TRANSFORMED VISIONS, PLANTED FAITH

Jun 17, 2022

Planting a church is never easy but not impossible. Lockdowns may have happened several times in the Philippines but this did not stop the San Juan Missions Team (SJMT) from reaching out to more people inside the city.

Joey and Amy Santiago, a couple from ICOC MSJ, were the ones who led the mission team—but it was not an easy start.


The couple was both baptized in December 1995; walking with God for 8 years back then, until they’ve left the church in 2003. From then on, their life spiraled down in ways they did not expect. As a result, their children noticed that they were both changing in negative ways—realizing that a family without God at the center is a mess.


With God’s grace and faithfulness, they were restored to the church in 2013 with the help of their friends in the Kingdom.

Sooner, God has planted a dream and vision in their hearts—that if they can go back, their friends who also left can go back, too. This dream stayed in their hearts until it comes to fruition, especially when people share this dream altogether.

The year 2019 came, and finally, they had the courage to plan how to turn God’s dream into reality. After months of searching for a place to hold worship services, finding people to help move the mission, and intensive budgeting, the first SJMT trial service was held on February 18, 2020, with 100 people in attendance. The mission team knew that this was just the beginning of a fruitful journey.

Joey and Amy have been busy being in the ICOC MSJ Core group alongside leading the mission team. However, this has been an inspiration to their daughters in attending the church with their partners at that time. As a result, their eldest daughter studied the Bible in 2018, then got baptized together with her fiance in May 2019.


Everything went well for the family and the SJMT as more people were reached out, not until a series of lockdowns happened in the Philippines.  


Being catering business owners themselves, the pandemic has not exempted them from facing challenges. Instead of faltering, the whole San Juan missions team stayed consistent and persevered in reaching out to people in that city.

Due to this, multiple baptisms took place, mostly couples, including their second daughter and her boyfriend, who both got baptized last February—and also got married last March. 

Within three years since the start of this evangelistic mission, SJMT’s effort has finally paid off. Indeed, they bloomed where God has planted them. Through God’s grace, it’s finally their time to move forward as a new zone. 

The San Juan Missions Team will be officially sent off during the HOPE Family Skills Camp of ICOC MSJ on June 26. This will be held in HOPE Biñan, Laguna. Continuing as an independent zone may look challenging and a bit scary, but the number of friends constantly attending their online service is their hope—boosting their faith in what lies ahead of them.

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