Global Evangelism is a program that sends speakers, trained or not, on mission trips. I went with my dad, Dan Serns, on the metro Manila, Phillipines, program to sing for his meetings.
After a couple days, we got to see our meeting site, which was one of 46 including the Manila Astrodome. When some other speakers failed to show up at other sites, some people who came not planning to speak found they would need to preach their own series. Even though I'm only 11 years old, I was soon speaking in front of approximately 30 complete strangers away from my dad's meetings. After speaking twice, I missed my dad too much and joined him at his meetings.
A visitor who was a non-Adventist became one of my friends. I asked her if she was planning to get baptized. She said that she didn't know. As the meetings continued, I kept asking and praying. One exciting night, I asked, and she said that she was going to prepare for baptism.
As the meetings were coming to a close, many people decided to get baptized. Finally, the big Sabbath came. Everyone from all the sites came to the Astrodome, which was packed! After the church service, my dad and 49 other pastors and speakers baptized 1,900 people at the pool next door to the Astrodome.
In the beginning, I was thinking, "I hope we get more shopping time instead of the meetings." After a couple meetings, I decided that the meetings were the best part. I think that everyone should have the wonderful experience of going on a mission trip.
Canadates from the Cabuyao Church in the metro area of Manila await their baptism.
After their baptism on the final day of the Manila evangelistic meetings in the Cueneta Astrodome, the new members crowd on a jeepney for the ride back to their home church.
