God’s Hand of Protection

by Eli Licardo

Eli, Grace, Graciela Ruth & Graceli Lois

In 1987, God gave me the opportunity to work in Jubail Industrial City, Saudi Arabia, as a project and maintenance coordinator. I had mixed emotions about working in a place where I am unable to freely worship my God. I had this question: “What if they catch me worshiping my God, will they put me in jail or put me to death?” But God gave me peace to pursue this work with the desire that He will use me to advance His Kingdom.

In my first year, I was zealous in sharing God’s word with my co-workers. I became friends with Filipinos, East Indians, Sri Lankans, Pakistanis and Thais. I had co-workers who were believers in Christ who were just as zealous as I, so we started an “underground” Bible study in our “camp”. A camp is the living quarters of bachelor, expatriate workers who work for different companies. There were about 2,000 people of different nationalities living in our camp. My Christian co-workers and I prayed for a place to have a Bible study. After two months of praying, the roommate of one of my Christian co-workers was transferred to a different location. Thus, God answered our prayer for a room where we could hold a Bible study, and He gave me the opportunity to lead the study.

Back in the Philippines, I normally use a Bible study guide when leading a group, so I was skeptical about leading one without a guide. The only tool that I had was my small Gideons Bible. But God told me that there are no other more meaningful words than His very own words from the Bible. I remember my first love of knowing God and in meditating on His word, which I shared with our group. Therefore by God’s grace, our Bible study group grew in faith and number. So we decided to meet at a bigger place that would not be obvious to the authorities in the camp.??

We started meeting at the home of a Filipino, Christian couple who lived just outside the camp. The couple are doctors. One night, while 30 of us were having our fellowship, we heard a knock at the door. We opened the door and it was the Saudi police. Some of the believers escaped through the back door before the police entered the house. However, some of us were caught in the living room. The police saw the Bibles so they did not even question us, but brought us to the police station instead. At the station, they interrogated us, so we knew we were in trouble. They put all the men together in one prison cell and the women in another. They called the Chief of Police to come to the station and he interrogated us again. While questioning us, he recognized the owner of the house and said, “Oh I remember you, how is your wife?” (It turns out the wife helped deliver the Chief of Police’s two children). The husband said, “She is in the women’s prison cell.” So the Chief of Police went there, saw her and asked her “What are you doing here?” She told him: “Your policemen brought us here but I am not sure why.” Then the chief talked to his men in Arabic. The chief went back to the women’s cell and explained to the lady doctor that her neighbors heard singing and saw many people coming in and out of their house. Moreover, the chief showed her the Bible that the policemen confiscated from us. The chief likewise went to our cell, showed us the Bible and told us that this book is not allowed in Saudi Arabia. At that time, we thought we had to stay longer in prison and be whipped every Friday to make us an example for the public. In that city, the police whipped people in public if they caught them doing things considered crimes in Saudi Arabia such as drinking liquor and conducting non-Islamic religious activities.

But God is great! He changed the heart of the Chief of Police that night. He told the lady doctor: “If you were not good and kind to my family, I would have kept you here to be punished. However, since you took care of my wife and my two children well when they were sick, I will release you and all your friends.” So he told his policemen to open the prison cells and free us. But he warned us not to meet together at the doctors’ house anymore. So in all, we stayed in the prison cell for three hours.

The policemen brought us back to the doctors’ house. That night we praised God for His miraculous way of sparing us from physical torture and even death. We went back to our camp at around 1:00 am but did not tell anybody about our ordeal so we would not be in trouble again. We did not have a Bible study for almost six months. In that span of six months our camp was under surveillance by the Saudi police because they received reports that people were doing underground Bible studies. We missed the fellowship, so once a month we travelled 4 hours to another city, Alkhobar, to attend another fellowship. My experience in Saudi Arabia made me realize that God protects His people when they faithfully do His will. God’s word in Joshua 1:9 says: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” became a reality to me.

Editor’s note: Eli Licardo is a quality and safety manager in Edmonton, Canada. His wife Grace (nee Cerino) is an alumna of the IVCF fellowship at Silliman University, Philippines. After graduating from Silliman, Grace volunteered as a Graduate Team member and managed the IV Home in Dumaguete City for three years. They have two daughters, Graciela Ruth (pictured in pink dress) and Graceli Lois (in black and white blouse). Twenty five years after Eli Licardo’s harrowing experience, today in Saudia Arabia, “all non-Muslim religious rituals and materials are banned. Anyone who converts a Muslim faces jail, expulsion, lashing, torture or execution. Non-Muslim worship, even for foreign Christians, is prohibited. While the government says foreigners may practice Christianity privately, the religious police have been known to raid homes where expatriate workers were worshiping.”
Source: http://www.persecution.com/public/restrictednations.aspx?country_ID=NDI%3d

