Reaching Everyone, Everywhere—at Home and Abroad

Story by Tamyra Horst

For nearly 20 months, the Pennsylvania Conference prayerfully planned an ambitious evangelistic outreach to the Philippines, working closely with the Southern Asia-Pacific Division and the South-Central Luzon Conference. In March, a dedicated team of 96 missionaries—including 47 pastors and spouses, 12 medical professionals, and 37 students and sponsors from Blue Mountain Academy (BMA)—arrived in the provinces of Batangas and Laguna to share the love of Jesus.

The heart of this mission unfolded for 11 days, as the team held meetings at 38 evangelistic sites. A highlight of the outreach was the powerful ministry of BMA students David Sipes, David DeSousa, Isaak Cortazar, Jordan Stifka and Joel Perez, who spoke at five sites in Lipa City.

With the help of 32 Philippine professionals, the team served more than 5,000 patients, offering dental and medical care, while inviting people to attend a local evangelistic series.

On Sabbath, more than 6,500 people gathered at the Santa Rosa Arena to witness the baptisms of 937 people, each with a powerful story of how Jesus and the meetings had changed their lives.

When Brandon Senior, pastor of the Pittsburgh and New Brighton churches, first stepped into the Kapayapaan church, Ronell, the head deacon, shared his deepest prayer: that his father would return to the Lord. On the opening night of the evangelistic seminar, they were excited to see Ronell’s father come through the doors. When Senior made the first baptism appeal, this long-prayed-for father rose to his feet and took a stand for Jesus.

“During the closing program, we witnessed the incredible moment he was baptized, returning to his first love—Jesus,” Senior shares.

“From the very first night, I noticed one man who sat in the front, fully engaged and eager to learn. He quickly became the ‘early bird,’ arriving before everyone else, his face lighting up during the messages,” recalls Janice Lively, whose husband, Wayland, pastors the Shenango Valley and Meridian Road churches.

Lively, who spoke for one of the evangelistic meetings, learned that this man had been studying with a lay Bible worker and was discovering who Jesus was, along with the truths of the Ten Commandments and the Sabbath. Encouraged by his Seventh-day Adventist girlfriend, he attended faithfully each night, always eager to answer questions and participate. “The night I made the baptism call, he was the first to come forward—he didn’t even wait for me to finish the invitation!” Lively joyfully shares. Today, he stands as the first Adventist in his family.

“This mission trip was not just about transforming lives in the Philippines; it has transformed us here in Pennsylvania,” says Gary Gibbs, conference president. “Our pastors, students and members have returned inspired, energized and deeply committed to mission at home and abroad.”

An exciting outcome of this effort was the funding of 82 Bible workers from October 2024 through May 2025, and 8,787 new leads for upcoming meetings.