FROM ARGENTINA TO THE PHILIPPINES

“But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.” Acts 8:12

Diego Fuentes, an Argentinian, always dreamed of becoming a missionary. He felt a strong calling to help others after being inspired by exciting stories and testimonies he heard at church camps. After much prayer, he received an invitation to volunteer in the Philippines, working with digital evangelism.

He was very confident and excited about this opportunity. Although he was eager to start his services in Adventist World Radio – Center for Digital Evangelism (CDE), he realized that the adjustment wouldn’t be a bed of roses. The Philippines, where he chose to work, is a tropical country, with a climate totally different from what he was used to. Diego found out that 30% of the typhoons that hit the country were in the northern part, and, to his surprise, it was where he was working.

The first experiences he had with the strong windy nights, dangerous typhoons, and even earthquakes, made him think twice about why he chose to cross the oceans and continents to live in a place with such adverse weather conditions. But, despite this challenge, he knew that, if God had called him to be a powerful influence through the digital area, he wouldn’t mind facing weather conditions.

Diego persevered and started realizing that was the place God wanted him to be! But a second challenge was just in front of him. Although he was called primarily as a digital evangelist, all CDE volunteers should always go to outreach programs in the local communities and, across the country. He wanted to communicate with the local people to connect with them even deeper. Although the Filipino language shares similarities with Spanish (his mother language), he found it challenging to grasp at first. After many hours of dedication, using each opportunity to speak in Tagalog, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, Diego started to be able to communicate with Filipinos.

The time of the outreach program arrived and it was pleasant because he was able to witness the kindness and hospitality of the Filipino people towards foreigners. Despite the local difficulties such as poor hygiene, and lack of proper alimentation, that community showed Diego the resilience of the Filipino people. Besides enjoying his opportunity to serve the church in proclaiming the gospel through the internet under Adventist World Radio, he was also grateful because he was able to mingle with people while showing many a Gracious God. Despite the obstacles he has faced, his journey as a missionary has been filled with joy and gratitude.

Please, pray for our missionaries, volunteers, and Global Mission Pioneers. Your faithfulness sustains their ministry.

CHALLENGE FOR THE FAMILY: Adventist World Radio’s Center for Digital Evangelism engages volunteers worldwide to share Jesus online through prayer, Bible studies, and other strategies. Let’s take a moment to pray for these young digital missionaries.