Philippines Journal 2015 |
|
11/5/2015
Today is the day that I left for the Philippines to minister what God has put upon my heart for the Filipino people. I got to the airport at 8:45 AM. It took nearly forty-five minutes to process at the baggage counter and I still had to go through security. Finally getting through security, I made my way toward the departure gate which just happened to be all the way across the airport. I only had to wait in the boarding area for a little more than an hour and then boarded Flight 199 headed to Seoul, Korea.
11/5-6/2015
Not sure what happened, but somewhere across the ocean, we passed over the International Dateline and the time changed by fourteen hours and it was now the 6th of November, so I did not get to finish the 5th before I was in the 6th. Arrived in Seoul, Korea fourteen hours later and then I had to sit in the airport for three and a half hours waiting for my next flight that would be heading to Cebu, Philippines.
I boarded my flight on Asiana Airlines and was on my way to Cebu, Philippines which was a four hour flight. The flight is scheduled to arrive in Cebu at 11:55 PM.
11/7/2015
Our plane arrived at Mactan International Airport from Seoul, Korea at 12:20 AM Philippine Standard Time. I made my way off the plane and made my way to the Passport Security Check-in. I had to stand in line for over an hour before finally getting to one of the security counters. I was cleared at the security counter and was released to retrieve my baggage and then head to customs.
It only took me about ten minutes to get my bags and go through customs. After customs I was headed out the door and out to meet my friend Pastor Ken Tagud and into the city of Cebu. We arrived at The Well Hotel where I was going to be staying at about 2 AM and by the time I got a much needed shower and went to bed it was 3 AM. At home I normally get up every morning at around 5:30 AM and so why should being in another country and sixteen hours difference in time make any difference. I was wide awake and up at 5 AM.
At 6:30 AM I went downstairs and had my complimentary breakfast at the D’café and then walked down to Faith Tabernacle Church to meet Pastor Ken Tagud. Though I was supposed to have the day off to rest but with everything that is going to be taking place, I decided that we needed to sort out the clothing we were taking out to the small islands and into the slums. I had shipped ahead of me four big boxes full of clothing plus I brought a large suitcase full of clothes. Together with the church helpers and Pastor Ken’s wife Fe, we began sorting clothes into sizes and boy or girl bundles. It took us about three hours to sort the clothes and they were ready to be delivered.
After getting the clothing done, Pastor Ken said “Let’s go to Starbucks and rest”, I accepted his invitation. So, we got into his van and headed out to the SM Mall which is now the biggest one in the Philippines. We arrived at Starbucks and I was ready to order my favorite drink in the Philippines which is a Mango Shake. After we had finished our shakes we then went out into the mall and went to the gelato stand and I had my favorite gelato which is Mango. After the gelato we thought we had better balance out our splurging on the calories with something healthy, so we went to a place called Toni Q and I had a health drink called a Super C. The Super C’s ingredients are Carrot, Red Peppers, Orange and Banana.
Ken and I spent the afternoon in the air conditioning and then headed back to Ken’s to get his wife Fe and his three kids, Keven, Kendace and Kenny. Ken took us to a really nice buffet and we had dinner there. After dinner it was getting late and I had been getting along all day on only two hours’ sleep, so it was time to get me back to my hotel and get some rest because I had a very busy day on Sunday as I was speaking at all four services starting at 7 AM.
Before I can go to bed I have to go over the notes I have prepared before coming to the Philippines. As I go over my notes God is speaking to me assuring me that He is with me and just to trust Him. I am finished and ready to get some sleep.
11/8/2015
My Sunday began at 7 AM with our first service; we had an anointed service as well. Pastor Ken had spoken to me on Saturday about my message being on tithing if it was alright with me. I had never spoken on tithing before because it was not in my realm of expertise being an Evangelist and all. I speak on Healing and Salvation not matters that should be spoken on by the Lead Pastor or the Sheppard of the church. I told him that I would speak on it though I had my reservations. I know as a minister that we need to be prepared in season and out and I had to make a sudden change in my message. I had no choice but to depend upon God for the words to speak. Not only did I speak it in the first service but in the next two services as well with the fourth service being the healing service.
We truly had very anointed services speaking on tithing. Pastor Ken told me in the afternoon that in the first three services tithing had increased considerably. God moved miraculously and I can’t wait to see what He is going to do next.
The healing service was just as miraculous and the three before it. God moved and touched many people. There were those who came forward expecting God to do miraculous things in their lives from healing to finances. God touched many and His presence was very powerful. This is a Sunday that I will never forget because of what God has done.
11/9/2015
I had very little to do today. I did have a short meeting with Pastor Ken to talk about our upcoming ministry trip to the island of Leyte and what I should expect when we get there. I spent much of my time at my hotel where I did a lot of praying for God to move in the miraculous on the island of Leyte and that His will be done and that everywhere I went was on Holy Ground. I did manage to get a two-hour nap and when I got up I got a taxi and went to the SM Mall to shop and look around. I spent a good part of the afternoon at the mall before I returned to my hotel to work on some messages for Leyte. Before going to bed I was able to spend time in prayer seeking again God’s plan for the upcoming trip. Somehow I knew that I knew He was going to do some miraculous things. After praying it was then time for me to go to bed for some much needed rest.
11/10/2015
I had to get up at 4 AM because we had to be down at the boat docks to catch the Super Cat to Leyte. It was about a two and a half hour boat trip from Cebu to Ormoc, Leyte. We were met at the docks by Pastor Art Suralta and his wife Hazel who had offered to be our chauffeur and drive us from Ormoc to the Barangay Villa Jacinta. The trip from Ormoc to Maasin which was the closest town where we could stay was about three and a half hours. Art did not have air conditioning in his van as it had quit the week before we got there, so we had to go with the windows down all the way. It was extremely warm and the temperature was around the mid-nineties which is a lot warmer than in Seattle. But, all in all it was a great trip and an interesting trip as well.
The amazing thing for me was the way the Filipino people drive. They can make a two lane road into a four lane highway and there were times I wasn’t sure if when we were passing another vehicle we would make it by alive, they drive fast and how they never have a wreck is beyond me. Anyway, we did make it safely to the town of Maasin.
