TESTIMONY OF PASTOR NENA

Ps Nena Ibanez/AO Partner in Tacloban Ministry, Philippines

I was born in Lloilo City, Molo, in the Philippines and my parents were saved and accepted Jesus when an American missionary came to our church to preach. I was about 7 years old then and when I heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ I knew I wanted Jesus in my life. My parents were so excited to share the Gospel to everyone they met so at a young age my siblings and I often followed my parents when they went out evangelising. I grew in the Word and in my love for God by listening to them as they shared with others.

We were not rich and our parents worked hard to support us but we were happy. All this ended when my dad passed away suddenly followed by my mother just 4 years later. Our whole lives changed then. My brothers, sisters (8 of us siblings) and I moved to live with my older married sister in Cebu as we were too young to support ourselves or live on our own. My sister and brother-in-law were both in Bible school then. The stress of having us all live with them and having to support us was too much for my brother-in-law and he started to back-slide, quit Bible School and began drinking alcohol every night. It was a terrible time for us as he came back drunk every night, filled with a rage against us and would threaten us with a knife. It was a nightmare experience for us and I prayed and cried out to the Lord to help us. Often my siblings and I had to run for our life and hide in the streets at night till my brother-in-law fell into a drunken sleep. But I felt the presence of God always protecting us. When he tried to force my sister to give up serving God or have anything to do with Christianity she finally left him taking her son with her rather than give up her faith in Jesus Christ. 

The Lord answered our prayers and sent us an American missionary couple who took me and my sibling under their wing, helped us to finish our elementary and high school education so we could pursue God’s call in our lives. Out of the eight of us, four of us went to Bible school and entered full time ministry. But our trials were not over yet. Within a period of 4 years I lost 3 brothers to cancer, my youngest brother at only 23 years old. It was a sad time for us but I found comfort in the Lord and found my peace in Him.

I always knew I wanted to serve God full time so after finishing my High School I entered Bible school and then entered the Asia Pacific Theological Seminary in Baguio. I thank God that He provided my every need and supplied all the finances I needed to finish my studies. I sought the Lord earnestly asking Him what was His plans for me as I wanted to be totally obedient as to where He wanted me to go. In 1987, after graduating, God opened a door for me to teach in a Bible school in Leyte. I was going to a place far from my family where I did not know anyone but I responded to God’s call and went. I knew the Lord would be with me and I was not alone.

I was a full time faculty member of Zion Bible Institute, Palo, Leyte and was also involved in outreaches, bible studies and children ministries. Together with a team in Bible School we planted a church in Palo, Leyte. After many years, I started pioneering a church in Sta. Fe, Leyte by doing children's ministry and not very long the parents of the children also wanted to have Bible studies. 

Thank God that after a year He provided a church building and I became the full time pastor. Later the Word of God continued to spread and we were able to start a second church in barangay. San Roque and now the Lord also provided a church building in this barangay.

Besides my pastoral duties at my church I also teach Bible Study and lecture in conferences and seminars for pastors, teachers, women, youth and children. Praise God he has given us an opportunity to teach Christian values in an elementary school and high school. The Lord has also put a special burden in my heart to minister to children abandoned by their parents. In the Philippines, of the 1.8 million children in the country, more than 1% of its entire population are “abandoned or neglected”, according to the United Nations’ Children's Rights. Some are victims of extreme poverty; others of natural disasters and armed conflicts in the country’s troubled south. Yet the country’s adoption bureaucracy is so tangled up in paperwork that scores of aspiring adoptions take too long to be approved and abandoned children are left to grow up without parents. I have personally taken in two kids to live with me since they were abandoned at one month old (a girl) and a 1 year old (a boy.) These two children have been such a blessing to me and I thank God for them every day. They are now 12 and 14 years old!

Praise the Lord for wisdom and knowledge and strength that he gave me to be able to cope with the demands and problems in everyday life. Though sometimes I feel weak physically with the needs around me and discouraged, but I know I am not perfect and I know God doesn't expect me to be perfect. Praise the Lord he always reminds me that though I am weak he is strong and His power is shown best in my weakness. Every day I remind myself that my ministry is to be the hand of God to reach out to those who are hurting, to the weak and needy people around me. God is really good and every day is a miracle seeing that He provides for our needs and protection. God continues to heal the sick, mend the broken hearted and heal relationships. What a blessing to know that God is working in our midst.

I would like to thank Asian Outreach Malaysia for coming into my life through God’s divine appointment at the right moment when my need was greatest. It was after Typhon Haiyan had struck and left its trail of havoc and destruction in Tacloban  that Ps Eric came to see how he could help my people. Thank you AOM and the donors so much for all of your prayers, financial support and for extending help to us. May the Lord richly bless you in return and prosper the work of your hands.

ISAIAH 58:10-11

“…and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,

then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always.”