“YES, LORD! I WILL FOLLOW YOU TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.” (Part 1)
Have you ever said, “Yes,” to something you were unsure about but were glad that you did because of how much you learned and grew from the experience? Have you said, “Yes,” to God even when it may have been challenging to do so? Saying, “Yes,” to God can sometimes be so easy that you say, “Yes,” before you realize it. Other times, there can be a tug in your heart to answer with a, “Yes,” even when you feel like running in the other direction and saying, “No way!”
IT missionaries and Pastors Ruel and Divina Vitor were astonished about what God did in their lives when they said “Yes, Lord! I will follow you to the ends of the earth.”
It was March 1, 2016, when Pastors Divina and Ruel attended the Access 1 Training of International Teams Philippines, a mission-sending organization. Pastor Gani Sison, IT’s Executive Director, went to Bohol to conduct the training for the aspiring missionaries and when the couple heard the message about missions, their hearts were leaping with excitement because they know their dreams are about to happen. They have dreamt of going on missions and serving the Lord as much as they can.
Their first mission exposure trip was to Malaysia and they saw the need for undocumented Filipinos there. The couple ministered to them and comforted them as the Holy Spirit led. As they spend time with the undocumented Filipinos, some of them came to know Jesus. The couple’s desire to bring Jesus and the Gospel to other people became greater.
During their stay in Malaysia, Pastor Divina saw something in her time of prayer and worship. She spoke in tongues and heard a thunder-like voice that said, “I will bring you to the place which loves Me”. Then she saw the image of Macedonia. She knew it was God speaking to her. Pastor Divina couldn’t stop crying after she saw that vision. Pastors Ruel and Divina believed in their hearts that their next destination would be Macedonia. It requires a lot of money to go to Europe. However, in ITeams, we believe that when God calls you, He will surely provide. Soon enough, before they left Malaysia, a friend contacted them and gave them financial blessings.
As they returned to the Philippines, they found out that there was a mission exposure trip in Albania. They wanted to join but they had to pay the registration fee. They realized that the financial blessings they have received from their friend were provided by God for their registration fee. They were so amazed that God had prepared their needs in advance. Someone also gave them new travel luggage bags so they would have something to use for their trip to Europe.
However, they needed more money to book their tickets and process their visas. They only had 10,000 pesos at that time, and it wasn’t enough. Pastor Divina was thinking of not going because of their lack of money but she remembered to have the faith to trust God in everything. That’s when they saw the fulfillment of the verse Jeremiah 33:3, and the Lord showed them great things and blessed them prosperously so that they were able to go to Europe.
During their trip, they got lost in Belgium and almost missed the train to their next destination. But God has done a supernatural thing when an old woman approached them and showed them the way. The old woman took out a piece of paper from her bag and showed it to them. To their surprise, the words “Filipino church in Belgium” was written on it. When the train arrived, they hopped on and as Pastor Divina glanced again to thank her, she couldn’t see the old woman anymore. The old woman disappeared quickly. They realized that God sent His angel to help them.
They have experienced how God provided for their mission trip. All they had to bring was their faith. “Just say YES and He will take care of everything” Pastor Divina commented. They were able to visit Albania, the Netherlands, Germany, Greece, and most especially Macedonia. Their trip to Europe was a dream come true for them, for they never imagined that they could go to Europe and even stay in hotels. In addition, their basic needs were provided for them by the men and women of peace God had appointed to take care of them.
They were able to minister to the people they met in Europe and God was with them on every path they took. They returned to the Philippines victoriously and their faith has grown deeper. They know they serve a marvelous God, so they are looking forward to experiencing more of God’s divine power as they follow His will in their lives.
There’s more to what God did and will do in the lives of Pastors Ruel and Divina Vitor. No one would ever doubt again His goodness and His glory shines in the lives of His faithful children as they follow Him. Saying, “Yes,” to God is not always easy to do, but it is rewarding when we follow His will. It is all worth it to follow Him because He is the One true God, and nothing can surpass His magnificence!
Jeremiah 33:3
We do not always see what God is doing behind the scenes. Yet, He invites us to call unto Him and trust Him anyway. He promises to show us great and mighty things.
(Written by: Venus Jablo)
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