After arriving in Maasin we went directly to our hotel to get a short rest before going to our evening meeting in Villa Jacinta. Villa Jacinta is about a half hour drive from Maasin and being a barangay is nothing more than a small community. We arrived at the church and were welcomed in by the Pastor and the Elders of the church, we then set down to a prepared meal and then prepared for the service to begin.
The service was awesome and many people came forward for a healing touch from God and there were two who came forward to receive Jesus into their lives. After the service we returned to Maasin to our hotel for the night and some much needed rest.
11/11/2015
We got up early and headed back to Villa Jacinta because we were having a special meeting to bless and pray for the church and the members. My message was “He Healed Them All” and how Jesus wherever He went He healed everyone. The Spirit of God was definitely in the house. Many hearts were touched and two more received Jesus. Others in the area were invited to join in with all of the pastors and it was awesome to see the community come and join in.
We had to leave Villa Jacinta at 11 AM to return to Ormoc because Pastor Ken had to catch the Super Cat back to Cebu. I was left in good hands with a good friend Pastor Rey Erojo who I have known for many years. I had been invited to speak at a church in Ormoc that was not a part of the Faith Tabernacle Organization but Pastor Ken felt that it would be safe for me to minister in.
Pastor Rey and I were at our hotel and the pastor of the church, Pastor Elmer Matinga came to meet us there. Because Pastor Matinga rode a motorcycle Pastor Rey and I had to ride in what they call a Tri-Cycle, which is a motorcycle with basically a side car for three or four.. The church was across town and the sacrifice of ministry was definitely going to have to kick in because I barely fit inside the tri-cycle and the roads were very rough with potholes everywhere and the driver hit most of them and besides that he had to be as cautious as could be because with me in the car there was a balance issue.
We arrived at the church and we were very warmly greeted by the members of the church. We began our service and immediately I felt the presence of God. There were many there who did not understand English that well so Pastor Rey had to interpret for me. As I spoke I could sense that God was touching hearts and bodies and preparing them for what He was about to do.
As we had the members come forward for prayer I believe they came with great expectation. One woman wanted God to heal her arm because she could not use it. She could barely lift it to her waist. As I stood in front of her God spoke to me and told me to tell her to lift it all the way up. She told me that she could not lift it at all. Again I told her to trust God and lift it up. She finally began to lift her arm up and it got higher and higher until she finally had it all the way straight up in the air. She began to wave her arm and praising Jesus for what He had done for her and healed her. It was at that point others in the congregation began to press in to be prayed for to receive their healing. I had to step back and tell the people not to look at me because it was not me that healed the woman, it was Jesus Christ and that they should surrender to Christ and watch Him heal their bodies, we then returned to praying for them.
A young man who suffered from severe asthma came forward for healing. Pastor Elmer told me that the doctors had said there was nothing more they could do. I laid my hands on the boy’s chest as God told me to do and instantly the boy began breathing as though he was hyperventilating. I continued praying and suddenly the boys breathing became normal and he began to cry saying he was healed and that he felt something inside his body that was hot and when it moved he could breathe normal once again.
The next person to come forward was a young pregnant woman came and said that she was three months along and that the doctor had found a tumor near the baby and that they may have to abort the baby to save her life. I had the pastor’s wife come to where I was and asked her to lay her hand on the lady’s stomach and that I would place my hand on her shoulder. The lady began to cry uncontrollably and she then began to share that there was something very hot inside her and that it was moving through her body. She started shouting saying it is okay, that she is healed. The pastor’s wife told me that just before she began to shake the baby was moving and that she could feel the life inside of the woman. I believe that the heat the woman felt was the Spirit of God moving through her healing her in the Name of Jesus.
After so many things beginning to happen more and more people came forward for prayer. One such person was a young woman that the pastor told me was a known witch. I talked to her for a few minutes and then asked her if she wanted to receive Jesus as her Lord and Savior. She replied yes and with the help of Jesus was able to lead her to Him. Once she received Jesus I reached out my hand to lay hands upon her. When I did the power of God came upon her and she was slain in the Spirit. There were also two others standing near that had seen the power of God on the young woman and they too gave their hearts to the Lord.
One of the last people to be prayed for was a young man that the pastor said had tuberculosis. The young man said that he was not getting better and that the doctors had told him he could die from the disease. I laid hands upon him and suddenly there was a move of the Spirit and the man began to cry and say that he was healed. After praying I told him that I believed Jesus had touched him and that he was totally healed.
After the service, we were taken back to our hotel and Pastor Rey and I had dinner and then retired to our room to get some sleep so we could be rested for our boat trip back to Cebu the next morning.
11/12/2015
Due to the extent of the ministry of the last two days and the extreme heat, Pastor Ken told me that when we got back to Cebu it would be best for me to get some real rest. Later in the day we would have a meeting about our upcoming ministry but just rest. After getting some rest I decided that I would prepare my message for the prison tomorrow. I have to memorize as much as I can because I am not allowed to take anything into the prison with me, and as far as I know not even my bible. I will see what tomorrow will bring and what God has planned.
11/13/2015
I was picked up at my hotel at about 7:30 AM to go to the largest prison in Cebu. The prison is a maximum security prison and houses murders and those in human trafficking which in the Philippines caries a life sentence. We arrived at the prison and was checked in by the guards, they allowed me to take my bible in but only after checking it. There were four of us who went. There was Pastor Ben Tagud, Pastor Ken Tagud, Pastor Rey Erojo and myself.
We were taken through several check points then out into a huge courtyard that we had to walk across to get to the prison chapel. Inside the chapel were about a thousand men packed in. They were standing in the aisles and in the hallways as well as outside the chapel in the open field. Our time was limited due to prison control and the administration would only give us an hour to have worship and bring the message. I spoke on receiving Jesus and surrendering to Him and Pastor Ken Tagud interpreted for me. At the end of the message I gave an alter call to which there were about one hundred and eighty men give their hearts to the Lord. We were then lead out of the chapel and back the way we came. After we got back to where we started the guards checked us out and we were free to leave. Before leaving we purchased some homemade bread that the prisoners make and sell to help earn a little money. We bought ten small loaves of bread for P1000, which is about $25.00.
What an awesome time with God we had today and the prisoners were very receptive and completely accommodating. I will pray for that prison and keep it in my heart.
