FROM TRANSPORTATION TO TRANSFORMATION

Working a salary job got me tied up into working on the start-up church and captivated from traveling as before. This was in the year 1989. We named our church Worldwide Pentecostal Church of Christ and registered it in the State of New Jersey. The physical address of the church was 499 Wayne St., Jersey City, NJ 07306. I worked for nearly five years for the Hudson County Welfare and did acquire civil service eligibility. WPCC started with just my family and in the period of over four years we ran an attendance of around a hundred people. After moving the church in Staten Island in 1995 I decided to quit my job and moved to San Jose, California. Lemuel Jones, my oldest son, took over the church. He was twenty years old. Jones officially took the church as pastor in 1996. I felt led by God to pioneer a church in San Jose, California and made my base at the house of Carl and Lita Calderon on Marco Drive.

People were questioning me why I chose San Jose, California. And I too wondered at that time. Today the thing is very clear in my mind the reason why God transported me from New York to California. A huge transformation was going to take place in my life. Venus ocassionally visited California and I too came back to New York from time to time. The people that led to my transformation were Carl Calderon, Manny Angeles, Sam Medrano, Agustin de Guzman, Rod Llorente, Jim Lass, and, John Formoso. It was in San Jose that God put me on the crossroad of business and church. Manuel Vizcarra, pastor of the First Apostolic Assembly church in San Jose, allowed me to use his auditorium for our Sunday afternoon gathering, and Mr. James Lass, who also was a minister, but he was a successful businessman, opened my eyes into business. I marketed his sceptre software, one that helped designed the Boeing 777 jets, in Tokyo and Sydney. Great was the transformation that took place in me in these times that the Lord God would literally speak to me for hours about the things that were coming and, rather, than keeping in the realm of the church, He drove me to participate in the worldly affairs of business. Pastor Jim Lass owned a six story building in Stockton, California and he was just trying me whether I knew some people there who would be interested to buy the building. I thought of the Rev. Kenneth Haney who was pastoring the CLC in Stockton. So I called Rev. Haney and scheduled a meeting for him to see the building called Marina Towers. Jim Lass met with Haney and I was ecstatic thinking I would make a real huge commission as promised. But Jim ended up giving the building to Rev. Haney for free.

I was surrounded by spiritual people who were also business minded. Carl Calderon, the owner of the house where I stayed, was a true Christian, along with Lita, his wife. Carl was a good businessman. He exported printing machines to the Philippines. Lita was a full time registered nurse. Manny Angeles was also a very spiritual person. Endlessly he would talk about God. Yet, endlessly, he would also talk about business opportunities, being that back in the Philippines he was a very successful businessman before he was converted to the Jesus Miracle Crusade. Among the gifts of God in the form of a man were Agustin de Guzman and John Formoso. It was John Formoso that turned my life around. From the viewpoint of the world, John Formoso was the one that got me out of the church to get myself entangled in the world. But, to my version, it was John Formoso who became my deliverer. He was my business consultant.

At this time, going on my three years in San Jose and Sacramento, the Y2K bug, supposedly the coming of the end of the world, was furiously filling the airwaves and people's conversations. It was definite that the computers would crush when the year 2000 sets in. I got infected with the virus. I set my sight on the rapture without any reservation of turning back. When I would go to the Philippines, I would hammer so hard in my preaching at my church in Caloocan that the end of the world was taking place only months away and that the rapture was going to take place on the eve of December31, 1999. So I had to be with my church in Caloocan when the rapture takes place. The family was second and the church was first. Of course, God was first and wife and children were second. So, I had to take care of the church.

The culmination months into the Y2K were filled with intense prayerfulness and Bible readings. There was not a moment that I couldn't hear the voice of God. Even when a cat would run across the room a voice would tell me of some spiritual significance or premonition. I did not wat to miss the rapture. I wanted to experience flying in the air to meet the Lord there and be with Him forever and forevermore. Even the celebration of Christmas that last year of the 2000 millenium was devoid with joy. Why be happy when the end of the world was taking place only days away? So, finally, after all the announcements were made, we were gathered in the Caloocan church on New Year's eve of 1999 and 2000. We purchased a big clock and put it in front of the congregation so that we can time up the rapture. The big bang which will usher into the rapture is going to take place definitely at exactly twelve midnight. Are you kidding me? We were praying very loud and crying some profuse tears. With eyes bulging out by tears, I managed to glimpse at the clock. It was now eleven. The minutes and the seconds were all incorporated into my breathing rythyms. I would be hearing the trumpet sound any moment. As twelve o'clock was fast approaching, our prayers and worshipped intensified. Then finally it was twelve. We paused. We listened. We breathed deeply. Nothing. Still nothing. Nothing happened. Little did we know that in Sydney, Australia, twelve midnight took place two hours before us. The rapture did not materialize.

SEVEN YEARS AFTER TWINKLE JOINED US

It's a terrible thing that all of us are all in the United States and our baby is not with us. We traveled all around and when introduced we would tell the crowd that our youngest child is left in the Philippines. Their applause and excitement get tainted with "oohh, terrible," sighs upon hearing that Twinkle is alone in the other side of the world. It was hard to bear, but it was one those things. Husbands and wives all over the world get separated simply because of the need to procure greater things in life and follow an illusive dream called prosperity. We all missed Twinkle so much and as days prolonged we wanted the passing of time to cut short so that she could now already join us. But the more we wanted her to join us in the soonest time the longer that it took her to come. When we had gotten our residency we immediately applied for her and the papers got approved with no problem. We came home to get her but the consul wondered why we left her alone when she was only a baby. This was when she was already nearly two years old. In short the interviewing consul doubted that she was our child. After all, there are many cases about child adoption where in order for the adopting parents to get the baby as quickly as possible that they produce paperworks to claim that the child is their own. So, in Twinkle's case we were now told to go get a DNA test. This was to prove that she was indeed our own daughter.

Twinkle's papers and coming were more delayed for our failure of not finding the right doctors who would administer the DNA testing. But Twinkle was being cared for very well by Sister Tina Amato. They all loved her like their own daughter. And I yearly visited her also, as I needed to visit the church.

God works in a mysterious way and we cannot know the details of His workings until a thing has completely happened. Life in the United States is difficult because you have to do your own thing. Unless you are super wealthy, you cannot afford to pay a housemaid. Whereas in the Philippines, the helps were readily available and ultra cheap. It was a blessing in disguise that we had not so many babies to take care because at that time Damariz was just a year older than Twinkle and Juven also was two years older than Damariz. This means that we had our hands full in taking care of the five children. Ordinarily, people with lots of children like we did would have to get public assitance. Why we did not get into Welfare though we were qualified to get into the program was a thing that we kind of regret these days. How we were able to support a big family in America when we did not have any job was a miracle. I only went around to preach in churches. That was my means of support for my family who was in New York and the children were going to school.

God's hands were upon us when we needed to get adjusted to reside in America legally. Bro. Robert Carter saw our condition and agreed to file a petition for us. At that time it was so much easier to get a special immigrant status. That's what we had. Venus got her residency first. The children being minors had no problem getting approved. Then I got mine approved later on. We owe our residency in America to the Carter family in Staten Island. Without them we'd have a real hard time. They helped us also in financial matters. And their members extended assistance to us whenever we needed it.

Bro. and Sis. Edwards in Ohio were the second great benefactor for us. We had been just traveling around to churches and get our support but then the children had to get to school. We had to get settled in a place where they could go to school. The Edwards offered that we stay with them and bought for us a trailer house where we paid for the monthly mortgage. This was in Rockbridge, Ohio. We had stayed here for about six months when it was important for us to go back to Staten Island. That was the time that we had to apply for our change of status. We learned in Ohio the American culture and the Edwards learned to love my children, even to this day.

Back in New York, we settled in Jersey City, New Jersey. This time I decided to get a job. We were also starting a church. We approached Rev. Fernando Colon, a pastor of a Spanish congregation, to allow us the use of their premises. Not only that he let us use the building for our Sunday worship but he also recommended me for a job at the Hudson County Welfare Office. I got the job and I started the church. By this time, we were now legal residents of the United States, with greencards. Our church in Jersey City was established in 1989, and at this time we worked on again for Twinkle's coming. We had found a doctor who would administer us the DNA test. We did that and the result was sent to the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines.The processing would take some time but we had greater hope now that Twinkle would be able to join us this time.

In 1990, Venus found work at the Staten Island Hospital. At first she commuted back and forth to Staten Island from Jersey City. Later we decided to relocate in Staten Island and we found a house at Hewitt Avenue at the Sunnyside area, by the Staten Island Expressway. Then a man by the name of Frank had gotten acquainted with our church in Jersey City who had a big van that he wanted to sell to us. We bought that van and we used it to pick up people for church. We named the van, "Big Bertha." And one night, Venus saw in her vision that Twinkle already came and we picked her up with Big Bertha.

And so it was. It came to pass that Twinkle's papers got all finally cleared up and now she could be picked up from the Philippines.

Without losing time I went back to the Philippines. The excitement over this event was so thick, we could literally touch it. Chin, especially, being the eldest, and had a chance to mingle with Twinkle as an infant, was ecstatic with joy. Damariz was also anxious. In other words, all of us were simply filled with joy over the news that Twinkle could now finally come.

Thankfully enough, we were now settled up. We had a church, we had a house, we had jobs, and we had a van. And all of the children were now in school. It was, I think, just perfect timing. In short, God was in all of this.

Back in the Philippines, the Amato family was saddened at the news that Twinkle was now going to leave them. They had learned to love her so much. Twinkle called Sis. Tina Nanay. Twinkle was in school already and had grown so very beautifully. Parting with her on the side of the Amato was simply difficult. They all cried and cried.

