SOWER, REAPER, AND SOMETIMES BOTH
By Daniel Lagdameo
April 25, 2026
Teresita with young people on retreat.
“The reaper is already receiving his payment and gathering crops for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together. For here the saying is verified that ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the work, and you are sharing the fruits of their work.” — John 4:36-38
As a missionary at Vagabond, I’ve been a sower, a reaper, and both at the same time.
There was a teen named Alex. Missionaries like Micah, Tim, Eliza, and Bridgette had worked with him at the Greenville Underground, several states away from where I was assigned. He was receptive to their guidance, and by the summer of 2023, he decided to go to the Steubenville Youth Conference. We were a little short-handed at the time, so I was asked to chaperone him and his two peers. He had a great experience, and at Adoration, he had a profound encounter. He called me over and told me that he sensed a voice calling his name, and a light shining at him. Me being cautious about these things said, “You sure it isn’t the spot light?” He replied, “No, the spot light’s over there.” He was tearing up. I asked if I could pray over him, and he agreed. At the end of the conference, I said goodbye and encouraged him and his friends to “…just keep going.” I can’t say I did much for Alex. All the credit goes to God, the Greenville missionaries, his loved ones, and his receptivity to God’s grace. But, it was a privilege to have been with him in those moments. Unfortunately, Micah told us last month that Alex passed away. While my heart and prayers were sorrowful, I’m hopeful that he was in a good place before he passed.
Then of course, there were teens like Jeffrey. I started walking with Jeffrey when he went to summer camp at the Pines with us. It was truly wonderful seeing him dive deeper into his faith there. A key turning point for him was when he witnessed one of his small-group member’s knee get miraculously healed. When this painful knee, with limited motion, bore this camp attendee’s full weight, and moved freely and painlessly after intercessory prayer, Jeffrey was pleasantly shocked. “Yooo!!!” exclaimed Jeffrey. He couldn’t contain his joy, and had to give hugs. His faith continues to grow through relational ministry, Breakout, and retreats and conferences.
There were also teens like Valentin and Alejandro. I met them both at the same camp as Jeffrey. They were in a difficult place in life, so camp was a time to plant seeds in them. Valentin was greatly inspired. Although he experiences many struggles, he continues to grow little by little. Lately, he’s been preparing to receive Confirmation, and will be doing so at tonight’s Easter Vigil. I’m hopeful that the seeds we planted will continue to flourish. Alejandro had a rough time at camp. He didn’t want to be there, and he got into conflicts with his peers and the staff. However, Adoration really resonated with him. During our small group later that evening, he expressed a desire to improve his relationships with God and others. This really warmed our hearts, but sadly, it was short-lived. The very next day, he went back to the way he was. Since then, I’ve had to hope, pray, and trust.
Trust — on mission, it's most important to trust in God. You may be a reaper like me in my time with Alex, being there to see the fruit of the love of several mentors. You may be both, as with my experience with Jeffrey, seeing the beginning and end of different wonderful opportunities. And, sometimes you may be a sower as I was with Valentin and Alejandro, planting seeds, and hoping for the best. Even when you think you’re not making much of a difference, just show up. If you do that while trusting God will do the rest, you’ll be in the right place at the right time.