A Letter from Daniel Basco

Daniel basco

Hello, I am Daniel Basco (Gil and Joy Basco’s second child), and I thank you for the opportunity to share what God is doing in and through me since I last saw you at Balikatan 2010. Our Lord has been gracious in allowing me to pursue an M.Div at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School for the past two years. Though I have two more years to complete at seminary, the Holy Spirit has opened my eyes to the spiritual poverty of those who often fade into the background of my daily life. In particular, God has shown me that my “Lazarus” of Luke 16 is the Japanese people. Every day I see Toyota vehicles and type on a Sony laptop. Yet, I can easily forget that despite my assumption that all Japanese people are industrious and financially secure, they are a spiritually impoverished people: With a population less than 1% Christian, I was agonized by the realization that at best only 1% of those who lost their lives in the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami would enjoy Christ’s eternal presence and glory. This summer, God has given me an opportunity to participate in his plan to reconcile all creation to himself by sharing the Gospel message in Japan! This summer, I will work alongside two different mission agencies from May until August: Through SEND International, I have the opportunity to assist a camp ministry that will host youth from the tsunami-affected regions. With TEAM, I have the opportunity to share the Gospel message through a coffee shop ministry located near downtown Tokyo and a church planting team in Nagano. As I follow Christ’s leading towards missionary service, I covet your prayers and intercessions: Please pray first and foremost for the Japanese whom I will meet, that the Holy Spirit would open their eyes and ears, softening their hearts to Gospel message. Please also pray for God to provide the $9,115.00 needed for me to be Christ’s faithful witness to them. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Daniel Basco
T-184 2065 Half Day Rd. Deerfield, IL 60015
dan.amos.basco@gmail.com

Editor’s Note: If you are interested in supporting Daniel, please CLICK HERE to make an online donation c/o Balikatan. Please write “Daniel Basco” in the box for Additional Information or you may send a check to any of the following:

1. Balikatan
c/o Edna Bargan
P.O. Box 4910
Alexandria, VA 22303 or

2. TEAM, P.O. Box 969 Wheaton,IL, 60187 or

3. SEND International
P.O. Box 513, Farmington, MI, 48332.

Please write “Daniel Basco” in the MEMO.

Balikatan Board Met Face-to-face in Washington

L-R: 1st Row Kerry Sinclair, Jojo Remigio, Landy Ancheta; 2nd Row Lilia Salazar-Nigro, Noelle Tadeo, Josie Sinclair, Lilette Cruz, Vivian Tadeo and James Odango.

The Balikatan Board had a series of meetings in Vancouver, Washington, during the weekend of February 18-20, 2012. The meetings were conducted at the spacious residence of Eric and Vivian Tadeo, who also provided accommodations and home-cooked meals for the Board Members who travelled from both the East and West coasts. Five Board Members – Landy Ancheta, Jojo Remigio, James Odango, Lilia Salazar-Nigro and Lilette Cruz – made it to the Washington meetings, Tess Askowitz joined one of the meetings by phone from home after her flights were cancelled midway through her itinerary due to inclement weather. Edna Bargan was not able to attend because of her work schedule. The long weekend in February (President’s Day in the USA) is one of two occasions that the Balikatan Board is able to meet face-to-face. The other time is during the annual conference in July. The Balikatan Board also meets every month through audio conferencing.

Overall, the meetings with timely breaks for prayer, sharing, and singing, were productive, and the following are the highlights:

Trust Fund to be re-launched in July during the Florida Conference

The Balikatan Trust Fund will be re-launched in July 2012 during the annual Balikatan Conference at the Word of Life Conference Center in Hudson, Florida. The Trust Fund was introduced in 1989 to generate funds that will be invested, the proceeds of which can be used for IVCF Philippines’ emergency needs.

Focus on Alumni-in-Missions

The Balikatan Board started discussions around developing policies and procedures for alumni-in-missions support. Alumni-in-missions are the other beneficiaries of Balikatan members’ prayer and financial support, as envisioned by our beloved Balikatan pioneers. However, not much has been done in previous years to bring awareness to this group, other than recognizing the attendance of alumni-in-missions in the annual Balikatan conference and allocating to them a portion of gifts and offerings in the conference.

Board-to-Board Skype Session

Another highlight of the meetings was the Skype video conference between the Balikatan Board and the IVCF Philippines’ Board of Trustees. Sans make-up and in their pajamas, the Balikatan Board Members woke up early on Sunday, February 19, to attend the 6am (Washington Time) meeting with the IVCF National Director and BOT members, who stayed up late for the 10pm (Manila Time) meeting. The meeting between the two boards was a great opportunity for both to share on-going projects and concerns.

