For our second visit to the Philippines, Mary Nell and I traveled with the Lee Singers in 1983. Their daughter Teri was a member of Lee Singers, so they all traveled together. Simeon and his young wife Dora traveled three days from Davao City by boat and then slept overnight on the church pews to get to see the Winters family and to participate in the services at the Church of God in Manila. It was a big event the next day as the Winters family took them shopping for the soon expected first child of Simeon and Dora. Little did we realize this unborn child, named Donna, would 19 years later with us in Cleveland, TN and graduate from Lee University in December 2002.  We paid most of the cost of her college education, and the last $2490 was disbursed on May 1999.

On February 5, 1988 Mary Nell and I accompanied Teri on another missionary trip to the Philippines and visited the Faith Bible Institute that was then meeting in the church auditorium over the police station in downtown Iloilo of the Philippines.  Simeon and Dora had moved to the city of Iloilo and were pastoring the church plus conducting the Bible School. It touched our hearts to observe the eagerness of the students to study the Bible in spite of the primitive conditions. The male students slept on eight bunk beds in one room in the church and the eight girls shared a different room in another area of the church. Local church members provided rice for the students to eat.  It was obvious that simple things like paper, pens and text books were very scarce. However, the students appeared very happy and excited just to be attending Bible School and serving Jesus. All classes were conducted in the small church sanctuary.

One day I was honored to teach the student body about faith and the need to apply works to their faith. I challenged them to seek God for new creative ideas to direct them out of their poverty.  As an encouragement and challenge to them I gave each of the 29 students 200 pesos as seed money for a project in using their own talents to increase that money. They were to use the money any way they wanted to spread the gospel. They were allowed to keep the money.

I purchased study Bibles for each of the students for several years and had them shipped from the USA.

Bibles for the Faith Bible Institute

In August 1988 I paid $672.40 for 30 new nice leather Thompson Chain Reference Bibles and had them shipped to the Bible School into Iloilo. In Sept 1991 we finally found out that this shipment was not claimed at customs office because Simon and Dora thought it was used clothing so did not go down to the customs office to see about it.

(Need to verify with Teri and rewrite…)

 A few months after Mary Nell had ovarian cancer surgery in 1989, I made my fourth trip to the Philippines. Teri and her husband accompanied me and Mary Nell on this trip.

Upon arrival in Iloilo City, we found the Church and Bible School had moved to another location. The lack of physical conveniences for the 29 Bible School students in the City of Iloilo remained very touching. Although the Church of God had a nice modern Bible School in Manila these students could not financially afford the cost to attend.

Students slept in a one room dormitory for the boys and a one room dormitory for the girl. There was one overhead light and most of the food was prepared in a steamed rice cooker or was prepared at the pastor’s house next door. The students came from the 26 Church of God congregations on the island at that time. My friend Lovell Cary had also done considerable ministry among these people.

In Baguio City we visited Fred Busser in Baguio City where we invested in goats, computer equipment, and $1700 toward developing the Church of God Work there. In March 1988 Rev. Fred sent me pictures of goats we purchased being loaded in a crate onto a boat.

Oscar Magallanes sent me pictures of our goats in the Philippines that I had invested in for pastors when we visited there in February 1988.

The primary purpose of this fourth trip was to accompany my daughter Teri as she held evangelistic services in the town of Escalante where she and her friend Joyce Miller had held a great revival the previous year.  To get from Iloilo to Escalante we traveled by ferryboat to the island of Negros Occidental where we stayed overnight in the town of Bacolod in what was considered their best hotel.

Simon warned us to be very cautious at all times during the next few days while we were on this island. The rebels were known to kidnap a person for as little as $2500 ransom money. Most of the local merchants kept an armed guard posted at the entrance to their store to protect the customers and employees. In the hotel, Teri occupied a room on a different floor with one of the native missionaries. Of course, it made me nervous realizing the risk that existed and knowing I was without any method to protect his wife and daughter. 

Conditions at the hotel in Bacolod were rather primitive by United States standards. Shower water was heated in a one-pint tank mounted on the showerhead which was connected to an exposed electrical wire.  But even a few drops of warm water were appreciated for the much-needed bath after enduring the open-air, dusty jeepney rides in the humid tropical weather. The lock on the hotel room door was a simple old fashion latch hook and the screws were halfway out. A simple push from the hallway would have caused the door to open. Our hosts were concerned for my family’s safety because of the risk of the Winters family members being kidnapped for ransom by the rebels in the area.

