Today in our missions prayer time, we’re going to talk about headhunters. Converted ones, of course! This is in the Philippines, where our missionaries Steve and Jen Hagen serve. There are hundreds of islands in the Philippines and many languages and people groups. Jen and Steve went to the Philippines to reach the Agta people, a tribe with few if any Christians. They live mostly in the mountains of northern Luzon, the main island that includes Manila, the nation’s capital.
Jen’s parents were missionaries who helped disciple the Bugkalot tribe, who had once been violent hunters who cut the heads off their enemies. Once the gospel got into the tribe, though, all that violence stopped.
Steve and Jen hiked to the Bugkalot area and talked to believers about taking responsibility for sharing Jesus with the Agta people. They took on the challenge. Steve and Jen helped train them. So far, the Bugkalot people have sent more than 20 believers as missionaries to the Agta.
So consider that a tribe will hear about Jesus from another tribe who once spread death, but now spread the Good News of Jesus. Aren’t you glad our church’s Cooperative Program giving is supporting Steve and Jen as they hike through the jungles and the mountains over in the Philippines? Let’s pray for them now.