It took awhile to gather thoughts and just put them into words. I would like to apologize for not writing as I should. I would hope to be better next time. We, the SBS class, started as four students, one changed his mind, then three of us left, then the other didn’t join anymore, then two of us were left: I and Grace, the Korean girl. It started with full excitement and ideals. But, somehow I realized that it was only me who had a desire to study and that the school leader pushed through with it because of me. However, I tried with all my strength to concentrate, but in just after a month, I received a call from my sister that I should come home because of my mother was very, very sick. I had no choice but to fly back to Olongapo City. True enough, when I came home, she was very weak and sick. She was hospitalized for 4 days. The doctor recommended her for Intensive Care Unit, but there was no slot in there. I had to be there every night and quarter of a day to attend to her needs. I thought, I was going to loose her. I ran out of strength and faith sometimes that I would just ask God for His will to be done. But miraculously, the doctor said, her situation was very impressive. Usually, a patient with sicknesses like hers would respond to the medicines after 3-4 days and if not she would be comatose. But just after a day, she woke up. She had to stay 3 more days to cleanse her system.
Currently, I am home taking care of my mother. She is totally dependent on me. I would change her diapers at night, feed her, bath her, bring her for check-ups and sees to it that she takes her medicines in time. She is 70 years old and very heavy.. My back hurts most of the time. I get lonely sometimes and bored because I am not used to this kind of ministry. I am always on the go, out there talking and encouraging people. But praise God for the moments of worshiping the Lord which is so pleasurable. I thank the Lord for the assurance that He will take care of me with no time nor age limit.. hehehe..
Back to the SBS School, I was asking the Lord, why was there a time that I really felt led that I should go to the school, despite of my mother’s situation. I shared it many times to the whole school. And then, my Korean classmate said, “God sent you to me”. Indeed, it wasn’t easy sharing a room with her. She has mood swings and very spoiled. Many times, I felt not welcomed in the room. However, I had to apply patience and understanding since I am older. She is a pastor’s kid, by the way. I would write her nice letters encouraging her to keep on believing that God has something in store for her. I would try to cheer her up and just bless her. But there was a time, when I was at my lowest point too, that I just stopped taking care of her. I just stopped. When I left Davao, I wrote her a very strong letter that I thought, it would be the end of it all. Surprisingly, Monday last week, she came to YWAM Olongapo. We met Thursday and just apologized to me.. She mentioned that my letter changed her life. She did not expect my letter to be very strong. She thought it would be nice like the previous ones, but the last one really spoke to her very core. And it brought her to her senses, yes, other people have problems too (not only her) and she should be taking care of other people by now. She decided to stay in YWAM Olongapo to volunteer in taking care of the children for a month. It is her first ministry. I was overwhelmed. I remember Jesus, in Matthew 8:18, Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, He gave orders to go over to the other side”. Jesus saw the great needs around Him, yet He was not led by needs nor situations. He came to do what the Father wills Him to do. He sailed to the other side going through a strong storm; a storm that tried to disrupt a miracle that took place in the other side. He came to the other side just to heal one person who is a demon possessed. Just for one person. And that one person evangelized his town. I think, it’s the same thing that happened to me. Although, my mother needed me, I still left for Davao, for Grace. And Grace is much better now. She said that according to the people she met in Antipolo, the place she visited after Davao, they coulcn’t believe the big change in her life.
As of now, I am praying and hoping for my mother’s complete healing and full recovery. My hope and prayer is still to go back to Dharamsala, India. It is just that everything is on hold right now.
I hope to attend the YWAM’s National Staff Conference in from April 11-15, 2011 in Nasuli, Bukidnon. It would be encouraging to stay and connected with my ywam family.
This is all for now. The Lord bless you and keep you…
Gay Ann
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Sunday, January 9, 2011
The Best of Both Worlds
I remember when I, together with my three friends, was climbing up a mountain to visit a village in Kathmandu, Nepal. I was looking at the beautiful view of the majestic snow mountains around the valleys and cities. The skies was so blue that enhanced the colors of the creations down below. I was thinking, I should really toil to climb up for hours to enjoy this view. I would never ever see this if stay down below.
