Off The Plane Ministry

Before Pat and I left the Philippines to move to the United States our friends and fellow church members gave us two seperate farewell parties. It was during these parties that friends who had moved from a different country or city to the city of Bacolod would tell us of their appreciation of the fact that they have been recepients of the Off The Plane Ministry of Pat and Phenjie. What it means basically is that we had helped each of them get settled in and helped them familiarize themselves with the way of life in our city. Some of the recipients of this ministry were American Missionaries. When we moved to Dallas, my wife Pat and I found ourselves this time around to be recipients of the Off The Plane Ministry of men and women of God such as Tino and Esmer Yado who gave us our first car in the United States, John and Benggay Salas who helped us get our driver's license and assisted us in more ways than none, Pastor Butch and Manel Diwa who discipled us and taught us about how we should live our lives in a North American setting, David Talaguit who showed us around and helped me and my wife find our music, Jofy and Louella Gocco who helped us with moving from Dallas to Garland and assisted us in getting ourselves settled in at Garland...and then some. I remember the first time I met Jofy who was then a total stranger to me the first words I heard him tell me was "welcome to the family" four words that i needed to hear at that time. Such selfless acts of people who truly love God, truth be told it has been such a blessing to be on the other side...to experience being a recipient of the Off The Plane Ministry of Dallas.

Acts 18:24-28