Ministry name: Revival Christian Church Global Outreach. (RCCGO)

Asian Outreach is pleased to announce our support for a new ministry in Badian, Cebu, Philippines. Badian is 98 km (61 mi) southwest of Cebu City and it is a hilly topography. We will be supporting Ps Josephine Manilla who pastors the Revival Christian Church Global Outreach Church (RCCGO) in Baranggay (village) Calangcang, about 20 mins from the main town of Badian. Ps Josephine never dreamed she would become a pastor and do the Lord’s work. Here is her story:

I grew up in a poor family and life for us was very difficult. I felt my life was meaningless as I grew and I had no goals because I thought I was too poor to envision a better life. This would be my lot in life- a life of poverty and despair. As I grew up, I had no hope or direction in my life and I felt useless. I started going down a sinful path, having wrong relationships and doing things that I knew were wrong. I also shut Jesus out of my life.

In 1997, I went to Hongkong to work as a domestic helper. Like every young girl I had dreams of working hard and earning enough money to travel and see the world. Within 3 months of my arrival in Hong Kong someone shared the Gospel with me and though I have been a Catholic, I had never experienced God in my life. But one day, God brought me to the place where He encountered me through His messenger. This time Jesus felt so real to me and I felt a deep stirring in my heart. I felt that I needed to be born again and I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and since then I felt a calling from the Lord to serve Him. The day that I accepted Him as my Lord and Saviour, my life changed. I found new purpose in my life and I felt so loved. I began to seek God earnestly for His plans for me and I had a strong desire to submit to His will and to obey Him in every way.

I decided to obey without knowing how difficult and hard it is as a follower of Jesus. In my 19 years working in Hong Kong, I was equipped by my leader and Pastor to do the ministry as a worship and cell leader. My Pastor saw my desire to serve God and he encouraged me to go to Bible school. When I finished Bible school, my Pastor assigned me to start leading the second service and it grew by God's grace. Before this happened, when I was a new believer, the Lord enabled me to start Saturday cell group which grew and became a regular event till this day. I praise God for my employer who allowed me to go to Bible School  and the freedom to serve the Lord during my off days and free time. To God be the glory!

God was training, equipping and preparing me in Hong Kong to return to the Philippines and on my return I started a children's ministry then followed with an adult bible study and after two years I started regular service as a pioneering house church. As I faithfully served the Lord, great challenges and trials came to me. My husband committed adultery and had a son from another woman. It was difficult for me to accept but by God’s grace I forgave him and I took him back as my husband. At the age of 43 I conceived and the pregnancy was a normal one but I delivered a still born baby. The loss of our baby really devastated my husband and me. We had looked forward to being a family and having children. Before we could heal from this grief more challenges followed. After 6 months of losing my baby, my husband also passed away with a chronic disease.

My situation at that time was a big question mark and I asked God why this was happening to me. I questioned God time and again but I still served Him faithfully. He was my strength during those dark days and when I felt I could not go on, His grace was sufficient for me and I continued doing the ministry that God entrusted me. When the COVID-19 pandemic started and we had a lockdown I engaged myself to equip leaders to help me in ministry. Now we have more bible study groups and I pray that God will sustain them.

My Faith has been tested through trials, problems when my husband committed adultery and the loss of my only son and my husband but God's amazing grace sustained me to continue serving Him knowing that He's all I need.

Every Sunday, we feed the people who attend our service and we conduct equipping classes for ministry. In the weekly bible study, we serve snacks and have good fellowship with our participants too. Every quarter, we have a big gathering and invite speakers to empower the people for one and a half day lessons and it involves feeding all delegates and speakers. These evangelistic meetings encourage the growth of my ministry and people here are eager to hear the Word.

Three years ago, my former employer in Hongkong came with a Malaysian Pastor and this Pastor had a gift of healing and deliverance. We witnessed a miracle when a lady well known in our community for being possessed was delivered and she testified that she saw Jesus. From then on, I too received the gift to heal the sick and deliver the oppressed in the name of Jesus.

The house capacity is only for 30 people but we are praying that God will provide for us a church as our membership grows. I thank Asian Outreach Malaysia for giving me an opportunity to be a part of the AO family and for supporting my ministry. To God be the Glory.

Romans 10:14-15 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?  And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”

God is faithful to His promises!