Alex Dañe - Thailand
This Is My Story
Printable Version [A4] (.pdf)
Dear Partner in Christ,
Warm greetings from Nakhon Phanom.
I wish to give you my background story, which has brought me to my current
ministry to the Vietnamese here in Thailand.
This Is My Story
I was born 12 October 1957.
I had already wasted 27 years of my life when I finally met Jesus. I left my
managerial position at an international company selling books and magazines. I
was broke!
My wife Vivian was about to give birth to our first child, when
I left my job. We went home to my parents and there made ourselves dependents.
To ease the brokenness, I resorted to many vices, which only worsened our
situation. Until, in August of 1984, a farmer neighbor (who was also disturbed
of my situation and behavior), offered me work on his farm. I was not used to
working on farms. I was almost 10 years in my managerial position prior to
quitting my job. But heaven only knows why I readily accepted the offer to work
in the farm - with the least salary!
On the farm, I worked like a beast of burden. The only thing that eased me was
that I was really fascinated by my prayerful boss. We would not eat without
prayers. We would not start our day’s assignment without prayer. My frequent
questioning them about what they had made me forget the tiresome work in the
farm.
Then, one Sunday, my boss invited me to their church – an Advent
Christian church. He was the leader of the young people that time. As I
had previously been a folk-house entertainer, my boss brought me to the youth
group in the church and I “entertained” with songs – songs that I never heard
before. The pastor, noticing my frequent questioning, offered me a special
series of Bible study until, finally I accepted the Lord Jesus as my Lord and
Savior. A month after, I submitted my self to baptism.
The stirring within me was so intense that as soon as schools opened for the
first term in June 1985, I enrolled for formal pastoral training at Oro
Bible College. For four years I lived with my family inside the OBC
campus. Taking my Internship in my last year at OBC, I was assigned as student
pastor in Lumbia Advent Christian Church – about 15 kilometers
from Cagayan de Oro. I pastored the church following my graduation from OBC
until 1992. While pasturing the church, I was also a program Coordinator of an
evangelical relief and rehab program, assisting some 149 farmer-victims of the
long drought in 1991. This was also the time I first heard God calling me to
missions. Since then God prepared me for missions.
In December 1992, we went out from Lumbia Advent Christian Church and moved to a
city in central Philippines (Cebu). I landed a secular job at a
national daily company – a proof reader, then swiftly rising (by God’s will, I
believe) to be an editorial cartoonist, to copy editor, then to a police beat
reporter. I was also constructing Crossword Puzzles for my company and other
dailies as a sideline. While holding that secular job, I was also a church youth
worker with the Blessed Hope Christian Fellowship (an Advent Christian
church) until God “reminded” me of my true calling. With the “reminder”
being so intent, I resigned from my job and decided to go home to Cagayan de Oro.
Because my boss at the press still wanted my service, instead of approving my
resignation, he assigned me to the new company’s branch in Cagayan de Oro. I was
a field reporter and editorial cartoonist. I still did constructing Crossword
Puzzles.
While working at the Cagayan de Oro branch of my press company, Bishop
of the Philippine Advent Christian Churches, Inc. (BPACCI) hired me as
the Corporate Secretary in 2001. At this juncture, sensing God wanted me to
fully yield to my real calling, I filed an irrevocable resignation with the
press company. But God required more of me. The flame of missions that was
burning inside me compelled me to take another formal training. I enrolled at
Oro Bible College taking up Bachelor of Arts in Theology and graduated in 2005.
Then God intensified His “pre-departure” signal to me. In the midst of my hectic
schedules, He sent me out after office hours sharing the Gospel to people, and a
year later, God had enabled me to establish three fellowship centers around
Cagayan de Oro.
As the fellowship centers grew, with already baptized members, I had to use
after office hours for visitation, conducting Bible Studies and prayer meetings.
I had to leave my home church during weekends to have worship services in my
fellowship centers.
And came year 2006. Heeding God’s call to go, I submitted to a series of
missions pre-departure training. And right after I finished said training,
because it was already God’s time for me to go, He opened an opportunity and
enabled me to join a short-term mission in Thailand – Project Nehemiah,
the New Zealand-led International Work Team, working with the
Christian Mission of Ban Naratchakwai in Nakhon Phanom,
Thailand.
'dañes4vietnam' becomes 'dañesthaimission'
“Go to the land that I will show you” was God’s call to Abram. And Abraham went.
