For more information of The Caynors ministry "City on the Hill in Bankok, Thailand please visit the website: http://www.cityonahill.abwe.org
Ati Tribe Mission
ATI TRIBE MISSION HISTORY
The story of the Ati Tribe Mission began when my grandfather, Pastor Severo Elosendo, was drunk one evening and fell asleep in the gate of Doane Baptist Evangelical Institute. Rev. Hopper, the president and missionary of the campus, was driving by in his car and saw someone there in the gate. Rev. Hopper stopped and walked over the person and asked him his name. He then knew that he was an Ati, or tribal person, who usually stays in the mountains, but sometimes would go to the city to beg for food. Rev. Hopper felt the burden to witness to this man, my grandfather, and then asked if he could visit his village. My grandfather agreed and took Rev. Hopper to his village where he shared the Gospel to them. By God's grace, my grandfather accepted Christ and immediately went to Bible School for one year.
My grandfather, Severo Elosendo, had never attended any school institution before in his lifetime, but amazingly he graduated from Bible school having learned how to read, write, and preach in only that one year. God used him mightily to bring Ati in the cities of Nagpana, Barotac Viejo, and Iloilo to the saving knowledge of Christ.
Years later, my grandfather challenged me to pursue Bible school after I graduated high school. Like him, I attended Doane Baptist Bible College. I graduated in 1998 after applying myself to studies for 5 years.
Just before my grandfather passed away, he asked me to continue the ministry that the Lord had begun in him all those years ago. I agreed, and have committed myself to the Lord and to working with the surrounding Ati people groups in evangelism and in training up potential spiritual leaders.
By faith and love for the Lord, Ati Tribe Mission has moved forward. My wife (who was an orphan Cebuana, came to the Lord, then graduated from Doane Baptist Bible College in 1985) and I have committed ourselves to the work He is doing in our lives. In this journey, we even get to experience eating native food like frogs, snails, root crops, turtle, and "bayawak."
Even in the current economic crisis we are facing, we are encouraged in knowing that God is richly using supporters for His honor and glory! I am reminded of a quote by Hudson Taylor. He said, "God's work, done in God's way will never lack God's support. Man is for the ministry, and money is for the ministry. God will give you money for your calling to be used in the ministry."