Updates on the preparations for the 2012 and 2013 Conferences

Tess Askowitz provided updates on the preparations for the upcoming Florida Conference in July 2012 and Alma Sarmiento provided the updates on the initial activities and plans for the Washington Conference in July 2013. Both reports were encouraging and reminded the Board Members of God’s faithfulness through His provisions and through His people, via the various alumni volunteers who are investing their gifts, time, and talent to ensure the success of these conferences.

Please continue to pray for the Balikatan Board as it continues to undertake the above challenging initiatives in the coming months and for the host fellowship groups as they continue to plan and prepare for the 2012 and 2013 conferences, all for the glory of God.

Landy Ancheta
President, Balikatan

$6,000 Raised for IVCF Philippines Camp Subsidy

Praise God for His bountiful provision for IVCF summer camp subsidies. We started this fund-raising campaign in November of last year and generous donors have been giving to God’s cause. As of March 12, we met our goal of $6000.00 with an extra $200.00. We remember with gratitude and fondness the times we attended summer camps and the many valuable lessons we learned from God’s Word, our speakers and counselors, and our interactions with our co-campers. Kawayan camp is particularly helpful in discipling and training student leaders. We see its fruits even among us who are now actively involved as church pastors, leaders and missionaries. Remember every penny given to our students is an investment in our country’s future leaders. Again, thank you for all the individuals who gave to this cause. This is Balikatan’s first attempt to raise funds for the summer camps and we plan to do this on a yearly basis. Let us give back the glory to God: “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever, Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV)”

Lilia Salazar-Nigro
Special Projects Committee

A Family’s Love Away from Home

by Roxanne Agbayani

Roxanne with the Skinkers

Leaving home was not easy at all. Being separated from my loved ones, even just for a little while, was lonely and the thought of paying for my bills in dollars was very scary! Before I left, everything was unsure and uncertain. I was deeply discouraged. People back in the Philippines told me that it was an impossible venture because I did not have enough resources. However, amidst all the noise and chaos in my mind, I listened to the Voice of Truth. He told me to go and promised me that He will protect me and provide for everything I need.

God did not fail me. He provided people who gave me love and support. First, He provided financial help through my Aunt Valerie’s family, the Malabongas, who offered almost everything I needed before and after coming to America. They likewise supplied me all the items I needed to survive the freezing winter in Michigan. They also taught me practical skills (e.g., laundry) I needed to equip me for living in America. Second, my aunt asked her friends from Balikatan to help me as well. It is really nice that most of the members of this organization are IVCF graduates, for I myself am a current SVCF member at University of the Philippines Los Ba os. IVCF has always been a family to me, so it was exciting to meet Balikatan members. I first met the Concepcion family who joined my aunt’s family for Christmas dinner. The Concepcions are really warm and I enjoyed talking to them. I did not feel so lonely away from home on Christmas Eve because of their company. I also enjoyed our visit to their home where I played their grand piano. Ate Nanie likewise gave me many tips for surviving Michigan’s social environment since she herself was a graduate student at the University of Michigan.

When I was already in Michigan, I met Steve, Bethel, and Stacey Skinker. They visited me at the dorm several times and provided me with more needed items like bed sheets, pajamas, snow pants, hangers, etc. I was overwhelmed by their kindness even though we just met. They were also the ones who introduced me to their church, which I regularly attend now. And whenever I need help they are always around to assist me. Lastly, Edna Bargan and Mila Pascual friended me and introduced me to the Balikatan Facebook page. They have followed my progress in Michigan via Facebook.

Thus, my heart overflows with joy and gratitude for the love that members of Balikatan have extended to me. I praise God for touching your hearts. What you have done overwhelms me. I am amazed at how God provided a family for me though I am thousands of miles away from home. It has not been an easy journey for me, but people like you who supported me make my heart leap. I pray that God will bless Balikatan more and more. Thank you and God bless.

Roxanne E. Agbayani is currently an exchange student for the spring semester at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. She is a junior majoring in Family Life and Human Development at the University of the Philippines, Los Ba os, where she is a member of State Varsity Christian Fellowship (SVCF).