Up in the mountains, there were no computers, no electricity to charge our low-bat/dead cellular phones, no public transportation, we really had to use our feet, no stores to buy food we like, we just had to eat whatever is served to us by the villagers. One of the fun part is we stopped by a small waterfall to take a bath and cool ourselves up. Amazing!
In my thought, I can never really have and enjoy the best of both worlds at the same time. I can never be up in the mountains at the same time stay in the valley down below. I have to give up one to enjoy the other one. It is the same in with our spiritual life. We cannot just go on choosing the ways of the world and expect God to move in our lives. We have to give up our old ways, our old thinking. We have to pursue holiness to be able to see God face to face. And it is really worth it when we choose Him. He is the most exciting God ever. He knows the great adventures in life and He never runs out of new things to show us and reveal to us. He is so great and I could never exchange Him for another.
"Not Yet, Lord"
December last year, I just spent most of the days at home. All I did was the endless household chores, cleaning here and there, and taking care of my sick mother. One Sunday afternoon, my sisters had to bring her to the hospital, while I stayed with my nephews and nieces at home. She was very weak. The doctors said she has dementia and liver problems. I was caught off guard. I just cried to the Lord and I told Him, "Not yet, Lord, not yet". I can’t imagine my life without her. She is my home. I thought, whenever I come back from a mission’s trip, where can I go home to? I said, "Lord, not yet! I am not ready". Then, He reminded me what He told me before when I was praying for my mother that He will add years to her life. And I was relieved.
Four men got saved
The youth of 12 Street were always asking me to spend time with them. So, I brought 10 of them to a 1-hour-walk to the waterfalls called Bangka-bangkaan in Gordon Heights. It was so nice just to feel I am out for adventure again. We didn’t know the direction to get there but we just asked the people we met along the way and we found it. The water was so cool and so clean. The youth just jumped off the waterfalls and enjoyed the swim.
Ahh, finally away from the noisy and busy city life! I laid down on a big rock to rest. Then, my mind started to wander again. How many years am I going to live on earth. I remembered, how many times I told God that I will give my life to Him even at my last breath. A verse came to my head, "Teach me, Oh Lord, to number our days...." Then I thought,I should spend my time preaching the gospel. I looked up on a hill and there I saw a house. So, I went up there and found four old men sitting around a table. They seemed to be alcoholics and smokers. I just started sharing to them about Jesus. Surprisingly, they all listened. And they gave their lives to the Lord that day.
January 2011
It was a big decision for me if I am going to pursue my plan of taking the School of Biblical Studies or just stay at home and take care of my mother. Mind and heart wanted to stay, but I prayed and asked the Lord about it. He said, “Go”! Then, I felt peace. I am currently here in YWAM Davao base. We are three students and all girls. We are reading the Old Testament now. It is such a blessing to just feast on the richness of the Word of God. I hope and pray to be totally changed and challenged by the word and take the good news to the dark and fallen world.
Up in the mountains, there were no computers, no electricity to charge our low-bat/dead cellular phones, no public transportation, we really had to use our feet, no stores to buy food we like, we just had to eat whatever is served to us by the villagers. One of the fun part is we stopped by a small waterfall to take a bath and cool ourselves up. Amazing!
In my thought, I can never really have and enjoy the best of both worlds at the same time. I can never be up in the mountains at the same time stay in the valley down below. I have to give up one to enjoy the other one. It is the same in with our spiritual life. We cannot just go on choosing the ways of the world and expect God to move in our lives. We have to give up our old ways, our old thinking. We have to pursue holiness to be able to see God face to face. And it is really worth it when we choose Him. He is the most exciting God ever. He knows the great adventures in life and He never runs out of new things to show us and reveal to us. He is so great and I could never exchange Him for another.
"Not Yet, Lord"
December last year, I just spent most of the days at home. All I did was the endless household chores, cleaning here and there, and taking care of my sick mother. One Sunday afternoon, my sisters had to bring her to the hospital, while I stayed with my nephews and nieces at home. She was very weak. The doctors said she has dementia and liver problems. I was caught off guard. I just cried to the Lord and I told Him, "Not yet, Lord, not yet". I can’t imagine my life without her. She is my home. I thought, whenever I come back from a mission’s trip, where can I go home to? I said, "Lord, not yet! I am not ready". Then, He reminded me what He told me before when I was praying for my mother that He will add years to her life. And I was relieved.