The day came that we had to go to the airport. The whole church of Caloocan were present to see Twinkle and I go. At seven years old, Twinkle had all the memories. But she was more excited to go to America and get reunited to her family there than saddened at the fact that she was going to leave her home with the Amatos. Inside the airport, Twinkle was all smiles. We went through all the inspections without any hassle. And in just a few hours, we were now airborne. We arrived in Hawaii and had the chance to get out to visit an old friend, Bro. Mike Ambler. He picked us up at the airport and took us to his huge mansion. Ambler was a millionaire. He had a handicraft business and thriving at that time. Ambler took us around and at that time Marcos body was newly put in a place where everyone could see it. Twinkle and I got to see Marcos dead body. We stayed at the Ambler's for one night and then the next day we flew into the U.S. mainland.

It was in November 1992 when we arrived in Newark airport. Twinkle was seven years and one month old. Chin drove Big Bertha. They had arrived in the airport early. Their anxiousness to see Twinkle was building up moment by moment.

When our American Airlines plane landed in Newark, I grabbed Twinkle's hands and I said, "This is it, Twink. This is America." He smiled shyly and then she became very happy.

Walking from the plane toward the exit seemed like I was floating on air. I could see the many people waiting. Then I could see Venus, Chin, Chic, Jones, Juven, and Damariz. They all came running toward us. Damariz and Twinkle embraced.

CHIN, CHIC, JONES, JUVEN, COMING OVER TO AMERICA

In March of 1984 I established the Worldwide Pentecostal Church of Christ, Inc. also known as WPCC. This was to say that we had now formally severed connection with the AMF which was still in the hands of Eddie Wheeler. Bro. Cavaness sent the money for us to buy the Caloocan church formally from Eddie Wheeler and this included the Batangas property which at that time was being pastored by my brother Fredo. By now, we had moved to a bigger house in an exclusive subdivision in U.E. Caloocan. We had also purchased another vehicle. And the church in Caloocan was doing excellently well with Bing Ocampo now assisting us as assistant pastor. The young children that I got from the streets have now become fully mature in God and they became strong workers. One of them was Boy Flores, who at this writing is now living in Sydney, Australia.

Things were doing very well for us. The children were doing wonderfully well in church and they were taken and picked up to and from school by one of our church members who drove for us. But the political situation in the country was becoming more riotous on the account of Ninoy Aquino's assasination. Marcos, who ruled the Philippines all these years since 1972 under Martial Law had let up a little allowing an election to happen. This happened because of the pressure from the Catholic Church and from the poor masses. Corazon Aquino, the widow of Ninoy, was put up by the opposition party to run for president. When the ballots were counted Marcos came out the winner and everyone was screaming in the streets that the election was rigged. Of course, the people were now tired of Marcos and they wanted a new government. This led to an escalation of riots in the streets until it bacame so huge that the first people power ever to occur in the world happened in the Philippines. I was thinking all along that a civil war could take place and so I decided to get my family out of the Philippines to move to the United States. We now had the chance to get them Visas to come with us, so I might as well.

In 1985 another child was born to the Ayudtud family making all the children now to six. She was born on October 10, 1985. We named her after her mother, Venus Twinkle. And due to the turmoil that was happening in the country we wanted to take all the children to the United States including the new born Twinkle. But the consul at the U.S. Embassy said that she was too young to travel with us. We decided to leave her behind in the care of Bro. and Sis. Amato.

Venus and I agreed the she go to America first, with Jones and Juven. Damariz at this time was brought to the Philippines by Venus' father and mother. It was on this occasion that Papa Almeda got sick and died. It was a sad moment for all of us.

Within three months after Venus left, I applied Chin and Chic for their Visas and thankfully they were granted. So now things were clear and easier for us to immigrate to the United States. Venus got a job in the law office of her brother in Jersey City who became a judge in Jersey City and the kids were left at the care of her sisters, Princess and Marilyn in Staten Island. Our concern now was about Twinkle. Once again we would become a divided household. But because there was nothing that could be done about the situation of Twinkle we left it unto the Lord.

In January of 1986 I would again fly back to the United States taking with me my oldest and second daughters, Chin and Chic. This was such a joyous moment as the girls were already thirteen and eleven years of age. They were on their early teens and at this age they already had a professionally recorded song entitled, "Struggle Is The Game." The church kept saying that now that all the children, except, of course, Twinkle, would be in America that there was a chance that we would not come back to the Philippines. I kept telling them that we would be back again. The church made us a farewell party for Chin and Chic and it was a moment of a realization that it would be their last time to see these children who they fondly loved so much. Chin and Chic were a fast rising singing sensation in our church and in other churches. Now they would miss their voices and their presence.

At the airport, after taking care all the necessary papers, I became so overjoyed watching my two daughters. They certainly were my joy and pride. And I had been a stronghold for them emotionally. They loved me and I loved them beyond measure. And here we were in the boarding area fixing to board a huge jumbo 747 Nortwest Airlines jetliner. I watched them giggled and tremendously happy. And moments later we were inside the plane. We brazed ourselves while the plane negotiated the runway and then take off. It shook momentarily and I watched with admiration my daughters who were holding on their seats with smiles on their faces. They were pinching each other to find out if this thing was real or that perhaps they were only dreaming. Moments later they slumbered and slept.

DAMARIZ IS BORN IN NEW YORK

Venus and Florida flew into the United United States in the month of July of 1983, in just less than a month after I left. The money I had quickly raised was more than enough for Venus' airline ticket and some to be left for the children and my brother Fred and his family who was going to take care of the children during our absence. At this time, Venus was seven month pregnant to Damariz and looked unmistakingly big. It was impossible to hide her pregnancy, which was a concern for her going into the United States as a visitor, especially so that her reason for coming was to speak in churches. But all that was going to be taken cared off by prayer.

There were now four children born into my family and they will all be left alone in the Philippines with my brother Fredo and Manang Rosa as the guardian. Chin was now eleven years old and in grade 5, Chic, 9, Jones, 7, and Juven, almost 2. Venus and Florida came into Los Angeles as their port of entry and Venus had to hide her belly with a big sweater. Thank God they came through and they were all jubilant. They were repeating to each other their disbelief that they finally had come into the land of Paradise. They took a connecting flight to New York where they were met by Charlo Almeda, their brother. Their arrival was such a moment of rejoicing because the dream of being able to come to the United States has finally come to fulfillment. Venus' father and mother and two sisters were already in the United States, along with Reren, their other brother. They were recounting their experiences, exchanging their testimonies with one another about how God really had been a good God to them. So, during that time, I was in Indiana, the four children back in the Philippines, and Venus in New York, with Damariz in her womb.

In Indiana, with Bro. Cavaness, Sr., I was treated very royally. Bro. Cavaness, being the main innovator in sending Bro. Willhoite to the Philippines was happy to see me, the by-product of that effort. He took me around to the churches in the area of Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio, after I had spoken in his church. When I finished preaching around the area, and getting ready to fly to New York, I was able to raise about $3,000. That was phenomenal. I got into the country in June and in just a period of about three months, all in all, the money I got from the churches was about $5,000. And at that time that was a lot.

I joined Venus in New York at the end of August, so we had not seen each other only for about two months time. I landed in JFK and Atty. Charlo picked me up. What a reunion and what a rejoicing. Just a few months before coming to America this thing was only a dream. Obviously God was in all of this and His plans had got to be fulfilled in our lives. The next day we went around the city, riding subways, and riding buses, visiting the United Nations building and seeing the Statue of Liberty by way of the Staten Island Ferry. And on the following Sunday I preached at the Harbor Road Pentecostal Tabernacle pastored by Rev. Robert Carter. Robert Carter's church was the church of the Almedas, Venus parents. We made friends with the people and they were rejoicing that we could come to the United States. Then Bro. Carter introduced me to other churches in the area and I preached in these churches. Everything was New York and New Jersey, we had heard of these places back in the Philippines so many times as Venus family, along with Pastor Wilde Almeda, whose church at that time was exploding in growth, was always in communication with the U.S. folk. Our nights seemed like it was still day. There was no stopping of sharing about God's goodness.

Then the Fall season came and we began to experience the cold. We adjusted our clothes from Summer to Winter, and brazed for what was to come. And one night in the outset of October 1983 Venus felt pain and was rushed to Staten Island Hospital. The baby was due and on October 2, 1983 a new healthy girl was added to the Ayudtud family born in the United States of America and to have the utter privilege of being an American citizen. The parents were tourists and so Damariz got late in coming but much ahead in citizenship. Damariz was different in looks as a baby than the other children when they were born as she was darker and with a face that appeared upset. News was broadcast all over that Damariz was born, we called Bro. Cavaness, Bro. Haymon, and of course the children in the Philippines.

Because of schedules already planned ahead of time and in a rush to go back to the Philippines, Damariz traveled with us even when she was only less that 15 days old. Our first stop was in Titusville, Pennsylvania, using Greyhound Bus as our means of transportation. Florida was with us. She wanted to come along and see places. Pastor Watson met us at the bus station, with his wife. He was over seven feet tall while she was barely five feet tall. Though big in size he was soft spoken. They treated us very especially and we were given a very good offering. It was in Titusville that we saw the first oil well in the United States.

Our next stop after Titusville was at Bro. Jacks in Newark, Ohio and then at Bro. & Sis. Edwards in Logan, Ohio. The Edwards were very kind to us, simple country folk with a real big heart. Then after we left Logan, we boarder a Greyhound Bus to Shellbyville, Indiana. I was back again at Bro. Cavaness, Sr's church. They were more anxious to see me this time because Venus and Damariz were with me, and with Florida. Bro. Cavaness picked us up at the Greyhound Bus terminal in Indianapolis and took us straight to his house. That evening we went to service and the people were very happy to hear Venus speak. Florida also shared her testimony and I preached. By now they were more familiar with me, since I had been in their church before. We stayed with the Cavanesses about two days and then we moved on to another place. This time we went to Colombia, Tennessee to preach at the church of Bro. Henry Mobley. As usual people entertained us and were happy to listen to us. And as usual we left the place with a good offering.