It was in a dream, in fact, a series of repeated dreams, the Lord gave me in
which I was preaching to people whose tongue I never understood, yet, they
understood me. It stirred me tremendously, that a call to missions this must be!
That was in 1991.
Feeling a deep sense of urgency, I consulted God. In His many revelations, made
clear to me
Isaiah 49:6, and impressed on me Vietnam. Although questions
contested my flaming desire to serve God in missions, my wife and I started
praying for Vietnam.
Sixteen long years, we prayed for Vietnam - many a times wrestling with God –
“Why Vietnam?” Then more recently in 2006 God had me “go to the land that I will
show you.” He landed me in northeast Thailand, and, indeed, He showed me the
land - the land of Isan.
Isan, is northeast Thailand. It is a place so significant to Vietnamese - not
just because former Vietnam president Ho Chi Min twice lived there and brought
with him some of the Vietnamese culture and influence, but also because Isan is
the most friendly and hospitable place that Vietnamese can go outside Vietnam.
This is evidenced by the strong and dynamic friendship between Nakhon Phanom and
Vietnam; the presence of the many Vietnamese students pursuing college degrees,
and the proliferation of Vietnamease traders in Isan, to name a few. Isan is
also a very strategic location, and the U.S. had its main military base there
during the Vietnam War.
Vietnamese who come to Isan are most, if not all, friendly, educated, and open!
Open to the liberal (not communist) minds of the world outside Vietnam. And open
to share in anything good – including the Gospel!
So that, as most Vietnamese converted to Christianity said, they’re not
witnessed at their home country, but outside. The Gospel is prohibited inside
Vietnam. But God’s so wise, He dispersed the Vietnamese outside of their country
(Vietnam) and from there, the Viets heard and knew and accepted the Gospel. When
they come home to Vietnam, they cannot help but share the Gospel to their fellow
countrymen. God is so great!
At this point, God made clear my calling. Isan, the refuge of most Vietnamese is
the answer of my “Why Vietnam?” God knew very well that I have a wife and
children to keep with the best and most welfare I could muster for them, while
following God’s call. No wonder, even as He had shown to Abram his land, He also
had shown me my land – Isan.
“Danes for Vietnam”? Yes! - in the land of Isan. In the land where my house and
I will respond to our missionary calling and minister with the Vietnamese - not
threatened with communist police arrest, thus safe, secured, in the arms of God.
In Isan where we will introduce Jesus to Vietnam through every Vietnamese who
comes here to Isan, that they may take Jesus home to Vietnam!
Sent Out as an Advent Christian Missionary
In July 2007, the BPACCI (Bishop of Philippine Advent Christian Conference
Incorporated) sent me out as a missionary. My
going out as an Advent Christian Missionary was endorsed by
Advent Christian
World Outreach Department of ACGC (Advent Christian General Conference, USA),
and I was commissioned from Maranatha Bible Church.
None of these organizations are in a position to support me financially, so
I
must raise my own support.
Please Share Your Crumbs With Me?
Crumbs, because crumbs, when heaped or bunched together may feed many of the
hungry-for-Christ Isan souls.
Crumbs, because it doesn’t matter how much or little you give or share, but how
cheerful your heart is and willing to take part in bringing the Isans to the
Saving Grace of the Lord Jesus.
I am currently planning my financial support and stability here in Isan, so that
I can sustain my living, and so that my wife Vivian and daughter Dada can join
me from the Philippines. My monthly budget for living and expenses is US$580.
I would like to invite you to share on a regular monthly basis to support my
missions here in Thailand.
At present there are three ways to send your “Crumbs”:
1. [Philippines] Through BPACCI Office
Treasurer Rucky Pallo,
32 Max Suniel St., Carmen, Cagayan de Oro
Email Rucky Pallo for account details.
2. [USA] Through John Middlewood’s U.S. bank account:
Travis Credit Union,
One Travis Way, Vacaville,
CA 95687,
Email John for account number.
3. [NZ] Through ACMissioNZ
Treasurer Rob Carr,
PO Box 20438 Glen Eden,
Waitakere 0641, New Zealand
For internet or direct banking please
email Garry Schäche for account
details.
Please reference deposit: “ALEXDANE”
Please, advise me via email or phone should you start giving/sending your
“heaped up crumbs” for dañesthaimission.
Anticipating your favour… together we bring the Isans to Jesus!
Alex Dañe
Mobile/Text: +66 83 144 3637
Email Alex
c/- John Middlewood,
131 Mu 11,
T. Naratchakwai, A. Muang,
Nakhon Phanom 48000,
Thailand
