Dear friends and faithful ministry partners,

I got home from my last travel Thursday evening, March 19th. Because I came from Washington State where COVID-19 has spread, to protect my family, I put myself in quarantine for 14 days. So far, I am feeling well. Thank God. And thank you for your prayers.  I am home… and safe!

I am so grateful for the opportunity I was given to share my ministry and my calling at Church on the Rock and with a few groups at Oak Harbor – Whidbey Island in Washington State. Thanks to Pastor Jim Cutter’s invitation and to my wonderful host Ted and Paula Mihok for opening their home to me and showing me around the beautiful Island of Whidbey. While I was at Whidbey Island, the issue with the COVID-19 worsened. As a result, a few of my scheduled speaking engagements were cancelled. But God is good, because when one door closes, another door opens. Without a scheduled plan, I was invited to share at Oak Harbor Christian Fellowship Church, a Filipino Congregation. I was so blessed to share with my “kababayan” fellow Filipinos. Thanks to Pastor Cesar Muego for allowing me to share. He even invited me to share at their other location of worship on another service, but it was cancelled due to gatherings of large groups were already prohibited. I was really blessed with my time at Whidbey Island, a truly beautiful place. I pray that my time there was an open door for ministry partnership.

While traveling in Washington State, there was a time when I took the bus and train to get to my next destination. Public places were almost empty. People were in panic. My heart was sad. With all these things going on around us, God put in my heart that we all need rest, to enjoy a time of reflection with our relationship in Him. God reminded me, He is still in control and still heals. My prayer is that God will heal those afflicted by the Coronavirus disease. May God’s love, patience, wisdom, grace be upon you; and may your faith in God be strengthen in the midst of this global pandemic crisis.

I cancelled a few scheduled trips because everything was shut down. Doing this deputation, I need to be speaking to people in order to share my ministry and my calling. I want to invite people to step up to the calling with me, to journey with me, so that we can all serve together to the mission we are all called to do. What I’m doing is not a one man mission (Matthew 28:18-20, “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”). Unfortunately, with this crisis we’re in, I am restricted in what I can do, just like everyone else.

However, God keeps the joy in my heart and He reminds me of the plan He has for me. I am eager to share this mission, which assists in training students and guides Christian leaders so that they can also train others to share the Word of God and His love to those who do not know Christ. I get so excited whenever I can share my own life story. I can bring hope in Christ to people that needed hope. But it’s all right, God’s got it! I trust that in the midst of all the chaos and uncertainty, God’s got it. He is bigger than this COVID-19. Since most everything is shut down and we can’t travel, I really do think that this is a time of rest and a time of reflection in our Lord Who is loving and sovereign no matter what is going on around us (Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”), There is no doubt, God is in control. He is faithful and my faith is in Him! I hope yours is too!

A reminder from Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Yours in Christ,

– Jae