After going to a lot more places in Kentucky, in Tennesse, and in Alabama, our last stop was to be with Bro. & Sis. Charles Hanchey, our former missionary to the Philippines, in Ferriday, Louisiana. They were very excited to see us for they already knew that we had gotten a Visa and that we were going to see them. At this time Venus and I had to go back to the Philippines and we decided to leave Damariz with Florida who was going to be staying with the Hanchey's for the time being, and to look for work. By this time, Damariz was over a month old. We hated to leave her behind but it was needful at that time that we go back to the Philippines without her. We brought lots of stuffs to take with us to the Philippines. Chin, Chic, and Jones, had their instructions what to bring for them. For Jones, all the toys in the world. For Chin and Chic, all the Barbie dolls. It happened that because of more schedules that I had to meet, Venus was the only one that flew back home. I had to stay behind and would follow several days after. I saw Venus off of New Orleans airport, and then I went to the church of Bro. Bervick Spell in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

FACE TO FACE WITH EDDIE WHEELER

Rev. Darnell Fletcher was so instrumental in my introduction to the American life and also to the organization of the Apostolic Ministers Fellowship in the United States. He had briefed me about the United States ministers, the organization's extensive mission programs, and the problem that has arisen over Bro. Eddie Wheeler being in the Philippines. The forthcoming ministers conference was going to take place soon in Denver and that is where I would be going next in order to attend the meeting and to meet the AMF board of elders. Elder Robert C. Cavaness, Sr., considered as the founder of the AMF, and Elder Bervick A. Spell, current chairman, had been to the Philippines and saw the work there, and they were informing everyone that I was in the United States and would be meeting with the ministers and with the board of elders and I would speak in the conference. This thing meant to happen and it would appear that this was the main reason why I came to the United States. The AMF had missions in other countries such as Brazil, Venezuela, India, China, Mexico, and several more countries, and the Philippines was the only country that created a conflict among the leadership. And I was here to give light about that conflict.

The coming of Eddie Wheeler to the Philippines was a big confusion because the AMF body had not sanctioned him, he just volunteered and then went around the churches to raise his money and came to the Philippines in order to simply be an assistant to Bro. Willhoite in the Bible School. Willhoite and Wheeler clashed. Their personality just didn't suit each other well. They had bitter arguments. Willhoite recommended that the U.S. board recall Wheeler, but how could they recall him when he was not formally sent by the board? Whereupon, when Wheeler came back to the United States from the Philippines he began spreading negative reports about the Willhoites that were untrue. He succeeded into steering some supporters into his side. And so when he went back to the Philippines for the second time he came on his own and that was the time that he persuaded the local pastors to come with him.

Rev. Donald Haymon, the foreign missions director of the organization, was also the pastor of the Calvary Apostolic Church in Denver, and it was in his church that the annual conference was going to be held. This took place August 8 to 13 in 1983. Bro. Haymon had also been to the Philippines before. He was the one that I always called about problems and about financial supports regarding the Filipino AMF. I had wakened him up several times in the middle of the night calling from the Philippines not knowing what time it was in Denver, Colorado. He and I knew each other very well over the phone. Bro. Cavaness and him talked about my coming over, and he was indeed very glad to learn that I had gotten a Visa to be able to come. Bro. Haymon met me at the Denver airport with his own limousine. Was I impressed? Beyond words! "You are a very special man to me, and so I use my limosine to pick you up," he informed me. Everything in the United States was all new to me. But when I stepped inside the limo I thought how wealthy the American pastors were. After stopping at a beautiful restaurant to eat, Bro. Haymon took me to one of the members house where I would be staying during the duration of the conference. A woman received me in their house and told me with a smile that she had hid her dog upon learning that I was going to be staying with them. She was only joking. She had heard that people in the Philippines eat dog.

The next morning someone came to pick me up for the AMF conference. Calvary Apostolic Church was huge and beautiful. The service was already in progress when I came in to the building and I got seated on the third row from the front. There was an orchestra on my right hand side accompanying the singing. I was blown away at the beauty of the platform, the tall ceiling, and the chandelier hanging down so magnificently. But what really impressed me most was the ministers who were dressed up so very dignified, I had not spotted anyone who was not in a suit. And the women also were all dressed up very elegantly. I was all smiles and couldn't contain my joy. My wonderment was at its height. Here I was from Sicpao and today I'm in Denver. As the service progressed the MC behind the huge pulpit mentioned my name and then Bro. Haymon was called to introduce me and I was asked to sing. I expected this moment and it was my time to shine, so to speak. I had no qualms whatsoever when I stepped into the platform and with shoulders carrying confidence and dignity I spoke with no hesitation, with an English that was almost American. I mentioned about how I appreciated the AMF for sending Bro. Willhoite to the Philippines. "I am the by-product of your love and care for souls," I said. "God only knows how big is the thing that you have done for the Filipino people." I could hear the "Praise the Lords" and the "Hallelujahs" from the crowd. Then I sang the song that Bro. Haymon liked very well when he heard me in the Philippines. The title of the song was "If God Should Choose." When I finished, the whole place was filled with applause. They could not believe their ears. I sang very professionally. I announced that I brought some recordings of my singing and that they could buy them to help the missions in the Philippines.

In the afternoon they had the business meeting. I was informed that Eddie Wheeler was going to be grilled about what was happening in the Philippines. And then I was informed that they would call me into the meeting to be at face to face with him. The last time I saw him upclose was when we had our hearing in court in the Philippines. I brazed for what was to come. But I was not afraid. This was my moment to let the board know that we did not have any need for Eddie Wheeler and that they should keep him in the States. Finally, I was summoned to the room where the board of elders were all gathered. There were almost twenty of them, all stern-faced big in body people. I saw Wheeler on the other end of the long table and I was going to be seated on the other end. "Welcome, Bro. Ayudtud, Bro. Spell, the chairman, spoke." I did not say anything. I gently smiled. I let them see my toughness and my dignity.

"Is it true that you sued Bro. Wheeler to court?" one elder asked. "Yes, sir," I answered. "Did you know that what you did was against the Scriptures?" I did not reply. I was glimpsing at Wheeler when I looked up. Then I said, "I think the case is over." Wheeler spoke, "Bro. Juanito, you know I have the papers all signed up by Bro. Spell that I was taking over the work. I showed it to you." There was silence. They waited that I answer. I did not talk. I thought there was no point about me talking. This is their turf. They are all Americans. They play their game and I was going to lose. "That don't mean anything!" the senior Cavaness spoke with an Indiana twang. "You know that you had no business to be going back there. You and Willhoite had some problems. And Willhoite was our man." Wheeler was stopped by Bro. Cavaness. "And Bro. Juanito was always there as the leader before you came," Cavaness continued, "and, I personally feel that they are capable of doing the work by themselves."

Wheeler asked permission to speak and was given the permission. He talked about the incapability of the national pastors to lead because they do not have the proper understanding of the doctrine. He also mentioned about the dishonesty done by some nationals in the past. He convinced the board that he had the calling and with or without the approval of the board he would continue to work in the Philippines.
I also spoke about my intention to keep the Caloocan church. "You cannot sell the Caloocan church just because I am the pastor and I do not agree with you," I told Eddie Wheeler. This awakened some sleepy board members when they heard what I just said. Wheeler had no right to sell the Caloocan church because he had not invested anything on it. "But I can do what I want to do. I have the papers," Wheeler answered me. I was going to start an altercation with Wheeler but Bro. Haymon prevented it to happen by diverting my attention. "Bro. Juanito, what is your plan now that you are here now in America?" Haymon asked me. I was caught by the question. They saw it was a possibility that I would leave the Philippines in order to stay in the U.S. "No, I'm going back there," I answered. "Isn't it that your wife's family lives in New York, and that you wife is coming to join you?" Haymon asked. "That's true. But I am still going back to the Philippines."

I was with the highest authority to my ministry inside that room for what seemed to be an eternity. I recounted it was about an hour that my meeting with Wheeler lasted. They had no idea that Venus was already in New York at this time. And although Wheeler came out as a winner as decided by the board that they would allow him to continue his ministry in the Philippines, what they did not know was I was the biggest winner. I rose to the rank of being an international man that day. They had summoned me inside that meeting to recognize who I was. Many of the board members were in their early sixties. There was not even among them who were under fifty years old, except with Wheeler. And here I was, just turned 30 years old, and they recognized me. I was elated of their recognition of me. And Haymon and the senior Cavaness, along with the junior Cavaness, patted me in the back and told me that they would send me money to buy the property of the Caloocan church from Eddie Wheeler. The topmost leaders of AMF were for me. And I felt very glad about it.

The conference concluded on Friday night and Haymon kept me to preach for his service on the coming Sunday. He got me from the house of his members to stay with them in their house. Haymon was a truly blessed man of God. His house was in an exclusive subdivision and the acreage of his home was huge. I was amazed that when we approached the gate leading to his palacial house it automatically opened by itself. I haven't seen anything like this. I exclaimed, "Wow!" and could not keep it in a low voice. We droved uphill going to his house and saw the pine trees and the squirrels climbing up to the trees. Haymon put me inside a big room designated for guest which has a bathroom. He also showed me an indoor swimming pool housed in a building beside their house almost as the size of their house. I was at a loss of words to describe what I was feeling.

I had the fun preaching on that Sunday service. I sang many songs. And people laughed at my jokes. Bro. Haymon helped me to get adjusted to the American English. He pointed out the word unreasonable as to be pronounced to un-reezon-able rather than anrisonabol, which was what I did. He also pointed the word difficulty to be pronounced to deefee-cult-y rather than di-fi-culty. He gave me an offering of $700 and plus I sold about $300 worth of my tapes. When I saw the money I just could not believe the blessings of the Lord upon me. Then he told me that I would be flying to Shelbyville, Indiana, that was where Elder Robert C. Cavaness, Sr. was pastor and he would take care of me from there. So, the next day he took me to the airport to take a flight to Indianapolis where Bro. Cavaness was going to meet me.

