I’m from Mindanao, the southern part of the Philippines. From where I’m from, if you’re not a Muslim then you’re a Christian regardless of your beliefs. I grew up in a very devoted and religious family. My grandmother taught us a lot of things about the Catholic religion. She taught me to embrace it and its ceremonies, beliefs, and prayers. She taught me to stand for it and defend it. I even led other kids every Friday and Saturday in the 3 o’clock prayer. For 15 years, I was devoted to this religion thinking that all these things I believed in was true and I could say that I’m a good person for doing all these things.

One summer, my aunt invited my sister and I to their place to spend our vacation there. It took us two days to travel by ship. Her husband, my uncle, is a pastor. When we arrived, they told us to prepare because we’re going to attend a camp. I didn’t want to go because I was tired and because I’ve never attended a camp of a different religion. But they insisted. On that first night of the camp, my uncle preached. He quoted Hebrews 9:27, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” The word judgment caught my attention. I haven’t heard this kind of teaching before. Why is there a judgment? He said that God will judge everyone, whether they be good or bad. I thought I was good enough to go to heaven, but I was wrong. As my uncle continued to preach, fear filled my heart. It was like God was judging me at that moment and showed me that all the things I did was not enough. All my beliefs that I stood upon crumbled. But there was another verse that he quoted. It was the first time I heard it – John 3:16. My uncle introduced Christ as the Savior, the only way to salvation.

For 15 years that I was in the Catholic church, all I knew was Mary, but on that night, I met Jesus and He saved me.

I learned more about Jesus while we stayed with my uncle and aunt for a month. I started to read the Bible and to pray to Jesus and not to Mary. When I went back to our home, I was excited to tell my family about Jesus. I attempted to lead a family devotion but my father disagreed with me. Although that was the situation, I never stopped praying for them. After a year, God answered my prayer. My family got saved. My father, who used to disagree with me, is now my encourager in telling others about Jesus. God is so good and He is able. May God bless us all! To God be the glory!

Months after I got saved, the Lord put in my heart to serve Him. It became my dream to become a preacher. I understood that God wants me to be in His ministry, to lead His people, to feed His flock. God wants me to be a preacher of His Word and I thank the Lord He allowed me to follow Him.

After graduating from high school, I decided to enter Faithway Baptist Seminary at Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte in the Philippines. God molded me there. He used my pastor and teachers to teach me great truths and principles and prepare me for the ministry. It is a great blessing from the Lord that I was able to be trained there. I was trained to preach the Word of God, disciple Christians as they grow in faith, teach children in different villages.

In 2012, I was given the opportunity to travel and minister to a different island of the Philippines, the northern part of the country, Luzon. God showed me that the mission field is great and vast. We must go beyond our comfort zone to reach lost souls.

In 2014, I was given the privilege to study at Marietta Bible College in Marietta, Ohio under the leadership of Dr. Myron Guiler as a scholar. I thank the Lord for the opportunity to be able to further my studies about the Word of God and be equipped more in the ministry.

As I grew in faith, I quickly became involved in the ministry. Even while still a student at the Bible college, I was already involved and active in soul winning. Everyday, along with other students, we went out and witnessed to others about the Gospel. We conducted evangelistic crusades in the market place where many Muslims do their business. Some places we go were not safe, but the Lord protected us while we preached the Word of God.

God gave me the opportunity to minister in prisons along with other Bible college students. There, we were able to preach to inmates and guards. We also were able to conduct campus ministries in schools around the community where we were able to distribute Gospel tracts and Bibles to the students and teachers.

I had the privilege of assisting one of our men at church to reach his tribe in a secluded place in the mountains, the Subanen tribe. Every Saturday, we traveled 2 hours to go up the mountains and 3 more hours to where the people lived. All the hardships and sacrifices were worth it, because the Word of God was proclaimed.

I also had the opportunity of discipling and leading the young people of our church, teaching them and encouraging them in the things of God. Twice a week, we went out to go on soul winning and teach children, and share the Word of God to the community. Praise the Lord! Seeing young men and women give their time in serving God, it is a privilege to be in His ministry. Our labor in the ministry is never in vain. We saw fruits and it was God that gave us the increase. Young people got saved and Christians are serving God. To God be the glory!