From Paul Cave (right) of Lighthouse Seafarers Mission, Chaplain at Tilbury Freeport and along the Thames sent this amazing story of grace, love and blessing.
I have recently returned from a 2 week visit to the Philippines. The reason for this trip was to attend a worldwide conference of Port Chaplains in Manila. The subject of the conference was “Church on the Ocean”. I have already mentioned previously my involvement in this project which is to encourage Christian seafarers to create “churches” on their ships. The conference was very interesting and helpful but the highlight of my visit was a trip to the southern island of Mindanao.
Through a contact that I’d had back last September with a Filipino Captain and his wife I was invited to stay with them before the conference. They had spoken of their involvement in an outreach to a Muslim community in a remote mountain village in Mindanao. They offered to arrange for me to visit this village whilst I was there. What followed was quite an amazing story and I’m not able to give all the details now but briefly this is the story.
This particular village had been for a long time the centre of the Muslim lead rebel revolt against government forces. In 2000 the Filipino Army destroyed this village burning all the houses. The villagers were left without food and other necessities to survive. Following the Muslim tradition they went to prayer on Friday to ask God to send them help. Independently of this God had been speaking to 2 Pastors about the plight of this Muslim community. One of these Pastors was a former Colonel in the Army and had been involved in the fighting.
The two Pastors arrived in the village on the Saturday morning following the Friday prayers of the Muslims bringing all the necessary supplies!!
Question: Does God answer the prayers of Muslims?
There is so much more to tell to this story. The Pastors enrolled other Christians and they set about re-building the village. They built a school and educated the Muslim teachers in the local Christian school. I met the Sultan of the village and he said to me “I welcome you not just as a guest but as my brother because of what these Pastors and Christians have done for us.
This is a truly remarkable story which still continuing today and spreading to other Muslim communities.
I am still in contact (by email) with the Iranian officer that I’ve mentioned in previous reports and he is making good progress in his walk with God.
Thanking you for your continuing support and prayer.
Paul Cave
Paul showed a DVD of the above events at last Friday’s Grays Leaders’ Prayer Breakfast. Everyone was challenged – and everyone forced back the tears. For more information, please contact Transformation Thurrock.
You can also read more about this story at the following links:
- http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/7626
- http://www.disciplenations.org/dna-news/stay-connect-with-the-dna/project-i_s_l_a_m_-transforms-a-muslim-stronghold-in-the-philippines
- http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/536041.aspx
- http://www.cimindatiative.org/about/
