His passport wasn't renewed yet God told him to go to Thailand.

IF YOU TRUST ME THEN TRY ME

Brother Willy Angeles has been praying for God’s next step in his life after he finished his Access 1 Training. A few months passed and other exposure trips in other countries had occurred, but he was still waiting for God’s next instruction. Then one Thursday during the IT fellowship, he heard the announcement of the exposure trip to Pattaya, Thailand. For whatever reason, his heartfelt that God has called him to go. He couldn’t explain the excitement and the certainty that he could go.

A month before the trip, he started inquiring how much it would cost him to go to Thailand and it was around 8,000 pesos for the airfare from the Philippines to Thailand. However, days have passed, and he couldn’t secure his airfare. Eight thousand pesos was so hard for him to come by. All trainees who wish to join the exposure trip should attend the briefing. Two days left before the briefing, and he called the IT office to ask how much the plane ticket was. It got doubled! Because the departure date is up ahead, he had to prepare 17,000 pesos. It was already difficult for him to obtain 8,000 pesos which make 17,000 pesos impossible for him to have in the span of two days. He was feeling discouraged that things are getting more difficult for him to go. “Where can I get 17,000 pesos?” he asked himself while he was staring blankly into the air in his despair. But suddenly, something reminded him of the certainty that God wanted him to go to Thailand. He started to believe again. That tiny flame in his heart started to take over his thoughts and he declared and claimed victory over this situation. “I will surely go!”

The day before the briefing, he decided to go to his father who is farming in the rice field. He told him that he needed at least 30,000 pesos to go to Thailand. His father got so mad at him for asking that amount. Thirty-thousand pesos is already considered a fortune in the province. His father works at a farm, and he could barely make ends meet. There was no way his father can give him that amount. Brother Willy went home and prayed. A few hours later, his dad from the rice field went home and handed him the 30,000 pesos he needed. He was so happy and couldn’t believe what just happened. He didn’t know how his father got the 30,000 pesos which was considered an impossible amount for them to have at that instant. But one thing is for sure, God made a way to provide for him. That God would open the floodgates of heaven for His children who trust Him. Brother Willy once again believed and was encouraged to continue this journey. But soon after that, he was about to be tested again.

His plane ticket was secured but he was faced with another dilemma. He found out that his passport couldn’t qualify him to travel abroad because of the six months validity rule. His passport was about to expire in less than six months. He was advised to go to the Department of Foreign Affairs to seek the assistance of the matter at hand. But he was told by the DFA officer that he won’t be permitted to enter other countries unless he’ll have his passport renewed. Dejected, he started to fill out the passport renewal form. He was starting to lose hope again. Then he felt that someone was speaking in his heart, “If you trust me then try me”. He was so sure that God was speaking to him, so he mustered up his courage and decided to seek further information from the Immigration Office in the other building. It was already late afternoon, and the Immigration Office had its steel doors half-closed, and the security guard told him he was not allowed to enter anymore. It seems that he couldn’t get a break. He decided to go home because the situation seemed hopeless. Then he heard God’s voice again “If you trust me then try me”. He went back and even crawled on the floor just to get in since the steel doors were half-closed. Finally, he got the chance to speak with the immigration officer, but he was told that he will have problems entering Thailand if his passport is not renewed. On that day, he was rejected three times, but his hope is with God. The God who provided for his registration fee during his Access 1 Training, the One who provided the 30,000 pesos for his airfare and allowance, and the God who spoke to him to move forward.

It was the day of his departure. He left the Philippines and arrived safely at Thailand’s airport. He decided to let his fellow trainees pass the immigration first. His heart was pounding so hard as he waited for his turn, but he remembered what God told him. He was standing in front of the immigration officer, and it was taking a long time. His Team Leader and his fellow trainees were wondering what was taking so long. Therefore, his Team Leader came back for him and asked the immigration officer if there was any problem. The officer said there was a glitch and there was no internet connection. Without further inquiry, he stamped on Brother Willy’s passport, and he just let him pass. Brother Willy praised the Lord for His amazing intervention!

It was truly God who showed him a favor and opened the doors of Thailand for him. There was no way an international airport in Thailand won’t have an internet connection but only God can intervene in such things, and He always keeps His word to his children. “If you trust me then try me” When we trust God and not lean on our understanding, we can experience things beyond our imagination, and He will surely direct our paths just like what he did for Brother Willy.

Up to the present moment, Brother Willy didn't stop traveling in just one country, but he had traveled to several other countries already with full of confidence in God's promises in his life. He never doubted again what God can do and will never forget what God did when he had nothing and encountered a lot of hurdles on his first trip abroad in Thailand. He knows that there's more to anticipate in this journey of faith because God will always reveal Himself in ways surpassing what he could imagine.

When all else fails in life, we have to trust God's plan. But even before anything goes awry, putting our faith in the Lord is a great way to get the assurance we need to press onward. There's so much we don't know about how our lives are going to turn out, but God does know, and He can guide us forward on our journeys if we have faith in Him.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.

(Written by: Venus Jablo)