Graceful Exit or New Beginning? A Senior With Disability’s Journey Into Her Renewed Purpose and Destiny

“I am still as strong today as I was on the day Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so my strength is now, for war and for going out and coming in. Now then, give me this hill country about which the Lord spoke on that day...” - Joshua 14:11-12a

Pastora Vhullet Correa-Bullecer was all set to make her graceful exit. As a senior citizen with a disability, she felt she was done with missions and was already looking forward to a restful retirement from ministry. That time, her spirit was low, and she had decided that she would quit after attending an International Teams Mission Conference in Vietnam. It would have been her swan song. But God put another song in her heart, which is now often heard and performed in international mission conferences.

Fire Reignited: There is No Excuse to Grow Cold!

At her age, Ptra. Vhullet had been contemplating on quitting ministry. She felt it was time to stop and just relax in her advanced years. She attended an International Teams Mission Conference in Vietnam, thinking that it would be her last. She thought, maybe it was a fitting end and a graceful exit from so many years of service. There, she heard the super-charged messages from IT Executive Director Pastor Gani Sison, as well as other speakers. And everything changed! Their words breathed new life into her calling, and she accepted the challenge to continue serving, to scale new mountains, and conquer new territories for God. How fitting that she received this rekindled calling on her birthday!

From that day on, Ptra. Vhullet felt her confidence and self-esteem soar. She knew that with God calling her to global missions, neither her age, disability, nor lack of resources should be a hindrance. She boldly declared, “When we are CALLED, we must never grow COLD in doing His will. We are FULL with everything that we need to accomplish the task He has entrusted to us, and must never be FOOLED by the enemy. For every MISSION, there must be a VISION that will encourage every NATION to accept JESUS as the rock of their SALVATION.”

From Vietnam to Many Nations: Sama Na, Sama All!

Ptra.Vhullet’s renewed passion for missions may have started in Vietnam but it certainly did not end there. From the time she decided to follow His call despite her perceived personal limitations, she went all out and found herself travelling to other countries, living out Acts 1:8, which says, ”But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.”

During her Access 2 Training in Vietnam, God even inspired her to compose a song, “Sama Na, Sama All” (Come along, everyone join in!)―an inspiration from the Lord that used the very words spoken by Pastor Gani during the conference. It is a reminder that all believers are called to go into all the world to proclaim Jesus Christ’s saving grace and to make disciples of all nations.

A Planned Exit Opens Up a New Beginning

Ptra. Vhullet’s testimony is a reminder that in life’s ebbs and flows, it is natural to go through different seasons, feel worn down at times, and even experience setbacks that make the future look uncertain; yet, God assures His children that He never changes, that He can breathe fresh purpose and infuse new strength into aging and tired bodies. He does not retire; neither does His calling.

Believers often assume that physical and financial limitations disqualify them from overseas ministries. Ptra. Vhullet is proof that ministry is powered by the Holy Spirit, shaped by obedience, and compelled by God’s compassion for the lost.

Is God stirring your heart with a fresh vision that seems impossible to accomplish given your current situation? Do not ignore that stirring. Take courage, like Ptra. Vhullet. May God reignite that fire and use you mightily as you obey today.

Written by: SR