Even pastors feel weary as shepherds of God’s flock. Pastor Romy Gaspe of Santa Rosa, Laguna likens this moment to “a rainbow losing its color.”
“I just felt I need some breakthrough [in my ministry],” he shared.

In the ‘90s, God gradually revealed to him the breakthrough he was seeking. He involved himself in missionary projects with his friend Bob Lopez, who became head of the Asian Center for Missions (ACM).
They organized a successful missions conference for church workers in Laguna. They also partnered with Gene Flannery, an American missionary, in reaching out to Indian Sikhs living near their area. Pastor Romy felt excited when one of the Sikh high priests surrendered his life to Jesus.

“It was a great experience,” he said. “My worldview was changed… and I was introduced to a new dimension in winning souls.”

His heart yearned to play a bigger role in the Great Commission. So in 1997 he enrolled at ACM’s missionary training course to equip himself for cross-cultural mission to Vietnam. He was among the pioneer students of ACM Southern Luzon Training Center in Santa Rosa.

In a span of four years, he was in and out of Vietnam building house churches, distributing Bibles and training local disciples among the country’s various ethnic groups.

In 2000, his higher calling was brought to new heights when he was assigned as ACM Southern Luzon’s regional manager. More than just simply manning the training center, his responsibility entails recruiting and teaching students, establishing ministerial partnerships and networks, and conducting mission awareness activities as a way of promoting ACM.

Pastor Romy felt like he’s a shepherd again. But this time he tends to God’s frontliners who bring the Good News to the unreached.

“I’m very glad to see the fruits of what our missionary trainees have done, just like how a couple is happy to have a newborn child,” he said.

Since 1997, ACM Southern Luzon has produced 13 batches of trainees. Around 40 of them are now involved in long-term cross-cultural ministry, mostly in China, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam.

As he looks to the future of modern-day mission work, Pastor Romy is mindful of changes in trends. Thus, he wants to instill among their trainees a burden to go to countries who hear less of the Gospel. This goes perfectly hand in hand with ACM’s vision of having a missionary in every nation.