The Young Adults Department of the North New South Wales (NNSW) of Seventh-day Adventists conducted a mission trip from September 1–14, 2023, in the Negros Oriental province in the Philippines.

In pairs, the 16 participants led a two-week evangelistic campaign across various regional sites, sharing the Gospel message and guiding individuals towards decisions for Christ.

In the mornings, the evangelists visited church and community members, extending prayers and providing support tailored to their needs. On the second Sabbath of the mission trip, 62 church and community members were baptized by local ministers with assistance from the mission trip participants.

Pastor Blair Lemke, NNSW Young Adult director, believes when young people get engaged in mission, it energizes and activates their faith in a powerful way. “A trip like this is intentionally designed to take youth out of their comfort zone and into the growth zone, where they are stretched and challenged to experience what God can do through them,” he said.

According to Pastor Elly Abejero, executive secretary of the Negros Oriental-Siquijor Mission (NSM), the presence of the 16 missionaries revived the spirit of the church members in the Philippines. “We can hardly explain the joy we experienced during the campaign with the Australian team,” she said. “It really helped us … spiritually, physically, and emotionally. It inspires the people both inside and outside the church.”

Pastor Abejero concluded, “On behalf of the NSM, we are grateful to the [NNSW] Conference for the resources you have spent and the great impact it has made here in the Philippines.” 

The original version of this story was posted on the Adventist Record website.