When we equip Haggai leaders to present and demonstrate the love of Christ to their communities, we rely on the Holy Spirit to move them to use their unique gifts to best address the specific needs of their people. We are always excited to see how God ignites and directs their passion to overcome significant and very real obstacles in their societies.

For Haggai leader Celia V. Malunes, a Filipino teacher in Yangon, Myanmar, that came in her desire to tackle the very fundamental issue of illiteracy in the area.

“When I was in Maui for the Haggai Leader Experience, I committed to starting several ministries, all revolving around reading the Bible,” she said. “I want to open a literacy class in a remote area where many church attendees don’t know how to read or even write their own language.”

Celia says it is a challenge for the pastor to teach the Bible effectively, and feels that meeting this basic need in her community would have a significant impact. So much so, that her long-term ministry goals include starting up a language and literacy learning center in Myanmar.

God has Celia in a place where she is able to leverage her deep connections within the church community to get support for her plans. With commitments from pastors to teach, the literacy class will instruct people to read and study the Bible, both in group studies and alone.

And in that same vein, she has offered to teach free English classes at a local public school, recognizing an opportunity to engage students on a very practical level. “The classes will establish trust with the students and open the doors for evangelism and discipleship ministries in the future,” she said.

Celia also wants to reach the illiterate through film, and has enlisted the help of a fellow Christian Filipino in the movie industry. Through this ministry, they will visually share the story of Jesus’ life as well as many other Bible stories on screen, and then share God’s word at the film’s conclusion.

“This may sound impossible for me as I have no organization, no church, that supports me financially, no monetary savings and I don’t earn that much from the school where I am teaching right now. But I believe in my heart that nothing is impossible with the Lord, and if He was the one who gives such a vision, He will also provide for it,” she said.

I believe that as well. I hope you are, like me, inspired by her passion and ambition to end Gospel poverty by ending illiteracy in her community. Please join me in prayerful support of Celia and of all our leaders as they respond to the urging of the Holy Spirit to continue to overcome obstacles and give every individual the chance to hear the Good News.