“I am Merlyn Maderazo, 60 years old, a wife, a mother of three, and a grandmother of two,” she began, facing the crowd, standing tall with full confidence and an air of elegance.
Her loud, firm, and resolute voice echoed through the hall, drawing the attention of over 500 attendees. It was the morning of the Sabbath, the final day of the Women’s Convention, where most women in their floral dresses accentuated the artistry of the large function room.
The crowd paused at whatever they were fumbling in their seats and fixed their gazes on the towering, but slim, figure before them, braving herself to share her bittersweet story.
“One day, my husband and I went to see a doctor to rule out a possible contraction of Hepatitis B,” she continued. This decision was prompted after two churchmates died from this highly contagious disease.
Hepatitis B is a potentially life-threatening liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). It is considered dangerous primarily because of its potential to cause serious, long-term damage to the liver. Many people with chronic hepatitis B are unaware they are infected, contributing to the silent spread of the virus.
Therefore, for many asymptomatic individuals with chronic hepatitis B, the manifestation of symptoms would often be when the disease is already at an advanced stage, and interventions might be aimed at managing complications rather than fully eradicating the virus or reversing extensive damage.
Soon, the results came: she tested positive for the disease, while her husband tested negative.
The announcement felt like a death sentence; the ticking of the clock per second echoed in her ears, and every movement of the long hand seemed to tick faster and closer to her demise.
Her body trembled uncontrollably, increasing the endless thunderous sound of her heartbeats. She wept, but even the bitter cries could not ease the pangs of fear and the pain of her impending doom.
“I should see an Adventist physician,” she told her husband. His gestures of comfort never calmed her, even until the wee hours of the morning.
The pronouncement was just too hard to accept; it constricted her airways, and with each passing hour, the difficulty in breathing seemed to draw her closer to her grave.
So, they decided to go to Adventist Medical Center Manila, formerly known as Manila Adventist Medical Center (MAMC). But the hours before her departure and the entire time during the flight were an agonizing journey.
The painful thumping in her temples, the searing pain in her heart, and the punitive feeling of exhaustion from sleepless nights made her too drained to wrestle with God. But like Jacob in the Old Testament times, she just couldn’t let Him go until she could have the assurance of a granted petition.
“Lord, if you will heal me, if you will give me another chance to live, I will give myself to you.” Such a plea comes from a mother who is too desperate to live for her young children. A bitter pleading of a wife who couldn’t bear the thought of leaving her beloved partner in heartbreak.
The future of her family and loved ones lay before her, and she couldn’t accept the thought of not being a part of it anymore.
When she arrived at the airport, something unusual occurred. In a fully air-conditioned building, she suddenly felt a chilling breeze seeping into the core of her being.
Having lived in rural areas where it could often be windy and temperatures could drop significantly, she was accustomed to seasonal cold breezes. However, this particular odd sensation felt different, leaving her shivering in confusion.
After a series of laboratory tests and diagnostic procedures, she finally sat across from her doctor. With a smile that spoke volumes of pity for her unnecessary worries, the doctor said, “Why are you here? You’re not sick at all.”
The good news of her being illness-free brought her immense joy, but the confirmation of a negative Hep B test made her even happier and more relieved.
She went home, and her joyful homecoming started the ministry named “God Loves You.”
“I invaded an unentered place despite my timid and shy nature,” Maderazo shared. “But at that time, I pleaded with the Lord to overcome these weaknesses.”
Her eyes were then opened to the people’s current condition — their houses were small and tattered. “And then I understood God’s task: I began repairing their houses.”
She paused, and the hundreds of women raised their hands together, sending a deafening sound of applause.
The applause, however, was not enhanced with cheerful shouts but with silent tears. The message of God’s leading of a soul in need burrowed deep into their hearts.
Her husband, the mayor of her town, was a Roman Catholic. And she served as the first lady of Caibiran, Biliran, for nine years. Despite her quiet commitment as a faithful woman of God, her husband only embraced Jesus through baptism after eight years of marriage.
His acceptance of the Adventist faith brought many blessings, one of which was that he became a strong support for her in the ministry. Sadly, it didn’t last long.
Two months later, she woke up to an empty bed. The sun had just risen above the horizon, but she heard voices — people arguing. She felt uneasy, yet she couldn't pinpoint the reason. With her heart jumping out of her rib cage, she sprinted downstairs, only to find her husband surrounded by cops.
Her husband was arrested.
He was convicted of a crime she knew so well he didn’t commit. Rather, he was framed and cornered into a political condemnation and persecution simply because he stood alone in his war against a giant political dynasty.
“My two children were still in elementary school, while my eldest was in high school. How could I explain this situation to them?” She cried, the pain in her voice piercing the listeners’ hearts.
More than she could ever express about the shame and struggles they endured was the bullying and shaming her children faced.
“My children often got into fights, making us wish we could hide forever. But they had to go to school, and I had to find a means to live.”
She wished she could retreat to a corner and mourn over her miseries forever. She wished she could shield her kids’ innocence from the harsh and dirty games of politics.
However, she had to endure humiliation to provide for her children. They still had bright futures ahead of them, and she couldn’t allow their dreams to crumble because of her cowardice.
“Why were all these things happening? Why did God allow such misfortunes to occur?” She couldn’t help asking Him through the shards of pain that broke her heart.
