Our beginnings… We begin our mission blog with a compilation of stories of our early years as a mission organization. These stories molded us into who we are now as a mission organization. All stories were God focused and actual experiences of our pioneering missionaries on the field. They were firsthand narratives describing how each Filipino missionaries witnessed the mighty works of our living God in full display. They saw and tasted the miracles of God in response to their prayers which provided for their needs. They were supernaturally brought to situations that were beyond comprehension and given amazing opportunities to minister to the lost and needy people of each nation. The stories will best explain how our poor missionaries were able to sustain their stay in the mission field for long periods of time and see their ministries flourish throughout the years that passed. All their testimonies converge to a single truth - God is actively at work in the lives of people who responds in complete faith to His call.
They saw the Mighty hand of God and they could not contain in their hearts the joy it has brought to their lives, In this blog site, you’ll read the exciting God Sighting stories shared from the hearts of missionaries who truly encountered our living God in the mission field.
GOD SIGHTING STORY # 12 (CLASSICS)
“Lord, my ticket to Kenya! My ticket to Kenya!
Posted by itphilip@itphilippines.org on 08/13/2016
“It’s time for all eagles to fly! Your time to step on your land of destiny has come!”
Pastor Gani Sison, International Teams Philippines’ Executive Director, confidently declared these words as missionaries present at that fellowship meeting responded with cheers, clapping and joyful shouting.
It was a time of great jubilation as we celebrated once again, how God has faithfully made a way for missionaries to go where God wanted them to go.
Countless times, I celebrated with them. Countless times, I rejoiced with them. For weeks and months, I was a witness to miraculous provisions and amazing testimonies of missionaries being sent to their mission fields. And there I was again, clapping my hands, rejoicing, sincerely happy for them. Yet, deep down, I couldn’t help but ask God, my God who called me, “When is my time to fly? How long do I still need to wait, Lord?”
Called to Kenya
Several months back, I felt called to attend IT Philippines’ ACCESS Missions Training. Before the training was over, the Lord confirmed in my heart His desire for me to go to Kenya. It was a daunting call. On my own, I did not even had the means to purchase the ticket. Still, I believed that as God called me, He would provide for everything I would need.
As I waited on His timing, I continued to attend the weekly missionary fellowship meetings at IT Philippines. Week after week after week, I saw people leaving and it left me wondering when my own time would come. The fire in my heart burned stronger than ever, and I desperately longed to be where God has called me to go. I was offered to go somewhere else, but I turned the offer down knowing that God wanted me to be in Kenya.
Exasperation Turns to Exhilaration
As time dragged on, I increasingly became desperate, then exasperated. The waiting started to wear me down. I decided to escape to a prayer mountain to refresh my soul. True to His Word, the Lord infused me with new strength and new hope. He did not tell me exactly when and how I was going to Kenya, but He did confirm in my heart that Kenya was where I should go. That was enough assurance for me, and I left the prayer mountain once again ready for more months of waiting.
One day, I received an invitation to preach at a church in Baguio City. There, I shared my passion for Kenya. At the end of my preaching, out of sheer anticipation of the fulfillment of God’s promise, I raised both hands and screamed at the top of my lungs, “Lord, my ticket to Kenya! My ticket to Kenya!”
A woman suddenly came up to me, crying uncontrollably. She was obviously crying tears of joy. What she said blew my mind. “We have been looking for you! For five years! Finally, we found you!”
The Vision, the Mission, and the Quest
After this surprise and emotional encounter, the woman, a Missionary Pastor from South Korea, tearfully told me her story.
Her Senior Pastor received a vision from the Lord five years ago – their church was going to help an orphanage in Kenya. However, the Lord made it very clear that He would use a Filipina missionary to serve there instead, and the South Korean church was supposed to support her with whatever she needed. How were they to choose which Filipina to send to Kenya? The Lord gave them this sign: The Filipina was going to raise her hands and scream very loudly, “Lord, my ticket to Kenya! My ticket to Kenya!”
The Senior Pastor sent several missionaries to the Philippines specifically to look for this one Filipina whom the Lord appointed to support the orphanage in Kenya.
Finally, after five years, they found me!
Soon after, I asked for Ptr. Gani’s help to book my flight to Kenya. The bonus was that the Missionary Pastor I met in Baguio City came with me!
I never got to meet the Senior Pastor, as she was called home to be with the Lord after a long bout with an illness.
An orphanage was greatly supported, and the vision came to pass. My mission was accomplished, all by God’s grace and miracle-working power. Indeed, we can trust the living God who fulfills His promises.
“He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.” ~ 1 Thess. 5:24, ESV
“I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!” ~ Isaiah 65:24, NLT
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