From Headhunter to Soul Winner:
A Transformative Journey of Faith
During a community gathering, one of the participants shared a powerful testimony from 50 years ago.
This man had been a member of the Bugkalot’s Itamsi, and was once trained to become a formidable warrior in their clan. At the tender age of 15, he had seen rituals performed by his tribe against their enemies, who were often fellow Bugkalot people, events that his innocent eyes were not supposed to witness. But as part of his training, he and his peers were assigned to participate in these rituals, even in simple tasks. During those times, his clan knew no concept of mercy, they did horrific things to their enemies in accordance to their practices, and they exempt no one. Throughout his teenage years, he was consumed by feelings of hatred and vengeance.
As he shared his story with teary eyes, it became evident that his past had etched themselves deeply upon his heart, leaving him filled with sorrow and regret. Nevertheless, amidst the shadows of his personal history he also highlighted the living testimony of how the Word of God had profoundly transformed the worldviews and cultural beliefs of his tribe. Today, this man is now serving the Lord as a pastor with the New Tribes Mission ministering to one of the towns in Quirino, and as a mother tongue translator for the Bugkalot Bible Translation. He emphatically stated, "God is so good, and His grace is sufficient."
The Word of God had profoundly transformed the worldviews and cultural beliefs of his tribe.
The transformative power of the Word of Christ has brought lasting change to the Bugkalot ministry, fostering spiritual growth and unity..
In his role within the ministry, the focus extended beyond his personal spiritual journey to encompass the vital task of inspiring and teaching others about the boundless love of God and living in accordance with His divine will. He cited the scripture from Malachi 2:6 to underscore this mission - “True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin.”
This remarkable journey from being a Bugkalot headhunter to a soul-winning pastor exemplifies the transformative power of Christ and His Words.