A Trail Less Traveled

August 19, 2025 |

Dear Faithful in Christ,
On August 28th, Denise and I will be celebrating our 43rd Anniversary and just as important, our 44th year of serving the Lord together. All we can say is "Thank you Jesus!" He has been the focus of our entire married life and still is. Our Heavenly Father did a wonderful job putting us together and we are so grateful. I could not have ask for a more precious wife than Denise. She answered the Call of God just as I did and we are still faithfully running our race together. To God be the glory!
Recently, I wrote a short post on facebook about our life and special moments. I would like to share it with you also. This journey we are on has been so rewarding and fruitful. It has truly been a life of surrendering and going beyond our comfort zone. We have learned many lessons and know that every born again believer has a destiny to fulfill. Your destiny and assignment is just as important as ours. We have come to realize that not everyone is Called to do what we do. We have been told multiple times, "Darrell, what you and Denise do is National Geographic material!". Denise and I are simply saying "Yes" to go where He leads us. He has told us in His Word, "Follow Me" and that's just what we are doing. Reaching the Unreached.
Every time Denise and I would go into mountains in the Philippines and other remote areas, it was if someone was calling us. We would look at all the mountain peaks and little pillars of smoke rising from the forest in the distance. Our hearts would race, knowing that someone lived in a small barrio that needed to hear about Jesus. No phones, no roads, no electricity, nor running water. Our hearts were with them and we knew they would respond to the Gospel like we had seen so many times before. Who would reach them if we didn’t go?
Everywhere we would go, there would be many small children staring at our white skin. I remember one time in a small mountain barrio, I was sleeping in a little nepa house made of bamboo. The little house had two small rooms. One room was approximately 5' x 6' and the other room was their living/dining area approximately 10'x10'. The gracious owners of the home gave me one of the small rooms to sleep in. There wasn’t a bed, just a mat on the bamboo floor. A small oil lamp made from a tin can was used for light. The door was a piece of cloth as a curtain. As I lay there, I saw the curtain slowly being pulled open. I remained still as if I were asleep and watched a little boy ease into the room, slowly and quietly come to me and began gently touching the hair on my arm. Denise and I have been told multiple times that we were the first foreigners ever to come to them. They felt so honored that we would come to see them. It was Jesus loving them through us and they could sense it.
It’s difficult to put into words the passionate desire God has put within our hearts to reach these precious people. Not only my heart, but my faithful wife who has demonstrated over and over her loyalty and passion for Jesus. Going into the mountains was never easy for a woman but she never complained or murmured.
Romans 10:15 tells us, And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! This scripture has always meant so much to me. What speaks volumes to my heart are the words “ bring glad tidings of good things”. We knew we had to go to them. Denise and I have always considered ourselves to be His messengers of Good News. It is a Gospel that transforms. He has told us to "Go into all the world". We must put feet to the Good News that we have to share. If we don't, how will hear? How will they be able to be transformed from darkness to Light?
Gods Call on your life will take you where you have never been and enable you to do what you have never done before. How many times have Denise and I said, “ His Grace is Sufficient, we can do it because His ability enables me”, when times get tough. We are grateful beyond words for the team God has put together to accomplish what matters most to Him.
We can still hear the precious people in the mountains calling to hear the Gospel. This still burns in our hearts. Even now, I can still see the little pillars of smoke high in the mountains calling us to reach them. It is truly a trail less traveled but the reward is heavenly!

 Reaching the Unreached is not just a phrase to us, it is our life mission. We must go to them or they will never hear the message of Jesus.

 The reward of taking the Gospel to the small mountain barrios is seeing entire communities come to Jesus! It is worth the hardship and joy unspeakable! Heaven's angels are rejoicing!  Thank you dear friends for your prayer and support making this possible.