Submitted Photo Sarah Troyer will be traveling to the Philippines on a mission trip. Here, she is shown with children in the Philippines during previous visits to the country.

Two members of the River of Life Church are about to embark on an exciting mission trip to the Philippines.

Sarah Troyer will be leaving at the end of this month and plans to stay for a year, working with the non-denominational organization Church Multiplication Coalition.

“I have been there before,” said Troyer, who previously visited the country in June 2017 and February 2018. “I just had a really strong desire to go back on my own … I just love working with kids.”

She said the country is interesting and she made friends there.

“The people are very nice and friendly,” she said.

Andrea Johnson/MDN
Sarah Troyer and Albert Schmucker, members of the River of Life Church in Minot, will be going on a mission trip to the Philippines along with other people from the church.

Two to four other members of the River of Life church, including Albert Schmucker, will be traveling to the Philippines Nov. 18 to Dec. 2. There will be a fundraiser from 5 to 9 p.m. on Nov. 5 at the Pizza Ranch in Minot to help Schmucker raise funds for travel to the Philippines.

They hope to recruit a few more people from the church to make the mission trip as well.

Both Troyer and Schmucker are formerly Amish, but later joined the River of Life Church.

A friend in the church encouraged Schmucker to make the mission trip.

Missionaries with the Church Multiplication Coalition don’t just go to the easy, accessible locations. Troyer said they believe that Jesus deserves to be worshipped by everybody, even those who have never heard the Christian message.

“I said that’s something I can do,” said Schmucker.

During the mission trip, the group will help run a crusade every night to share the Christian message.

Troyer said the crusades provide a powerful witness to the healing power of prayer. For example, a person who was hit on the head with a coconut and had experienced headaches was no longer in pain after being prayed for.

Missionaries with the Church Multiplication Coalition also help those in need, visit schools and hand out free books and also do Christian ministry in hospitals and prisons. Troyer said the goal of the organization is to establish ” a church in every village within walking distance of every believer.”

The organization helps mentor new Christians and helps them spread the Gospel to other members of their communities.

Troyer said she will be staying near a Christian pastor in the community of Bohol in the Philippines.

More information about the Church Multiplication Coalition can be found online at www.4cmcinternational.org/.