Jerwin's Parents

This picture was taken exactly a month ago at the first baptism to be held at Lantod, in the little Picutin river down the hill from the church building. Lots of pictures were taken that day but this picture in particular holds a very special place in our hearts because these are Jerwin’s parents, Claudiano and Lidime Gamat.

You may remember that this year started out with great tragedy for this couple when their eldest son Jerwin, was treacherously shot and killed on January 30^th. Jerwin was a new believer just starting out his new life with Jesus, training to be a bible teacher and excited about his faith. Jerwin and his wife Erica hosted the meetings of the baby church at Talid-Talid and showed much hospitality to Rodil, James and Marjun each week when they went there to teach the Word.

As we shared earlier this year, the church in Talid-Talid was scattered not long after Jerwin’s death because of the threats to the believers’ lives and much persecution starting with the home of one of the believing families being burnt down.

In spite of being babes still in the faith, Jerwin’s parents kept the faith through this awful year and expressed to us when we saw them on the day of their baptism that they had trusted all to Jesus. It gave us a lot of joy to witness their baptism (his Dad is on the left with no shirt, being baptised by Danoy, in the centre is another member of their family, Sopronia, being baptised by Marjun, and on the right is Jerwin’s mother, Lidime, being baptised by Jabil).

About fifty people were baptised that day in Lantod including Lola who used to be blind from cataracts but who now can see as a result of cataract surgery that God provided for her. In the picture below she was telling us that she’s happy she now has her eyesight back but the real joy she has is because Jesus opened the eyes of her heart and gave her spiritual sight!

Only eternity will give you the time to get to know each member of the Lord’s family who was baptised that day in Lantod, but one day you will meet them and you will personally be able to hear what the Lord has done in their lives and these testimonies will melt your heart with His glory and power and love!

If you don’t mind, the next few days we are going to inundate you with news because there are so many things to praise God about that we want to share with you!