At the end of every year, I always ask myself, “Have I done enough that glorified God and impacted my next-door neighbors and every human being I have encountered in my journey?” Then, at the beginning of each year, I always ask myself, “Can I (we) do better this year?” YES! I know that God was good in 2024, and He will be good in 2025. He alone is worthy of our daily praise and service. Everything we do or think should be for His honor and glory (Col 3:17). With God’s help, we can do better and do more for His Honor and Glory!
Through cooperative services and ministries, we reached people in San Diego County and overseas. I am happy to share that we moved and encouraged the hearts of several hundred families, veterans, and active-duty service members in 2024. Our Christ-centered collective effort impacted the souls of several hundreds of fellow human beings, warriors, and families not only during our lifetime but, I believe, for eternity as well.
Many came to know Jesus Christ as Savior and LORD by genuinely receiving Him in their hearts in 2024. Others were revived, returned to, and started worshipping God on a regular basis. Broken relationships were mended. Prayers were answered. God healed many from their sickness. A handful followed the LORD in baptism. Sadly, we lost family members (my sister Linda Lewis Hayward) and friends such as Lorenzo Lizarraga, Cliff K. Appleby, and many more. They were promoted to heaven, and their families were comforted through our Eternal Honor service, a grief ministry for grieving families. The legacy of their faithful service to God that they left behind will always remain in our hearts forever.
I am truly grateful to those who are serving our God and Country wherever God has placed them in our world. As for me, God placed me in San Diego in 1987 after graduating from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, TX. I was endorsed in late 1989 to the U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps. The LORD sent us back to SoCal, and I served in my last active tour of duty from 2016 to 2019. After retirement from active duty, my ministerial service to my fellowmen continues. I really never retired, just “re-tired” and transitioned to the next level of ministry. My friend, Bill Morrison, a U.S. Navy combat veteran, recruited me in the summer of 2019 to serve as Post Chaplain while I was still on active duty. I am thankful to the VFW 7907 Commanders (Don Stonecipher, Bill Kimble, and John Carson) and District One Commander (Alexis Henshaw), who entrusted me to serve as the Post and District One Chaplain.
With God’s help, serving together with all our VFW officers and members from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024, we accomplished commendable deeds, programs, and outreach events that honored and glorified our LORD. The Operation Help for the Holiday assisted many of our active-duty children and families. Our sacrificial service to fellow veterans will always remain in the hearts of the people we have touched. By God’s grace, our united effort in implementing our VFW’s various programs, such as honoring and remembering our veterans, impacted the young and young at heart in our community and beyond.
I am an SBC-endorsed Community Service Chaplain while serving as a VFW Post Chaplain. With God’s help, in 2024, we helped and/or participated during the Honor Flight San Diego, Wreath Across America, Miramar Air Show, the largest Filipino-American Friendship Day, The Maui Disaster rescue and recovery operation, Manila American Cemetery Memorial Service, and more. I spoke to several hundred students and their families during the three graduation and one recognition ceremonies, re-enlisted a Sailor, and prayed during the retirement ceremonies of active-duty Sailor and Marine Corps.
Serving as VFW Post Chaplain, I led the Eternal Honor ministry. My colleague, Pastor/Chaplain Fermin Ancho, U.S. Navy retired, and I comforted and blessed several dozen grieving families who lost loved ones in 2024 in San Diego, CA, Caledonia/Columbus, MS, and Bacolod City, Philippines. Chaplain Fermin and I receive requests on a regular basis to do an Eternal/Final Honor to our Nation’s heroes on board Miramar National Cemetery.
I lead a group of dedicated volunteers around San Diego County and in the Philippines. Through our united effort in ministry in our four SBC churches (Old Town, Sonlight, See World, and Southwest) and the good works done by our devoted and godly people, we infused living hope to those who were about to give up and lose hope. By God’s grace, our united effort in implementing and supporting various programs such as sharing foods through our Food Bank ministry, participating in a VVSD (Veterans Village of San Diego) led Stand Down Outreach, feeding the single Marines during the Thanksgiving holidays, honoring and remembering our veterans during Wreaths Across America and Eternal Honor Ministry, impacted families, VFW Posts, and SBC churches, the young and young at hearts in our community and more.
Thank you so much to the ABBA (Ancho, Baviera, Biadog, Alcantara) team who serve our veterans on a weekly basis on board VVSD and during the annual Stand Down attended by hundreds of veterans. Our compassionate effort is commendable, according to the VVSD leaders. Thank you to all our dedicated volunteers who pick up and deliver the donated bread and pastries from Panera Brea. We picked up and delivered throughout the week between 200-300 pounds of pastries and bread bound for the hungry, veterans, children, the aged, and first responders. Thank you, Food Outreach Ministry team! I commend all our volunteers who are helping homeless families, the hungry, and underprivileged children and veterans.
