The Answer – CLI Providing Free Ministry Training

CLI Graduate Jhon Rey Estomo lived a life full of questions and never was able to find the answer to his questions. But God showed Jhon that He is the answer Jhon was searching for in his life.

My name is Jhon Rey Estomo, and I am 21 years old. I was born on July 25, 1994, in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines. I am a graduating student in NYK-TDG Maritime Academy under the Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering.

Early in his life, Jhon started to wonder why about many things.

Who am I? Why am I here? Why do I exist in this world? Why do I feel this way? What happened to me after I graduated my elementary years? What will I do next? Why do I think this way? What is my purpose here? I was 13 years old when I began to question myself about those things that bothered me now and then, and it felt like I was dying in those days. It became worse when my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, and then there were more questions that popped up in my mind. Why is there sickness? Why is there death? Why is there life?

Questions left unanswered were leading to pain and blame in Jhon’s life.

One day, my father got home from work, drunk and blaming God for what happened to my mother. My father was shouting and saying, “There is no God, and I will not believe in God!” I got angry with my father because he said those things about God. Even though I didn’t know who God is, I still trusted him. I loved my mother, and the tears kept falling from my eyes every time I saw my mother crying for the pain that she suffered. Then I started praying to God secretly before going to sleep; praying that he would heal my mother from illness. However, my mother died when I was 14 years old and in my first year of high school.

After my mother’s death, I kept hiding my emotions from my classmates and friends because I didn’t want to let them know that I was grieving. I didn’t know the reason I was living in this world, and I kept hiding my true identity. I kept on observing the pattern of this world, and I couldn’t find the answers to my questions. I prayed to God before going to bed and sometimes I was talking to Him when I was alone, but it didn’t occur to me to ask those questions of God. I didn’t attend a church because I knew that I was walking with God. Whenever I passed by our church, I prayed to God saying, “Lord, even though I can’t attend church, the important thing is that I am talking to you.” But talking to him wasn’t enough because I still committed sin, and I really couldn’t get rid of it. I always asked for His forgiveness during bedtime, and it felt right in my heart.

Finally, as Jhon headed to college he asked God to be the answer that he needed.

Then I was separated from my family to study in college, as it was far away from my home. It took two and a half days to travel by ship or one hour to travel by airplane. My father wanted me to study there because of the excellent opportunity that the school offered. He wanted me to take the Marine Engineering course, and I accepted it because that was what he wanted for me. It was a good opportunity because I would be an officer on the ship when I graduated that Academy, and also I got a scholarship there. Then I prayed to God, “Lord, I will study in that academy, not because of the opportunity that the school offers, but because I want to know you. I hope you will be the one that I will see there.”

Before I left my house, I humbly offered my life to God. When I offered my life to God, I was experiencing many trials. These experiences led me to ask for His forgiveness for the sins that I committed. Then God led me to a Baptist Church, and there I started to grow more in my faith in Christ. Then I became a leader in our Christian Fellowship at the Academy, and now I belong to a Christian community.

God has been the answer for Jhon, and He led Jhon to CLI for training for his call to ministry.

I am happy that God loves me and is always there for me. He answered the questions that kept popping up in my mind, and I wanted to give back for the goodness that He showed me. I want to serve Jesus Christ for the rest of my life. This desire is the reason I wish to take the scholarship that CLI offers. I have finished the Christian Leaders Basic Certificate, which helped me to know more about my calling.

Before I found CLI, I wanted to study and explore more about Christianity for me to serve Christ. I wanted to spread the love of God with other people through His Son, but I lacked the training. So I kept browsing the internet to see if there was a school that offered free ministry training through the internet. At first, I found a different school, but it was not the right fit for me. Then I found CLI, which gives me the opportunity to have free ministry training. It gives me much knowledge and understanding so that I can serve God’s kingdom in my ministry calling.