Ptra. Jenette Angeles Halili has been pastoring two churches in the Philippines – AMO Paombong and AMO San Jose for 17 years and 7 years respectively.
She was raised in an island village where most people were Catholics and where there were no Christian churches, so it came unexpected that she would hear the gospel and believe in Christ, in the year 1991. While attending the initial Bible studies, she started feeling that there was a gap between her and her family who were now believers. But our relatives were unhappy that we changed religion. When I was in college, I and my younger siblings had to live with my aunt who had a house in the neighboring town at the main island. We would come home from a church gathering and our aunt would welcome us with swearing. Cursing us for believing in Jesus Christ more than Mary. That did not waver the desire to know the Lord more. We kept on attending the church, joined some ministries, joined discipleship for leaders, started her own Bible studies, graduated the discipleship training, finished Calvary Bible School, until she was ordained as one of the pastors of AMO Philippines (former Christ to the World).
She was delegated to be an associate pastor to a pioneering church in the town she live in – Paombong. Not long after, our leaders – Bishop Ariel and Rev. Paz left for Thailand. We felt helpless and abandoned. She saw herself as if she was an infant, not ready to walk by herself yet but was pushed out of in her comfort zone to fend for herselff and the people she must lead.
It was difficult and challenging but looking back, she saw how faithful God is. She learned how to make decisions, learned how to step out in faith, Iearned how to be courageous because she knew that the moment she believed in Christ that the gospel cannot end with her. She has to make Him known.
Currently Ptra. Jenette and her husband Brother Argos said yes to the challenge of broadening the horizon. They will be in Thailand for a 3-month mission trip to share the gospel.