FINALLY MY TRIP TO THE UNITED STATES

I did not expect that we would get approved for a tourist Visa since we did not have any money nor property to present in the interview. But I did not also expect that we would be denied. It was a fifty-fifty thing. Bro. Robert Cavaness, the man behind in sending Bro. Willhoite to the Philippines sent us a letter of invitation and some amount to be spent in our trip. However, we did not use the letter of Bro. Cavaness in the interview but the letter of Bro. Howell from California. There were four of us in the interview, me, Venus, her sister Florida, and Rey, Florida's son. We were only equipped with ambition to go to the United States. This was our first interview. We brought our church pictures and a bank account that had an amount of sixteen pesos. We were banking on Bro. Howell's letter that he would be shouldering all of our expenses. We prayed and prayed, even when we were lined up for the interview. I could see the tensions on the faces of the people who were lined up with us. Florida was telling Daday to catch her when she would pass out if the consul approved us a Visa. We had the joy in our hearts that at long last we were finally in the US Embassy to apply for the Visa to come to the United States. This was just a dream in the past, a desire in our hearts, which we constantly spoke about even by way of preaching and in the overnight testimonial service. Tracy Coloma, one of our young people, had chided us that even if we would sell everything that we had it would not be enough to get us to America.

As we were seated, we were watching those that were approved and those that were disapproved. We were also very keen about which consul approved easier. We saw people's faces getting sour and this told us that they had been disapproved. And we see exuberant faces as well which showed that they got a Visa. Finally, it was our turn. The consul, a young white man, in his late twenties, asked: "Who is the leader here?" I answered that it was me. I handed all our passports and he asked why we wanted to visit the United States? "What is your purpose to go to the United States?" I answered, "We are invited to preach there." He looked at the pictures and he noticed that the people in the pictures were raising their hands. "Why do you pray so very enthusiastically?" Venus answered: "Because God really answers prayers." She asked the consul, "Do you want that we will pray for you? What is your name?" The consul said that God knew his name. Then he looked to our bank account. He saw there was only sixteen pesos in it. "So, you mean to tell me that you give all your money to the church that is why you do not have any money?" We all chorused, "Yes." He gathered all our passports and then he said, "Okay you come back this afternoon for your passports." He gave us the green stubs, which meant that we had been granted the Visa. Florida motioned to Daday with so much joy and said, "You catch me, I am fainting."

The next step was for us to look for the money. We originally planned to go all together but we did not have the funds to do it. It was decided that I would go first, and then I would raise the money there, and then send money back home for Venus. Florida and Rey's fare would be shouldered by Charlo Almeda their brother, who at this time was a lawyer in Jersey City, New Jersey. To get the money for my fare we had to borrow from a woman who was a friend of Venus whom she hadn't seen for a long time. We made our van as a collateral. I called Bro. Cavaness that we got the Visa and all of them in the AMF governing body were delighted. My port of entry was Los Angeles. Bro. Howell of Hollister was going to pick me up.

I flew Japan Airlines for my first time ever to fly out of the Philippines. Many of our church members saw me off in the airport, and of course, with all of my now four children. Juven Lee, the fourth child was born on November 23, 1981. And Venus at this time was due for our fifth child Damariz, who would be born in New York. I had to make sure that I had all of my papers with me when I got inside the airport. It was a very momentous event. I finally was going to do the impossible, that is to go to America. But because of my being a leader for a long time, this trip was not giving me any fear. I was excited in fact that I could finally fulfill the chapter in my life that was destined to happen. When the giant plane took off with me in it I knew then that my life was going to change forever. Among all the pastors of my peers I was the first one to come to the United States. I was very confident in me that God was going to be with me according to all the promises that He made to me while I was still in the Bible School. I had peace in my heart when the jumbo jet took off. The Holy Spirit assured me that all would be well.

I had only $70 in my pocket when I landed Los Angeles. I was not asked with many questions at the port of entry, all I showed to the immigration officer was the letter from Bro. Howell. I was given six months to stay. When I collected all my suitcases from the baggage claim I went outside and waited for Bro. Howell. He was not there. I waited and waited and finally I called his house. I spoke to somebody who told me that Bro. Howell went to Texas and that he did not have any idea that I was arriving. I was at a loss what to do. I took a cab and asked to be taken to a cheap hotel. I paid the cab and the hotel and I got $33 left with me. From the hotel I called Bro. Cavaness and asked if he could pick me up. Bro. Cavaness lived in Alabama and I did not have any idea that Alabama was very far. He just laughed. But he said, "Don't worry, I will send somebody for you." In a little while the phone in my room rang and Bro. Fletcher was on the other line. He introduced himself to me and said that Bro. Cavaness called him and that he would come early in the morning to pick me up. I thought, what would I do if no one will come and get me?

In the morning, around eight o'clock, Bro. Fletcher came knocked on my door. He knew about what was going on in the Philippines and had heard about my work. He was a part of the AMF. He took me to eat and took me to his house to rest. When I asked him that I wanted to use the comfort room he could not understand what I asked for. He did not know that a comfort room is a toilet in the Philippines. But I did not know I should have said restroom instead of comfort room. Bro. Fletcher thought that I was talking about a bedroom. I rested in a real nice room in their house and that evening we went to his church service and I preached. I brought many tapes of my recording and I was able to sell many of them. That evening he gave me an offering of $300. All of a sudden I had money. From $70 dollars the Lord gave me an increase. Then on the next night Bro. Fletcher took me to preach at Bro. Davis, one of the largest church in San Bernardino. Bro. Davis also gave me an offering of $500. Then on the next day, which was a Sunday, Bro. Fletcher took me to another church. By four days after I arrived I received $2200 in offering. I was so blessed and amused. And I sent in that week the money that Venus needed to follow me with Florida and Rey Mones.

COMING TO AMERICA

The Caloocan church was the place of my true personal development and maturity. This was now the longest stopping ground for me and my family and I gained here the honor, dignity, and respect as a man of God. With Eddie Wheeler's coming, the AMF was torn apart, but he got the most part because he had the money to lure the pastors. Cesar de la Crus, Pol Aguinaldo, were with me to fight Wheeler in court, to get an injunction against him. He manipulated some paperworks and got some pastors to testify for him. I had the lousiest lawyer, and we were a neophyte in court matters. In short, we lost the case. Wheeler succeeded to get the Pasay property and the rest of the 17 churches and he was also getting his hands on the property of Caloocan. I communicated with the leadership in the United States about what was going on and they were not happy with Eddie Wheeler. Hanchey and Willhoite were upset about the whole thing, and they were all on my side. The chairman of the AMF in the US was for the nationals to continue the leadership. But Wheeler had some friends who were also members of the US board. There was bitter division in the US. I was very angry. I thought of getting an Armalite gun to blow up Eddie Wheeler.

But the church in Caloocan continued to do great. As a young pastor I was on fire and full of ambition. I'd listen to the DZAS radio, a Christian radio station, and I admired Efren Pallorina, Romy Dinglas, Malu Javier, Proceso Marcelo, among others, and the president of Far East Broadcasting, Rev. Fred Magbanua. I also wanted to be famous as Greg Tingson, considered as the Billy Graham of the Philippines, and the brothers: Mike and Paul Lacanilao. This time Engineer Dimi Moldez, officer of Meralco, Manila's largest electric company, got converted to my church. He had the connections and some funds. He shouldered the expenses for my second album, "One Day," a song that I composed. We recorded at the Abbey Road Studios in Makati. My first album, "Now Is The Time To Prepare," went well as distributed by Praise, Inc. My connection with other ministries and other churches enlarged because of my albums. Radio stations played my songs and churches sang my songs in their worship time. We recorded my first album in the DZAS studios without any experience. Ruben Pagcanlungan, the guitarist of the recently released Charismatic recording of Gloria Sevilla at that time, helped me. I had the Jesus Miracle Crusade choir of Pastor Wilde Almeda as my back-up. We were so new to this that Roger Padrinao, the DZAS engineer, called us greenhorns. Whatever he said didn't matter. We played and we did what we knew. We had recorded nine songs already and lacked one more song. I sat down while my crew listened to what we did and I composed the song, "What A Day That Will Be." I completed it in fifteen minutes and we practiced it and we recorded it and we completed ten songs in the album. When everything was finished I brought the master copy to Praise, Inc. Johnny Sy, the owner was amazed. "This is the best recording that came out of the DZAS studio," he said. We all praised God for that, especially Venus who was in fasting while we were in the process of recording. The second album, "One Day," was also distributed by Praise. My name began to get circulated.

Seeing what happened in my life from today's vantage point I can pinpoint many things that would prove that God had been there all along programming me into what I needed to become. God sees the end from the beginning and details of His plans are simply the necessary ingredients that have to happen in order to bring about the desired end. I can feel God on the daily basis now because I have known how He had worked throughout the events all taking place in my life and through the years. People talk about a set up when a situation is arranged in order to see something happen to a person or to a program in the near or far future. This truly what took place in my life: God had set me up.

In the very beginning God gave my life back to my mother when I was dying when I was just a very little baby because she promised that she would dedicate me to the ministry. Then, at age eight, I got exposed into the ministry, as a young altar worker. Then I got entangled into the streets as a blacksheep of the family. Then I got taken out from the streets by diverting me into the Bible School. Then Willhoite came. Then I hit the nail with my first sending me out of the house to be talked into going to Manila by Lourdes Depino. Then, in Manila, I got married to Venus, and I became a right hand man to Bro. Willhoite. Then at only twenty-two years old I supervised seventy-two pastors. And then I got to come back to Manila again and then take over the Caloocan church. And then Wheeler came to divide us, which made the leadership in the United States recognized my leadership. And then I recorded two albums.

