Church of the Lost

by Manilyn Tanega

(Mababasa mo ang artikulong ito sa Tagalog dito.)

LUKE 19:10 – ‘For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.’ *

Since I wasn’t raised in a church, I often wonder how, as a community worker, I can be a good example of God’s goodness in our neighbourhood.

Will the Lord accept sinners like us?

In January I was able to attend a Servants International Forum for the first time and my family was able to come along. I felt so lucky we could all enjoy God’s creation in that beautiful environment. I’m truly grateful for that privilege for us and our children.

I much enjoyed the worship songs, morning prayer, sharing groups and various activities that are also done in church.

But at the same time I thought of all the un-churched people who feel they cannot go to church because of their belief that “the Lord will not accept sinners like us”.

I remember my childhood: It was not our family’s practice to worship on Sundays. Instead, we often had various visitors and alcohol-drinking sessions in our home. This was the normal. I would sometimes overhear the adults’ conversations about how they would likely “get burned once inside a church, because of their sinfulness.”

Those words made their marks in my young mind. Until today I sometimes have lingering thoughts whether the Lord’s sympathy might be more for the faithful and righteous.

Drawn into company of “sinners”

PHILIPPIANS 4:13 – ‘I can do all this through him who gives me strength.‘ *

I am learning the principles and values of Servants through what I observe and learn as a community worker in our place. I am sustained in serving God by what I read in the Bible. One day, I suddenly felt drawn to visit the homes of those feeling that the Lord has abandoned them because of their chaotic lifestyle. On Sunday mornings we started going to homes notoriously known as ‘dens of drug dealers and users’.

With the help of my husband Eddie and the Hiyas Teenagers we bring along hot coffee, pandesal bread and the Bible. We bring the Word of God to homes.

It pains me to say, but one of these homes is that of my biological father. In fact, this is challenging also, because often his house is raided by policemen and there is that risk of us becoming identified with the host.
But my faith assures me that, if this was His will, He would never abandon us.

The second time we visited a particular house, I observed the peacefulness of those present. Their warm welcome was tangible. We then did what we usually do in our gatherings: prayer, everyone saying something about themselves and then each sharing something for which they are thankful.

It is beautiful to hear them sharing what they are thankful for. I can feel that special PRESENCE in our midst and I cannot avoid tears welling up. Or a moment later I might feel my muscles stiffen. They are thankful simply for being still alive and not locked up.

Dawning Hope

Through the sharing of everyone it becomes clearer that these people are also themselves victims. Those in power cheated them. These simple people here were left with no real choice but for the sheer practicality of surviving, without any hope for a better life, they have to keep doing what is illegal.

After the deep sharing of everyone we ended our time by listening to that solemn song Lilim and praying for each one afterwards. Suddenly, just before the end of the song, we all observed a very bright ray of light radiating through a hole in the tin roof above us. This made us feel the Lord was there listening and is feeling with each of our cries.

Then, as we were departing, someone bade goodbye, saying ‘thank you’ and ‘GOD BLESS’. Those are simple words, but coming from this man, we felt surprisingly encouraged to keep going because God can do miracles with what little we do.

(This whole experience and encouragement then resonates within me with 1 PETER 1:3-9)

Praise to God for a Living Hope

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷ These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹ for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

1 Peter 1:3-9, NIV *

(Ed.: In a sad turn of events, a few weeks ago the man who bade goodbye with ‘GOD BLESS’ was arrested and jailed; meanwhile his companion was shot dead, and his body left in a drainage canal. Police action in the “war on drugs” – even in March 2024. )

(Translated by Joshua Palma)

* THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Copyright details.