“Papa, Stop Drinking”

“Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength.”

-Psalm 8:2 (NIV)

When we first arrived in our mission field, I met a small boy named Renel, five or six years old, He often came to our house, and I grew fond of him. I learned he was the seventh of nine siblings, and their parents, having little time for them, did not mind when he came to us. We bathed and fed him. I also learned his father often got drunk and beat his children and their mother.

Because Renel could not speak clearly for his age, I taught him to count and pronounce words correctly. When his father fell ill with fever, I shared my medicine, visited their home, and prayed for the family. From then on, we were regular visitors. One morning, after we ate, I taught Renel a short line in Cebuano: "Pa ayaw na sigeg inom pa mamatay kag dali pa wala nami papa." 

"Papa, stop drinking, or you will die soon, and we will have no father."

A gentle reminder, for his father to stop drinking and care for his health and family. I did not take it to heart; I hoped only that he would not forget it and might say it to his father as a jest. Every morning I had him repeat it, and we laughed when he stumbled over the words. Busy with house visits and crusades, I sometimes brought Renel's younger brothers to our house to bathe and eat, because I felt sorry for them.

Then one evening, we returned from a week-long crusade. Flordimi, Renel’s twelve-year-old sister, helped carry our things home. She invited us to her youngest sibling’s birthday party, saying her father had invited us himself. Then she said something that stunned me.

“Akong papa, te, dili na mag-inom. Mag-bag-o na daw siya.”

He no longer went out with his friends. He worked, came home, and rested. I had noticed we hadn’t seen him drinking, but I never imagined this.

“Unsa diay ang nahitabo nga nasulti man na sa imong papa?" I asked.

"Giingnan man gud na ni Renel, Ate: Pa, ayaw na sigeg inom, mamatay ka’g dali, wala mi papa, looy mi." she replied.

At the party, I saw it for myself. Renel’s father sat sober among his children, and Renel was leaning sweetly against his arm. In that moment I understood. It was not my teaching, not even my kindness, and certainly not Renel’s small voice that changed his father. It was the Holy Spirit, working through a simple act of love. As bearers of God’s light, our part is to do our work faithfully and let the Spirit do the rest.

Name: Jessie May Sandag | 66th Batch | 1000MM

Mission Field: Danao City, Cebu