Bernard Lacia Paunda
Bernard Lacia Paunda, 54 years old evangelist whom we met during a gathering. His life testimony about how he faithfully served God really brought encouragement to all pastors.
He is the second child among the four children in his family and was born on august 25 in a year 1969.His father was a former chief captain in Barangay Gumitan end part of Marilog District,Davao City and his mother was a stay-at-home parent. The family didn’t grow up as a Christian Family as they were born and had diwata worship, a kind of spirits worship in natural features and rituals among tribal beliefs. His family belongs to a Matigsalug Tribe.
Until a missionary came to their place in 1975. The missionary stayed at their house for 3 years and nurtured the whole family about Jesus Christ and his salvation.
Because his father was a chief leader that time, the entire village also received Jesus Christ and became the first Christ Believers' village in the District of Marilog. His family never stops helping people to come to Christ.
Bernard was 13 years old when the whole family received salvation from Christ Jesus. Until then, Bernard never stopped believing in God and served Him faithfully. Sadly, his father died already while his mother still alive.
At 20 years old, he got his own family. Now he has 4 children, 2 boys and 2 girls, and two of his children are already married and still faithfully serving God.
In 1990, Bernard started his evangelism ministry through sharing the word of God and through film showing. He bravely went alone to a remote area in the mountain to reach out to his co tribe people. Not just in the mountain area, but also in many places where God leads him. Bernard also is a good worshipper and great composer. He wrote many songs for the Lord and lots of churches use his compositions.
Because of his ministry, they built churches. He keeps doing and obeying God until present. Serving and following God’s leading also brought many tears to Bernard. They were the time he was being hosted by a rebel group, but was being released by the grace of God. Many rebel groups received Christ. He also experienced slipping on a muddy mountain road and put his life in danger. He slept where the night overtook him. The worst case a high blood pressure attacked him while in a mission field. He had a mild stroke and his left eye got affected so much. That was the year 2017. By the grace of God, his eyes and body are now getting better. Despite his situation, Bernard never stopped his passion to serve God until this present. He keeps helping and encourage pastors by visiting them and also keeps doing his film showing evangelism anywhere, bringing his old equipment with him, and as he always said, “I have decided to follow Jesus no turning back no turning back”
Currently, Bernard now has a group called “MABCA”, meaning Manubo Bible Church Association of Mindanao where some of his churches planted belong to this group where all of them were volunteers. To God be the Glory!
