We are not simply preserving a sound. We are helping a people remember who they are. And as they rediscover their identity, our prayer is that they will discover the One who gave it to them.

For me, it was more than a cultural visit. It felt like an encounter with something that needed to be remembered. Something that needed to be redeemed. Something that needed to be passed on. Because traditional music is more than sound. It carries identity.

Our next destination was Purok Nanon. For me, this was more than another stop on the itinerary. It was the community I had longed to visit for years. Several times in the past, I came so close to visiting Purok Nanon, yet every opportunity somehow slipped away. There was always another responsibility, another assignment, or another reason the trip could not happen. So as Kuya Sal, Bibom, and I climbed back onto our motorcycles, my heart quietly thanked the Lord.

Datal Salvan holds a special place in the story of these missional communities. It was the first missional community established in the area—a place where leaders have been discipled, equipped, and sent to strengthen other communities. Men like Bibom and Kuya Sal were shaped there before being entrusted with leadership in other villages.

Before there were missional communities hidden among the mountains of Mindanao, there were prayers. Before there were worship gatherings echoing through the hills of Third Gate, Purok Lahak, Datal Salvan, and Purok Nanon, there were two missionaries carrying a burden from the Lord. Years ago, I remember listening to Ptr. Jeffrey Dapanas and his wife, Malen, shared what God had been stirring in their hearts. Heart Message from an Immersion Trip to the Missional Communities

There are many wonderful camps designed for children, teenagers, or adults. But we sensed a growing need for something different—a place where entire families could grow together. Instead of separating parents from children, we wanted to create an environment where families could worship, play, learn, and simply enjoy being together.

This short film takes you behind the scenes of our relief operation—the people we met, the stories we witnessed, and the hope we saw in the midst of heartbreak. We invite you to watch the full vlog below and join us in thanking God for His faithfulness, while continuing to pray for the families and communities still rebuilding their lives.

According to missional data, around 72% of global mission efforts are focused on the 29% of the world that already has access to the Gospel, while only 3% of missionaries are serving among the unreached—the ones with no Bible, no church, and often no Christian nearby.

Caleb Byerly is ministering to the local leaders who are reaching out and ministering to their own tribes. A quiet revolution is taking place in world missions today — and it’s changing the way the Gospel reaches the nations. For years, Western missionaries blazed the trail, crossing oceans and cultures to share the Good News. But in recent decades, a new wave of missionaries has emerged — not from the West, but from within the nations themselves. These are indigenous mis

At Evergreen Missions, we believe that true missions are not measured by how much we do, but by how much remains when we’re gone. The heartbeat of missions isn’t dependency — it’s multiplication. It’s not about how many we reach today, but how many will still be reaching others long after we leave.