On Teri’s first trip to Escalante the prior year she became very sympathetic toward the Cabus family because they did not have a cook stove or refrigerator. Refrigerators were not available to purchase in the town of Escalante. Teri wanted us to purchase one in Bacolod and take it with us as a gift to sister Cabus.

Simon’s family accompanied us on the trip from Bacolod to Escalante. Our transportation was a hired jeepney which was loaded to capacity with the nine passengers. The refrigerator was mounted onto the rear bumper and secured with ropes.

Upon arrival in Escalante, the Cabus family and many of their friends gave us a tremendous welcome. Our loaded jeepney created lots of excitement to the people in the neighborhood as several dozen came to join in the unpacking of the large carton containing the refrigerator. We shared in the happy worship with a family who had never owned a refrigerator although the weather is extremely hot year-round. The young children immediately began to freeze some popsicles. Some of them wanted to open the door every two or three minutes to see if they were frozen yet. Finally, they were frozen, and they were a real treat to the children. The next day we replaced the charcoal open cooking area with a bottled gas cook top.  Sister Cabos was thrilled to have her very first cook top and refrigerator after being married for over twenty years. It was an exciting time being on the mission field halfway around the world from our home in Winter Haven, FL.

The first afternoon we were in Escalante, Pastor Pol rode his dirt-bike up and down the dirt street with his public-address system blaring the news. “Sister Teri is in town and church services will begin tonight.” It was worth all the hardships of the trip a few hours later as the open-air evangelistic service began out in front of the house in the open area known as the city park of Escalante. As Teri sang and preached under the one and only 15-watt light bulb hooked up to an automobile battery, the presence of the Lord was there. Teri had been there the previous year as a singing evangelist and the people loved her. As soon as the loud music began hundreds of little children and other people gathered. The children sat on the ground as close to Teri as they could get in the dimly lighted area. The anointing fell and many were saved and healed. When she invited people for prayer most of the congregation came forward. They were hungry for God and anxious to worship. As the healing lines were formed God amazed me in how He would heal the sick when I placed my hands on them in prayer.  The spirit of the Lord was there, and no one seemed to pay much attention to the rocks that were thrown out of the darkness into the worshiping crowd.

None of the streets were paved in the town. There were no telephones. No running water. No hot water. And the electricity often failed but the Spirit of the Lord was there in a real way. The people were very receptive to praise, worship and the gospel message. Mary Nell, Teri, and I were on the mission field, halfway around the world from home and having fun.

While in Escalante Teri stayed in the home of Pastor Pol and slept on a rice mat. She acted just like she was one of their family members.

Mary Nell & I stayed with Gene Rosa Lumanyno. Her deceased husband had served as mayor of the city and she was living in the nicest home in the town. There were no hotels or public places to stay. 

An armed guard provided protection constantly for this household. These guards were very welcome considering eighteen people had been massacred on the street in front the city hall by the rebels a couple of years prior.

At the former mayor home, we were treated with wonderful hospitality.  However, we learned what it’s like to not have any hot water. Bathing in the cold water reminded me of my baptism in West Virginia many years earlier.

We held classes during the daylight at the church for the pastors training. There were no walls or windows and again no electricity in the small church. I was very humbled and did not feel worthy as Teri and I taught this group of local pastors on this missionary island. Our theme was the “whole armor of God’ which included the shield of Faith.  At the end of the afternoon service, I again felt unworthy when a short Philippine lady referred to me as pastor asking me if I would pray for her son. I was thinking of a young child as I ask her “what is wrong with your son?”  She replied, “He is demon possessed.”

About that time her son walked up to join us. Needless to say, I was shocked to see he was larger and taller than I was. As I witness to him, he would turn his attention from me every time I said the name of “Jesus” or referred to “His blood”. I experienced great concern for this young man’s predicament. I lay hands on him and prayed for these evil spirits to come out of him, to leave him, and to never return again. All in the name of Jesus, by the power in the blood of the Lamb.

As we assembled the next day for worship this same boy was smiling and passing out song books as if he was healed. Later that day, I went with Simon and a few other men to see “A church they had constructed across the river that had been funded by me”. We crossed the river on an open canoe and walked where there were no roads, cars, or electricity. Lots of palm trees and occasionally a small hut appeared on our pathway. Simon began to tell me that this area was the homeland of the boy I had prayed for the previous day. He told me that the boy had suffered from the demons most of his life and his parents often chained him to a tree at night to keep him from breaking up everything in their little home they referred to as “Nape huts”. The boy had been prayed for many times previously. It has now been more than 30 years and I continue to rejoice and give God all the glory for this miracle. When I see Simon I usually ask, “What happened to this young man.” Simon reports that after the boy was healed he began attending their Bible School. He is now pastoring a church there in the Philippines. It increases my faith in knowing that God can and does heal.

