“Amo na abilidad mo sa rural church ka lang naga-pastor?” was Miss Daisy’s statement I can’t forget when we met in May 2002 at La Carlota Evangelical Church.
We attended the annual assembly (now biennial) of the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches (CPBC), where we are members.
The statement means, “With all your abilities, you are a rural church pastor only?”
She said that to me because I shared that I might be concluding my work at Ajuy Baptist Church, having worked there for seven years.
If you don’t know Miss Daisy Basiliano, you certainly will have a lot of negative things going on in your heart and mind.
Miss Daisy had a way of making people think outside of the box. Her statement made me consider, “Why not work at a city church?”
I’ve known her as a frank and kind woman. She says what she thinks is true about you. At the same time, she is willing to help you succeed.
She could be challenging sometimes, but she had the best intentions for you. The tenderness and kindness are always there.
She told me how my dad was instrumental in her accepting the Lord Jesus Christ. She responded to my dad’s altar call in one of the Christian Emphasis Week convocations at Filamer Christian Institution (now Filamer Christian University). She was in high school then.
I first met Miss Daisy when I was a teenager, when I was going with my father, the pastor of Astorga Baptist Church, Dumarao, Capiz. That was in the 80s.
I knew her family supported the church and the pastoral work.
Through the CPBC community, I learned that Miss Daisy became a pastor, chaplain, and teacher. She trained in Clinical Pastoral Education in the US.
We never had any close encounter until that day in May 2002.
After that meeting with Miss Daisy in May 2002, I opened myself to working with city churches.
After telling me that statement, Miss Daisy didn’t stop.
A few months later, she sent me an SMS text that she had recommended I speak at New Testament Baptist Church, Iloilo City, in September 2002.
This preaching assignment developed further.
On 20 October 2002, I started my work as interim pastor of New Testament Baptist Church, my first city church.
I got a call as associate pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Manila starting December 2002. I was already committed to working in Manila, so I have an interim appointment with the New Testament Baptist Church.
When my father suffered a stroke on 16 November 2002, I decided to stay and continue working with New Testament Baptist Church for three years.
Miss Daisy and I became closer because we pursued what was right, just and pleasing before the Lord God in the Baptist institutions we worked with.
While teaching at the College of Theology, she came to live with us at the Central Philippine University Campus for almost two years.
Those were unforgettable moments of hearing God’s miracle and goodness to her, like her victory over cancer, near-death experiences and other life-changing experiences.
Finally, on 6 June 2012, she laid to rest her earthly body and be with the Lord Jesus Christ, her Master and Friend.
Dear Jonan, Thank you for the Blessed Teachings and it is strengthening me much to study and to share with other people in India, you are doing great for Lord. Evangelist Babu
You are right in saying, “If you don’t know Miss Daisy Basiliano, you certainly will have a lot of negative things going in your heart and mind,” in reference to her statement, “Amo na abilidad mo sa rural church ka lang naga-pastor?” And I am glad you made that qualifying statement because no matter how I look at what she said, I can only see a couple of negative implications, to wit: 1) that rural churches do not deserve pastors with “superior” abilities and 2) that pastors with abilities like yours should not be wasting their time pastoring rural churches. But as you said, “she is a brazen woman” and “could be “rough” at times but she had the best intentions for you. The tenderness and kindness are always there.” So, I will leave it at that, me having not known her the way you did. Regards and God bless you.