Many were amazed by how they hoop, more have been moved by their message
A video of two lady missionaries sharing their faith through a basketball narrative is now getting close to a million views on Facebook after uploading last weekend. Apart from getting inspired by the Christian message, netizens were impressed with the basketball skills shown by the missionaries.
On the video are Sister Kai Estioco and Sister Jerzel Soriano of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint who are on an 18-month mission to spread the word of God. According to the missionaries in the Golden City, Cavite area, they also wanted to use their talent in their social media apostolate like what other missionaries from their Church have done. But unlike others who used singing and dancing, they opted for playing basketball.
As they were brainstorming, they decided to make a spin-off of the original basketball-preaching video of their elders from the US, which was pitched to Sister Soriano, who is a former basketball varsity player during her High School and Senior High years. And that explains why she has excellent handling and perfect shooting form on the court.
As seen in the video, Sister Soriano, who has an MVP title, can make shots from difficult angles such as behind the board, the three-point line, and near center court. Not to mention, she also took a no-look and sitting-down shot before the free-throw line. Moreover, she can spin the ball in her hand flawlessly.
Sister Estioco, on the other hand, who admitted that she’s not sporty, got to like playing basketball during recreational times in their church. She can also sink the ball from the free-throw line. By the way, she’s the one who edited the video, which was filmed for just an hour and a half.
It’s notable that the shots made are related to the meaningful message they really wanted to convey and hoped the viewers would remember. In Filipino, you can hear them say: “That we were born to learn and grow; that we need to live by our faith and not by judgment; that we’re bound to commit mistakes, but through Christ’s love, we can repent and change; that sometimes in life we feel far from God, but through His loving ways of making His words and His Son present, we can go back to God and believe that through Christ all things can be possible.”
As of writing, the two scored more than thirty thousand likes, loves, and wows from netizens. But, the real trophy for them is making an impact on the faithful and winning the hearts of those who went astray. “A lot of people were inspired. Many expressed their willingness to go back to church, many wanted to learn the gospel of Christ, and many referred people, whom we can share the word of God,” says Sister Soriano in Filipino.
“And then, they are those who also asked for the Bible and the Book of Mormons,” Sister Estioco adds. “We saw the positive impact of the video to a lot of Christians. They are reminded again to come closer to Jesus Christ, especially during these difficult times because of the pandemic.”
Before going viral and getting good feedback, the female missionaries weren't exempted from rejections. “But we don’t mind it, because we firmly believe that as long as we were able to introduce ourselves, our Church, and our purpose as a missionary for the glory of God, no effort is wasted,” beams Sister Estioco.
According to them, being part of a greater purpose, even at their own expense, has led them to set aside their personal lives and forgo their worldly aspirations for the meantime, which include studying in college. The success of their video serves as one of the validations for Sister Soriano that she didn't make the wrong decision to choose the mission over several offers from different colleges.
In their 18-month mission, Sister Estioco and Sister Soriano will also get to develop their character and prepare themselves for the next stages of their lives. “After our mission, we are planning to finish college. Then, find a stable job or try to have a great career as we build a righteous family and continue our service to the Church and God,” they say.