11/14/2015
I was given the day off to rest and to prepare for Sunday. I am speaking in Lapu-Lapu City and will be there the entire day. There will be three services to conduct and I need to prepare my messages. I will be picked up by Pastor Rey Erojo who is the Lead Pastor at Faith Tabernacle Church in Lapu-Lapu.
I spent my day preparing and praying for a mighty move of God. I know that He is going to do great things and my prayer is that He only use me. I feel so much compassion for these people and the only thing I can pray about is that He touch them in so many ways. I am praying for healings and a touch so great on the people’s lives that they will never be the same again. I know that God is going to touch them and I really can’t wait to see how.
God bless me as I prepare to bring your word and anoint me to bring it with only you in my mind and heart.
11/15/2015
Today I ministered at Faith Tabernacle Church in Lapu-Lapu City with Pastor Rey Erojo. Pastor Rey picked me up at my hotel at 7 AM and we headed to Lapu-Lapu City that took us nearly an hour to get there due to massive traffic. At arriving at the church I was welcomed by the congregation with open arms. I had spoken there a few times in the past and knew many of the people there.
We began the service at 10 AM with an hour long worship service to help usher in the presence of God followed by an hour long service that included prayer time.
During the prayer time at the end of service one God definitely showed up. There was a woman who had hip problems come forward. She told us that after prayer she went back to her seat and when she sat down it was like a fire pass through her body and the pain totally went away. There was also a man who had suffered with back pain for many years who had the same experience as the woman and after twenty years of suffering the pain was gone. There were two young people made a decision to follow Christ. What an unbelievable morning as we watched the hand of God moving through the church.
After the service was over the church had prepared a meal for us. They had asked me when I arrived what part of the chicken I liked the best. I told them I liked the thighs and the legs so for lunch we had a multi legged and thigh chicken as well as fresh Mango and Bananas. After our meal I was taken to a local hotel where one of the members had got a room for me so I could get out of the heat and rest in air condition. They returned later in the afternoon to pick me up to take me back to the church after they bought me dinner.
As we returned to the church I noticed that there were no chairs set up for the service. Pastor Rey told me that he felt there was going to be something happen and so he did not set up the chairs. It was almost immediately as worship started that there was a presence of the Holy Spirit that was about to change everything and everyone. As the worship team transitioned from the faster songs to the slower songs or as I like to say the behind the veil songs God began to speak to me and tell me to go and pray for those who were worshipping. He told me to lay hands on each person and He would direct me. I began to walk around the church and I would lay my hand on the back of the neck of each person and suddenly they would be slain in the Spirit.
The worship team continued to play and one by one they were slain. I have never experienced a move of God in that way before. Even the worship team began to leave their instruments and they just put on a CD and came down for a touch of God. By the time everyone was prayed for the only two people still standing was myself and the pastor. God was moving and each person was ready to receive from Him. When I thought the service was about over, there was a man enter the church who had been drinking heavily. Though I was having a hard time understanding what he was saying one of the youth said that the man was walking by and a voice told him to come into the church. I looked at the man and said in the Name of Jesus be healed and in an instance the man was delivered and immediately sobered up. I then lead the man in the sinners’ prayer and he received Jesus. The man began praising God with his hands lifted high and I laid hands upon him and he was also slain in the Spirit. After the man regained his composure, he began to tell me how there was a fire that struck him and he could not understand what had happened. I simply told him that it was the power of God and that he would never be the same again and that God had delivered him from not only alcohol but from cigarettes as well. The man could only smile and thank God for what he had done.
The evening service finally ended after about three hours of soaring there was not one single message brought. Everyone was commenting on what they had experienced and how God either spoke to them or touched them in some way. What an awesome night and I will never forget the experience. I returned to my hotel in Cebu at about 11 PM that night and finally got to sleep after thinking about what had happened.
11/16/2015
Again, I had to get up early this morning because Pastor Ken was picking me up so we could be at the boat docks by 6 AM to catch our Pump Boat so we could go to Cuaming island one of the small islands so we could hand out the clothing I had and get some pictures. The boat ride was about two hours long but it was a great day on the water. Arriving at Cuaming we found that the water level was too shallow where we were so the captain had to maneuver to the other side of the island and a little deeper water. The water was a little deeper on the other side but we still had to walk about a hundred yards to get to the island. We had nine school kids with us as well as three teachers. The kids are going to learn about doing mission work and many of them have never been on any of the small islands before. This trip will be a learning experience for them so they can learn about others and not themselves. I pray for a touch of God upon their lives that they can see others the way you see them Father.
We arrived at our anchor point and not only did we have to wade about a hundred yards to land but we had to walk back across the island to the other side where the church was. We had a short service and then we were going to hand out clothes. We had started handing out the clothes and I had about fifteen or twenty pictures when all of a sudden there was a riot break out. People began yelling and screaming. There was fighting and total chaos broke out. Someone said that there was a knife and my security people Pastor Renato Gucor and Pastor Melito Boc took me by the arm and said let’s get out of here. We left through a side door and around some of the buildings and then back to the boat. We left the island and headed back to Cebu. In all of the years that Lorraine and I have been going to the small islands, I have never had that sort of experience before and Pastor Ken said he has never seen that type of chaos either. I did not get the pictures I wanted but I am safe and sound.
I know that the things that took place on Cuaming were just desperate people looking to get what I had to give not realizing that I had enough for everyone. Pastor Ken said he would no longer take clothing to them again for the way they acted, but I told him that they are just desperate and that they don’t know any different. I told him that maybe they should teach on respect of others before they return to give more clothing but don’t punish them for just being needy. Ken assured me that he would have the pastor talk about what had happened and speak to them about courtesy for each other as well as guests who come to help them. I know they will be different and maybe the next time I come it will be different.
11/17/2015
Like almost every day since arriving in the Philippines, I had to get up very early to leave for my next ministry meeting.Today I had to get up at 3 AM so I could be at the airport to catch a plane at Cebu Pacific Airlines to Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao. Pastor Ken picked me up at my hotel and we were off again.
The flight to Cagayan de Oro was not a long one, it only took about forty minutes from take-off to landing. After arriving in Cagayan de Oro Pastor Ken and I were taken to our hotel where we were going to spent the afternoon resting and getting ready for our special meeting, A Night with Rev. Steve Ream at the Conchita Hotel. The pastor of the church that invited me to come was Pastor Toto Gamos and he had rented the hotel banquet room because he wanted many people to come to the service. It was awesome because his church had tickets made up and give them out all over the city for people to come. The tickets really worked because there were many people come to spend a night with Rev. Steve Ream.