I came into the Manila scene when I was seventeen turning eighteen. I would be twelve years old in Manila and going thirty years in age when I would get the chance to go to the United States. In June 24 of 1983, God allowed me to set foot in the United States, on my birthday. I arrived June 23 in the evening and spent my night in a run-down hotel in Los Angeles and the very next day, which was my birthday, Rev. Darnell Fletcher of Fontana, California, knocked on my door and introduced himself to me. He got me out from the hotel and took me to a restaurant at lunch time and I told him that it was my birthday. I did not know at that time how the waiters do it in America when someone among the customers is having a birthday, but when they were informed about my birthday all of them came to our table and brought a cake with a candle and they sang me a happy birthday song. I officially turned 30 years old that day. Looking to it now, the hand of God had always been in my life to set me up on an international ministry when at 30 years old, just like the age when Jesus Christ started his ministry formally, he brought me to America. My life was never boring. There was never a boring moment in my system. And even at this time that I am writing my story, God is truly present in my life, setting me up to fulfill His plans for my life, which I believe I am just beginning to see part of its entirety.

THE CALOOCAN CHURCH

Coming back to Manila in the early part of 1975 was restarting to build again. Nothing came out of the businesses that I left behind. And there was no way that I could get back the church in Pasay. For the time being we lived with the Hanchey's in White Plains, Quezon City and commuted to teach the third batch of Bible School in Caloocan church. Not too long after this we found a house in St. Anthony's Subdivision in Cainta, Rizal and we got financial support from Bro. Hanchey. The house was up and down, newly built, and the subdivision was for the middle class.We started evangelizing the neighborhood and planned to put up a church in the area. I felt like displaced in leardership since I belonged to the Mindanao work rather than in Manila. Bro. Hanchey supervised the churches using Pastor Pol Aguinaldo, Cesar de la Cruz as the leaders. With me going around to the churches now, acting as an evangelist, the pastors around slowly adjusted to the fact that I was again getting up into the leadership position. That was especially true on Bro. Hanchey's insinuation. Later on the Caloocan church had a situation which necessitated for a new pastor to take over. And it did not take long Bro. Hanchey let us take over the said church. So, from a nice house in St. Anthony we moved to a small room located upstairs of the Caloocan church. The area where the church was located was infested with drug pushers, theives, and killers. I was putting my family in danger by moving to this church. Yet, I wanted to have a church to pastor so we moved to live in the church building.

There was but nine people that attended the church. But because of the Bible School students who lived also in the church building the church services had more people. The first thing I did was gather the older children in the immediate surrounding of the church to teach them how to sing. I formed a singing group and I let these kids participate. These young teenagers were obliged to attend the services. I laid my hands on them to pray them through in God. The strategy worked, I got them into the church and they all became church workers. Some of them even became pastors later on.

I formally started pastoring the Caloocan church in 1976, I was now 23 years old at this time. Additionally, I had the Bible School in my care which helped me built the church by using them to evangelize and invite new people. My spiritualitybecame very high because I was motivated to grow the church so that I could have the biggest church in the area. Venus and I prayed at dawn every morning and we fasted. Soon after people became glued to our dedication, the members who lived nearby joined our very early morning prayers. Our services became very high-powered events. One night I demonstrated in my preaching that the images that the Catholics do worship were helpless and I broke them in the middle of my preaching. These images, such as the holy family (Joseph, Mary, and Jesus), were revered highly by the Catholic adherents. The baptized members were edified by this act but some of the visitors where very unhappy. One of the most notorious killers in the area saw what I was doing and he sent a notice around that he would kill me for breaking the images. Sis. Lourdes Sitchon, one of the members, warned me for it. I only shrugged my shoulders yet I became watchful. Then, one early morning, I could hear people from the back of the church talking in hysterical voices. Sensing an emergency situation, I went out to investigate. I found out that a man's head had been found in the ditch just beside the church building and the police came to take it away. "Turing did it," Sis. Lourdes informed us. Turing was the man who made the threat that he was going to kill me for breaking the idols.

One Sunday night, I was already preaching, Turing came inside the church. He sat in the vacant seat on the rear. People turned around to see who came in and then silence fell on all of them. Sis. Lourdes motioned in her hands to quietly get my attention letting me know that it was Turing who came in. I knew. I had been speaking to him on occasions about the Lord, not knowing who he was. Undaunted but concern I continued to preach. Turing listened to my salvation message. Then Turing got up and walked toward the front. I thought to myself that he was carrying a gun to shoot me. But he knelt down on the altar to pray. The people screamed to worship God when they saw this. I laid hands on Turing to pray for him. He accepted the Lord Jesus Christ and surrendered his life to God. Not long after this, the police arrested him and he was convicted for murder and was sent to the national penitentiary.

By now, the church was running packed with people. Notable miracles were happening like the lame and cancer cases getting healed. We conducted evangelistic crusade outside of the church on a vacant property. We invited Pastor Celedonio Ompad to preach for us. The group called "The Singing Beryls" became our guest. And it was in one of the nights of the crusade that a neighbor by the name of Bing Ocampo came to the Lord. He came to the crusade because he got attracted to one of the girls of The Singing Beryls but that was just a way by the Holy Spirit to lead him to the gospel. Eventually, Bing came to the Bible School to study in the ministry and today he is pastoring his church in Los Angeles, California.

Caloocan church became the "church of all churches" in terms of revivals and miracles. At this time I took time to finish my fourth year high school. I was still young at 23, so through the encouragement of Venus I enrolled in Sanciangco High School in Malabon. Sanciangco was part of the Arrellano University. Later on, one of my teachers, Angelina Gonzales, came to our service. We converted her and baptized her. I graduated from Sanciangco and then by the following year I enrolled for my bachelor's degree in business at the Philippine Christian College, now, Philippine Christian University. As before, I was rolling in enthusiasm. I had been successful in about everything that I had put my heart into. Amidst of my successes, a situation had arisen which had to do with the AMF organization, in which I was now the main leader. Bro. Hanchey had already went back to the United States and we wanted the US to turn the work in the Philippines to the hands of the nationals. That did not happen because they sent a replacement in the person of Eddie Wheeler. We were capable of governing ourselves and so Eddie Wheeler's arrival was not as welcome as Bro. Hanchey. He was a cunning man, a genius in getting his own way prosper, and he took the AMF away from us and from the AMF in the United States. I did not just allow him to do his thing without a fight. I went to court and sued him.

AT 22, SUPERVISING 72 PASTORS

Not only that I was going to be leaving tons of businesses and opportunities, I most hated the fact that we lost the church in Progreso, Pasay, to Pastor Pol Aguinaldo. I had nothing against Pol, he was my treasurer in the organization, but what was painful was the fact that we considered the church and the building our very own, since it was a monument to our independence. Plus, we worked very hard for it, putting people in it on our own endeavors. I would leave behind the promoting of the movie, "The Cross And The Switchblade," the Subic Bay housing contract, and my helping Wilde Almeda to put up his church in Novaliches. Also, I would now lose money from my supplying electrical materials through a Chinese businessman who trusted me and eventually became my friend. That business was picking up well.

We arrived Cagayan de Oro, in Mindanao, in August of 1975. Venus was due for our third child in the following month. My cousin, Ester, sister of Mario Ayudtud, let us stay with them while we look for our own place. Then Chic, Anna Marie, our second daughter, fell ill to broncho pneumonia. Up to this time we never used any medicine; we only rebuked all illnesses and diseases that came on us in the name of Jesus Christ. Chin was barely three, and Chic over a year old, and Venus was giving birth to Lemuel, who we nicknamed Jones. Looking back to it now, I do not know how I managed all that happened. Venus was over a week old having Jones and Chic was black and blue having a week-old high fever. She was dying and we were not taking her to the hospital. Taking her to the doctor was tantamount to betraying our faith in God. Ester, my cousin, was just observing us. Seeing Chic's labored breathing she said, "I do not understand the kind of God you're believing in. You have been praying and praying and this child is still dying. If you will not take her to the hospital, I will call the police on you." We rushed Chic to the hospital from where just a few days ago Venus delivered Jones. Right away a bottle of dextrose was hooked up to Chic. "My wife just gave birth to our son, and things were just out of control," I reasoned with the doctors. For the very first time in many days Chic's labored breathing calmed down. Her frail body relaxed and went to the original color. Venus, stronger now, came to visit Chic. "She is going to be alright," she said. But something very bad happened that night. I watched Chic having a difficulty to breath. She was red all over. I became very afraid, especially when two children just near to where I was sitting just died moments ago. The nurses became frantic upon seeing Chic. I was holding her, screaming, praying, calling the doctors. They had included an antibiotic in the dextrose which Chic's body was allergic to. The doctors gave her anti-allergy. She calmed down yet death was still on her face. Her eyes had been un-opened for days now, her lips black and parched. Venus came early in the morning and I told her what happened. She rubbed Chic's hair and gently planted a kiss on her forehead. "She is gonna be okay," she said. "The Lord just told me in prayer this morning that He did not bring us here to take away anyone of us. He brought us here to increase us." In three days time Chic got well enough and we took her home.

In a month's time, things settled down. We took a big house in Kimaya, Jasaan where we would be staying for the many months to follow. Meanwhile, in Manila we learned that the Willhoite family was called to go back to the States. They would be replaced by Bro. and Sis. Charles Hanchey. Obviously, Bro. Willhoite had been laboring so hard in the Philippines that he went to a nervous breakdown.

This time I already familiarized with the places where the AMF churches were located. I conducted meetings of pastors in the designated regions. Many of them, who were up in their sixties, thought I was too young to be their leader. I was only 22 years of age, and really boyish in looks. When I spoke, however, they all listened up and heeded my directions. Especially when they saw the money that I was going to give to each of them as their monthly salary. I was the boss on the account of the money. And I was a pretty darn good preacher too. When Venus had the chance to travel with me, along with my children, they only had admiration of her and my family. Venus, who was fair and strikingly attractive, appeared like an American lady to them. Almost all of them that did not know us thought that she was from the United States.