He had shown her miracles; why not one more to spare her husband from the trap of betrayal? Why not another to save her from accepting the dual role of parenthood?
She had wholeheartedly devoted herself to Him and led a ministry. Her husband even accepted Him, albeit with a long journey. Should pain and humiliation be the rewards for her faithfulness?
She was too hurt to understand that she left the ministry for a time. And for six months, God allowed her to grieve and heal until she recalled her promise. It was like a soft breeze and a promise of rain after a long drought.
God guided her to read His words through His servant Ellen White in her book “Evangelism,” page 16.3. It says, “From every direction, far and near, calls are coming to us for help. The church, devotedly consecrated to the work, is to carry the message to the world: Come to the gospel feast; the supper is prepared, come…”
“Crowns, immortal crowns, are to be won. The kingdom of heaven is to be gained. A world that is perishing in sin is to be enlightened. The lost pearl is to be found. The lost sheep are to be brought back safely to the fold. Who will join in the search? Who will bear the light to those wandering in the darkness of error?”
Drawing strength from the previous faithfulness God had shown him, she made another commitment. His great commission was ever before her, and she asked again for courage, wisdom, and resources to continue her ministry.
“December 24, 2016, was the date of the ‘God Loves You’ ministry’s first baptism. I asked for 50 baptisms, but on that day was the landfall of Typhoon Nena.”
She recalled how she cried to the Lord as she watched the dark skies and heard the howling wind. “Lord, let it be today. Please don’t keep your children waiting.”
Isn’t God the Lord of the storm? Didn’t He command the wind and waves to be still while He and his disciples were on a storm-tossed sea? He shared the experience in the Bible so that His people would dare to ask for more. And why couldn’t she?
As she fastened her gaze on the pitch-black sky, she saw a light cracking through the dark clouds. In that crack, she saw the sun; its rays flooded and even reached her. And she knew that that beautiful but odd scene was God’s way of showing her His answer.
Amidst the raging typhoon, she announced that the baptism ceremony would push through. “I know the number of those who signed up for baptism didn’t reach 50, but the husbands who accompanied their wives to assist them with the children stepped forward and asked to be baptized,” she recalled, the memory so overwhelming that her voice quivered again.
The crowd joined her, and once again, resounding claps thundered across the room. God made His children realize they can bring everything to Him in prayer. He even cares about specific prayers and gives specific answers.
During their second baptism, an effort of the women’s ministries of Agape Church in Biliran, she requested an additional 50. Fifty-two signed the baptismal forms, but two of them backed out. Why not dare to ask for something greater than our faith?
In 2023, God sent someone to sponsor her advocacy as an answer to a petition she had been praying for for a long time. It paved the way for another initiative, “The Ministry on Wheels.”
For all those years she was doing the ministry, she funded it alone through the blessings of her business.”
“Ninety percent of my time is the Lord’s; I only take the ten percent for me and my family.” The crowd gasped, their awe and amazement loud in the hall.
To most, this may sound like she’s depriving her family of her presence, but her eldest son is now a successful businessman and married to a cosmetic surgeon. He and his wife are gifted with two kids, and despite their busy schedules, they are among her strong pillars in her ministries. Leading a life of ministry for years inspired her family to establish their own.
“My second son graduated from the Adventist University of the Philippines with a degree in theology. Now, he is pursuing a second course to become a Juris Doctor at Manila Adventist College.”
Sharing her children’s accomplishments also reflects God’s faithfulness when we prioritize Him in everything. He is sure to reward us if we dedicate the largest portion of our time and resources to Him.
“My youngest child is a nurse, working in Thailand,” she continued. “My second child holds a youth empowerment program in the Ubelt area in Sta. Mesa, Manila.”
Her husband also conducted ministry work in the Medium Security Compound, leading many to accept Jesus through baptism. Over nine years spent behind iron bars, he discovered God’s deeper purpose.
Furthermore, through the Ministry on Wheels, the scope of Merlyn’s service and her team’s dedication was multiplied. They were often among the first to arrive after disasters struck, extending a lifeline of food, essential needs, and the promise of shelter to those severely devastated by calamities.
This sponsor, guided by the Great Providence, recognized that while the two Foton Harabas TM 300 Wing Vans she purchased, with their signature “wings” offering wide access for diverse goods, were good enough, they lacked the capacity to carry the volume and weight of house-building materials.
Understanding this gap, the sponsor gifted the ministry with an additional van, a vehicle dedicated solely to the transport of these foundational supplies.
Armed with this enhanced capability and with additional provisions for food and essential needs, the team could navigate greater distances, penetrate deeper into communities, and reach places previously beyond their grasp.
As she closed her message, she reminded everyone of God’s promise, “I will be with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
She emphasized that fulfilling God’s great mission brings many blessings and miracles. While it may not be the kind of treasure the world can offer, we look forward to the wonderful things God has prepared for us.
Moreover, she quoted Ellen White in her book “Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 3, p. 394 ” to encourage women to become God’s faithful watchmen and true followers of Christ.
“How sweet it would be to hear a lost child telling us, ‘If it had not been for your words spoken in kindness, if it had not been for the divine attributes of love and tenderness, I would have become discouraged and entirely cut off from God…”