PFM

I was born in 1960 and raised in Aurora, Illinois (a large town just southwest of Chicago). I came to Christ in August of 1980, and only six weeks later left the United States to preach the Gospel in the Philippines where I have been actively engaged in evangelism ever since. My wife is Rowena, a Filipina, born and raised near the capital city of Manila. We married in 1986, and have four children (two boys and two girls), all born in the Philippines.

I have no formal Biblical degrees, having been on the field and involved in mission work form the very beginning of my walk with the Lord. While I sometimes regret missing such studies, I can also say the Lord has been good to teach me through a love of reading and study, as well, as our experience. My wife and I have ministered in hundreds of churches throughout America, Canada, Australia, Mexico and the Philippines for over 26 years.

Throughout my childhood years I experienced a "hodge-podge" of religious activity and involvement. One of my first experiences, outside of the Catholic church, was in a Pentecostal church where, we had been told, a man with power to heal was preaching every night. And since I was in my third year of walking on crutches (due to a hip-bone disorder called Perthis disease) we decided to go see what might happen. The short story is that I was touched deeply by God that night and never used crutches again. My mother also came to experience the Spirit of the Lord in the Church. Though we did not remain there as members. In the course of time we experienced many different churches, house fellowship, and even prayer meetings. Especially during the Jesus Revolution (in the 60's AND THE 70's) I was very fond of the Bible and read it often and I generally enjoyed church services. But by the age of fourteen I had been baptized five times (in a river, a lake, two church baptisms, and even a bathtub!) and after all things just quite stick. I became disillusioned with Church (as I had known it) as much of what I saw and heard among Christians just didn't seem to add up. So when I was about fourteen I simply stopped participating and my life took a sharp turn toward sin and darkness.

Six years later, at age twenty, I had degenerated into a confused young man, strung out, tired and deeply involved in a culture preoccupied with the pleasure of sex, drugs, alcohol, and rock and roll music, and materialism. But by late August of 1980, I reach the end of my rope, and knew something had to change. Deep inside I knew there had to be purpose to life beyond living to earn money, collect things, enjoy fleshy pleasure grow old and then die. I had become suicidal although I had not yet made any serious attempts on my life. One Saturday morning in late August, after having been out all night partying, I literally crawled into the back door of my house. I made it to my room where I knelt to my bed and cried out to God for a change in my life. I sincerely offered to give my life away to the Lord if only He would hear me and help me. After praying what might have been the most unappealing, hours later my whole world had changed. Words could not adequately declare what God had done within me. I was a new man.

I had no idea how fast God would move forward in my new life, but that same day I received a phone call and was invited to attend a large gospel tent crusade. I went, and the message preached that night was very powerful, and hit my heart with great force, I went to the altar and publicly committed myself to the Lord and to his service. Only three days later the Lord led me to sell everything I owned, and to get involved in the work of the gospel. Within one week of my salvation I was in active ministry sharing the Gospel with people on the streets of East St. Louis City with a crusade ministry called Christ is the Answer. Only a couple weeks later I was invited to go to the Philippines to help establish a mission work. On October 4th, 1980, only six (6) weeks after my conversion to Christ, I stepped off a plane in Manila, Philippines. Since then I have been involved in reaching this nation with the good news of Christ. I became the team director in 1985, and incorporated the work in 1987 as the Philippine Frontline Ministries.