Helri Caadan is from Butuan City in Mindanao, the Philippines. He grew up in a Christian family and has attended the Sibagat Free Methodist Church together with his parents and three older sisters since he was a child. Although he was brought up in a Christian home, it was not until he reached the age of 15 when he truly gave himself to serve Jesus.
“The turning point in my life, from a mere churchgoer to getting myself deeply involved in God’s ministry in the church, was during a youth camp. There was an altar call and I was one of the first ones to come up to the front. As we were singing, I lifted my hands and I really felt like I was holding God’s hands. I felt a cold wind, like a whirlwind, that came from my feet up to my head.” That experience with the Lord changed Helri’s life. He received a new passion for the Lord along with a passion to serve people in the church. From then on he started serving in the music and youth ministry.
After graduating from high school, Helri took a break from studying. For two years, he spent his time serving in the church while waiting for opportunities for him to go back to school. He planned to become an engineer but eventually, God led him to study in a Bible school. His family supported his decision to study Theology, however, he still faced difficulties as a Bible school student. During his first week, he had to make ends meet with just 200 pesos. There were other similar incidents which he still cannot figure how he managed to get by with his limited resources.
Helri always had the desire to study and learn more about God and how to improve himself as a minister of the Lord. While in his third year, the President of his Bible College introduced him to APNTS. Through this he realized the direction God wanted him to take and upon having further conversations with his school’s President, he decided to pursue a Master of Divinity degree at APNTS.
His decision was a step of faith. Helri had to leave Butuan – his hometown, his family, the church he was serving and go to a new place without having the full financial support that he needed. Although he received support for his fees in school, no one had promised to support him with his living expenses. “If this is God’s will, He will provide for my needs.” True enough, the Lord provided for his needs through various means.
Helri is now in his third year at APNTS. While studying, he is also serving as the Assistant Pastor and Worship Pastor of Kamuning Free Methodist Church. For Helri APNTS has played a big role in allowing him to confirm and embrace his call to be a Pastor. It is not only knowledge that he has gained, but he also knows God even deeper and his perspective about matters concerning one’s spiritual life is widened. He cited his Hermeneutics class as an example. Through the class he has learned ways in how to approach the Scriptures which has become important for him in his personal life.
Although Helri has graduated from Bible school and learned about similar subjects in his college, he realizes that APNTS helps him grow and develop even further and it has helped make his relationship with the Lord more intimate. “APNTS is helping me become the person who God wants me to be.” It is not only the lessons in the classes that he considers valuable, but also those who have helped him mature. As an APNTS student he has developed discipline, and learned how to balance his studies, ministries and personal life. He also had to learn how to live in a community where people come from different countries and learn how to respect other cultures. He was also given opportunities to serve in ways that he might not have imagined before, such as serving in the children’s ministry.
As Helri makes the last stretch before he graduates this year, he remembers that everything he has worked hard for during the last three years is worth it. “My experience as an APNTS student is life transforming because through APNTS, I am able to know and embrace who God wants me to be.”
