Philippines Mission Trip: A Trip Worth Losing Our Savings For

“Bro. Davin, this is Bro. Chris. I just want to inform you about what I told you before regarding my plan to hold a youth camp in my home place in Bukidnon, Mindanao. Philippines. I have already a tentative schedule for it this coming May 20-30, 2016. The theme would be health awareness and natural healing. The set up would be demonstration about health applying NEWSTART and cooking nutritious and palatable foods as found in Counsels on Diets and Food by Sis. White writings. And also demonstration how to effectively preach the gospel to the world. Then in the afternoon activity would be house to house applying the learnings gain in the morning activity demonstration. May I know and please confirm if you are available on such tentative date this coming May 20-30, 2016.”

This is a copy of the invitation from Bro. Chris from the Philippines to me in January of this year. I had met him when I was on a short one-week mission trip in Cebu (an island in the Philippines). After I checked the price for the ticket and what we had in our savings, I went on to ask him if they could help to shoulder the expense to travel from USA to the Philippines.

This was the response, “Please be informed that it is quite a sum of money for your one way trip that my finances cannot afford to pay it. I thought you will be coming back in the Philippines by May so I thought I could utilize your presence by mere opportunity. I have to shoulder all the expenses for the scheduled activity from food, sleeping area venue and all other expenses. As much as I wanted you to be present but monetary constraint has to set in. Maybe next time. God willing. Beside the program is already in place because I have plan B to be implemented in case you cannot attend which happen. Thank you for your eagerness and willingness but cannot push thru. God bless us always. Bro. Chris.”

So what do I do now? I want to go but I have not worked for more than a month. Irene and I have been living with friends and off our savings, so we were strapped for cash. But being the optimistic person that I am, I asked my wife to look up the price for tickets again. She found tickets for $700USD from Los Angeles to the Philippines. When she told me the price, I was very happy because usually it’s a lot more than that during this time of the year. Don’t miss this part. My next question to Irene was how much money do we have, she said $720 USD. Hold on! I cannot afford that at all, if I buy that ticket, we will only have $20 USD left. And may I remind you that I had no work at the time. So what are we going to do? Well after much prayer and contemplation, I did the craziest thing ever, I asked Irene to buy the ticket. I am going.

As with any wife, Irene was a bit concerned about our finances. But I assured her that God will provide for our needs. And He did. A few days after buying the ticket, my adopted mom emailed me that she had sent us $100 USD. Talk about perfect timing. God tested us and I was really happy to know that we passed the test.

We decided to have the trip for three weeks, so that I could adjust to the time difference. (Philippines is 13 hours ahead). And also to plan it in such a way that I can return in time for our wedding anniversary. After 17 hours of flight time, I arrived in the Philippines, May 10, around 1:00pm. Talk about jet lag. I needed sleep. But because I am way ahead of the camp meeting’s scheduled time, I decided to go visit a family that I was giving Bible studies to, and also to visit the little church that I was volunteering with as their church pastor. More expenses but God will provide. To travel to these different stops would be cheaper by ship, but it would take a longer time. So in order to meet my appointments and spend at least a weekend at each stop, I have to fly. It seems that it was the only choice.

As some of you may know I have been working and fundraising to attend flight school to become a Mission Pilot and so just before I left for the Philippines I had gotten a speaking appointment and we got some donations too so we were able to cover for the additional plane tickets when I arrive in the Philippines. So all I needed was $300 USD more. God provided it. I flew from Manila to Bacolod (45mins flight) for the first leg of the island hoping. The ship would have taken about 21hours. I visited my Bible study contact and they were so happy to see me. As usual they gave me some free fruits and vegetables, and to my surprise when I visited with them to say that I am leaving to another island (Cebu) they gave me 300 Pesos. I almost cried.

Sabbath morning, I decided to surprise the church by just showing up, after all “in an hour when they think not, Jesus will come.” They were so shocked to see me, and happy as well. I was the Sabbath School teacher for that little church, preached for the Divine Service and also gave a report of what has transpired with Irene and I since we last saw them in October of last year.

Next stop Cebu. I met with Bro Chris, and after preaching for Divine hour and giving a message to the young people for Adventist Youth Service in the afternoon, the sun set over the horizon and it was now time to take the ship for my final stop.

Bukidnon (Camp Meeting Venue). The ship ride was 9 hours, we left at 8 pm Saturday night. I got to the camp site and this is where the bulk of the work for this trip started. For my first lecture, I decided to bring an awareness to the young people of what it had cost me so far to be with them, as a means of helping them to appreciate my time that I am about to spend with them.

It worked.

They came out on time, they took notes, and they were very attentive for the whole camp meeting. At the end I told them that I was wondering if I had made the right decision to use my last money to come to their camp and share with them God word through health and the Prophecies, specifically the Third Angel’s Message from Revelation 14:9-12. They were all asked to share how the meetings impacted their spiritual life and, as much as I was not able to understand what they were saying, (they spoke in their native tongue) the tears was enough words for me.

We also did a health expo to reach out to the community, I gave the health lecture and took some blood pressure during the expo. Also to help them to live the messages that I had shared with them, I decided to cook some vegan “adobo beans” to add to the lunch. They were really amazed that beans can be “adoboed” because usually its either chicken or beef, and in the case of non-Adventist, pork is the choice of protein for this kind of dish. Well I made it vegan.

Camp is over. But the last stop was at a radio broadcast station where I was given an hour to discuss health principles and benefits. What an opportunity! The fields are really ripe and open!

It is May 30 and the last flight out from Cagayan de Oro to Manila is mine. Two days later, I will see Irene again. After all I have to be there with her seeing it’s our anniversary. At every step of the way God blessed, financially and  socially. He gave travelling mercies and physical strength. Money cannot be attached to the price for reaching a soul. It was our last and we were willing to spend it. I want to thank God for my wife and her support towards our ministry. She is really an asset to me, especially when it comes to doing God work in a sacrificial way.

If I could put this whole experience in a “nutshell” it would be with these words from Ellen White:

“A resolute purpose, sanctified by the grace of Christ, will do wonders. Jesus and holy angels will give success to the efforts of intelligent, God-fearing men who do all in their power to save souls. Quietly, modestly, with a heart overflowing with love, let them seek to win minds to investigate the truth, engaging in Bible readings when they can. By so doing they will be sowing the seed of truth beside all waters, showing forth the praises of Him who hath called them out of darkness into His marvelous light. Those who are doing this work from right motives are doing an important work of ministering. They will manifest no feeble, undecided character. Their minds are enlarging, their manners are becoming more refined. They should place no bounds to their improvement, but every day be better fitted to do good work.” The Colporteur Evangelist, 53.1