Four men got saved
The youth of 12 Street were always asking me to spend time with them. So, I brought 10 of them to a 1-hour-walk to the waterfalls called Bangka-bangkaan in Gordon Heights. It was so nice just to feel I am out for adventure again. We didn’t know the direction to get there but we just asked the people we met along the way and we found it. The water was so cool and so clean. The youth just jumped off the waterfalls and enjoyed the swim.
Ahh, finally away from the noisy and busy city life! I laid down on a big rock to rest. Then, my mind started to wander again. How many years am I going to live on earth. I remembered, how many times I told God that I will give my life to Him even at my last breath. A verse came to my head, "Teach me, Oh Lord, to number our days...." Then I thought,I should spend my time preaching the gospel. I looked up on a hill and there I saw a house. So, I went up there and found four old men sitting around a table. They seemed to be alcoholics and smokers. I just started sharing to them about Jesus. Surprisingly, they all listened. And they gave their lives to the Lord that day.
January 2011
It was a big decision for me if I am going to pursue my plan of taking the School of Biblical Studies or just stay at home and take care of my mother. Mind and heart wanted to stay, but I prayed and asked the Lord about it. He said, “Go”! Then, I felt peace. I am currently here in YWAM Davao base. We are three students and all girls. We are reading the Old Testament now. It is such a blessing to just feast on the richness of the Word of God. I hope and pray to be totally changed and challenged by the word and take the good news to the dark and fallen world.
Gay Ann at School of Biblical Studies for Frontier Missionaries class
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Junk Food
This week is our fourth week in DTS. We just learned about Character and Nature of God and Father Heart of God. Although, I have heard of these teachings before, but it is so refreshing and so great to be reminded that the God who we are serving is so big and so huge at the same time wants to get involved in our lives, in every detail of our life. He is so amazing.
I enjoy the company of our Nepali brothers and sisters. They are like Filipinos. Their jokes, their humor are surprisingly same as Filipino humors. I can’t help laughing all the time.
It is also a blessing that our foreign students, Craig from UK and Gingging from Philippines have great interest and desire to minister to Tibetan people here in Nepal. The three of us made a commitment to go to Tibetan refugee camp which is 45-minute walk from our base every Sunday to befriend people and share the gospel to them. Last week, I was able to pray for an old lady who is selling charms inside the monastery. She was selling me charms and I told her I don’t have money, but I can pray for her to my God, Jesus. And she said yes. I asked a Nepali guy, who happens to be a Christian and was visiting the monastery too, to interpret my prayer for her. She smiled and looked very happy after my prayer. I also got to meet 7 Tibetan girls, ages ranging from 10-13 years of age, sitting on the ground inside a school. I got to pray for them too. I am happy that they want to be prayed for. They are all living in a hostel. I promised that I would go back next Sunday, which is today. Please pray for us, as we go and meet with them this afternoon.
Yesterday, I was reading 1 Chronicles 11:4, my eyes caught the phrase, for this is My doing. I thought about my life here in Nepal. I struggled so much with the food because everyday the meals are the same: Rice, bean soup, and curry. They put curry on everything. Sometimes, they served macaroni and funny, it has curry on it. The life here is very different from Olongapo City, where I am from. But you know what, this is God’s doing. It is to take me away from the “spiritual junk food” that looses my appetite on the Presence of God. It is to take off my eyes from the things that satisfy self and not be desperately hungry for His Presence. It is to simply gaze on the beauty of God and the beauty of His creation. I am so blessed that we can see the Annapurna Range from our base. It is standing there in its beauty and displays God’s greatness and majesty. The nearness of His Presence is far satisfying yet, you can’t let go and always wanting for more.
Once again, thank you for praying for me. I appreciate every prayer uttered for me. Thank you for your friendship and support. I am so blessed that you are my friends. My prayer for you is that you may have a greater knowledge of how high, how deep, how wide and how great is His love for you.