When Bro. Hanchey finally visited Mindanao, we were nine months into our stay. I gathered everyone at the VIP Hotel in Cagayan de Oro. Bro. Hanchey was a heavy set white man with face much rounder than Bro. Willhoite, yet smaller, and much slicker. Hanchey was a salesman when he talked; if he lived in New York he could easily sell the Brooklyn bridge. What a preacher! I haven't heard anyone quite like him. "I want you to come back to Manila," he told me in private. I don't think you are a man for this kind of people." He believed that Willhoite had it wrong when he sent us to Mindanao. "We'll take you to the United States when we go back," he jestingly added.

Our stay in Cagayan de Oro was a time for me to get close to my mother and father. They moved near to our place and so they got a chance to know the three children. My mother and father loved my children, and my children also equally returned the love. My father was overjoyed to see us. My mother endlessly glibbed with Daday, the nickname of Venus, and untiringly told her my story as a child. "We never thought that Boy would ever change," she told Venus. "But when he was born and he almost died I lifted him up to God and told God that if He would just heal him that I would give him to the ministry." She looked up to the sky and said: "And He heard my prayer. Here you are now."

It was not only my mother and father who were very happy and proud. My two brothers who were rising in the ranks of the Assembly of God organization, Pastor Fred and Pastor Ramon, were ecstatic with gladness. They bragged and bragged about me as being their only brother who has gone to Manila and would be going to America soon. They also sang the songs I wrote, "Now is the time to prepare," "I know that someday," and "I'm stranger here." They made the songs famous and even church choirs in many places sang them." God had brought me back to Mindanao for a purpose, to show His power to change a life, and to further teach us about what ministry was really like.

Nearly a year that we stayed in Mindanao, we were again on the ship going back to Manila. This time, Mama Almeda, Venus' mother, who came down from Manila to stay with us for a while, along with Princess and Marilyn, her sisters, and also Sis. Celia, a classmate in the Bible School, were all with us in the ship going back to Manila. That night, in the ship, before going to sleep, I muttered to myself: "Here I come again, Manila!"

WORKING ON INDEPENDENCE

Jack Langham, Willhoite's substitute, prepared me for independence unbeknownst to Bro. Willhoite and made me decide to choose a small church. "We could build a big church where I will be the pastor, which means that we will no longer build small churches in the provinces. Or, I will build you a small church and you will be the pastor and build other small churches in the provinces." This was the decision Bro. Willhoite wanted me and Venus to decide on. The huge church was really the route to go, because then we would be able to have many people as all the money from the Stateside support will all be put in it. Why choose the small when you can be big. Eventually, as the assistant pastor, there was a big chance that I would eventually become the pastor later on. We opted for the small church with our independence and so Bro. Willhoite purchased a property on Progreso Street in Harrison, Pasay City and erected a small church for us. Then seventeen other churches were also erected after that once of which was in Caloocan City. The small church buildings were constructed simultaneously in Pangasinan, in Mindanao, in Batangas, and in Mindoro. I had the more expensive church building since I had the most members. We moved in to the building in March of 1974 where we held the first international conference of AMF with guest coming from the United States, REv. B Spell, and Rev. Robert Cavaness, Jr. We also had guest from India, Rev. Morar. The Mindanao pastors came and the pastors from Pangasinan headed by Pastor Ben Tayao also came. The place was packed with people and the guest from America were mightily impressed abut the good work Bro. and Sis. Willhoite did.

I was no longer getting a salary from the organization at this time because I was already on my own although I still belonged to the organization. As a matter of fact I was now the head pastor over all. I was twenty one years old at the time. Anna Marie, pet name, Chic, was born March 1, 1974 and so I had to find a way to make money to support my growing family. AT this time, aside from the church work, I went into construction and supplied construction materials. The United Pentecostal Church at that time, another uge organization of the oneness movement, was constructing a big church in Makati and I supplied their electrical requirements as well as constructed their pews. I also went into selling cars, and did successfully well. Incidentally, I had gone to the Philippine Bible Society store on United Nations Avenue to look for tagalog Bibles and, upon knowing that I was a pastor Rev. Joel Vista, the General Secretary gave me twenty Bibles for free. He also wanted me to work for them in promoting the new movie, "The Cross And The Switchblade" of David Wilkerson. So, just turning twenty-one years old I already had two children, a construction business, and a job with PBS as a movie promotions person. Moreover, Tony Chua, a Chinese who attended my church brought a contract to do 160 houses in Subic Bay for the American servicemen, and I signed contract with a Marikina Subdivision developer by the name of Palisoc Construction, along with the Y Engineering, to do the houses. Meanwhile, I was led to Mr. Ding Pasaylon, the man responsible in promoting the movie, "King Kong", and he agreed to work with me to promote "The Cross And The Switchblade." Ding Pasaylon was also currently the Executive Vice President of the Makati Golf And Country Club and he donated one certificate to me worth P25,000 pesos. We also scheduled a Bible Study in his office and after the Bible Study he would give me a big offering. Furthermore, I became responsible in directing the new batch of Bible School students where the classroom was in Caloocan. I had gotten many students from Mindanao for this batch, including Eldie Balabat, who is still pastoring a church in Mindoro. At twenty-one I was super busy. My father-in-law assisted me in the construction especially the Subic Bay project. Another thing, Wilde Almeda had started a ministry in Novaliches, Quezon City of which I was also responsible in helping. I carried some pews to be used in his crusade and then I preached there. I was in a blaze.

While things were really looking good for me, Bro. Willhoite came to our house one afternoon and broke the news, another news, to my my wife and I. The pstsors in Mindanao needed supervision since the United States people have alloted some monetary support for them and therefore I had to be the person who should go there to oversee all of them.

Again, we were challenged. We were told that we will be given the financial support that we would need and were assured that we would be taken cared off. Willhoite wanted our decision right away. And who would take over the church? Pol Aguinaldo will succeed us. And I said, "No way." Yet, we had to be obedient to our leaders. "We'd have to pray about this," we told Bro. Willhoite.

MASSIVE CHANGES

In the period of two years, I transformed from a drunk and street brawler to pastor with radio three daily radio programs and married and in Manila, the largest city. I can imagine myself as the bullet on an archaic stone thrower which went off and hurled me from Sicpao to Manila. My looks had drastically changed to a white shirt and tie attire. Venus and I lived in a three bedroom and two baths house alongside a big building that was our church auditorium within a walled compound. We also had the white bus that we picked up people with for church service which we could also use whenever we needed. We had no expenses whatsoever except that we bought our own food with the salary that Bro. Willhoite paid. I was only two months into my eighteen years of age. Because of ample spaces Venus family, mother, father two sisters came to live with us. It suited well for us because soon after Sheilla, our first born daughter, came to the world. They were a big help. Later, the family of Wilde, Venus oldest brother, also came to live with us in the second floor of the church auditorium. This caught the Willhoites in a shock. From two people, we grew to over a dozen people overnight. Bro. Willhoite was a good man, and he submitted to the change.

The Apostolic Minister Fellowship, the church organization that Bro. Willhoite established in the Philippines, sponsored by the AMF USA. put up another batch of Bible School students in March or 1972 in the church auditorium. My wife and I were the teachers. At nineteen I was the Bible School director with students who some of them were even in their fifties. At this time, the organization grew to many churches and 22 pastors. I supervised thirteen churches that were adjacent to Manila. We had twenty eight students, who were absolutely fed by Bro. Willhoite; their clothes and personals were also subsidized. Pastors Cesar de la Cruz, Domingo de Asis, Paul Aguinaldo, who today are still in the ministry came out from this batch. Bro. Willhoite was the official church pastor and I was the assistant. In reality, however, I was the pastor and Bro. Willhoite was my assistant. It was in this church that Pastor Wilde Almeda, now a pastor of millions of followers known as the Jesus Miracle Crusade, was a church sweeper.

Venus and I got married September 10, 1971 and Sheilla the firstborn was born on August 3, 1972. Chin became very special not only in that she was the first born but due to the fact that Venus almost died during the delivery and after the delivery. She was breach and the labor took a very long time. After a week Venus had acquired German measles. Had she been infected in her pregnancy Chin, Sheilla's pet name, could have been born blind. Venus was in convulsion from a very high fever. I did not know that it was German measles. She was in convulsion for two hours when we told Sis. Willhoite about it. Venus was counting one...two...three..., which mean that she was on the verge of death. Sis. Willhoite bathed her with ice and the fever subsided. She then was taken in an ambulance to the hospital and the doctor declared that she could have died had Sis. Willhoite not come.

The organization grew rapidly and at this time we had acquired over thirty pastors in the Cagayan de Oro area and still growing. We sponsored meetings in the hotel in Iligan and in Cagayan, all with free food to the visiting pastors. We organized them and put a salaried presbyter over them. Bro. Willhoite traveled all of Mindanao with me as a very handy interpreter. We took a bus from Cagayan de Oro to Gatub, retracing my childhood days. We visited the Bartolabas who were noted for their anting-anting or talisman.We went back to Sicpao wherein there was the war between government soldiers and the rebel Muslims. We ducked for cover when heard machine guns ratatat around the house where we stayed at three o'clock in the morning. On day time, we walked on knee-deep mud, the villagers upon seeing Bro. Willhoite would approach him and kiss his hand. We also traveled to the Siargao Island in Surigao. The boat powered by gasoline motor caught fire in the middle of the ocean. Willhoite aimed to jump to the sea when I jumped into the motor and put off the fire. Several plastic containers above us were filled with gasoline and the fire tried to reach them. Willhoite told me afterwards, "You are an angel."

Back in Manila, we traveled to Baguio city and held a crusade there, at the Burnham Park. Then we came down to Urdaneta, Pangasinan to hold another crusade. Sis. Willhoite played the accordion, Mark Willhoite the guitar, and Darla rendered a song. The Ilocanos were very amused at the sight of two oversized Americans with two beautiful young children. "Nasiyaat," they exclaimed. Each place we went to and held a crusade we put up a church behind.

