[Photo Credit: Southern Asia-Pacific Division]
Toledo City, Philippines | Mamerto Guingguing II, SSD Communication Director

Seventh-day Adventists recently marked the first anniversary of a local Hope Radio station in Toledo City, located on the western coast of Cebu island in the central Philippines.

Forty-two people were baptized Saturday, August 22, 2020, during the first-anniversary celebration for the church-owned FM radio station.

Joy Carmel Juarez, a registered nurse at Toledo district hospital, was one of the precious souls baptized that day. She has been a frequent listener of Hope Radio-Toledo. The soothing music brought back memories of the gospel that her long-time Adventist friend shared while they worked in Saudi Arabia. She requested her mother for a Bible study from an Adventist pastor.

Joy’s mother, Chona Cañabano Juarez, Ed. D, who holds a high position in Toledo City as a public school district supervisor, division of Toledo City, Region VII, could only remember a Seventh-day Adventist church in Luray where her mother used to attend. They visited the church which happened to be the site of the radio station as well. They were welcomed by the lay pastor assigned to the radio station. After a series of Bible Studies, mother and daughter made the decision to follow Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior through baptism.

Rachel Bacaron Canadallia, an optometrist, first heard about the Adventist’s message through Amazing Facts and became acquainted with the Bible. One Sabbath morning she decided to visit a local Seventh-day church in Lutopan, where she was warmly welcomed. She was then introduced to the local Hope radio station. Eventually, she accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior through baptism against the wish of her husband. But seeing her firm resolved, the husband could only bring her children and accompany Rachel to the site to witness his wife’s baptism.

Hope Radio-Toledo started its broadcast last year after many years of setbacks. The celebration was attended by Bernie Maniego and Lelord Aranguez, Communication leaders of the Central Philippine Union and Central Visayan Conference. Elder Daniel Trazo, president of the Central Visayan Conference, gave the homily. Portable FM radios were distributed to the community during the event.

This article was originally published on the Southern Asia-Pacific Division’s news site

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