Pastor Gamos shared with me his background. He was retired from the police department where he was an investigating detective for over twenty-nine years. He was a very soft spoken man and when he felt God call him to the ministry he was not sure what to do but he told me God opened doors and before he knew it he was the lead pastor of one of the local churches.
Our service began at 7 PM and almost immediately the Spirit of God was in that place. I ministered and prayed for people for about two hours. During the prayer time people were touched and several surrendered to the Lord. There was an awesome power in the place and you could see the hand of God move on His people as they were touched. At the end of the prayer time we were served a catered meal by the hotel who supplied the meal for us. We returned to our hotel for the night to get ready to leave back to Cebu tomorrow.
11/18/2015
We left Cagayan de Oro at 11:30 AM. We were supposed to leave at 2:20 PM but as we were sitting at the airport, there was an announcement that there was a flight to Cebu boarding to leave at 11:30 AM. I told Pastor Ken that it was too bad we couldn’t get on that flight because we would get to Cebu a lot earlier. Ken told me that maybe we should try, so we went to the counter and asked the lady if there was room on the plane and she told us it was only half full. Ken asked her if it were possible for us to get that flight so we wouldn’t have to wait until 2:20. She called the ticket counter and they said we could, so we went back downstairs and got our new tickets and then back upstairs through security and made the flight. Pastor Ken that God was definitely in that for getting us on an earlier flight.
We left Cagayan de Oro and arrived back in Cebu forty minutes later. We caught a taxi from the airport to my hotel and I was let out to get some rest. We have a busy day tomorrow as we are going to Dalaguete, Cebu for a Sectional Fellowship Meeting and I have to get up again at 3 AM so we can leave by 4 AM.
11/19/2015
Pastor Ken came to the hotel to pick me up at 4 AM and we then had to go pick up his father Pastor Ben. We picked up Ben and headed to Dalaguete which was a four-hour drive away. We arrived at the church by 7:45 AM which was good because the first session was to begin at 8 AM. The theme of the meeting was “stand still and let God move” and a very easy subject for me to speak on as I totally believe in listening for the voice of God.
Pastor Ken told me that I would be speaking in the first two sessions and speaking on healing in the third session. I was ready and the sessions began. We took a short break in between the first and second session and a little longer one between the second and the third.
At the end of the third session I began praying for the pastors and leaders. The Holy Spirit showed up and the pastors and leaders were touched in ways they had no idea of. For some they were touched by the power of God and yet for others they were given words from Him. Some of the pastors were given specific words in specific areas of their lives and ministry. It was totally awesome to watch God move.
The first session in the afternoon was given by Pastor Ben Tagud and then we had to leave to return to Cebu. The three-hour trip to us over four and a half hours because of all of the traffic. We finally arrived in Cebu and for the last time I was taken to my hotel to get some sleep so I could get up at 3 AM to check out and go to Mactan Airport to leave for home.
11/20/2015
I got up at 3 AM this morning so I could make sure I had everything packed and ready to go and also to get checked out of the hotel. Pastor Ken picked me up at 4 AM and we headed to the airport. Ken dropped me off at the departure doors and I got my suitcases and went in to get checked in at Philippine Airlines.
Some of my problems for the day started at check-in for the airlines. The agent at the desk asked me my final destination and I told her it was Seattle, Washington in the US. I then told her that I wanted my bags checked all the way to Seattle and she said no problem. I then went through security and paid my exit fee of 750 Pesos and then went through customs again to the departure gates. As I sat in the departure area I had this feeling that something was wrong but I had no idea what it was. I finally took a look at my boarding pass and baggage claim tickets and that is when I noticed the problem. It seems my baggage claim tickets said that my bags were only checked to Narita Japan and not all the way to Seattle. I went to the counter and told the agent that there was a problem and she called the ticket agent who assured me that the bags were all the way to Seattle.
Though I was not sure I got on the plane and headed to Japan. We landed in Japan and I was going through security and I asked the woman at the security gate about my bags and she looked at my tickets and told me that they were checked to Seattle. But, there was still something that did not seem right. After going through the security line these two women approached me and said that they had seen me asking about my baggage and they wanted to make sure I got helped properly. I showed my tickets to them and they confirmed what I was thinking. The bags were indeed only checked to Narita and that I had to go get them and then go through customs and immigration. I told them I had no idea what to do and they told me no problem because they would be with me through the entire process. They tried to get the bags transferred to my Seattle flight so I would not have to go through the entire process but their supervisor told them I had to follow procedure but that they could help me.
So, we headed to immigration where I had to explain what had happened to my bags. The immigration officer asked me how long I was going to be in Japan and I told him I was not staying and that my plane would be leaving in three hours. He finally approved my immigration form and then sent me to customs. During the time I was in immigration one of the women went and picked up my bags and had them on a cart for me. I got sent to the VIP section of customs and when the man told me I did not fill out how long I was going to be in Japan I had to tell him the story. He said no problem and approved me to get my bags and return to Delta Airlines to get checked in.
The two women who helped me also helped me to get on the right bus that would take me to Terminal One where Delta Airlines was located. I thanked them and then was on my way. I boarded my flight to home and my plane took off. I arrived eight hours later in Seattle and was finally home.
It was a great ministry trip and I totally loved watching God moving on his people. I can’t wait to hear from Pastor Ken and Pastor Rey about what God has done. In fact, I have heard one thing already. I got word from Pastor Rey that the young man in Ormoc, Leyte that I had prayed for who had Tuberculosis, went to his doctor and there were no signs of TB in his entire body. He was totally healed in the Name of Jesus. Now I can’t hardly wait on the other reports that I know are going to be coming in.
Ministry in the Philippines has been one of the greatest times ever in my life. Each time I go I feel God increase in my life even more. Although I don’t think my wife will ever let me go again all by myself that is great because Lorraine and I are a team and that was the way God designed it to be and Ream Ministries International. The team of Steve and Lorraine Ream will be a force to be reckoned with and we will be where God wants us and when He wants us.