Bro. Willhoite, over fatigued requested the church in the United States to give him a furlough. Late in 1973 the family left to go back to the United States. Bro. and Sis Langham replaced them. It was Bro. Langham that taught me some invaluable lesson to become a man of the world. He taught me independence. There were moments that I could not contain my anger with them, but now in retrospect I had become a better man because of the lessons Bro. Langham enforced for me to learn. I was past twenty years old at the time. He stopped my salary as pastor of the church. I was mad. "Bro. Willhoite would never do this," I told him. "Willhoite is no longer in charge, I am," he told me firmly. To subsidize my family I went into business by making figurines and sell them in Baclaran. I also bought lady's purses in Binangonan, Rizal, and in Angono and sold them to the ladies working in bars and nightclubs. Every Wednesday I sold my chicken figurines in Baclaran. Sis. Titay Cabintoy, my church member sold naptalina alongside me. I screamed, "Alkansiya, alkansiya," pointing to my chicken figurine while telling people to buy my chicken money coin bank, and Sis. Titay screamed her "Naptalina, naptalina." She sold something that warded off roaches at home.

Time passed very quicly and Bro. Willhoite came back. Was I glad to see them! I was very happy. His gift for me was a brandnew Thompson Chain Bible, a long time dream. And he also bought a Torana car to replace their aging Land Rover. After a week of their arrival and things settled down he called me and my wife into a subdued meeting. I felt something not good. His face was sober and he said, "You guys have to make a decision. I want you to be independent." Venus and I looked at each other, and words skipped our lips; we did not know what to say.

BECOMING WILLHOITE'S RIGHT HAND

From the prayer meeting Bro. Willhoite took us to his house. The ride took so long because we stopped in two places. I saw tall buildings when we passed by Ayala Avenue in Makati and we went inside the South Super Market in Magallanes. This place was heaven as compared to Lugait which was hell. People had pushcarts with wheels while picking up anything from what seemed to me an endless lines of meat and canned goods. I got introduced to a toilet paper for the first time when I helped Bro. Willhoite picked up what he wanted to buy. It was also my first time to know about hamburger and mayonaise. Back where I was from we only cooked fish, boiled chicken, and "ginamos". When we were done inside the super market we loaded everything into the Land Rover. We kept saying between the four of us, "Haskang gwapoha diay ang ilang mercado dinhi," which meant: "Such a beautiful market they got it here." We could not contain ourselves wondering the moderness of the place we were in.

The Land Rover was stopped by two guards in a checkpoint. The sign said "Marcelo Green Village." The guards saluted Bro. Willhoite and we rolled on. I understood from Bro. Willhoite that where he lived was in a village in Paranaque and the guards had to check everyone who came in. We pulled into the driveway while a woman in uniform swung it open. "Good evening sir!" the woman greeted Bro. Willhoite. He said, "Good evening!"

We unloaded ourselves leaving our things behind as instructed. Tonight we would spend the night here at Bro. Willhoite's house. The two children of the Willhoites, John Mark and Darla, came out to greet us. Mark had freckled face and Darla was skinny with long face. Then Sis. Willhoite greeted us. She was a heavy set woman with hair on top of her head that resembled like layered pancakes. She knew who I was by the tape recorded voice that Bro. Willhoite had them to listen to. "Juanito," Sis. Willhoite talked, with a voice that sounded scared, "you have a very wonderful voice." I smiled. We were shown our beds, which was also my first time to see a cushion bed, and then we were fed with hamburgers. That night I disliked the fact that there was no rice. I felt like I was hungry all night long.

The next morning Bro. Willhoite herded us into the jeep to bring us to the Bible School. When we got to the apartment building, I saw Venus in the kitchen cooking. I saw there was rice in the big container. I wondered why our cook was such a beautiful woman. It turned out that Venus was just assigned to cook that day; she was in reality a full time student. There were students seated scattered in the arranged folding chairs, and Bro. Willhoite called the rest of the students from the dormitory upstairs. All seated up, Willhoite introduced us to them. They shook our hands and, for the very first time, Tagalog language replaced the Visayan. I had no time to notice any one of them because I tuned my ears to the invitation to come to eat in the dining room. "Kain na, kain na," Venus called. Acting up as timid I went to the kitchen, occupied a chair and looked to the mountain of rice filed up on a huge plate. Was I glad? Yes, indeed. After saying grace Idug in my spoon like I had not eaten for a year. After a while all my food in my plate was gone. The others were still half-way on their food; I was done, and full.

It did not take long for me to master the tagalog language which was now the language that I had to be used to in Manila and I became the favorite student preacher because I knew how to crack jokes in between my sermons. I became a friend to all and learned to play the accordion. I sang, I played the guitar, I made people laugh when I spoke, and now I also played the accordion. Venus was always close by me and I taught her how to play the accordion and the guitar. But her singing voice was hopeless, I should say. But she was the most beautiful female student in the whole class and all the boys liked her.

The following days and weeks were pretty much exciting for a boy who was born from an uncivilized place called Sicpao. After the school we would go out to knock on doors and to witness to people. We were sent two by two and we looked like office workers on a white shirt and a tie. We also went to many house services. And I got to sing my songs and play my guitar or showed my talent in the accordion.

When Bro. Willhoite had purchased a toyota minibus we were all exuberant; we had been informed about the plan of going out to the provinces on our own bus. The color of the bus was white and absolutely brandnew. Along with the bus was a complete set of musical instruments and sound system. I became the bass player. Joey Guevarra, who used to play in nightclubs, now our classmate, became the combo leader and he taught me how to play the bass. We practiced the songs "The King And I," and, "I Thank God." It was my first time to hold a bass guitar as well as the electric guitar. Back when I went around to sing with Estela in our duet we only had a microphone and we sang a capella. There was no night in our crusade anywhere that I did not get to sing a special number. With the minibus our crusades took us to Pangasinan, to Calamba, Laguna, and even to the Sierra Madre Mountains to preach to the Dumagat tribes. Venus was Bro. Willhoite's interpreter, then later I became the interpreter. We put up many churches as a result of our crusades and in time we started a radio program in Cebu, in Cagayan de Oro, and in Iligan City. In less than six months that I had been away from Lugait, now, every morning, my mother and father, and my brothers and sisters, including those that had been my friends and enemies when I ran the streets of Lugait, heard my voice on the radio. My mother turned up the volume of her radio every morning so that the neighbors could hear the sound of my voice. And in time, because of the letters that we received from people who listened to our broadcast, we came down to Mindanao, particularly in the Cagayan and Iligan area. For the very first time, still seventeen years old, I flew in an airplane. Life drastically changed for me that Venus and I decided to get married in September of 1971, which suited Bro. Willhoite's wishes, and at age 18, I became the pastor of the central church of the Apostolic Ministers Fellowship in Manila. I was now officially the right hand man of Bro. John Willhoite. In less than a year, the prophecy about myself that I told my father before I left Mindanao happened. But surprise of all surprises, no one was surprised about it. They all seemed to know that it was going to happen to me.

MANILA, HERE I COME

The ship Sulpicio Lines stopped in Iloilo, its regular route, to drop and pick up passengers and to load or unload cargoes. The ticket master gave an order that I was to be watched. He commanded that I must be put in a locked room in the ship. While Nanding, Andresa, and Norma were free to go out of the ship, I was in a stockade, with huge padlocks outside my door. People who saw me thought I was a criminal. Some found out the reason and said that the ship was terrible. I was numbed and emotionless, and I did not care. When my father and I dynamited-fish, the police apprehended us but we were not brought to jail. Now, I was on my way to Bible College in a stockade. Norma, the younger sister of Andresa taunted me, "Hala, dili na gyud ka makagawas dinha," (Look, you cannot get out of there.) I laughed, "Hahahahaha!"

When the ship sailed again I was released. The man who opened the door slapped me by the back and said, "Hey, you are free!" He laughed. I understood the whole thing that there was no malice in my locking me in. I went back to my cot and went to sleep. I woke up because the ship was being rocked by big waves. We ran across strong wind and the ship encountered huge waves. I took to the side of the ship to see. It was all dark, it was a morning dawn. I could only see the whiteness of the waves as they slammed agains the hard side of the ship. I reminisced the nights I floated alone on the sea while fishing. My eyes tried to pierce the darkness and saw nothing. I went back to sleep.

We arrived in Manila at seven in the morning. When I woke up Manila bay was everywhere. Nanding up to me, "You know, because you are very smart, the American missionary might bring you to America," he said. I said nothing. I thought of my mother and father. I thought of my Bible School that I left behind. "They did not even know that I was leaving," I muttered to myself.

The ship docked and the same man that locked me in Iloilo came and got me. He again locked me in the same room. Wordlessly, he went to his motions and then left. I agreed and calmly sat down. Two hours passed yet no one came to redeem me. I was beginning to get hungry, and as a young person I was a very big eater. Andresa handed bibingka and coffee. "Don't worry," she said, "Willhoite should be here anytime now." I nodded.

Noon time came, still there was no Willhoite. Perhaps, he did not receive the RCPI. Worry began to mark our faces. Should I be shipped back? Then the man assigned to keep me a prisoner unlocked the door. He motioned that I follow him. Clanking sounds of metals mixed with indistinguishable human voices filled my ears. Under my arms was my suitcase. I had no shoes, I was only on slippers. My maong pants was very tight, and my shirt unbuttoned on the upper part. Still I was not afraid, nor even concerned. I was only anxious. The man, in his late thirties, guided me going down. Andresa was watching me from the ground. Nanding was gone. He went to fetch Bro. Willhoite on a taxi. I was led into a shade then locked again inside some steel bars that resembled like a prisonhouse. Everyone now could see me, unlike the other room. All eyes gaped on me and their mouth went into a murmur. And afternoon came, and there was no Willhoite. And now I became uncomfortable. I began wondering if God had punished me for going to a oneness Bible College. I wanted to cry to call my mother. And then I became very hungry.

