SPECIAL
FEATURE
Forsaking All To Follow Christ
Local Western New York natives forsake life in America to serve on the mission
field
By: Julie Baun
If the question is why, or for what purpose would you be willing to lay down
your life and give up everything you hold precious and valuable, the answer for
Joe and Doreen DiSarno is an easy one—“to obey the voice of God…” It’s a radical
answer from missionaries who have done just that. And although the answer comes
quickly and easily, the journey has not.
Born and raised in western New York with the family roots running deep, Joe and
Doreen DiSarno came to The Tabernacle in Orchard Park, New York, in 1972. It
was here, 36 years ago, that they found Jesus Christ as their personal Savior
and committed their lives to Him. They knew little of the journey they were
about to embark on to the other side of the world. And not just for a
visit---to plant a church and live in the city of Cebu, Philippines, known as
The Graveyard of Missionaries, for the rest of their lives. A solid
middle-class family, Joe was an ironworker and in the construction business and
Doreen a homemaker and stay-at-home mother to their two children, Joey and
Gina. Within two short years, Joe started attending Elim Bible College and in
1977, took his first short-term missions trip to the Philippines. The trip
changed his life forever. It also began the fulfillment of the prophetic word
spoken over him as child by his grandmother, Myrtle Costin, who had always
believed that Joe was going to be a missionary.
It was during this time that Pastor Al Reid, from the Tabernacle, befriended the
DiSarnos, discipled them and mentored them through a close relationship. It was
Pastor Reid who first planted the inspiration and love for the Philippines into
the hearts of Joe and Doreen. Pastor Reid and his son, Pastor Tommy Reid, had
spent their own unforgettable time in the Philippines. They took part in major
crusades led by the likes of Jack Coe, A.A. Allen, T.L. Osborn, and Oral
Roberts, in conjunction with Gordon Lindsey and The Voice of Healing.
Eventually, when the pastors of Bethel Temple, Alfred and Lillian Cawston,
needed someone to take over their 7,000 member church in Manila, Philippines,
they turned to the Reids. Together, Pastor Al and his son spent two years
there, which turned out to be some of the most significant years of that church.
Because of this love for the Philippines people, Pastor Al strongly encouraged
Joe and Doreen to follow the call of God on their lives to fulfill their purpose
and destiny. The call to go was so powerful, but the decision to leave
everything behind, including their families, to live in a foreign country with
their children, was purely overwhelming. Needing encouragement for such an
enormous decision Joe asked God for further confirmation. One night soon after,
he attended a Catholic Charismatic meeting where Philippines Evangelist Vergie
Cruz, whom Joe had never met, was speaking. Joe sat in the back, taking it all
in, when Cruz suddenly spoke straight to his heart: “There’s a young man here
whom God is telling to go!” In 1979, with further support and encouragement
from Pastor Reid, Joe and Doreen sold their home and nearly all of their
belongings, packed up Joey and Gina, and moved their very lives to Cebu. With
just 12 suitcases in tow, their past suddenly in America and their future in the
Philippines, they said goodbye to their families. Although sad to see them go,
their families stood by them in full support and never questioned their decision
to obey the voice of God.
So how, exactly, does a middle class family do what the DiSarno have done? Both
will tell you it’s a matter of choosing to obey God over everything else. “Go
into all the world—it’s the Great Commission,” says Doreen. “This is our
destiny.” It has not always been easy—in fact, the DiSarnos have “paid a great
price to obey the Holy Spirit’s leading,” says Joe. “It always best to do what
God tells you to do. God is trying to get you to do the right thing, at the
right time, in the right place. There’s a great Master Plan and we all have a
part in it. He’s got to get us in position. “The life of a missionary can be
very stressful---from living conditions, which are meager, to the emotional
stress, including separation from family and friends. “There are times we’ve
wanted to run from the pressure and the constant exhaustion. As a missionary,
you never completely fit---whether we’re at “home” in the states, or at “home”
in the Philippines, we’re like a round peg in a square hole. Sometimes we feel
like people without a country---we’re observers who don’t really belong here
anymore, but we’re obviously not native to the Philippines, either. It’s the
plight of a missionary---living cross-culturally and feeling out of sync much of
the time.”
