Joel decided to take up ministerial training upon his high school graduation. He entered Light and Life Bible College in Butuan City in 1974 and he graduated five years after with a Bachelor of Theology Degree.

His first mission work exposure was during his first assignment after graduation. It was there that he first felt the burden for the Mission work. He was assigned among the Manobo tribes in Lapaz, upper Agusan in Mindanao, for two years, He was able to gather a sizable number tribes people, improved their dilapidated church building and built a parsonage.

The next year April 1981, Joel was transferred to assist the Pastorate in Free Methodist Church in Butuan City, which has 700 members, with Satellite and daughter churches around the area. It was then when he got married to his wife Grace (former Ms. Elva Grace Parilla) whose parents were also both church workers. Grace assisted in the Christian Education Ministry, while completing her Bachelor of Religious Education studies. Upon her graduation, they were transferred to another church in Philippines where Joel served as the Administrative Pastor, and Grace taking charge of the Christian Education Program, the kindergarten learning center, which was well received in the community.

Joel and Grace were later transferred to Pioneer a church in Davao City. They started a fellowship in Bankerohan, after one year transferred to Buhangin four (4) kilometers from the City proper.

They were able to gathered four families that became the core of our Christian fellowship. It later on grew and eventually became and established church, Joel served as the Pastor-in charge of the Buhangin Free Methodist Church and also has a weekly Gospel Broadcast which contributed greatly to tile success of our pioneering work. Grace had a flourishing kindergarten class with 15 students. The lower floor of the parsonage began to filled up, with the help of Mission the church was able to buy a lot for church building. They stayed in Davao City for 8 years.

However, Grace and Joel still entertained the calling that they had before the calling to be missionaries. In order to prepare themselves in case of opportunity comes to them to work in the mission field, Joel took up advance studies and earned his Master of Ministries after two years. Grace took up and finished the same course after his graduation. Nonetheless, Grace and Joel still felt that their preparation for mission work was not enough. They applied for a study leave which was granted.

The whole family came to Manila, and both Joel and Grace enrolled at the Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary. Joel took up Master of Divinity while Grace took up Master Religious Education. Though they have to carefully balance their time, since their study was self-supporting, they still felt the joy knowing that this will contribute to the fulfillment of their dreams. Joel accepted the offer to assist a Pastorate of a small church with his wife working as a kindergarten teacher while studying at the same time in the evenings, and as a caretaker of a Missionary home during weekends. They did these all to meet the expenses of their studies and their daily bread.

At the time when Joel just have to complete the remaining units, for him to earn his M.Div.degree, an opportunity came for him to try the Mission field as " Tent Making Missionary ". It was at their own expense, but they still considered it as an opening from the Lord. He entered Taiwan as an Overseas Contract Workers, while working, He held bible studies among his fellow Filipino OCW's and founded a Bible Study group. It became regular fellowship.

Joel felt a sense of fulfillment, as he served and ministered Filipino in Taiwan. The whole family were looking forward to serve God, as a full time missionary, should they be given that blessed opportunity. However, they had to go back to Philippines after the contract was completed.

They still did not give up the thought to be long-term missionaries. Finally the time had come. In late 1999 they applied to go to Cambodia. Praise the Lord! They are now working in Cambodia.

Their Ministry in Cambodia

• Church Planting

• Rural Ministry

• Discipleship training

• Book Keeping of the Mission accounts

Please remember them in your prayer

• Pray for their spirit and health

• Pray that they can easily adjust life in Cambodia

• Ask the Lord to help them learn the Khmer language

• Pray that they can work in unity with missionary Pol and the local church leaders

• Pray for their daughter in Philippines