I was born and raised in the Philippines. I have been serving the Lord as a missionary since 2011. I thank the Lord for this great privilege. I praise the Lord for his mercy and matchless grace as I recall the miserable life from which He took me and saved me. I grew up not knowing peace in my family. My father and my two older brothers were all convicted for murders. There was always fighting and trouble in our family. I hated my family. I did not experience love from my parents or siblings. Because of these, I had thoughts of ending my life rather than continue living in a place of misery.

However, when I was in grade school, my sister who was working overseas sent a package to my family which included a Bible. No one in my family wanted the Bible so I took it. It was my first time see a Bible. I was curious about it. So I began reading it. I did not understand a whole lot. No one was teaching me. But one thing that captured my attention was when I read about what will happen to people who worship idols. I was terrified of God’s punishments. But as the days and years went by, that fear was covered with other things. I eventually gave up reading the Bible and forgot about God. I was able to attend college by supporting myself and through the help of my sister. When I finished college I put up a small business.  I started to earn money. I was even able to help my family. I thought that would solve all our misery. But I remained unhappy. Something is missing. But I could not figure it out. I tried to look for job opportunities overseas. I closed my business and spent my savings on applications but I was scammed by illegal recruiters three different times. I fell into depression.  It was around this time that I remembered God but in a different way. For years, I never thought about Him and now the first thing that I thought about Him was how could He allow such trouble in my life! During this time, I was persuaded by a member of a cult to go with him and try his religion. I tried it for two years but I was not able to find any comfort or peace. I stayed at home waiting for nothing, depressed and heart-broken. I was tired of living and remembered about God for yet another purpose. I actually begged God to end my life. Instead, He sent a man named Arnel Mercado, a missionary in my hometown.  I can never forget that day.

  It was March 1, 2007 when Pastor Arnel Mercado passed by our house and saw me in our yard. He called out to me and asked me if he could talk to me for a short while. I said yes and he proceeded to hand out to me a gospel tract entitled, “This Is Not A Secret”. From it, he shared to me about God’s plan for the salvation of my soul. It was the first time anybody talked about my soul and about God’s love for it through Jesus Christ who gave His life and shed His blood for me on the Cross of Calvary. And He wants to save me if would only but fully trust and receive Him in my heart and into my life. That very moment, I trusted and received Christ as my personal Lord and Savior.  My life was never the same. The peace of God has taken over my heart. I am free forever! To God be the glory!

As I served the Lord after I got saved, God spoke to my heart and called me to walk the extra mile. Instead of going back to my business, I chose to surrender my life to the Lord. I worked as a volunteer for a year in my home church and got involved in several ministries.

In 2007, I enrolled at the Fundamental Baptist College for Asian in Tarlac City, Philippines and studied for four years to gain more knowledge about God’s Word and the ministry. I finished my Theology degree in 2011. In that same year, I went on a mission trip to Thailand. God gave me an opportunity to witness first-hand about the condition of Buddhist people in that country. After that mission trip, God led me to start a mission work at Iba, San Jose in Tarlac province. There, Mt. View Independent Baptist Church was born in 2011.

While I was still on my fourth year in Seminary in the year 2011, God burdened my heart to start a mission work in the western part of San Jose, Tarlac, Philippines, in the village of Iba. Mt. View Independent Baptist Church of Iba was planted there on November 9, 2011.

After five years of patiently praying and working, God established the church with trained men, young people, musicians, Sunday school teachers and soul winners.