Hearing Hilin’s raucous laughter next door, I shuddered. Unwanted memories flooded my mind: I saw Hilin writhing on the floor, heard her unnatural voice as she called out to God to save her from the demons that tormented her. Today, her laughter was innocent as she joked with the other girls in the dorm. I was very thankful she had received victory over the devil.
Hilin is the eldest daughter of her mother’s second husband. From the first husband, her mother had two children; Nuwi is the eldest son, and his sister is Tuning. Nuwi and Tuning were baptized during our early years in Palawan, and it was a joy to watch them grow in the Lord. At the time of their baptisms, Hilin was just a little girl.
During one of our furloughs, Tuning died. We were heartbroken. We had seen potential in Tuning to grow into a solid Church leader, and we feel that’s why the devil marked her for death. But today, Hilin, now 20 years old, is taking her place.
Hilin was baptized several years ago after studying the Bible with Leonda and Napthali, one of her teachers. In the years since, quiet, soft-spoken Hilin has grown up physically and spiritually. She has been through so many discouraging trials, but she has remained steady, never looking back.
Hilin had a longtime boyfriend whom she was planning to marry after high school. However, soon after the death of Hilin’s father, this young man publicly broke her heart and shamed her, by announcing that he had never loved her, and he wanted another girl. I sat with Hilin during that ordeal and was amazed at her poise and her ability to speak for herself. I could tell she felt angry about the untrue and hurtful things he said, but she controlled herself and trusted in God to strengthen her.
Though Hilin wondered why terrible things kept happening to her, she didn’t question God’s goodness or His character, but maintained that she was in His hand, and He would carry her through.
Today, Hilin continues in the mission high school with a goal to become a missionary nurse to her people. She works in our mission clinic, and she is very reliable. She already knows basic nursing skills and is now learning to do physical assessment and take health histories. She is an eager learner with a probing mind, and it is a joy to teach her. As I had her in my Acts of the Apostles class this last year, I saw how she is growing spiritually and has such a desire to be used of God to reach her people. She is also part of the church leadership team, a willing preacher as well as a leader of the children’s Sabbath School.
I know Tuning is going to be so happy to meet her “little” sister again one day and find that Hilin took up the torch she had to lay down too early. Please pray for a godly husband for Hilin when she finishes high school so they can work together taking the Gospel to her people.