Thank you Jesus for such a great trip.
Today is the day that I left for the Philippines to minister what God has put upon my heart for the Filipino people. I got to the airport at 8:45 AM. It took nearly forty-five minutes to process at the baggage counter and I still had to go through security. Finally getting through security, I made my way toward the departure gate which just happened to be all the way across the airport. I only had to wait in the boarding area for a little more than an hour and then boarded Flight 199 headed to Seoul, Korea.
11/5-6/2015
Not sure what happened, but somewhere across the ocean, we passed over the International Dateline and the time changed by fourteen hours and it was now the 6th of November, so I did not get to finish the 5th before I was in the 6th. Arrived in Seoul, Korea fourteen hours later and then I had to sit in the airport for three and a half hours waiting for my next flight that would be heading to Cebu, Philippines.
I boarded my flight on Asiana Airlines and was on my way to Cebu, Philippines which was a four hour flight. The flight is scheduled to arrive in Cebu at 11:55 PM.
11/7/2015
Our plane arrived at Mactan International Airport from Seoul, Korea at 12:20 AM Philippine Standard Time. I made my way off the plane and made my way to the Passport Security Check-in. I had to stand in line for over an hour before finally getting to one of the security counters. I was cleared at the security counter and was released to retrieve my baggage and then head to customs.
It only took me about ten minutes to get my bags and go through customs. After customs I was headed out the door and out to meet my friend Pastor Ken Tagud and into the city of Cebu. We arrived at The Well Hotel where I was going to be staying at about 2 AM and by the time I got a much needed shower and went to bed it was 3 AM. At home I normally get up every morning at around 5:30 AM and so why should being in another country and sixteen hours difference in time make any difference. I was wide awake and up at 5 AM.
At 6:30 AM I went downstairs and had my complimentary breakfast at the D’café and then walked down to Faith Tabernacle Church to meet Pastor Ken Tagud. Though I was supposed to have the day off to rest but with everything that is going to be taking place, I decided that we needed to sort out the clothing we were taking out to the small islands and into the slums. I had shipped ahead of me four big boxes full of clothing plus I brought a large suitcase full of clothes. Together with the church helpers and Pastor Ken’s wife Fe, we began sorting clothes into sizes and boy or girl bundles. It took us about three hours to sort the clothes and they were ready to be delivered.
After getting the clothing done, Pastor Ken said “Let’s go to Starbucks and rest”, I accepted his invitation. So, we got into his van and headed out to the SM Mall which is now the biggest one in the Philippines. We arrived at Starbucks and I was ready to order my favorite drink in the Philippines which is a Mango Shake. After we had finished our shakes we then went out into the mall and went to the gelato stand and I had my favorite gelato which is Mango. After the gelato we thought we had better balance out our splurging on the calories with something healthy, so we went to a place called Toni Q and I had a health drink called a Super C. The Super C’s ingredients are Carrot, Red Peppers, Orange and Banana.
Ken and I spent the afternoon in the air conditioning and then headed back to Ken’s to get his wife Fe and his three kids, Keven, Kendace and Kenny. Ken took us to a really nice buffet and we had dinner there. After dinner it was getting late and I had been getting along all day on only two hours’ sleep, so it was time to get me back to my hotel and get some rest because I had a very busy day on Sunday as I was speaking at all four services starting at 7 AM.
Before I can go to bed I have to go over the notes I have prepared before coming to the Philippines. As I go over my notes God is speaking to me assuring me that He is with me and just to trust Him. I am finished and ready to get some sleep.
11/8/2015
My Sunday began at 7 AM with our first service; we had an anointed service as well. Pastor Ken had spoken to me on Saturday about my message being on tithing if it was alright with me. I had never spoken on tithing before because it was not in my realm of expertise being an Evangelist and all. I speak on Healing and Salvation not matters that should be spoken on by the Lead Pastor or the Sheppard of the church. I told him that I would speak on it though I had my reservations. I know as a minister that we need to be prepared in season and out and I had to make a sudden change in my message. I had no choice but to depend upon God for the words to speak. Not only did I speak it in the first service but in the next two services as well with the fourth service being the healing service.
We truly had very anointed services speaking on tithing. Pastor Ken told me in the afternoon that in the first three services tithing had increased considerably. God moved miraculously and I can’t wait to see what He is going to do next.
The healing service was just as miraculous and the three before it. God moved and touched many people. There were those who came forward expecting God to do miraculous things in their lives from healing to finances. God touched many and His presence was very powerful. This is a Sunday that I will never forget because of what God has done.
11/9/2015
I had very little to do today. I did have a short meeting with Pastor Ken to talk about our upcoming ministry trip to the island of Leyte and what I should expect when we get there. I spent much of my time at my hotel where I did a lot of praying for God to move in the miraculous on the island of Leyte and that His will be done and that everywhere I went was on Holy Ground. I did manage to get a two-hour nap and when I got up I got a taxi and went to the SM Mall to shop and look around. I spent a good part of the afternoon at the mall before I returned to my hotel to work on some messages for Leyte. Before going to bed I was able to spend time in prayer seeking again God’s plan for the upcoming trip. Somehow I knew that I knew He was going to do some miraculous things. After praying it was then time for me to go to bed for some much needed rest.
11/10/2015
I had to get up at 4 AM because we had to be down at the boat docks to catch the Super Cat to Leyte. It was about a two and a half hour boat trip from Cebu to Ormoc, Leyte. We were met at the docks by Pastor Art Suralta and his wife Hazel who had offered to be our chauffeur and drive us from Ormoc to the Barangay Villa Jacinta. The trip from Ormoc to Maasin which was the closest town where we could stay was about three and a half hours. Art did not have air conditioning in his van as it had quit the week before we got there, so we had to go with the windows down all the way. It was extremely warm and the temperature was around the mid-nineties which is a lot warmer than in Seattle. But, all in all it was a great trip and an interesting trip as well.
The amazing thing for me was the way the Filipino people drive. They can make a two lane road into a four lane highway and there were times I wasn’t sure if when we were passing another vehicle we would make it by alive, they drive fast and how they never have a wreck is beyond me. Anyway, we did make it safely to the town of Maasin.
