Ten years ago an American missionary to the Philippines started a school to train Filipinos to carry the Gospel to the world.

As of today, the Asian Center for Missions has trained 660 missionaries, and almost half are serving tribal peoples in Asia and other parts of the world. Recently these missionaries came home to the Philippines to celebrate the center's 10-year anniversary, to share their experiences, worship God, be refreshed and renew their zeal for reaching the world.

A warm welcome greeted the 70 heroic Asian and Philippine missionaries who came home to celebrate during ACM’s 10th Anniversary Celebration.

This rare and amazing breed of overseas Philippine workers have been faithfully bringing the Gospel to the unreached people groups in 31 nations, including Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Thailand, Burkino Faso, Mongolia and Kazakhstan, among others.

They have been ministering to the poorest peoples, educating tribes people, foster-parenting abandoned children, and much more. Some of these missionaries even give their lives to take care of people that have HIV AIDS.

Each of the missionaries had a time, during the anniversary, to share their tough times and how God got them through it all.

Roselyn Sanchez, an ACM trained Missionary to Thailand, said: “…We also had a death threat. We adopted a Chinese art teacher in our school, we let her stay in our house, and we also adopted her mother. Her stepfather was keeping them. …”

Jonalyn Canja, an ACM trained Missionary to Cambodia, told, “…And my husband got a problem with his ear, he contracted some virus that destroyed his eardrum. That virus went into his brain, and it’s fatal—but God spared him!”

Danny Bayasen, an ACM trained Missionary to Burkino Faso explained, “Sometimes, if we are blessed, we’ll buy one piece of fish. And then of course the kids will get it and then I pray "na sana huwag ng baligtarin yung isda."”

Regardless of the difficulties and even dangerous journeys of their missionary work, all are one in saying it was God's grace, love, and help that pulled them through.

ACM Founder Gordon Robertson explained the significance of the homecoming.

He said, “I think the biggest significance, to the missionaries, is finding that they're not alone.”

He added, “I think to have them all come together for a time of fellowship is re-energizing to them, so they can go back to the field and keep on doing the work.”

For 10 years, the Asian Center for Missions has been thought of as ‘home’ to many missionaries that God sent out to different parts of the world. But today, just like soldiers, they’ve come home: some to nurse wounds from the difficulties of their mission field, some to be refreshed. But mostly, they’ve come just for a time for fellowship with God and one another.

The culminating event of the homecoming was The Voices in the Wilderness Conference.

During the conference, the missionaries recommitted themselves to continue the work where God has placed them. In answer to their prayers for the sending of more workers into the harvest field, many people not missionaries before have come forward to commit themselves to go to the nations.

Gordon Robertson spoke to the present but also looked toward the future. He said, “The foundation has been laid well, and the time of testing has happened over the last 10 years. Now we're going to see true expectations fulfilled and growth over the next 10 years.”