The Place That God Chose
"A man's heart devises his way: but the LORD directs his steps" -Proverbs 16:9
God has His way of putting us where He wants us to be—even when we ourselves pursue a different path. God can always lead us back to where He desires—especially with a heart that longs to follow Him. This is beautifully seen in the story of Elmer and April Nayre.
When Elmer was in college and studying in Manila, a disciple once invited him to attend a Bible Talk. Elmer was willing to go, but a classmate discouraged him, saying, “Wag yan kasi iba yan (Don’t go there; they have different teachings).” Trusting his classmate, Elmer decided not to attend. Eventually, Elmer moved to Cebu to be closer to his parents and worked part-time at a popular fast-food chain. There, he noticed a co-worker who would always pray during their team meetings. This co-worker turned out to be a disciple.
One day, that disciple invited another co-worker to study the Bible, but that person couldn’t make it because of a team outing. Coincidentally, both Elmer and the disciple stayed behind, and so
the disciple took the opportunity to invite Elmer instead.
Elmer’s Bible studies went smoothly. However, he was still involved in activities within his former religious group.
As he continued to study the Scriptures, God began to move in his heart. When he was asked to take part in one of these activities, he realized it no longer held the same meaning for him. That moment made him reflect deeply on everything he was learning from the Bible. He decided to leave his former group and continue studying the Bible wholeheartedly. As he came to understand the truth, he chose to make Jesus his Lord and Savior.
It was also on the day of his baptism that he met the woman who would one day become his wife, April.
But before their paths crossed, God had already been working in April’s heart in remarkable ways. At that time, April had been a disciple for two years. Like Elmer, she had once been deeply involved in another religious group before her brother reached out to her. April and her family couldn’t help but notice the changes in her brother’s character after he became a disciple. During Cebu’s anniversary service, her brother invited their father, who then encouraged the whole family to come along.
When they arrived, April and her family were warmly welcomed by the disciples. She didn’t expect much that day, but right after the service, she was invited to have her first Bible study. The disciples asked for her schedule so they could continue studying with her. Though hesitant at first, their patient determination encouraged her to keep going.
Initially,
April went to church mainly to please her brother—she didn’t want to let him down. But as she continued to study the Scriptures, God gently worked on her heart. There were moments when she wanted to stop, yet every time, the disciples’ answers—always grounded in God’s Word—helped her see things in a new light. Over time, her heart softened. And
when she finally learned about the Cross and God’s forgiveness, she understood just how deep and personal His love truly is. And so, she too accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior.
When Elmer and April became disciples of Christ, their focus was fully on the Kingdom. Elmer didn’t even consider the idea of dating a sister—he felt completely fine remaining single. But his discipler encouraged him to go on dates with sisters, not to find a partner, but to get to know them and to guard his heart from seeking worldly relationships. Though hesitant—since dating wasn’t a concern for him—Elmer obeyed and began going on encouragement dates.
Meanwhile, April was considering other brothers in the Kingdom. Some sisters mentioned Elmer, but she didn’t see him that way, especially since their personalities were opposites. April was cheerful, outgoing, and loved talking to people, while Elmer was quiet and reserved. Elmer felt the same toward April, so for a time, they simply viewed each other as brother and sister in the Lord.
Yet God moves in ways far beyond what we can understand to prepare the path He has in mind. Soon, God began revealing things about the brothers April was considering, and she continued praying earnestly for Him to make His plans clear.
Elmer, on the other hand, found himself moved by April’s care and sincerity. One day, after Elmer got injured at work, April offered to dress his wound the next time they met at Sunday service. Elmer assumed she would forget—but to his surprise, she remembered and gently tended to his injury. Her genuine sincerity touched his heart. At the same time, April kept praying for clarity—asking God for signs if Elmer might be the one He had prepared for her. She asked for specific signs, and God faithfully provided them.
But even as feelings quietly grew between them, both Elmer and April remained careful, choosing to guard their hearts and keep their focus on God. April continued to pray for humility, wanting to surrender fully to whatever God’s will would be.
Both she and Elmer stayed close to God, united in their desire to serve Him. In time, they both volunteered for the Missions Team that would be sent to Tacloban.
It was during this same season, however, that April faced one of the most painful moments of her life as she lost her mother. Through her grief, April remained faithful in her relationship with God and drew strength from Him. A few months later, God opened the door for Elmer and April’s relationship, and they began dating in the Kingdom.
