On board China Airlines to Taiwan.
On May 23, 2023, I and my wife flew to California, USA, for a church ministry invitation. It was about attending conferences, ministry training and helping out in a new church doing volunteer work for 6 months. Earlier, we had an interview at the US Embassy in Manila in March for the purpose and with relative ease we were given multiple 10-year visa just like that. No sweat. If it weren't God's will, He could've stopped it right there and then. But He allowed it.
There are a thousand and one reasons why God would allow something. His permission does not always mean his direct will. Often, he allows things to serve as lessons, not really as mission fulfillment, except if the mission is about you. And mind you, He allows things but not without leading us to the wilderness to tame and hone us (keep our self in check) before we get our Canaan reward--or before He empowers us in the Holy Spirit, as in the case of Jesus.
Just before flight. Waiting at NAIA.
Anyway, so there we were at the NAIA on May 23, it was my first time to go inside NAIA as a passenger, by the way. Just being in NAIA was exciting already. How much more being in the US? We met other China Airline passengers taking the same plane we were but going to different places. We acquainted ourselves with them a bit but separated ways at the Taiwan International Airport. Some went to London, one nun to Rome, Italy. It felt like they were going to be our friends during the duration of our stay in the US, but the separation in Taiwan realigned my thinking.
We sadly said good bye. They were just passing scenes. Video below of our Taiwan airport stopover.
From Taiwan to San Francisco, everyone on the plane were Chinese except for the couple at the back. I heard them speaking in English and Tagalog. The flight took longer and more boring despite the Chinese movies I had watched on the small screen attached to the back rest of the seat in front of me. I also slept a lot, awakened only by the distribution of snacks or meals. I think we ate every hour or so. I also tried to use the plane's restroom once but got trapped in it. I couldn't get out because the door seemed stuck. An alert stewardess came to my rescue, simply pushed the door a bit, and I was set free. I felt stupid.
You must understand, it was first time to fly international.
After what seemed like eternity, we were finally on US airspace. Then at San Francisco airport. Me in the US! I never thought I'd be in the US. It was never my dream. I have never desired to be here like what most Filipinos ardently dream of and desperately try to do. I even turned down my dad's petition--I should've been here a long time ago had I responded to the petition. At the time, I didn't have God's urgency in me. I prayed a lot about it--as well as other offers--but God didn't put any desire in me or weight on the matter.
What made me go this time? Ministry dream fulfillment. I have a dream--I want to start evangelistic and discipleship summer camps in the Philippines where I'd target 5 to 10 youths in each city my present disciples are located. These are Taguig, Bicutan, Dasma in Cavite, Mandaluyong, Las Pinas and in my place in Project 8, QC. If there would be, say, 5 youths each city (that's a good start), there would be 30 new, young souls hearing the Gospel.
Hopefully, that would start new bible study groups (and later house churches) in those places. My heart's burden is for Metro Manila. I want to see a genuine move of God here, one of God's supernatural visitation moves, hoping I'd be part of it. I'm tired of church-as-usual. I want to see things in Jesus' ministry in the Gospel and the Acts happening today in Metro Manila. Nothing churchy impresses me anymore. I don't care about mega churches or even church growth that lacks the original Jesus' and his apostles' ministry supernatural elements. I look for genuine God's ways.
The allowance from my church volunteer work would somehow help fulfill this dream. See now? Second to this, I'm excited to be of help in a new house-church ministry here in the US. I'm blessed by the developments. I know God sent me here to see things and learn, and such learnings are worth more--over and above--any seminary degree or title or conference certificates, which I never give a damn about.
Back to our US stay. So finally we were at the San Francisco International Airport (a rather small one for an international function) and I was a bit apprehensive going through Customs. They say you can be sent directly home from here if things went wrong. But I prayed and trusted God. I told Him, so what if they send us home pronto? You're in control. If that happens, so be it. You're our Host.
When our turn to face the Customs police-inspector came, I simply answered his queries, including his wondering about my accent considering it was my first time in the US. "You speak English pretty good with your accent, are you sure this is your first time here?" he asked. I talked about my stint with an international call center company in Manila where I underwent rigid speech training. He was impressed. Thank GOD.
Past the Customs area, we met a Filipino porter who has been working in the airport for 20 years and oriented us a bit about the airport. He offered us a baggage cart and escorted us to the exit gate for $20--the regular carts at $1 each were locked for some reason. Anyway, we saw Ate Marlene and Ptr Manny at the lobby waiting, while Kuya Jun--our host and ate Marlene's husband (and my wife's bro)--was waiting at the van taking us to Roseville.
By the way, Kuya Jun is bishop of the church that sponsors our stay there.
So there. Going out of the airport, I had my first inhale of US air. It was very cold in San Francisco (colder than the cold I felt in Baguio at any time) and the sights were very different. I couldn't believe we made it here. And yeah, there are a lot of Americans here, too, as a lot of folks tell us. 😄 That same night, Kuya Jun took us to this Vietnamese resto in Vallejo serving one of the best Asian food dishes I have ever tasted. And boy, were the servings really big.
