Christmas season in the Philippines usually starts on September 1, lasting until January 6 of the new year, when the Roman Catholics celebrate the Feast of the Three Kings. Everyone could feel the jolly time, enjoying the Christmas decorations on the streets, the buildings, and in the malls. Christmas songs fill the air. This is the time in the country where everyone feels alive and happy. For us who are saved, this is also the best time to distribute Gospel tracts when people receive them with happy faces.
Praise the Lord Jesus Christ for many souls saved in the past two months. On November 1, as the Catholics observed All-Saints Day, people flocked to the local cemeteries to visit their departed loved ones. We and other FBC Daraga members positioned ourselves in one of the local memorial parks in the city. We distributed thousands of Gospel tracts and shared the Gospel with the people. By God’s grace, my wife and I were able to lead 12 souls to the Lord. We also saw some of our fruit get baptized during this month.
The following month, we celebrated our 43rd wedding anniversary on December 21. We just had a simple dinner in a local restaurant. This was the first time we celebrated our wedding anniversary by ourselves. Thanks to FaceTime and Facebook Messenger, our children on the other side of the world got to greet us. Thank you also to some friends from FBC Hammond who remembered and sent greetings to us.
For the rest of December, we traveled for our missions trips to some cities on the island of Luzon. We were able to visit five churches around the island. We learned how the pastors started their works in their respective locations. We heard their incredibly challenging but encouraging stories. Dr. Rick Martin was right; it is best to visit missionaries around the area and learn from their experiences.
As 2024 ended, we thanked the Holy Spirit for guiding and empowering us as we shared the Gospel with the people of Legaspi City and other towns in the Bicol Region. We saw how His hands moved during the year as He led 1,006 souls to profess their faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. To God be glory! We wish everyone a blessed New Year. May the Lord Jesus Christ continue showering us with His love and protection as we continue to work in His vineyard.
Thank you also to the ladies of the Philippine Circle for the Christmas gift they sent us. For our other donors, thank you for believing in us. Please continue praying for our safety and protection in 2025.
Rey & Tess Garcia
