Jacob is my nephew.
My heart was filled with so much joy when I realized how serious he was about getting to know the Lord. One day, while I was in the office room at home, he suddenly came into my room and said:
“Auntie, I want to read the Bible. I want to know Jesus, and I want to have a relationship with Him. Most of all, Auntie, I want to accept Him as the Savior of my life.
Every day, I do my best to encourage my nephew Jacob, who has chosen to follow the Lord. I talk to him about his devotions and his Bible reading. He is always so excited to tell me whenever he finishes a book of the Bible. He was excited to share that he had finished the Book of John, and later the books of Daniel and Job.
Every time he finishes the passages I encourage him to read, he updates me about what he has learned and asks questions about what the Bible says. It reached a point where I could see how quickly God was moving in his life.
On May 6, 2025, Jacob accepted Jesus as his Savior. Then, on June 2, 2025, he was baptized.
Today, one of the things that makes me so happy is seeing him share the Word of God with his classmates and, sometimes, with his friends.
It is such a beautiful feeling to know that I am no longer the only Christian in our family. Together with Jacob, we continue to share Jesus and pray that more hearts in our family will come to know Him.
I am grateful to God for Jacob’s life and for the privilege of witnessing his journey of faith.
It all started when one of the children began calling me “Ninang.” The four children with me in this picture are my actual godchildren, while most of the other children are not my godchildren, but I know them because they are my neighbors.
How did it start?
It started with Chloe, one of the children in the picture. She was the first one to call me “Ninang,” followed by Zab. Chloe and Zab are not actually my godchildren, but eventually, they got used to calling me “Ninang.” Then, out of nowhere, more and more children started calling me “Ninang.”
They would ask me where I was going, what I was going to do, and all sorts of questions. One time, I was hanging out at my friend’s house—the same place shown in this picture—and I was surprised when several of them followed me there. They asked if I could tell them stories, anything at all.
I decided that instead of telling them just any story, I would tell them about Jesus.
On the first night, only three children joined me. The next night, there were four. Then six. Eventually, more and more children came until there were so many that some of them had to sit on the stairs because there was no longer enough space inside the house.
They were always so excited whenever it was time for our story time. Seeing their excitement made me decide to buy books for them so we could have more stories and activities together.
I am incredibly grateful to have experienced this and to have the opportunity to share Jesus with them at such a young age. What amazed me the most was seeing how much they genuinely enjoyed listening to stories about God. We even started doing different activities together.
This picture was taken on March 5, 2025.
Who is Nanay Emma?
It was Sunday after the service. My best friend Jen and I decided to meet after attending church at the church I regularly go to.
While we were eating at a restaurant, Nanay Emma suddenly approached us. She told us that she was hungry because she had walked all the way from her home to the church in Antipolo. She had no money for transportation because she had lost her wallet, so she gathered the courage to approach us and ask for something to eat.
We could feel how tired she was, and we noticed that her body was trembling, probably because she had not eaten for a while.
As we listened to her story while she ate, she asked for our names. That became an opportunity for me to share my own story with her—how I encountered Jesus during one of the lowest seasons of my life.
After talking and sharing stories with her, Jen and I decided that before we left, we would pray for her. I made sure to remember her name so that I could continue including her in my prayers.
Nanay Emma, wherever you are, may you always remember that Jesus sees you, loves you, and cares for you.
This photo was taken on August 13, 2023.
There is something so beautiful about meeting new people! Even after many years have passed, some connections remain—and they never truly end.
In 2018, I met Ate Jonalyn and Peter at DFA Aseana Manila. We were all there processing our passports, and while we were together, we had the opportunity to get to know one another.
During that time, I was able to share my life with them—how I came to know God, how He changed me, and how He gave me another opportunity to continue living despite everything I had been through. God knows the many battles I have faced. He witnessed the most painful experiences of my life, and He was there even at my lowest point.
Through my life testimony, I thought that our connection would end there. But no—God had other plans. The Lord kept making a way for our connection to continue, giving us opportunities to carry on what had begun that day.
Ate Jonalyn was an OFW, going back and forth abroad. I remember her telling me that she worked overseas for her children. At the time we met, she also shared with me that she was a single mother.
Then, years later, in 2021, she suddenly messaged me and called me “Bhe,” just like the way friends normally call each other. She shared so many stories with me, and I was genuinely happy to hear from her again. She even wanted to help me find a way to work abroad. There were several opportunities, but things never worked out, and I also failed my medical examinations.
Maybe it wasn't God's plan for me to go abroad. Sometimes, we may have our own plans, but God sees a different path for our lives.
Then in 2021, Ate Jonalyn told me that she was getting married on August 18, 2021. The beautiful part was that her future husband was a Christian, and eventually, she also became a Christian.
Can you imagine? After experiencing painful and traumatic seasons, working abroad, and being a single mother for many years, God still gave her a partner with whom she could serve Him and spend the rest of her life.
Until today, our communication and connection continue, especially when we talk about how Jesus saved us and how we can use our life testimonies to encourage others.
Then there is Peter, the youngest among us. I remember that one reason he was processing his passport was because he was going to work on a ship, and his OJT was going to be outside the country.
Just like I did with Ate Jonalyn, I also shared my life testimony with Peter. He shared his own story with me—why he chose to study to become a seafarer and his dreams for his family.
After many years, I discovered that Peter is also a Christian.
It brings so much joy to know that people you once met only once in your life can still have a meaningful connection with you years later. Honestly, there was a time when I no longer expected that we would still communicate. But God is still good.
We may each have our own lives, our own journeys, and our own responsibilities, but somehow, the friendship remains. Looking back, I believe that the once-in-a-lifetime moment we shared at DFA Aseana was something God used to lay a foundation.
Sometimes in life, we simply need to plant a seed. We may not immediately see what will come from it. We may not even know where that seed will lead. But God sees what we cannot see. Maybe our conversation will be remembered years later. Maybe our testimony will encourage someone in a difficult season. Maybe a simple encounter will become a lasting friendship.
Look what God can do through one simple encounter. So never underestimate a simple conversation, a testimony, an encouragement, or a person God allows you to meet. Because sometimes, what looks like an ordinary moment to us may be part of something much greater that God is doing.
We plant. We share. We love. And God gives the growth.
To God be all the glory.