Stepping Out in Faith

John Alabaster tells us how his team of four experienced God on a mission trip to Marikina, Philippines. All God is looking for is a willing heart to show up and go!

I didn’t expect this trip to change me so much. It was only my second mission trip, and my first leading a team. I remember packing my bags with a mix of excitement and an uncomfortable whisper in my heart: “Are you sure you’re up to this?” I was definitely trusting in the Holy Spirit to carry what I couldn’t.

From the first morning in Marikina, God met us. Suzanne, Zhi Yu, Edna, and I gathered for worship early that morning, and every other day too, before the sun was fully up. Nothing fancy. Just songs, Scripture, and four hearts wanting to serve. But the presence of God that rested on us in those moments carried into every hour that followed. It felt like He went ahead of us before we even stepped out of the door.

Elderly Home & House Visits

Walking into the government-run elderly home was tough. Many of the 600 residents had been abandoned by their families. They looked empty, almost numb. You could feel the heaviness in the air.

But something shifted when worship began. Their faces softened. Some smiled. Some cried. Some danced with the kind of joy that didn’t match their circumstances at all. Later, we prayed for many of them, room by room. I still remember looking into the eyes of one elderly man – sadness mixed with a tiny spark of hope. God doesn’t let you forget a moment like that.

The afternoon took us into the community for house visits. Two salvations happened quickly at the first home, and that truly amazed us. The second home was harder. When we stepped in from the heavy rain, the family looked uninterested, even borderline hostile. But we prayed quietly as we shared, trusting God to work past what we could see. By the end, six people - who had barely looked at us minutes earlier – prayed to receive Jesus! It taught me something simple but deep: the soil of a person’s heart is never too hard for God.

Antipolo Mountain Outreach

Later in the trip, we went up the mountain in Antipolo. Rain had been pouring for days, and a tropical storm was forecast, but we had prayed and asked God to hold back the skies, and He did. The ground was wet, but the storm never came.

The kids welcomed us with the kind of joy that makes you forget everything else. Their clothes were simple, their surroundings humble, but their smiles were bright. Zhi Yu and Edna connected with them instantly – dancing, laughing, bringing life into the space without even trying. It was beautiful to watch God use every generation differently but powerfully.

Detention Centre: A Moment I Will Never Forget

The most emotional moment for me happened in the detention centre. We prayed for the people there, many of whom carried regret, shame, and worry about their future in their hearts. Yet as we shared the Gospel, so many of them opened their hearts to the Lord. The hope in their eyes as they prayed to receive Jesus stays with me even now. It was raw and real. A place of confinement became a place of freedom that day.

Final Day: Sunday Service

On our last day, Pastor Kathy preached a powerful message that morning. The room was still; people were leaning in and then laughing at her jokes. After service, we were treated to the most generous spread of home-cooked Filipino dishes. The fellowship around the table was rich – the kind that only happens when you spend days serving side by side. Their warmth humbled us. These were people with little materially, yet so full of love and faith.

We returned in the evening for another service. This time, I was the one preaching. Public speaking has never been comfortable for me, and I’d been quietly aware of that for weeks. But when I stepped up to the front, something lifted. It was like invisible shackles had fallen away. The Holy Spirit filled the space between my words and their hearts. I felt connected to the congregation in a way I couldn’t fully explain. It wasn’t about delivering a “good sermon”. It just felt like God letting me speak His heart to His people.

It was a simple, beautiful ending to the trip – standing there, sharing the Word, sensing God’s pleasure over His church in Marikina. A fitting close to days filled with worship, prayer, salvations, tears, laughter, and the unshakeable sense that God had been with us every step of the way.

Since returning home, prayer has become more natural, more frequent, almost like breathing. There’s a deeper closeness with Jehovah. And I’m more aware than ever that Singaporeans are privileged in many ways – but spiritual hunger looks the same everywhere. Human hearts long for God.