The David Livingstone Missionary Foundation in Cebu

James and I went to Cebu to visit Bethel Temple, walk Colon St. in Cebu, and vist the David Livingstone Missionary Foundation whose primary leaders were Philippine AG officials.

Evening in Ormoc

We rode a bus from Tacloban to Ormoc City to catch a ferry to Cebu. Our evening in Ormoc left a memorable picture and feel in my mind. James was hungry and so we went to the evening BBQ and Karinderya shops that lined a concrete wall. The shops were all under a single simple lean to roof that seemed to stretch fifty yards in length. It was a rainy evening and so everyone was seeking shelter from the rain increasing the BBQ and Karinderya shops evening business. The smoke under the roof was able to find its way out the Nipa roof so the air was breathable yet the canopy of smoke building under the Nipa roof was thick and visible.

The smell of different shops was discernible as we walked the narrow passage way. I think the lean to roof extended outwards less than 10 feet, 5 feet wide for shops and a 5 foot wide walkway. The entire scene was fascinating with all the people politely walking around one another and eating their BBQ. The Karinderya shops had small stools for customers that lessened the walking path for persons passing by. I do remember the BBQ (assorted types of meat pieces on a stick) and Maize (Corn on the cob) were delicious. Although, you never really know the type of meat you might be eating!

Rusty Ships

We purchased our tickets for an overnight ferry to Cebu. James and I both preferred sleeping in a cot on the deck over the tiny cabins. I had also read news (multiple times) of these old rusty ships sinking and didn’t want to get caught in a cabin. The ships are much safer in the present and have been for decades now. The deck was filled with green colored army like fold out cots. Tarps were stretched over the open sides of the deck to prevent the wind from blowing in the cold air on those attempting to sleep. I don’t remember sleeping at all, the ride was a little over five hours.

Exploring Colon

We visited Colon st. first. James really wanted me to experience this old part of Cebu. It is still an interesting place where you can buy forged documents, and counterfeit coins, even old American coins which aren’t silver so easily detectable as counterfeit. Colon St . has everything for sale and in abundance.

Bethel Temple

Mike Pilapil was the pastor, I think it was 1985 when we made this trip. Bethel Temple was a city church in the Capitol City of Cebu and was much finer than the churches I had been preaching at in Leyte. Mike Pilapil migrated to Hawaii where he continued pastoring.

David Livingstone Missionary Foundation

My first trip to DLMF was with James and I met the older fathers of the AG movement (I remember Roque Cagas) in the Visayas who were working with DLMF. They invited me to return and preach for morning and evening chapel services. Within a few weeks I flew back to Cebu and one of the DLMF employees met me at the airport and ensured I made it to the DLMF location in the mountains.

It was a wonderful time for me. Bible College students are an easy group to speak too. They are young, hungry for God, attentive and respond to lively preaching. I was young and lively and God’s Spirit was with me and there for them. I preached twice a day for morning chapel and special evening services. I loved preaching and teaching young Filipinos who were preparing to become pastors in the Philippines. After three days of strenuous exuberant Spirit moving preaching I lost my voice and didn’t speak for the better part of a week.

I had been so busy and absent from home so often that I missed my children and wanted to go home, rest, and hang out with my family. The evenings really touched my emotions for spending so much time away from my kids because I played in the grass with the orphans at DLMF and just let them climb all over me.