It is out of this sacrifice and willingness to be used of God that Maranatha
Christian Fellowship (MCF) was born. Maranatha, an Aramic word, means, “Come,
oh Lord” (1 Cor. 16:22). It is an expression of greeting and encouragement used
by early Christians. It is also a declaration of triumphant faith as in
Revelation 22:20 when Jesus said: “Surely I come quickly” and John responded
with “Come, Lord Jesus!” With about 300 members in the first 2 or 3 years, MCF
is presently a 1200 member church. It is one of the leading churches in the
City of Cebu, with 15 other church plants connected to it. Cebu is the second
largest city in the Philippines with a population of approximately 3 million
people. It is also the heart of Roman Catholicism in the region. Historically,
it is known as the city where the great explorer Ferdinand Magellan was
murdered. It is a trade center, as well as a student center, with many natives
in school and in occupational training and then leaving to find better paying
jobs in other countries. The university building, which houses MCF, has
historical roots, as well. It was formerly the university from which general
Mac Arthur received his honorary doctorate in Asian studies. Purchased at the
price of 1 million dollars through a series of God-ordained events, it is now
pail-in-full and a “miracle”, says Pastor Joe and Doreen.
Unfortunately, because of the extreme poverty and lack of good-paying jobs,
Philippines are being scattered throughout the world. This year alone, MCF will
say goodbye to at least 25 families who are looking for work and better paying
jobs to support their families. The second largest English-speaking nation in
the world, Cebu also has a strong Spanish and Chinese influence.
A typical day for Pastor Joe is similar to any other Pastor of a large church.
This includes meeting with the members of his congregation, leading Bible
studies, making important day-to-day decisions that impact a large church and
ministry, and meeting with staff and workers regarding the various programs
offered by Maranatha Christian Fellowship. The DiSarnos, through missionaries
themselves, also send missionaries out from their church in an effort to
continually perpetuate the Great Commission. As a result, the churches being
planted range from urban to tribal.
Currently, there are four churches in Germany, a recent church plant in Italy,
Washington D.C., and Baltimore Maryland.
Maranatha Christian Fellowship has different types of programs to minister to
the urban poor, including a feeding program, which serves 7000 hot meals per
month.
SIMBAHANG PAMBATA
is a ministry especially for the street children and urban poor children in Cebu
City. The vision of this ministry is to reach out to all urban poor and street
children by sharing and demonstrating the love of Jesus Christ in a holistic
approach.
MCF MEDICAL CLINIC
offers free medical and dental services to 300-400 people per week. Doctors,
nurses, midwives, and dentist allot a portion of their busy and hectic schedule
for the Lord’s glory.
THE MOTHER’S MINISTRY
helps mothers of street children who are ministered to at MCF in areas of family
hygiene, bible studies, self-sufficiency, and other family matters. They are
taught to be confident despite their economic and social status.
MARANATHA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY,
a Christian school working hand-in-hand with parents to train up children in
the ways of God and, at the same time, to guide them to fulfill God’s purpose in
their lives.
MCF also has a program called the C.U.R.E Foundation Club in Unity for
Restoration thru Empowerment Foundation. It is a registered non-stock,
non-profit, non-government, charitable organization and licensed under the
Department of Social Welfare and Development. The foundation is committed to
the welfare and development of the poor communities of Cebu.
The C.U.R.E. Foundation is on a mission of helping not only the people affected
by the leprosy disease but to the indigent and displaced families of the Central
Islands of the Philippines. As if all of this were not enough, plans are also
underway for opening a boy’s orphanage in the next year.
Despite the challenges the DiSarnos have faced, there is no question that they
are living out their destiny. They see themselves as survivors, in part,
because the Filipinos people recognize them as a gift, and honor the fact that,
out of love, they have laid down their own lives to serve the Philippine
nation. “I know I was made to do what I’m doing”, says Joe. “I wouldn’t trade
it for any other job in the world. God has joined our hearts to these
people---and just perhaps, there is a spiritual connection---a DNA, if you will,
that I am fulfilling----I am perhaps finishing the work begun by Pastors Al and
Tommy Reid. Spiritually speaking, I am their generational seed to the people of
the Philippines.” Pastor Tommy Reid could not agree more. “Joe and Doreen are
an extension of the vision God gave us when we were in the Philippines. Through
them, God has given us a lasting connection to that country.”
The difficulty of facing the future for missionaries cannot be underestimated.
There are constant decisions to be made, no pension to count on, no official
retirement plan. And, as for retirement, it’s not something the DiSarnos are
considering. But they do regularly discuss the future with each other and are
praying for the Lord’s continued leading for the years to come. “Some day,”
says Joe contemplatively, “maybe my body will be buried in America, and my heart
will be buried in the Philippines.”