Even then, their relationship did not come without challenges. April began to have hesitations about joining the missions team—caught between her desire to serve and her deep concern for her father, who she felt needed comfort and support after her mother’s passing. Elmer supported her wholeheartedly, no matter what she decided. But because April chose to remain in Cebu, they would have to end their relationship, as the church discouraged long-distance relationships at the time.
Their dates during this season carried a deep mix of gratitude, love, and unspoken sorrow.
At this time, the church had already started the “Matira Matibay Challenge” (The Strong Will Survive Challenge)
for those aspiring to be part of the missions team.
April, despite stepping back from the official list of missionaries, still completed these challenges on her own. She finished each one,
driven not by obligation but by her genuine desire to honor God. She continued to pour out her heart in prayer, expressing her longing to serve Him fully through the missions team.
God, seeing her deep desire to glorify Him, made a way for her to join the missions team at the last minute—making her the final person to be added to the list of missionaries. As the team prepared to be sent out, both Elmer and April stepped into this new chapter with a mix of awe, gratitude, and quiet faith, trusting that God Himself had woven their paths together for His purpose, allowing them to be exactly where He wanted them to be.
In late 2001, Elmer and April, along with the missionary team, traveled to Tacloban to do God’s work. Adjusting to life in Tacloban required faith and flexibility—most residents were already home by 6 p.m., which meant the missionaries needed jobs that followed early office hours. This proved especially challenging, and for Elmer, it took nearly three years before he was able to secure employment. During this time, April did her best to support and encourage him.
Despite the difficulties, they pressed on, keeping their hearts anchored in their purpose: to glorify God and share the good news in Tacloban.
In time, Elmer finally found a job through April’s help. By 2005, Elmer and April tied the knot, and some years later, they were blessed with their firstborn son. Elmer’s job eventually opened doors for them to start a business—something they had long hoped for, as it would allow them to dedicate more time to the mission.
Seeing their heart for Him and His Kingdom, God called Elmer and April to lead the Tacloban church in 2008—a role they accepted willingly. The transition was not difficult, as service had already become a natural part of their lives. Yet even then, they wondered if they were truly the right people to lead.
The answer, they came to see, lay not in their own strength but in the perfect God who places us exactly where we need to be. And so, even as heavy relational challenges arose within the church, Elmer and April continued to trust God and faithfully do their part. They worked on strengthening relationships, fostering unity, and building up the disciples.
However, the greatest trial came in November 2013, when Super Typhoon Yolanda—one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded—struck Tacloban. Everyone in the city suffered. Church properties were destroyed. More than six thousand people were declared missing, though the true number was far greater than what reports could capture. Countless families were displaced, especially in the hardest-hit areas of Tacloban. For a time, it felt as though the entire city had lost all hope.
Yet even in the midst of such devastation, unity shone through.
The disciples continued to gather every Sunday for worship, choosing not to give up meeting together despite the overwhelming loss around them. The entire ICOC family also rallied to support Tacloban, doing everything they could to help the city rise again. Truly, this spiritual family became God’s instrument of hope and healing during that season. In fact,
it was in this moment of deep hardship that ICOC Tacloban felt most seen and uplifted through the help and compassion of everyone.
The devastating effects of Yolanda are still felt to this day, and Tacloban continues its long journey of recovery. Yet in the midst of this, the disciples felt an overwhelming outpouring of love—from God, from one another, and from the wider church family. This love moved them to live with deep gratitude and to give back generously to those in need.
From having just over forty members before the typhoon,
ICOC Tacloban has since grown to around sixty disciples. They continue to meet faithfully as one body in Christ through their devotionals and services. Beyond these gatherings, they regularly reach out to their communities through various acts of service, including gift-giving and ongoing outreach programs. One particular community of children, supported by HOPE worldwide since Yolanda, remains close to the church’s heart, and the disciples continue to walk with them in their long-term recovery.
Elmer and April have also come to learn deep truths that continue to guide their hearts:
that when times are good, rejoice; and when times are bad, consider God. They have seen time and again that God never abandons His people. With this, they have learned to let God be God, and to remain humble as His servants—trusting His timing, His wisdom, and His unfailing care.
With your support we can help Elmer, April, and the rest of Tacloban Church evangelize their city!
You may be miles away but with your donation, you can be part of God’s mission.
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