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.