Bro. Willhoite came finally at seven in the evening and redeemed me. My price was thirty-nine pesos. Wordlessly I voiced out my complaints. My face showed anger. Willhoite led us to a parked red Land Rover. He explained that no RCPI came. He apologized to us and especially to me. I wanted to speak that all I cared was some food. I had not eaten the whole day. But somehow no words came out of my mouth.

"We'll eat later," he spoke, as if he heard me. Willhoite was heavy-set having a long and narrow chin that was deeply planted in his round face. He had a balding head with blue eyes that laughed silently. "Bro. Juanito, I had let the students hear your singing," he turned to me. "All of them know that you are coming." I spoke only to myself, "I am hungry."

The land rover ran like a very fast red snake that zigzagged the many wide roads as Willhoite passed other slow moving vehicles. I had not seen so many cars and so many people in my life. People crossed the road endlessly, and police were everywhere. Christmas just passed a couple of weeks ago and late shoppers were everywhere. This was January of 1970 and political unrest could be felt anywhere.

At long last we arrived at our destination, the compound of a former millionaire whose name was Atty Jose Montilla. He invited that the students of Willhoite come to his cottage prayer meeting. The service immediately started when we got in. People got up to shake our hands. Timidly I gingerly sat in a corner by the round post, hiding myself from everybody's eyes. A guitar laid on the side of a chair nearby and I reached for it. I tuned it up and then a young attractive lady took the front and led the singing. Her name was Venus Almeda. She was slender, pitite and fair-skinned. She sang "Chirst is the answer." My accompaniment followed her voice and my hunger left me.

BIBLE SCHOOL, HERE I COME

The Living Word Bible Seminary was housed in a large compound of three average sized houses that occupied about an area of a football field stretching from the main road in Dalipuga down to the beach. The middle house served as the pastoral, and the building beside the beach was the school. The house by the road served as the dormitory. The entire facility was donated by Ador Yanez to the Living Word church organization headed by Pastor Pagalan. Adoracion Yanez was the daughter of one of the richest men in the area who got newly converted to the born again movement. To feel good, she donated the whole thing to the work of the Lord. Pastor Nestor Lagdamen, a short man in his early thirties, who was very intellectual, was the head administrator and Pastor Ruby Alatraca was the school principal. The school had some forty students coming from all direction in Mindanao and some from the Visayas. I became a very much welcome addition because my two brothers, Fred and Ramon, where doing very wonderfully in the ministry as pastors of the Assembly of God organization. And they knew of the Ayudtud family as a very big family. Sister Alatraca, Pastor Ruby's wife, was all smiles interviewing me. "I think that you will do very good here," she said. I was only sixteen at that time but was towering big in size as compared to the other people and was mature in my thinking.

In a few days I familiarized myself with the new lifestyle but I still smoked. We started the school day with a program where a student would practice-preach and then to be criticized or commented on. When it was time for my turn I did get many comments, some good and some bad. We laughed at our shortcomings and imperfections and were easy to forgive those who hit us sort of "below the belt" comments. I began interested on Bible characters and became sharp in remembering the location of verses. I memorized the thirty-nine books of the old testament and the twenty-seven books in the new testament. And I was faster than anyone in my class when it came to memorizing scriptures.

I became very prayerful and conscious of the presence of God. I gradually lessened my smoking specially after one of the lady students saw me smoking and preached about it in her practice-preaching time. I retaliated and brought her down to humility by itemizing all of her bad attitudes. Anyway, this was one of the games played in the school and there was no harm done. I became very enthused in evangelism that I would go out alone in Dalipuga proper to distribute tracts. I even took Rudy Macabenta with me to Iligan to preach around the cockpit arena using a megaphone. I pointed at the people telling them that they all were headed down to hell and that they remedy was for them to believe in the gospel. I preached about Sodom and Gomorrah with a shrill voice, sending some people to cover their ears. I was on fire and unstoppable.

December came and we went around Christmas caroling to raise money for our school. I was of course the guitarist. I led the singing although I was not the choir director. We were twelve people, nine girls and three boys, and we went around Dalipuga and up and down all places. Then we went to Matabang where we found trouble. Pastor Lagdamen was with us along with his wife when rocks began raining on us. "Hey!" we all screamed while taking cover. "Boy!" a voice filled the air, "come out and we will kill you!" The young man who shouted was one of those that Jose and I beat before. He saw I was in the group and desired revenge. I saw in the distance that they were many in number. I suddenly ran to the light from an electric post undaunted. "Come!" I shouted back. Pastor Lagdamen was screaming and showing his badge as a police officer. The group stopped at a distance. I recognized some of them. But they were determined to hurt me and they moved in. Suddenly, Tonieto, my cousin who lived in the area stood in between. "Don't touch Boy!" he said. "Over my dead body!" Tonieto was the so-called maton, the toughie, in that place. And no one dared to cross him. I then saw the group backed out. Tonieto came up to me and proudly spoke to my caroling group that I was his favorite cousin.

In August of 1969 I was given a church to pastor in upper Dalipuga because the church became vacant on the account of the pastor leaving for another assignment. I had preached in this church as a preacher-student and the people liked me. I was only sixteen at the time and they had me as a temporary pastor. Also in the school I began to substitute teach. I was getting better in my English because English was my favorite subject during high school days. I did not finish fourth year and was not able to graduate high school but my English was better than some of the college kids. I was very good in reading and Pastor Lagdamen informed me that the following year the school management would appoint me as a regular teacher. That was a very fast kind of promotion.

I would be one year in the school in the coming November when Rev. John Willhoite, a oneness missionary visited our school. Along with Pastor Domingo Guzmana he was given a tour of the class. Willhoite was in Mindanao to recruit students for his Bible School in Manila. We learned that he was a oneness and not a trinitarian and we were taught that the doctrine was of the devil. Yet, what I could not understand was when Pastor Alatrace taught us about how to debate with the Jehovah's witnesses that we had to use the stand of the oneness. I remembered him saying: "The oneness doctrine is a very strong doctrine, although it is a wrong doctrine." Now Willhoite was talking to us. Then he got out a tape recorder from his bag and asked me to sing. It had been known that I was a real good singer and he wanted to record my voice. I got my guitar and sang, "I'm longing for that glorious day when all the saints will come..." That was my very first time to see a tape recorder. And, of course, my very first time to hear a recorded voice of my singing. The crowd around me clapped and Willhoite said that it was very good. I was exhilirated and in utter disbelief. "After all, this devil is doing good to record my voice," I said to myself wordlessly.

Emotionally I was doing well. I did not drink nor smoke. My father and mother were very pleased about my transformation. But we did not have any money. We were now dependent on some people that were renting one of our rooms in the house. The man was an engineer at Floro Cement with a wife that was absolutely beautiful. But he got killed. Someone shot him and killed him on the spot. It was a very sad time for the wife. She packed up and went back to Manila.

Time to go back to school on a Monday. I prepared everything, but I had to bring some rice and must buy some canned goods. I was happy in my spirit when I asked my mother for some money. "Boy," she answered sadly, "we do not have anything." I spoke "What" loudly and in desperation I hit the wall with my fist. I did not see the nail on the wall that was used to hang clothes. The nail went inside my fist. When I pulled my fist away blood squirte all over. My eyes got big and I became very scared. I found a white used T-shirt and I wrapped it around my bleeding hand. Suddenly, the T-shirt was all blood. I ran down to the guava tree and chewed some leaves and applied them on my wound. I murmured unintelligible words. I cursed the moment. I must have said, "What a hell, or, what a life." Nothing mattered now, I was angry and I was not going back to Bible School. I was beside myself when I passed the house of Lourdes Depino. Lourdes called me, "Boy, it's good to see you!" she was all smiles. "Andresa and Nanding are leaving tomorrow to Manila, to go to Bro. Willhoite's school there, why don't you go with them?" I said, "Yeah, I will go." I did not know why I said yes. I only know one thing now, I said yes out of desperation.

I informed my mother and father that I would be going with Andresa to Manila. "Manila?" my mom was aghast. "Manila! No way," she said. "Do you know where Manila is? Do you realize how far that is? We would die if you go." I told my father about it. I told him that we did not have any money where we were at and that it would be my chance to do better there. I mentioned to my father about the American by the name of Rev. Willhoite. "I'd become the right hand man of Bro. Willhoite," I said to my dad. "Then I will go to America."

My mom cried and cried that night. She did not want to lose me. My dad agreed with me. I packed my wrapless suitcase and all of my earthly belongings fit inside it. I did not have any money. Mama borrowed ten pesos from a neighbor. I trusted the words of Andresa, "Don't worry Brother Boy. Willhoite will take care of everything." I did not have a ticket to board the ship. Nanding and Andresa, with her sister Norma, had the tickets. Andresa sent a telegram to Willhoite through RCPI that I was coming and that he should meet us with money for my fare because I would be riging the boat "paga-destino," a spanish word for "pay at arrival."

Sunday night came. It was time for me to leave Lugait to a real big city called Manila. I was only anxious but not fearful. I assuage my mother's feeling by assuring her that I would be back soon. This was the first time for the four of us to board a big ship and to go to Manila. I had nothing except ten pesos and my belongings inside the wooden suitcase. When we boarded the ship the man did not want me to get in. Nanding said that I had to come along, and that an American will pay for my fare once we get to Manila. The ticket master came to see me. Andresa showed her confidence that we were God's workers and that it is important for God that I go to Manila. "Do you want him to sing?" she told the ticket master. "He is a very good singer." Finally, the ticket master said yes. After a while the ship was untied from the pier and its huge horn sounded off, "POOOOFFFF!" We stepped on the side of the boat to look at Iligan City. As we progressed off deeper to the ocean, Iligan City loomed bigger and bigger but fainter and fainter.