The Door Is Still Open

“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.” —Jeremiah 31:3 

I met Ma’am Margie during one of our house-to-house visitations in Butuan City. At first, she was simply another person we were visiting that day. I did not know her story, nor did I realize that a short conversation with her would become one of the moments I would carry throughout my mission.

Margie is 29 years old. She was once deeply involved in the Seventh-day Adventist faith. She studied at Mountain View College and later served as a literature evangelist, going from house to house to share her faith through books and personal ministry. She knew what it meant to serve God, worship Him, and walk closely with Him. But somewhere along the way, life became complicated.

Margie entered a relationship with a man who was not a Seventh-day Adventist. Eventually, they began living together without being married, and she was disciplined by the church. Slowly, she stopped attending worship services and keeping the Sabbath. The faith that had once been such an important part of her life began to feel distant. Sometimes, walking away from God does not happen all at once. Sometimes, it happens quietly—one missed Sabbath, one painful experience, one difficult decision at a time. Until one day, we realize we are farther away than we ever intended to be.

But Margie's story did not end there. When we visited her, she told us that she had recently started attending church again because she still had a desire in her heart to worship every Saturday. That simple statement stayed with me. After everything she had experienced, something was still drawing her back. I began to wonder: What if that desire was not simply her own? What if it was God?

Margie also opened up about the struggles she continues to face at home. Her live-in partner struggles with several vices, including smoking and alcohol, adding another burden to an already difficult situation. As she shared her story, I could hear the pain behind her words—but I could also sense a quiet hope that perhaps life could still be different. When we asked if we could pray for her, she became emotional. So did I.

In that moment, I stopped worrying about whether I was saying the right things as a missionary. I simply looked at her with compassion. I saw a woman who had struggled, wandered, and experienced disappointment, yet still carried a heart that longed for God.

And suddenly, I understood something about mission. We are not always sent to people whose lives are already put together. Sometimes, God sends us to people who are simply trying to find their way home.

Today, what encourages me most is knowing that Margie continues to attend church regularly and faithfully. Her journey is still unfolding, and her circumstances may not have changed overnight, but she has chosen to keep walking toward God. Sometimes, restoration begins with something as simple as choosing to worship again—and then choosing to come back, Sabbath after Sabbath.

That day, I thought we were going from house to house to share something with people. Instead, God used one woman's story to share something with me. I came to Butuan thinking I might be the one bringing people closer to God. Through Margie, I realized that God was also bringing me closer to Him. Her story taught me to look beyond appearances, mistakes, and the distance someone may have created between themselves and the church.

Behind every door is a story. Behind every struggle is a person. And behind every person is a God who has never stopped reaching. People may wander, fall , and may even lose their way. But God's love does not stop where someone's faith ends. Sometimes, He simply sends someone to knock on a door—not because we have all the answers, but because someone needs to be reminded that the door back to God is still open.

Name: Jiesa Gabato Ejera /66th Batch

Mission Field: Butuan City