Local resident Dan Rigler is well known for his connection to Rising Above, and a man who lives out his faith boldly in the community. Rigler also has a Cross Ministry, where he travels to locations around the globe with a life size cross on a wheel, sharing the love of Jesus, and helping people find freedom in Christ. His ministry has included places such as the United Kingdom, Oklahoma, and the prairie provinces...most recently, Dan and his wife Jody have just returned from their two week mission to the Philippines.  

The Rigler's folded up the 12 ft., 70 lb, wooden cross into a ski bag, and flew to Asia on February 1st. They spent 11 days carrying the cross through the streets and neighbourhoods around Manila and Olongapo, speaking to people, praying with them, and allowing people to lay their heavy burdens at the Cross. They also had a suitcase filled with little Bibles and wooden crosses to give to those they came in contact with.

Dan Rigler says, "There's just so many opportunities to share the gospel, so many people hurting, and we're thankful that people would just open us up in such a short period of time to the hurts in their lives, and be able to minister to them". In a Facebook post, Rigler shared, "Being able to pray for people, to see them put their burdens on the Cross of Jesus to walk in freedom is unexplainable".

The Rigler's can share endless stories of God's faithfulness on their journey, and hurting people laying their burdens down, and giving it all to Jesus. 

One moment of real impact for Dan happened during an interaction with a man who had just lost his son who was stillborn. "We were able to pray with him, he was able to lay his burdens at the cross". Rigler continued, " After we left, he came back and found us down the street, and just walked up to the cross and wanted to touch it. I just watched him, and he was hurting, so we prayed with him some more and I just felt he needs to carry the cross, he needs to feel the weight. He started walking with the cross, and he leans over and kisses it. I took the cross from him, and I said, you need to leave your burdens behind. And he just felt this freedom, that comes from knowing Jesus now".

To follow Dan and Jody's ministry, and read more about their recent journey to the Philippines, you can visit their Facebook page  'A Cross The Pond' 

They have already been invited to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nepal, and India.

Rigler says, "I think this is probably going to become a yearly thing. And as long as God keeps calling us to do it, we're going to keep doing it".