Reflections on my Heart’s Journey

by Bethel Trasmonte Skinker

Steve, Stacie, Kevin and Bethel Skinker

February is the month of love. We see heart illustrations everywhere we go. The heart is a symbol of love, and most often, we convey our love in writing by drawing a heart. The heart was thought to be the center of man’s being. The saying “I love you with all my heart” is like saying “I love you with all of my being”. It is expressed to let someone know how much we love them. However, do you know that our hearts need tender loving care as well? We need healthy hearts so we must be good stewards of the heart that God has given us. Heart disease is the Number 1 cause of death in the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control. Understanding and controlling the factors affecting our heart’s health such as cholesterol, triglycerides, and sodium levels in our blood, along with exercise, are important ways to make our hearts healthy, especially for people over 50.

About 18 months ago, I underwent a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a common type of heart disease. My heart’s journey was not easy but it allowed me and my family to experience God’s faithfulness and sweetened our relationship with Him.

The week of August 10, 2010 was one of the warmest weeks in Lansing, Michigan. I was attending an annual work-related conference that week in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, about an hour drive from home. I had been feeling chest pains for a couple of days every time I walked to my car from my office and from the conference center. I thought it might just be the heat triggering my asthma, so I ignored it. Toward the end of the third day of the conference, I asked permission from my supervisor to skip the last day due to my chest pains; and to assist one of the water supplies I oversee, which was under a Boil Water Advisory (BWA) for almost a week. My supervisor agreed, so I drove back home that evening. To stay awake while driving, I kept eating corn nuts, which I love. I don’t know the exact amount of sodium in those corn nuts, but they tasted very salty. In addition to the corn nuts, I ate some gourmet buttery caramel popcorn, which also has a lot of sodium, sugar, and butter. Another thing that may have worsened things was my drinking several cups of coffee during the conference. What I ate and drank were probably more than 5 times the limit of the sodium, sugar, and caffeine intake for my weight. Perhaps I should have gone to a health conference instead of one about drinking water!

Later that night I ended up in the emergency room because of my symptoms. The doctor commented that I might have a heart problem. I was asked to stay in the hospital for observation despite my begging to sleep at home and just come back early the next day. I was given a blood thinner and was scheduled for a stress test at 7:00 AM the following morning. That first night, I shared a room with a patient scheduled for open heart surgery. Since we were only separated by a curtain, I could hear her crying fearfully, which I thought was not good for her heart. She apologized for crying loudly but I told her it was okay and I prayed for her.

I took the stress test and the results showed some abnormality in my heart rate. I was then scheduled for a catheterization. Catheterization involves inserting a catheter (small hollow tube) into a blood vessel in the groin and through the aorta into the heart. Through the catheter, the doctor can do diagnostic tests and treatments on the heart. The tip of the catheter can be placed into various parts of the heart to measure the pressures within its chambers. The catheter can also be advanced into the coronary arteries and a contrast dye injected into them. The dye will flow through the blood stream and into the heart. Then an x-ray picture of the heart is obtained. The dye makes the coronary (heart) arteries visible on the picture. Any blockage shown in the picture that can be fixed with a stent will be repaired during this process.

At that point, I still believed that my heart was fine, because I answered “No” to questions like “Do you smoke? Do you have diabetes? Do you drink alcoholic drinks? and Do you use drugs?” I was positive that I would be discharged from the hospital that afternoon. Around 10:00 AM that morning, I had my catheterization completed. Results showed that I had a 90 to 95 % blockage on my major artery (left anterior descending). The blockage was located just upstream from where two arteries branch out, which made the doctors unable to use a stent. The doctor explained that I would require open heart surgery. That news placed me on the same shoes as my roommate the night before and made me realize that my heart was not that healthy after all. One of my favorite verses to cling to when I feel lost or on the verge of taking a big challenge is Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.” These words made me stop, think, and acknowledge God’s power over me. In addition, Romans 8:28 says, “All things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.” Believing these verses gave me the assurance that whatever happens to me (in life or in death) the Lord has a purpose and I need to surrender myself to Him. Although I was ready to die, I thought about my family, especially my kids. Are they ready for me to be gone? My prayer was for the Lord to help my family understand what was going on in accordance with His purpose in our lives.

As I digested what the doctor told me, I was telling myself, “Oops, conflict of schedule”. I was supposed to drive our son Kevin to Wheaton College that afternoon and attend a women’s retreat the next day in Wisconsin. I’m not sure how Steve conveyed the news to Kevin and Stacie and my extended family, but he did well. I prayed that the Lord would give me the strength and wisdom to communicate my condition to my family in a manner that wouldn’t cause fear but rather elevate their trust in the Lord and face the challenge with joy.

