Meet the YM Team - Rico Dizon, YM's Property Custodian

(Rico  at Hard Rock Cafe during YM's Team 2010 Christmas celebration)

I’m Honorico A. Dizon Jr., but to my friends and relatives I’m better known as Rico or Unyo (A Filipino short cut for Junior). I’m currently serving as a full-time missionary of International Teams Philippines under the Youth Mobilization (YM) team as the team’s property custodian.

Salvation:

I received Christ as my Lord and Savior in 2004.  Before fully surrendering everything to Him, my life was a total mess.  During my college days, I suddenly lost interest in studying, so I stopped going to school. Moreover, aside from having a lot of vices, I was also always looking for trouble; it seems that my day won’t be complete without doing anything crazy.  My heart was full of frustration and hatred.  I was simply a difficult person to be with.

Then one day, an old friend of mine in high school invited me to come to a party.  I immediately said yes because I thought that it was a birthday party and that beer will be overflowing, just like how we celebrated parties before.  Contrary to what I was expecting, no beer was served, not even a single drop.  Instead my friend brought me to a youth fellowship.  I met new friends and one of them invited me to a Bible Study the next day.

I will never forget that night, I even still remember the title of the teaching and that is “What on Earth Am I Here for?” The church that is leading the Bible Study was using one of the topics of the Purpose Driven Life series. Then, as if there was a screen in front of me, my life was flashed before me.  One by one, I saw the bad things I did.  I suddenly realized that I was created for a purpose and I wasn’t living according to that purpose.  Before the teaching was over, I surrendered my life to Jesus, as the speaker invited those who would like to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  I also dedicated my life to Him promising that by His grace I will bring as many young people to Him as possible.

Calling:

  

(Rico and a kid from an Aeta tribe in Morong, Bataan - Kanawan Mission Trip, March 2008)

I received my calling from God to be missionary in 2006.  I remember that when I was still in elementary school my history teacher taught us about the history of our country. One of her topics was when Spain came to the Philippines along with some missionaries.  She also explained to us what a missionary is – that they are the ones who go from one place to another to share the Gospel to the people, God’s great good news. When I heard that, I said to myself that someday I will become a missionary; I want to go to different countries to share the love and good news of God.

But when God’s time came for me to obey His call, it didn’t come so smoothly. Aside from the fact that my parents may not understand my decision to follow God’s call, I also had fear in my heart.  Where will I get the means to support my needs?  What does it really mean to become a missionary?   Do I have what it takes to become God’s servant?  Many questions flooded my mind. 

In the end, God proved Himself faithful once again – He really can make a way when it seems that we have met a dead end.  He gave me the assurance that He will take care of me and He will teach me what I need to know.  His words in Jeremiah 29:11 say it all, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Until now, I live in the strength of that promise.  God really knows His plan for my life.  He holds everything in His hands and He will be faithful until the end.  He is the one prospering the work of my hands.  Aside from YM, I am also serving as our church board treasurer and also as a youth adviser. As God continues to work out His plan for my life, I am assured of a future full of hope, all for God’s glory.