“Junior! Come help me open this picture roll tube!” Randy called to his missionary partner.
“What’s wrong?” Junior asked, wandering over.
“The people here in the village of Balisong don’t believe what we are teaching them from the Bible,” Randy replied. “They keep insisting that we show them the stories, not just read them from a book. So, when I went home yesterday, I brought this picture roll back with me. The American missionary who gave it to me put it in a plastic pipe with a screw-on lid to protect it. No matter how hard I try, though, I can’t get the lid off.”
“It can’t be that hard,” Junior chuckled, squatting down to remove the simple plastic lid. A series of grunts and groans ensued, but even after the sweat started to trickle into his eyes, Junior still couldn’t remove the lid.
“Here,” Randy said. “I will hold the tube, and you put all your strength into turning the lid.” But even with both men straining until their muscles started to pop, the lid of the picture roll tube wouldn’t budge.
That night Randy and Junior taught the people of Balisong from the Bible. Like the previous nights, though, most of the people just shook their heads in scorn. “If what you tell us is true, show us!” they insisted.
Day after day, Randy and Junior wrestled with the picture roll tube, but nothing they did seemed to make the slightest difference. Finally, Sabbath morning dawned bright and clear. “Randy,” said Junior after breakfast. “Our time in Balisong is almost up. If we can’t show the people the Bible stories on the picture roll, no one is going to believe us. Won’t you pray with me that God will help us open the picture roll tube somehow before it’s too late?”
The two men knelt in the dirt and explained the whole situation to God. “Father,” they concluded, “won’t you please open the picture roll tube for the sake of the people of Balisong who don’t believe that the stories from your book are true?”
When they had finished praying, Randy reached for the tube. Both men carefully braced themselves and prepared to exert every ounce of strength they had. “One, two, three, twist!” Junior shouted. Then both men promptly toppled over as the lid slid open as smooth as hot butter.
“He did it!” Junior shouted, drawing out the precious picture roll. “God opened the tube!”
A few minutes later, the two Tawbuid missionaries had the picture roll open and were pointing to the stories that they had been telling the village all week. The people listened with rapt attention. After each story had been illustrated and explained, one of the elders in the back shook his head. “It must be true!” he said in awe. “Everything they taught us about God must be true after all!”
God’s work among the tribes of Mindoro is growing rapidly as Tawbuid missionaries take the good news from village to village, planting new churches wherever they go. The church leaders among the Alangan, where AFM first started working on the island, have joined the Tawbuid to open up the work in two neighboring tribes. Every day they see God interacting with them as they partner with Him to bring His good news of salvation to those who don’t yet know Him.
