Imagined that a young Filipino man’s decision to follow Christ in 1908 would shape the future of ministry in the Philippines. That man, Faustino Peneyra, came to faith through the work of a Restoration Movement (RM) missionary named John Lord in his home town of Vigan in northwest Luzon. This decision led him to study at the Bible training school in the town and upon graduation, dedicate his life to ministry and evangelism.

The same year that Faustino gave his life to Christ, a Filipino evangelist planted a Church of Christ in Aparri, northern Luzon.  This church, located in a vibrant community saw their membership expand quite rapidly which drew the attention of the committee overseeing the division of the island among different denominations (Comity).  By the early 1920’s the Methodist Church was demanding that an agreement, signed shortly after mission organizations first arrived in the Philippines, be honored and the church building that the Filipino’s had paid for themselves, be turned over to them.  It wouldn’t be until 1940 that the court sided with the Methodist and forced the building to be abandoned.

In 1923, at the height of the controversial actions, A.G. Saunders, the RM missionary overseeing the Cagayan region approached Faustino three times begging him to move to Aparri and take over leadership of the local Christian community and the Aparri Church of Christ. Due to the Comity, the mission organization was preparing to abandon their work there. Understanding the concern, he moved him and his family that year.

Throughout the 20’s and 30’s, under his leadership and with the help of a number of co-workers, churches were planted and people brought to Christ. Nearly lost to history, names of the some of the most prominent co-workers lsauro Agbayani, Lino Agpaoa, Mariano Molina, Victorino Valentin, Wenceslao Landeta, lsabelo Salcedo, Jeremias Salcedo and Peter de Pacis.

In March 1935, the Christian Herald reported that “with only a little from us, Faustino Peneyra and Mrs. Peneyra launched a Bible training school and hospital at Aparri.” His wife, a registered nurse, and their son, a doctor, helped run the Cagayan Hospital across from the church, providing medical and spiritual care until the death of Faustino Peneyra, Jr. The Bible school trained workers who helped spread the gospel and fill pulpits throughout the region. Though it closed during the war, it reopened in 1946 with a new class of students and renewed purpose.

Overwhelmed by the ever growing demands of ministry, Faustino issued a request for American workers through the Christian Herald in late 1946 and early 1947—a “Macedonian Call” for help in the Cagayan region of Luzon. That call was quickly answered by Charles and Roberta Selby, who arrived in Aparri with their young son, Lloyd that spring. Devoted and tireless, the Selbys would go on to dedicate the next 50 years to serving in Central and Northern Luzon.

As graduates of Cincinnati Bible College & Seminary, Charles and Roberta brought with them a wealth of academic training and teaching experience, which proved instrumental in the development of the institution into a full-fledged seminary. In 1953, the Aparri Bible Seminary (ABS) formally opened its doors, and since that time, it has faithfully prepared and sent out generations of young men and women to serve in both established congregations and new church plants.

Through the help of Faustino and Benjamin Dugay Sr., the Selbys established three schools—two in 1967 and one in 1986. Following the closure of Cagayan Hospital after the death of Dr. Peneyra Jr., the Selbys were moved by the need for quality care, even for those who could not afford it, and in 1998 opened the Aparri Christian Hospital, later renamed the Charles W. Selby Memorial Hospital.

The Selby legacy—three award-winning academies in Isabela Province and a first-class hospital in Aparri—would never have been realized if not for the faithful response of a young man to the call of the Father. It is profoundly fitting that his graduation to Heaven coincided with the graduation of a new class from ABS, young men and women prepared to serve the Kingdom. A remarkable and poignant legacy for the man from Vigan who dedicated his life to proclaiming the Good News to his people.