Moreover, I am forever grateful to all our U.S. and Philippine-based OHOA (Operation Help One Another) volunteers for their prayers and support of the 80th Anniversary Commemoration on October 20, 2024 of the Leyte Landings in Palo, Leyte, Philippines. Our food and monetary gifts blessed fifteen WW-II veterans and their primary next of kin. Following the historic multi-events in Palo, Leyte, our OHOA team (Rick Joya, Ofelia Cabrera, Greta Hamilton, Pastor Silas, Lorie, and Felton Felongco) traveled to Hinunganan, South Leyte, and ministered to more than two hundred children, youth and adults. Pastor Todd and Lorna Malaki were great hosts. Rain and wind from a passing tropical typhoon were a challenge but did not deter the local folks from coming, hearing the gospel message, and having fun during the fellowship and giveaways.
In addition to the Leyte Island mission, we reached out to an elite group of 120 Philippine Navy sailors. Phil Downer, a Vietnam veteran and founder of DNA (Discipleship Network of America), shared the gospel and dynamic message of hope and encouragement. His message, the Bibles and Christian books, and the fellowship lunch were a welcome break from the sailors’ training routine.
In Negros Island, we held an Eternal Honor service in honor of LCDR William Jung, father of Billie Rosmarino. Greta Hamilton, Director of Miramar and Ft Rosecrans National Cemeteries, presented the U.S. flag to Billie Rosmarino, LCDR Willliam Jung’s next of kin, on October 18, 2024, in Bacolod City, Philippines. Our OHOA team shared an inspirational message to more than 200 underprivileged, PWD (Person with Disabilities), and orphaned children in Calvary Chapel Home. Principal Albert Loreno and staff hosted our OHOA team, feeding more than 200 SPED (Special Education) students and sharing 150 food packs with the parents.
In sum, OHOA, a Christian humanitarian-based ministry, fed more than 5,000 children and youth, delivered more than 200 backpacks and school supplies to students, and gave away 2,500 food packs for families in the Philippines. In San Diego County, Pete Bono and a dedicated Team of Church volunteers from See World Baptist Church and Sonlight Church picked up and delivered thousands of pounds of perishable foods to “the least of these in His Kingdom.” Pastor Raymond Lee, See World Baptist Church, led joined services and innovative outreach in the Bay Park area. Celia Lee and See World WMU raised funds for a mission overseas. Led by Pastor Alex Achacoso, Old Town Community Church’s Food Outreach Program impacted several hundred families in San Diego County. OTCC assisted the underprivileged in San Diego County and the Ukrainian refugees. Led by Pastor Fermin Ancho, Southwest Baptist Church participated in multiple local community events, reaching hundreds in the South Bay.
Furthermore, OHOA supports more than 220 evangelical and Southern Baptist churches and missions in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao islands in the Philippines. Serving with Operation Worship, a Sacramento, CA-based NGO, OHOA team leader Mike Sipe and I sent several hundreds of Bibles, Christian literature, gospel tracks, and Children’s Illustrated Bibles donated by CKA (Cliff K. Appleby) of BiblePlus, Rocklin, CA. Claire Bell, a long-time Christian volunteer, collected, packed, and sent several dozens of boxes full of clothes for the indigenous Mangyans and churches on the farms on Mindoro Island.
We are forever thankful to God for using us in our generation to help others in need, share the Good News of Jesus Christ, and impact the lost and dying world. I believe in 2025, we can do more for God and Country. We can improve our Vertical Relationship (VR) with God through praise and worship, Bible reading, and prayer.
Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them" Matthew 18:20 NKJV. “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” John 15:7 KJV. Additionally, the Bible says, “Let us not neglect our church meetings, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near” Hebrews 10:25 TLB.
With God’s help, we can also do better in enhancing our Horizontal Relationships (HR) with our fellowmen, sharing His Love (Agape), serving, or helping others in need, and habitually fellowshipping with brothers and sisters in Christ. As believers of Jesus Christ, live with passion and serve God with compassion!
Jesus said, 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ (Matthew 25: 34-40 ESV).
Lastly, let us heed what the Apostle Paul said to Titus, “It is a faithful saying: and these things I will have thee affirm constantly: that they, who believe in God, may be careful to excel in good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.” Titus 3:8 (DRV) Fellow believers in Christ, veterans, family, friends, servants of God, and leaders, God knows who you are and what you’ve done in 2024. I appreciate each one of you for your faithfulness to and love of God. I challenge you, “In Christ, Live with Passion & Serve God with Compassion!”
The year-end fireworks in SeaWorld San Diego symbolize the end of the year 2024 and the beginning of the year 2025. The world is changing, but the Gospel remains the same. The God of the Gospel was Good, is still Good, and will be Good forever! Let’s faithfully share the Gospel/Good News anytime, anywhere, and all the time starting the first day of the New Year 2025! Let’s Do More for God and our Country in 2025!
Have a Happy New Year full of God’s Blessings beginning on Wednesday, January 1, 2025!