2007
At the same time that I was in Burma and Nepal, Peggy was also on the same continent, but thousands of miles away. When she was initially invited to minister in the Philippines, she sadly declined the request due to the conflict with the Myanmar-Nepal mission; however, as time progressed she began to feel more and more that going to the Philippines was the Lord’s direction for her for this year. One Saturday evening, we came to the conclusion that it would be better to go our separate ways this time so that she could accept the invitation. Remarkably, the next morning at church Peggy bumped into the lady who had extended the original offer. With seven thousand worshippers in the service, it was truly a needle-in-the-hay-stack experience to find someone in the service. The lady was especially elated when Peggy shared her decision, commenting that she had just prayed that she would get a chance to see Peggy to check with her if it might be possible that she had changed her mind. On this first visit to the Philippines, Peggy found the people warm and receptive as she shared the Word of God in two different leadership conferences. The lives of these pastors and leaders will forever be impacted by her teachings on the heart of a true minister. The reports that have come in after the conferences is that the meetings brought new life to the regions. Where there had been some mistrust and disharmony among the pastors, now the beauty of brethren living and working together in harmony and unity has revitalized the churches.
Even though I’ve been on many mission trips to Asia, Africa, Central America, and the Caribbean, this was my first trip to the Philippines. Before I left, one of the ladies in a cell group I attend felt led to prophesy that I would encounter many difficulties but that they would melt before me if I would speak to them with my Kingdom authority. I had to put this admonition into operation even before I left the States because I was told in San Francisco that I should not board the plane since my passport was near its expiration date. The airline agent warned me that I would be turned away at passport control in Asia since my passport was not valid for a full six months after my entry into the Philippines. After serious prayer during the full fourteen-hour flight to Hong Kong, I was relieved when the airline agent met me in the airport with my onward boarding pass! His faithfulness and amazing grace continued to follow me throughout the rest of the trip.
I found the Filipino people to be some of the warmest and friendliest people I have ever met. Lana, the team leader, and the national leaders, Tessie and Lem, were great people to work with. We spoke to mostly pastors and leaders. It was very easy to minister since the people were so open. The conferences were very well planned and organized. All the team’s messages seemed to flow together. As a result of the Spirit-led teamwork, all the locals were powerfully challenged, encouraged, and excited to continue in their work for the Kingdom. We saw definite changes in the spiritual atmosphere after both sets of conferences in Dumaguete and Davao.
1986
Our first mission in the Philippines was when Delron accompanied Dr. Lester Sumrall on a trip through several countries in Asia. The highlight of the trip was the dedication of the new ten-thousand-seat-auditorium for the Cathedral of Praise which Dr. Sumrall had founded some three decades earlier and was now pastured by his nephew, David Sumrall. Delron ministered in services for some of the daughter churches which had been birthed form the mother church and participated in the graduation ceremony of the Bible college which is affiliated with the church.