After arriving in Maasin we went directly to our hotel to get a short rest before going to our evening meeting in Villa Jacinta. Villa Jacinta is about a half hour drive from Maasin and being a barangay is nothing more than a small community. We arrived at the church and were welcomed in by the Pastor and the Elders of the church, we then set down to a prepared meal and then prepared for the service to begin.
The service was awesome and many people came forward for a healing touch from God and there were two who came forward to receive Jesus into their lives. After the service we returned to Maasin to our hotel for the night and some much needed rest.
11/11/2015
We got up early and headed back to Villa Jacinta because we were having a special meeting to bless and pray for the church and the members. My message was “He Healed Them All” and how Jesus wherever He went He healed everyone. The Spirit of God was definitely in the house. Many hearts were touched and two more received Jesus. Others in the area were invited to join in with all of the pastors and it was awesome to see the community come and join in.
We had to leave Villa Jacinta at 11 AM to return to Ormoc because Pastor Ken had to catch the Super Cat back to Cebu. I was left in good hands with a good friend Pastor Rey Erojo who I have known for many years. I had been invited to speak at a church in Ormoc that was not a part of the Faith Tabernacle Organization but Pastor Ken felt that it would be safe for me to minister in.
Pastor Rey and I were at our hotel and the pastor of the church, Pastor Elmer Matinga came to meet us there. Because Pastor Matinga rode a motorcycle Pastor Rey and I had to ride in what they call a Tri-Cycle, which is a motorcycle with basically a side car for three or four.. The church was across town and the sacrifice of ministry was definitely going to have to kick in because I barely fit inside the tri-cycle and the roads were very rough with potholes everywhere and the driver hit most of them and besides that he had to be as cautious as could be because with me in the car there was a balance issue.
We arrived at the church and we were very warmly greeted by the members of the church. We began our service and immediately I felt the presence of God. There were many there who did not understand English that well so Pastor Rey had to interpret for me. As I spoke I could sense that God was touching hearts and bodies and preparing them for what He was about to do.
As we had the members come forward for prayer I believe they came with great expectation. One woman wanted God to heal her arm because she could not use it. She could barely lift it to her waist. As I stood in front of her God spoke to me and told me to tell her to lift it all the way up. She told me that she could not lift it at all. Again I told her to trust God and lift it up. She finally began to lift her arm up and it got higher and higher until she finally had it all the way straight up in the air. She began to wave her arm and praising Jesus for what He had done for her and healed her. It was at that point others in the congregation began to press in to be prayed for to receive their healing. I had to step back and tell the people not to look at me because it was not me that healed the woman, it was Jesus Christ and that they should surrender to Christ and watch Him heal their bodies, we then returned to praying for them.
A young man who suffered from severe asthma came forward for healing. Pastor Elmer told me that the doctors had said there was nothing more they could do. I laid my hands on the boy’s chest as God told me to do and instantly the boy began breathing as though he was hyperventilating. I continued praying and suddenly the boys breathing became normal and he began to cry saying he was healed and that he felt something inside his body that was hot and when it moved he could breathe normal once again.
The next person to come forward was a young pregnant woman came and said that she was three months along and that the doctor had found a tumor near the baby and that they may have to abort the baby to save her life. I had the pastor’s wife come to where I was and asked her to lay her hand on the lady’s stomach and that I would place my hand on her shoulder. The lady began to cry uncontrollably and she then began to share that there was something very hot inside her and that it was moving through her body. She started shouting saying it is okay, that she is healed. The pastor’s wife told me that just before she began to shake the baby was moving and that she could feel the life inside of the woman. I believe that the heat the woman felt was the Spirit of God moving through her healing her in the Name of Jesus.
After so many things beginning to happen more and more people came forward for prayer. One such person was a young woman that the pastor told me was a known witch. I talked to her for a few minutes and then asked her if she wanted to receive Jesus as her Lord and Savior. She replied yes and with the help of Jesus was able to lead her to Him. Once she received Jesus I reached out my hand to lay hands upon her. When I did the power of God came upon her and she was slain in the Spirit. There were also two others standing near that had seen the power of God on the young woman and they too gave their hearts to the Lord.
One of the last people to be prayed for was a young man that the pastor said had tuberculosis. The young man said that he was not getting better and that the doctors had told him he could die from the disease. I laid hands upon him and suddenly there was a move of the Spirit and the man began to cry and say that he was healed. After praying I told him that I believed Jesus had touched him and that he was totally healed.
After the service, we were taken back to our hotel and Pastor Rey and I had dinner and then retired to our room to get some sleep so we could be rested for our boat trip back to Cebu the next morning.
11/12/2015
Due to the extent of the ministry of the last two days and the extreme heat, Pastor Ken told me that when we got back to Cebu it would be best for me to get some real rest. Later in the day we would have a meeting about our upcoming ministry but just rest. After getting some rest I decided that I would prepare my message for the prison tomorrow. I have to memorize as much as I can because I am not allowed to take anything into the prison with me, and as far as I know not even my bible. I will see what tomorrow will bring and what God has planned.
11/13/2015
I was picked up at my hotel at about 7:30 AM to go to the largest prison in Cebu. The prison is a maximum security prison and houses murders and those in human trafficking which in the Philippines caries a life sentence. We arrived at the prison and was checked in by the guards, they allowed me to take my bible in but only after checking it. There were four of us who went. There was Pastor Ben Tagud, Pastor Ken Tagud, Pastor Rey Erojo and myself.
We were taken through several check points then out into a huge courtyard that we had to walk across to get to the prison chapel. Inside the chapel were about a thousand men packed in. They were standing in the aisles and in the hallways as well as outside the chapel in the open field. Our time was limited due to prison control and the administration would only give us an hour to have worship and bring the message. I spoke on receiving Jesus and surrendering to Him and Pastor Ken Tagud interpreted for me. At the end of the message I gave an alter call to which there were about one hundred and eighty men give their hearts to the Lord. We were then lead out of the chapel and back the way we came. After we got back to where we started the guards checked us out and we were free to leave. Before leaving we purchased some homemade bread that the prisoners make and sell to help earn a little money. We bought ten small loaves of bread for P1000, which is about $25.00.
What an awesome time with God we had today and the prisoners were very receptive and completely accommodating. I will pray for that prison and keep it in my heart.
