I was born and raised in the Philippines. I grew up in the religious traditions, rituals and ceremonies of Filipinos. My parents did their best to teach me how to become a good Catholic. They told me that I became a Christian when a priest baptized me. I also believed then that I can gain the favor of God if I keep the Ten Commandments. I became devoted to worshiping Mary because I was taught that she is the one that can take me to heaven to meet Jesus. I joined every organization in our parish and tried my best to live a moral life in the eyes of my family. I kept convincing myself that I my deeds were good enough for heaven. But there was no peace in my heart. I feared death.

For more than ten years a disturbing question persisted in my mind. I have to know the answer so I finally went to a priest. I told him that I have faithfully served the church from childhood and followed everything that my parents taught me about the Catholic religion. Then I asked, “What assurance do I have that God will honor my works and give my soul rest in heaven when I die?” To which he replied, “There is no assurance. We just try to do our best and hope that maybe God will take us to heaven.” I left the church that day with a heavy heart and disappointment. There was no hope after all. I felt betrayed. I was lost then but did not realize it yet.

I quit church and tried “other things”. I turned from religion toward humanistic pursuits. I worked my way through college hoping that when I graduate it would get me a better job, start a career and help my family out of poverty. It was every young Filipino's dream. I thought this was better than living in a religion without hope. But there was still no peace in my heart. I still feared death.

While in my junior year, I met Ferdinand Cunanan. We worked together for the campus paper. After a week I learned that he is a Baptist. He wasted no time talking about his faith. Another religion, I thought. He talked about the Bible. This was significant because, even though I was very religious, I did not know anything about it. I have never read a Bible before. I was curious yet I resisted what he has to say. He tried to invite me to his church but I refused every time. I told him that I don't have time for religion. Besides, I am a Catholic and it is a sin for me to go to other types of churches. But he kept on inviting me. I wanted him to get off my back so I agreed to go once and no further.

It was the very first time I stepped inside a Baptist Church. The atmosphere was different. People shook me hand, smiled and welcomed me. It felt different. I sat beside my friend. Dr. Emmanuel Quizon spoke that morning.

For the very first time in my life, I listened to the preaching of the Gospel. I heard that morning from the Bible that Jesus loved me so much that he shed his blood and gave his life for me on Calvary. I heard that morning that religion cannot save my soul, or the good works that I depended upon. The traditions, rituals, ceremonies were not enough. Mary has no power to take me to heaven. It's only the Lord Jesus Christ who can save me. That all I have to do is trust Him with all my heart and ask Him to save my soul. Only in Christ can I ever have hope of eternal salvation.

On January 5, 1986 I got the answer I was looking for. When the invitation was extended, I stepped forward. On the way to the altar, I put my total faith and trust in Jesus as my only Savior. From then on, I have the assurance from Christ that whenever death comes, heaven will be my home.

A month after trusting Christ as my personal Savior, I followed the Lord in believer's water baptism and became a member of Fundamental Independent Baptist Church of Tarlac City.

My first involvement in the ministry was helping with junior church. After a year, I moved up to working with the youth. It was in this ministry that I learned a lot with the help of Bro. Ferdie Cunanan. In 1988, I surrendered to full-time ministry during a summer youth camp. I did not plan on becoming a pastor or missionary. I just gave my life to serve the Lord.

After graduating from civil engineering, I was expected to pursue a career in that field. But the Lord have other plans for me. He surrounded my life with pastors and preachers who inspired me to fulfill my calling from the Lord. With their help, I became grounded in the Word of God.

It all became clear that I was moving on the path to a higher calling when I had the opportunity to go on mission trip in 1989 with my pastor, Dr. Quizon and Bro. Cunanan. It was during that time that they showed me mission field of souls through the eyes of the Apostle Paul. I was deeply challenged by the needs of reaching the lost, planting churches and training other servants for the Asian mission field.  It was the turning point in my life when I specifically gave myself to serve as a missionary. From then on, my training in the ministry became harder and more challenging. My faith was tested like never before. But I have not regrets. All I have are thanksgiving and praises to the Lord for giving me the opportunity to serve Him. I have been serving the Lord now as a missionary for 30 years. There is no turning back.

After getting married to Melinda in 1990, we moved to Gerona, Tarlac to serve our first missionary term. Our daughters, Daphne and Cheska, grew up in that mission field where I served there for six years. After which I turn over the church to a man I trained there to be the pastor. I then served with the Independent Baptist Mission for Asians full-time for three years helping to train other missionaries.

After a year of deputation, we returned to the mission field and started Elbethel Baptist Church in Bamban, Tarlac. We served there for 10 years where we witnessed saved young people following the Lord in full-time ministry. Some of them are now serving as missionaries as well. I turned over Elbethel Baptist to Bro. Ramon Torres whom I trained during my time there. By the time I left, the Lord have enabled us to plant three other villages churches around Bamban. Today, that ministry continues to grow and expand to other villages.

In 2012, we moved to Baguio City in the northern province of Benguet and planted Crossroads Baptist Church where I currently served as pastor. We continue to pursue our goal of planting churches in the villages. With 126 villages, Baguio is a potential harvest field of souls.

In the past 26 years, I have been involved in helping to train and prepare hundreds of missionaries for the mission field. at present I have the privilege of training 40 young missionaries who will be taking the mission fields of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries before the end of 2017. We trust the Lord will both provide and lead us to a more fruitful harvest. To God be all the glory!