After a few days Teri got sick, and we all returned to Bacolod where she could receive the needed medical attention.

Before we left Escalante, we purchased a customized 40-foot fully equipped fishing vessel for Pastor Pol and his brethren to use. Fish were to be consumed by the members or sold on the local market to help support the work of the Lord.  Since the Philippines is comprised of about 700 different islands, the boat was also used to ferry Christians from Island to Island to share the gospel. Some years later a fire destroyed the boat.

Our trip to Escalante was indeed a happy experience for the three of us.

At the hotel in Bacolod, on the way to Escalante a week earlier, Teri had met and witnessed to Eduardo Tinsay who claimed to be a business man and he showed lots of interest in what Teri was doing in the Philippines.

During this return visit Mr. Eduardo Tinsay met Teri again. During this visit with him in the lobby of the Bacolod Hotel  he offered to give our Jesus Saves Network 49 hectares of land for a farm. The farm included some housing for any people who wanted to farm the land. We discussed how Mr. Tinsay would provide free management services and hire local Christians to grow sugar cane on the 49 hectares. He felt the farm would be very profitable and all profits would go to the Covenant Life Ministry or Church of God World Missions in the Philippines. We all signed a written agreement accepting the gift. The gift and the plan were too good to be true, although Mr. Tinsay claimed to be a very wealthy man and was interested in participating in working for the Kingdom of God. 

(insert pic of the signed agreement)

The next day Dan Winters spoke at a local church mission and Mr. Tinsay was one of about 20 people came forward claiming to pray the sinner’s prayer. Their response amazed me; God would speak to their heart as an ordinary layperson like me shared the word of God. The people appeared so open minded and friendly; it really warmed my heart.

Mr. Tinsay decided he wanted the Winters Family to visit the farm before we returned to America. The farm was 30-50 miles from town. When he showed up at the hotel with his truck for the trip, two men with carbine rifles were with him. He said they were for the protection of the Winters family.

Simon Valenzuela became very nervous and warned us against making this trip because of terrorist and the risk of us Americans being kidnapped. Simon agreed to personally later visit the farm in our place, however Mr. Tinsay and Simon never found a convenient time to get together to consummate the farm transaction.

That night another religious group from America were holding a meeting at the city park in Bacolod. We joined them as about one thousand local people came to participate in the open-air meeting. They did have electric for lighting and musical instruments. The leaders stood on a platform like the flat bed of a semi-truck. A large number of local people came forward for prayer. So many came forward that the leader of the worship service requested Teri and I joined them to help pray for the sick. God’s power moved on us all as hundreds of people were prayed for and proclaimed healing. One lady fell to the floor and foamed at the mouth while sticking out an awfully long pointed tongue while several Christians were praying for her while she uttered awful sounds.

I realized I was on the real mission field witnessing the demonstrations of Satan as he opposed the work of the Lord. After about 15 minutes of spiritual warfare the lady was delivered and regained her composure. The natives were also amazed at the power of God to deliver and to perform miracles in our presence. This lady was known by many of the people to be crazy or demon possessed because for years she had roamed the streets of that community in their presence. I was so humbled to witness the work of the Lord in Bacolod, Philippines.

May 1-18, 1992 Mary Nell and Nancy keep my grandson Marc in Winter Haven while Teri, Ken and I took a missionary trip to the Philippines. We had services in Iloilo with Simon and Dora before flying on to Baguio City for services with Fred and Nell Buser.

In Seoul, Korea we saw Dr. Han and we stayed at Hotel Capital.

Teri and her husband, Ken O’Neil, and I made a trip to the Philippines in 1992. This was my fifth trip to the Philippines. We participated in the Iloilo Church of God youth camp. We also traveled to Baguio City and held services there. While in Baguio we met Rev Fred & Nell Buser. I was touched with the needs of the pastors in the Baguio area. To help the pastors I purchased ten goats, several rabbits and rabbit cages for reproduction purposes. The pastors could sell the animals to create income and food for their families.  Computer equipment was provided for Fred to use for preparation of Bible teaching materials for the Bible students in the Philippines.

While there, Ken and I were invited to speak at a well-attended meeting of the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Association in Baguio City.