11/14/2015
I was given the day off to rest and to prepare for Sunday. I am speaking in Lapu-Lapu City and will be there the entire day. There will be three services to conduct and I need to prepare my messages. I will be picked up by Pastor Rey Erojo who is the Lead Pastor at Faith Tabernacle Church in Lapu-Lapu.
I spent my day preparing and praying for a mighty move of God. I know that He is going to do great things and my prayer is that He only use me. I feel so much compassion for these people and the only thing I can pray about is that He touch them in so many ways. I am praying for healings and a touch so great on the people’s lives that they will never be the same again. I know that God is going to touch them and I really can’t wait to see how.
God bless me as I prepare to bring your word and anoint me to bring it with only you in my mind and heart.
11/15/2015
Today I ministered at Faith Tabernacle Church in Lapu-Lapu City with Pastor Rey Erojo. Pastor Rey picked me up at my hotel at 7 AM and we headed to Lapu-Lapu City that took us nearly an hour to get there due to massive traffic. At arriving at the church I was welcomed by the congregation with open arms. I had spoken there a few times in the past and knew many of the people there.
We began the service at 10 AM with an hour long worship service to help usher in the presence of God followed by an hour long service that included prayer time.
During the prayer time at the end of service one God definitely showed up. There was a woman who had hip problems come forward. She told us that after prayer she went back to her seat and when she sat down it was like a fire pass through her body and the pain totally went away. There was also a man who had suffered with back pain for many years who had the same experience as the woman and after twenty years of suffering the pain was gone. There were two young people made a decision to follow Christ. What an unbelievable morning as we watched the hand of God moving through the church.
After the service was over the church had prepared a meal for us. They had asked me when I arrived what part of the chicken I liked the best. I told them I liked the thighs and the legs so for lunch we had a multi legged and thigh chicken as well as fresh Mango and Bananas. After our meal I was taken to a local hotel where one of the members had got a room for me so I could get out of the heat and rest in air condition. They returned later in the afternoon to pick me up to take me back to the church after they bought me dinner.
As we returned to the church I noticed that there were no chairs set up for the service. Pastor Rey told me that he felt there was going to be something happen and so he did not set up the chairs. It was almost immediately as worship started that there was a presence of the Holy Spirit that was about to change everything and everyone. As the worship team transitioned from the faster songs to the slower songs or as I like to say the behind the veil songs God began to speak to me and tell me to go and pray for those who were worshipping. He told me to lay hands on each person and He would direct me. I began to walk around the church and I would lay my hand on the back of the neck of each person and suddenly they would be slain in the Spirit.
The worship team continued to play and one by one they were slain. I have never experienced a move of God in that way before. Even the worship team began to leave their instruments and they just put on a CD and came down for a touch of God. By the time everyone was prayed for the only two people still standing was myself and the pastor. God was moving and each person was ready to receive from Him. When I thought the service was about over, there was a man enter the church who had been drinking heavily. Though I was having a hard time understanding what he was saying one of the youth said that the man was walking by and a voice told him to come into the church. I looked at the man and said in the Name of Jesus be healed and in an instance the man was delivered and immediately sobered up. I then lead the man in the sinners’ prayer and he received Jesus. The man began praising God with his hands lifted high and I laid hands upon him and he was also slain in the Spirit. After the man regained his composure, he began to tell me how there was a fire that struck him and he could not understand what had happened. I simply told him that it was the power of God and that he would never be the same again and that God had delivered him from not only alcohol but from cigarettes as well. The man could only smile and thank God for what he had done.
The evening service finally ended after about three hours of soaring there was not one single message brought. Everyone was commenting on what they had experienced and how God either spoke to them or touched them in some way. What an awesome night and I will never forget the experience. I returned to my hotel in Cebu at about 11 PM that night and finally got to sleep after thinking about what had happened.
11/16/2015
Again, I had to get up early this morning because Pastor Ken was picking me up so we could be at the boat docks by 6 AM to catch our Pump Boat so we could go to Cuaming island one of the small islands so we could hand out the clothing I had and get some pictures. The boat ride was about two hours long but it was a great day on the water. Arriving at Cuaming we found that the water level was too shallow where we were so the captain had to maneuver to the other side of the island and a little deeper water. The water was a little deeper on the other side but we still had to walk about a hundred yards to get to the island. We had nine school kids with us as well as three teachers. The kids are going to learn about doing mission work and many of them have never been on any of the small islands before. This trip will be a learning experience for them so they can learn about others and not themselves. I pray for a touch of God upon their lives that they can see others the way you see them Father.
We arrived at our anchor point and not only did we have to wade about a hundred yards to land but we had to walk back across the island to the other side where the church was. We had a short service and then we were going to hand out clothes. We had started handing out the clothes and I had about fifteen or twenty pictures when all of a sudden there was a riot break out. People began yelling and screaming. There was fighting and total chaos broke out. Someone said that there was a knife and my security people Pastor Renato Gucor and Pastor Melito Boc took me by the arm and said let’s get out of here. We left through a side door and around some of the buildings and then back to the boat. We left the island and headed back to Cebu. In all of the years that Lorraine and I have been going to the small islands, I have never had that sort of experience before and Pastor Ken said he has never seen that type of chaos either. I did not get the pictures I wanted but I am safe and sound.
I know that the things that took place on Cuaming were just desperate people looking to get what I had to give not realizing that I had enough for everyone. Pastor Ken said he would no longer take clothing to them again for the way they acted, but I told him that they are just desperate and that they don’t know any different. I told him that maybe they should teach on respect of others before they return to give more clothing but don’t punish them for just being needy. Ken assured me that he would have the pastor talk about what had happened and speak to them about courtesy for each other as well as guests who come to help them. I know they will be different and maybe the next time I come it will be different.
11/17/2015
Like almost every day since arriving in the Philippines, I had to get up very early to leave for my next ministry meeting.Today I had to get up at 3 AM so I could be at the airport to catch a plane at Cebu Pacific Airlines to Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao. Pastor Ken picked me up at my hotel and we were off again.
The flight to Cagayan de Oro was not a long one, it only took about forty minutes from take-off to landing. After arriving in Cagayan de Oro Pastor Ken and I were taken to our hotel where we were going to spent the afternoon resting and getting ready for our special meeting, A Night with Rev. Steve Ream at the Conchita Hotel. The pastor of the church that invited me to come was Pastor Toto Gamos and he had rented the hotel banquet room because he wanted many people to come to the service. It was awesome because his church had tickets made up and give them out all over the city for people to come. The tickets really worked because there were many people come to spend a night with Rev. Steve Ream.
