing ministry. I chose to remain as a missionary despite having the chance to have a higher paying government job in the greatly needed field of teaching. God has never failed to provide my needs through it all. Working with this tribe is truly an inspiration for me. I used to live in comfort, but God led me out of my comfort zone to prepare for the challenges and adventure of doing tribal mission work as a single person.

I started this tribal mission work with the Ati tribe in the central part of Negros Island. They were aboriginal and have been a less privileged group of people in the Philippines for many years. Education was not available for them. Being trapped in a cycle of poverty and illiteracy, they could not advance economically. Most of their women sold herbal medicine to the neighboring towns and their men worked in the sugarcane fields from September until March. They worked hard and struggled to survive and provide three meals a day for their families.

The Lord burdened my heart to stay with them and share God’s love and help them understand God’s word. I also encouraged them to value education and economic opportunities. I submitted myself to God’s will and offered my services to them by ministering and teaching children. It was a personal sacrifice to not get married and have my own family, but it was still a pleasure and an honor to faithfully serve God.

Two years ago, five people from the Ati tribe had already graduated from the BMA Bible College. Three of them are working in a neighboring village and the other two are working with me at the tribe. Brother Roter Sinceda does the preaching every first and third Sunday, and Brother Cedie Sencida preaches every second and fourth Sunday. Brother Roter was a full scholar student of our mother church, Granada Missionary Baptist Church, under the leadership of Pastor Ariel Bermejo. Miss Cherry Sencida is helping me in the children’s ministry. They have all been a great help to the tribal ministry.

We give food packs to 180 families every year, and we have maintained a feeding program for 200 Ati children for 12 years. We hold VBS every summer. We provide the “First Time Ever to Wear or Taste” event every December. Each activity is accompanied by prayers, songs, and a Bible story. I know that God loves the children. Many times, resources were insufficient and I had to spend from my own allowance to provide for them. My heart was so full of joy when I did that. Many children currently attend Sunday school at our church each week. I teach them songs and memory verses. I fill the minds of these young ones with God’s word because I know that their minds are not yet filled with their tribal beliefs and traditions. I know that someday they will become better citizens in their community. I believe if we don’t teach them God’s ways from God’s word, the world will teach them their ways.

We have a youth fellowship every month. We have bonding, overnight retreats, and outings. The sacrifices of ministry can seem tiring, but we have to maintain this activity to keep them on the right path and away from the dirty influences they will find on social media. I am always bending my knees in prayer for them. To God be the glory. We have two young professionals who now have a stable job in the government. One of them was our worship leader for our worship services. May God use them mightily in His vineyard.

We also have in-home Bible studies every week. We now have 11 homes scheduled. I teach them sound doctrine and biblical principles. It is a challenge to teach the adults because their minds are already full of their tribal beliefs and traditions. I never lose hope. I just do my part to share God’s love to them. We have souls that come to know the Lord and receive Christ as their Lord and personal Savior through these Bible studies.

God blessed us to build a new church building for His glory. It was a project built in the Ati tribe community by faith. The size of the building was 24 x 44 feet. The expenses were contributed by the mission members, members from the mother church, our fellow BMA brethren, and from our ministry partners. This work was all voluntary and each had to do their own assigned task. Even the children gave their active participation. The project is not yet done, but I continue praying and believing that by the grace of God, He will provide in His time. All the glory and honor to Him.

Finally, I am grateful to the BMA for sending many American missionaries to share God’s love to the Filipino people. Thank you for choosing us to be the recipient of God’s love that you have shared. I know many American missionaries stood up for the cause of Christ and left their families and their country to serve God.

God knows that the road I’ve traveled has not been easy, but I’m still here. The only reason is because God is walking that road with me every step of the way. In 1 Timothy 1:12 (KJV), the Bible says “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted my faithful, putting me into the ministry.”

Thank you to the BMAA for the unending support for us. Please always include us in your prayers. I have two specific prayer requests: church building completion and financial provision for my two orphan nieces’ schooling.

Thank you again for this privilege to share our tribal ministry here in the Philippines. May God bless you!