Kevin was just beginning college at that time and as the mom of a freshman, I really wanted to drive him to Wheaton College in Illinois to make sure he had all his needs. But I was reminded of Proverbs 16:9 saying, “Man proposes but God disposes.” Since Steve and I were unable to drive Kevin, Kevin ended up going with his soccer teammate from our area and Kevin did just fine. When he stopped to see me before leaving for Wheaton, I told him: “The Lord has great things in store for you, don’t let my condition slow you down. Trust the Lord and all things will be well. Enjoy every opportunity that the Lord is giving you even in difficult situations”. But while I was saying these words, I had tears in my eyes through my smile. Not a great way of encouraging a son to face the world and trust the Lord. He asked me, “Mom, why are you crying then?” My response was tears are not only for sadness but for joy as well.

I underwent a robot-assisted CABG surgery – high tech, but a less invasive surgery with a top-notch surgeon. The current technology is quite amazing. The surgeon did not have to open my rib cage, resulting in a faster recovery. Twelve days in the hospital and 2 months recuperation at home turned our family’s schedule upside down. As avid fans of our kids’ athletics, we frequently travel to their games. Our parenting pays off in great satisfaction as we watch them mature in academics, sports, and especially spiritual growth. I missed many of Kevin’s games during his freshman year, but watched most of the video-streamed college games on my computer. I also missed most of Stacie’s volleyball and soccer games that season, but I’m thankful for those parents who helped her.

Now I’m back to a normal life, although I’m not as physically strong and daring as before. My heart’s ailment caused many people’s hearts to show and practice God’s love and opened the hearts and minds of others to appreciate God’s love, grace, and authority amongst us. Looking back, we are amazed at how the Lord orchestrated things so that our family’s physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual needs were provided for. We cannot find a reason to complain of that experience, for it only brought fullness to our faith in Christ. Many people, some of whom I do not even know, prayed for me and my family; provided transportation for our kids, extended words of comfort, and delivered meals to our home. Thanks to all for what you have done for our family during that crisis. You have glorified the Lord by what you did.

I am very grateful to the Lord on how he turned this difficult situation into something that gives our family happy and cherished memories. Some highlights are: I was pampered and nursed by my older sister, a nurse in Chicago, for a couple of weeks; and then by my younger sister, an orthodontist from the Philippines, for 3 months. I did not have to go to work but got paid. My family received many delicious meals. I even got a handicapped parking sticker.

I heard many well-wishes and prayers from family and friends all over the world. There were many hospital visits from friends and prayer time with them. My favorite one was a visit from our former church growth group leaders. They prayed and sang songs (“Great Is Thy Faithfulness” and “How Great Thou Art”) with us. That brought back memories from my childhood of accompanying my pastor-father, while he visited the sick. Our visits included singing, Bible meditation, and prayer time.

A Letter from Special Projects’ Committee Chairperson

Greetings in the name of Jesus, the Lover of our soul, as we celebrate Valentine’s Day this month!

If you remember, the Board launched a CAMP FUND-RAISING PROJECT in December. While we had a generous outpouring of donations that month, we only received $900 out of the $6,000 target goal for the summer camps. Now that IVCF is busy preparing for its camps that start in April, we’d like to remind you of this financial need. To repeat some information I presented last time, these camps total eight camps, plus Operation Samaria and Beach Mission (short-term missions). There are different Tracks: tribal, beach, cross-cultural/country missions trek. Camp Purposes: Intensive leadership training, Missions awareness/ involvement/ challenge, Evangelism, and Discipleship for new believers. Registration fees: On average P10 -12k for campus delegate and P14 – 16k for church delegate, less for high school students. Camp duration is 6 days including travel; Kawayan Camp is a month long.

Subsidies are raised for the camp staff, counselors, and speakers. Delegates raise their own registration fees. Both come from donations or contributions from alumni, friends, families or churches. Students usually engage in work-for- a-cause, and the campus chapters and regions help raise funds for their delegates. Regional camps raise their own subsidies. IVCF appeals to donors and alumni for the camp subsidies: KC – being a national camp, 90% abroad; 10% local donors; and all other camps – 80% local; 20% abroad. BALIKATAN WOULD LIKE TO RAISE ITS SHARE OF $6000.00 FOR THESE CAMPS.

To hear first-hand from students who were blessed by these camps, we asked for their testimonies. Click here to watch video clips of student testimonies. Please CLICK HERE to donate to IVCF SUMMER CAMPS and write “Camps and Conferences” on the Comment Box provided. You may also send your check made payable to Balikatan to our Treasurer, Edna Bargan at

Balikatan
C/O Edna Bargan P.O. Box 4910
Alexandria, VA 22303

Thank you for partnering with us in this ministry. May the Lord continue to richly bless you and your family.

In His Service,

Lilia Salazar-Nigro

Board Member and Special Projects’ Committee Head