Pastor Gamos shared with me his background. He was retired from the police department where he was an investigating detective for over twenty-nine years. He was a very soft spoken man and when he felt God call him to the ministry he was not sure what to do but he told me God opened doors and before he knew it he was the lead pastor of one of the local churches.
Our service began at 7 PM and almost immediately the Spirit of God was in that place. I ministered and prayed for people for about two hours. During the prayer time people were touched and several surrendered to the Lord. There was an awesome power in the place and you could see the hand of God move on His people as they were touched. At the end of the prayer time we were served a catered meal by the hotel who supplied the meal for us. We returned to our hotel for the night to get ready to leave back to Cebu tomorrow.
11/18/2015
We left Cagayan de Oro at 11:30 AM. We were supposed to leave at 2:20 PM but as we were sitting at the airport, there was an announcement that there was a flight to Cebu boarding to leave at 11:30 AM. I told Pastor Ken that it was too bad we couldn’t get on that flight because we would get to Cebu a lot earlier. Ken told me that maybe we should try, so we went to the counter and asked the lady if there was room on the plane and she told us it was only half full. Ken asked her if it were possible for us to get that flight so we wouldn’t have to wait until 2:20. She called the ticket counter and they said we could, so we went back downstairs and got our new tickets and then back upstairs through security and made the flight. Pastor Ken that God was definitely in that for getting us on an earlier flight.
We left Cagayan de Oro and arrived back in Cebu forty minutes later. We caught a taxi from the airport to my hotel and I was let out to get some rest. We have a busy day tomorrow as we are going to Dalaguete, Cebu for a Sectional Fellowship Meeting and I have to get up again at 3 AM so we can leave by 4 AM.
11/19/2015
Pastor Ken came to the hotel to pick me up at 4 AM and we then had to go pick up his father Pastor Ben. We picked up Ben and headed to Dalaguete which was a four-hour drive away. We arrived at the church by 7:45 AM which was good because the first session was to begin at 8 AM. The theme of the meeting was “stand still and let God move” and a very easy subject for me to speak on as I totally believe in listening for the voice of God.
Pastor Ken told me that I would be speaking in the first two sessions and speaking on healing in the third session. I was ready and the sessions began. We took a short break in between the first and second session and a little longer one between the second and the third.
At the end of the third session I began praying for the pastors and leaders. The Holy Spirit showed up and the pastors and leaders were touched in ways they had no idea of. For some they were touched by the power of God and yet for others they were given words from Him. Some of the pastors were given specific words in specific areas of their lives and ministry. It was totally awesome to watch God move.
The first session in the afternoon was given by Pastor Ben Tagud and then we had to leave to return to Cebu. The three-hour trip to us over four and a half hours because of all of the traffic. We finally arrived in Cebu and for the last time I was taken to my hotel to get some sleep so I could get up at 3 AM to check out and go to Mactan Airport to leave for home.
11/20/2015
I got up at 3 AM this morning so I could make sure I had everything packed and ready to go and also to get checked out of the hotel. Pastor Ken picked me up at 4 AM and we headed to the airport. Ken dropped me off at the departure doors and I got my suitcases and went in to get checked in at Philippine Airlines.
Some of my problems for the day started at check-in for the airlines. The agent at the desk asked me my final destination and I told her it was Seattle, Washington in the US. I then told her that I wanted my bags checked all the way to Seattle and she said no problem. I then went through security and paid my exit fee of 750 Pesos and then went through customs again to the departure gates. As I sat in the departure area I had this feeling that something was wrong but I had no idea what it was. I finally took a look at my boarding pass and baggage claim tickets and that is when I noticed the problem. It seems my baggage claim tickets said that my bags were only checked to Narita Japan and not all the way to Seattle. I went to the counter and told the agent that there was a problem and she called the ticket agent who assured me that the bags were all the way to Seattle.
Though I was not sure I got on the plane and headed to Japan. We landed in Japan and I was going through security and I asked the woman at the security gate about my bags and she looked at my tickets and told me that they were checked to Seattle. But, there was still something that did not seem right. After going through the security line these two women approached me and said that they had seen me asking about my baggage and they wanted to make sure I got helped properly. I showed my tickets to them and they confirmed what I was thinking. The bags were indeed only checked to Narita and that I had to go get them and then go through customs and immigration. I told them I had no idea what to do and they told me no problem because they would be with me through the entire process. They tried to get the bags transferred to my Seattle flight so I would not have to go through the entire process but their supervisor told them I had to follow procedure but that they could help me.
So, we headed to immigration where I had to explain what had happened to my bags. The immigration officer asked me how long I was going to be in Japan and I told him I was not staying and that my plane would be leaving in three hours. He finally approved my immigration form and then sent me to customs. During the time I was in immigration one of the women went and picked up my bags and had them on a cart for me. I got sent to the VIP section of customs and when the man told me I did not fill out how long I was going to be in Japan I had to tell him the story. He said no problem and approved me to get my bags and return to Delta Airlines to get checked in.
The two women who helped me also helped me to get on the right bus that would take me to Terminal One where Delta Airlines was located. I thanked them and then was on my way. I boarded my flight to home and my plane took off. I arrived eight hours later in Seattle and was finally home.
It was a great ministry trip and I totally loved watching God moving on his people. I can’t wait to hear from Pastor Ken and Pastor Rey about what God has done. In fact, I have heard one thing already. I got word from Pastor Rey that the young man in Ormoc, Leyte that I had prayed for who had Tuberculosis, went to his doctor and there were no signs of TB in his entire body. He was totally healed in the Name of Jesus. Now I can’t hardly wait on the other reports that I know are going to be coming in.
Ministry in the Philippines has been one of the greatest times ever in my life. Each time I go I feel God increase in my life even more. Although I don’t think my wife will ever let me go again all by myself that is great because Lorraine and I are a team and that was the way God designed it to be and Ream Ministries International. The team of Steve and Lorraine Ream will be a force to be reckoned with and we will be where God wants us and when He wants us.
Thank you Jesus for such a great trip.