Across the Fence

What will you do if God asks you to bless the very people who make your life miserable?

Jieyan, one of our leaders, had to face this question after years of teaching Love Your Enemy across the areas we serve.

The day came when God asked her not just to teach it, but to live it.

Loving our enemies is something we all nod along to, until it’s required of us in real life. When the conflict is close and personal, obedience becomes costly.

This story is about choosing faith in the middle of everyday tension, and how God slowly brought healing where it felt impossible. Because sometimes, peace doesn’t begin in a courtroom or a complaint—it begins at a neighbor’s fence.

Read her journey below and see how love took shape in an unexpected place.

“Two years ago, God gave me an unexpected opportunity to live out one of His hardest commands: love your enemies. This isn’t simply a story about conflict resolution. It’s a testimony of how God can turn decades of tension into peace, and even blessing.

For more than thirty years, our family has lived beside another family in Southern Philippines, just off the national highway. With their household of more than ten children and the close proximity of our lives, our relationship has carried seasons of harmony and seasons of conflict. Over time, the biggest issues became property boundaries and drainage problems, especially during the rainy season.

Everything came to a head when my father filed a formal complaint about their pigpen, which violated local ordinances, and the drainage canal they had blocked, causing water to pool around our property. I tried to mediate, but the situation escalated at the district office. Although local authorities confirmed the violations and required the family to take action, they did not respond well. So I prayed and asked God for guidance.

His answer was simple: pray, be generous, do good, and bless those who feel like enemies.

So during Christmas, my sister and I took a step of faith. We prepared a large food package for their family and individual gifts for four members of their household, including a child. When I called out to them across the fence to deliver the gifts, their response stunned me. They were shocked, grateful, and deeply moved. Later, they even posted about it publicly on social media, something we never expected.

After that, I decided to take another step. On my birthday, I brought cake and food to their home and shared the celebration with them. Soon after, their son approached me with an offer that felt like a breakthrough.

Me: *knocks on their door*
Neighbor: Oh, hello there.
Me: Hi neighbor! It’s my birthday to day and I want to share my blessings. Here’s some cake and food for your family.
Neighbor: *surprised* Uhm.. Thank you… and Happy Birthday!
Me: *walks back to my house*
Neighbor: Jieyan, wait! By the way, I’m going to clean our drainage canal at the back—I’ll include yours as well.

I was stunned—and honestly relieved. That small ray of hope changed everything. Years of conflict were washed away by a single act of kindness. From that day forward, I began asking my neighbor if he could help clean our drainage regularly, and without hesitation, he always said yes.

But that’s not all.

The transformation reached its peak during my father’s birthday celebration last week. We invited their entire family, and in a moment that felt divinely orchestrated, the mother willingly agreed to sign as a witness for our lot titling documents. It was an act of trust and reconciliation that once seemed impossible.

Through this experience, God taught me three powerful truths about loving your enemies:

• Transformation often begins with small acts of kindness.
• God can use obedience to soften even the hardest situations.
• True reconciliation often requires us to take the first step.

What began as a test of faith became a testimony of God’s faithfulness. A conflict that once divided us became the very channel through which God revealed His power to restore relationships and bring peace.

It is living proof that when we choose to love our enemies, God can work miracles in the most unexpected ways.”