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.