Sister in grace and joy,
Gay Ann Elicerio
I enjoy the company of our Nepali brothers and sisters. They are like Filipinos. Their jokes, their humor are surprisingly same as Filipino humors. I can’t help laughing all the time.
It is also a blessing that our foreign students, Craig from UK and Gingging from Philippines have great interest and desire to minister to Tibetan people here in Nepal. The three of us made a commitment to go to Tibetan refugee camp which is 45-minute walk from our base every Sunday to befriend people and share the gospel to them. Last week, I was able to pray for an old lady who is selling charms inside the monastery. She was selling me charms and I told her I don’t have money, but I can pray for her to my God, Jesus. And she said yes. I asked a Nepali guy, who happens to be a Christian and was visiting the monastery too, to interpret my prayer for her. She smiled and looked very happy after my prayer. I also got to meet 7 Tibetan girls, ages ranging from 10-13 years of age, sitting on the ground inside a school. I got to pray for them too. I am happy that they want to be prayed for. They are all living in a hostel. I promised that I would go back next Sunday, which is today. Please pray for us, as we go and meet with them this afternoon.
Yesterday, I was reading 1 Chronicles 11:4, my eyes caught the phrase, for this is My doing. I thought about my life here in Nepal. I struggled so much with the food because everyday the meals are the same: Rice, bean soup, and curry. They put curry on everything. Sometimes, they served macaroni and funny, it has curry on it. The life here is very different from Olongapo City, where I am from. But you know what, this is God’s doing. It is to take me away from the “spiritual junk food” that looses my appetite on the Presence of God. It is to take off my eyes from the things that satisfy self and not be desperately hungry for His Presence. It is to simply gaze on the beauty of God and the beauty of His creation. I am so blessed that we can see the Annapurna Range from our base. It is standing there in its beauty and displays God’s greatness and majesty. The nearness of His Presence is far satisfying yet, you can’t let go and always wanting for more.
Once again, thank you for praying for me. I appreciate every prayer uttered for me. Thank you for your friendship and support. I am so blessed that you are my friends. My prayer for you is that you may have a greater knowledge of how high, how deep, how wide and how great is His love for you.
Sister in grace and joy,
Gay Ann Elicerio
Sunday, May 16, 2010
My First Week in Nepal
May 4, 2010 - The people at the Kathmandu base find it funny to hear that I walked and ride on a Riksa (a cart driven by a bicycle) from the airport to
YWAM Kathmandu base is really special. The staff and leaders were very welcoming and really good in serving people. I can’t stop laughing whenever Dinesh cracks a joke. The joke is not really funny but the way he talks made it really funny. I love the worship and prayer times here. Everybody prays aloud. I thought it’s only at the YWAM base, but I found out that it also happens in the churches and other Christian meetings I attended. I think it is very powerful.
Andrea Ramussen, an American lady who has been here for 4 months, explained to me how dangerous Maoists are. How they can put out bombs anywhere and have many people killed. I was so shocked to hear all these stories. She told me to advice the Philippine embassy here and put me on their lists if something happens. She said that I might consider flying out of the country earlier than planned. When I heard that, I prayed harder..
Friday night, I woke up at around 3 in the morning. I was praying then suddenly, a picture appeared to me while praying. It was a boy around 13-14 years old, who is wounded, not only wounded, but his whole body is rotting. I kind of have an impression what it is. But when I shared it to Andrea, she said the boy represents
May 8, Saturday, Dhiraj Lama brought me to church with him and then we went to KFC.. It took us 1 ½ hour to get to the place because of traffic. I get to see more of
I enjoyed my remaining days at the base. I went to Children’s home that is close to the base. I get to enjoy the youth fellowship in a church nearby too. May 10, Monday. I visited a slum area where YWAMers are ministering to. It was heartbreaking to see kids inhaling dusts and smelly air day in and day out.
I cooked Menudo at the base so that people there could have a taste of Filipino food.. So far, everybody said it was good. Then I did facial on 6 people which is tiring actually, but it was really rewarding to see them having fun and enjoying it.
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