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| JLG's new church building stands proud and tall in Calasiao, Pangasinan |
It all started with a
dream some 12 years ago. Young Abigail, the fourth child of Bishop Gerry Vallo who
founded the then fledgling Jesus the Living God church in Hong Kong, was doodling on a small piece of paper while confined in a hospital for a leg
injury when she suddenly said, “This is
our future church building.”
Bishop Gerry and his
wife, Pastora Edelyn, were taken aback by the young girl's confident pronouncement but were also elated, for the image presented them was something right
out of a dream.
At the time, the JLG leader said he had been asking God to help him attain a new
perspective in leading a church, after working his way up to lead a big
congregation, then finding himself starting all over again with JLG.
“It was as if God
confirmed to a babe…that something great was about to happen,” said Bishop
Vallo.
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| The Vallo family singing onstage during the inauguration ceremony |
But it took a lot
more years of hard work and dedicated fund raising before that dream that grew
out of Abigail’s premonition became a reality.
The revelation came on Jan. 19
this year when the entire Vallo family was joined by friends and family from
all over the world in inaugurating JLG Chuch International Headquarters in
Calasiao, Pangasinan.
Among those who came
were some longtime supporters of JLG from all over the world and the
Philippines, including Bishop Moses Chungalao of the Free Believers in Christ
international church, who despite some health problems, had himself driven from
Baguio and back, to lead the opening rites.
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| Guests who came from various places in the Phl and abroad cut the ceremonial ribbon |
The newly built,
five-storey building housing the JLG headquarters is a sight to behold. Painted
in striking blue, siena and peach colors, the building that rose from what used to be
a land overgrown with cogon grass could be seen from several blocks away though it is set back a few meters from the highway.“From nothing to
something” is how the Vallo couple often explain what to them, is a true gift from God.
After Abigail’s
innocent foretelling, it took another two years before the dream started to take shape. Bishop
Vallo said that while watching a noontime show on TV, he distinctly heard God
telling him that an acquaintance from Calasiao, Arnold Padlan, would donate
land for the church. But he was told not to call or send a message to Padlan,
but to see him personally.
That same year,
the Vallo couple went to see Padlan in Pangasinan. The bishop said he boldly
told him about the message he got from God, and was met with complete silence. After
a few minutes Padlan told the couple that they should have dinner, and late
that night, drove them to his land and pointed to where they could build their
church.
That led to another
problem: funding. The Vallos knew it would take a lot of help from their
friends and supporters before they could even get the building started, but
they were undeterred.
After determining they
needed at least P6 million to build, they called on friends, business people,
fellow pastors and family members to help them realize their dream. From Hong
Kong they went to the Philippines, and later North America, to get funding help.
“The first time I raised
the goal of raising six million pesos, most of the people listening to me were
shocked, but God prevailed,” said Bishop Vallo.
Realizing later on
that Php6 million was not enough to complete the building they raised their goal
to Php 9 million, still clinging to the thought that what may seem unbelievable
could be achieved with God’s grace.
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| Bishop Moses leads prayer on inauguration day |
In due time, and even amid the pandemic, JLG not only met its target, but surpassed it by nearly
Php5 million to date. Particularly heartwarming, according to Bishop Gerry, were
the donations that came from the hard-earned money of their OFW members,
especially one who donated more than Php300,000 “for God’s kingdom.”
With the building now
nearly finished, JLG has begun working on the activities they could all do
under one room.
“Our mandate is to do
the great commissions of God; that is the reason why God gave us this building,”
said Bishop Gerry.
He said their long-term
goal is to use their training center to raise new workers and pastors, and do
other activities that benefit the community, like a feeding program.
All these need continuous funding so Bishop Gerry and
the JLG family is hoping more donors would step forward and help them continue their
mission.
(Please send your
donations to bank acount number 8751-0114-24 in the name of Jesus The Living God
International Ministry Inc at the Bank of the Philippine Island branch in Caranglaan,
Dagupan City, Pangasinan.)
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