By Randy Spacht,
Executive Director of
International Ministries,
One Mission Society
Pastor Ernel Gallaza
Jay and Pastor David
Jay’s small group Bible
study grew into a church.
Jay’s mom, who passed
away in September 2014
In 2002, Mamerto (Jay) Santos was 22 years old, working to help support his extended family. The fourth of five children, he lived with his parents, siblings, nine
aunts and uncles, and many cousins near the small rural Filipino village where he
grew up. Working as a data entry clerk in an outsourcing company, Jay quickly became a junior supervisor. He heard of opportunities to work in South Korea for more
money, so he accepted a position in Incheon.
Leaving his close-knit family was hard, but in 2006, he went to Korea to work long
hours as a furniture builder, assembling computer cases. He planned to work there
for a year to make enough money to return to the Philippines and start a business.
He stayed for almost six years.
In 2008, his roommate and coworker met a Filipino pastor, Pastor Ernel Gallaza,
studying at the OMS-related Seoul Theological University. The pastor drove Jay and
his roommate to their Korean classes and picked them up afterward. They started
attending the pastor’s church, sponsored through the OMS partner ministry, Friends
of All Nations (FAN). They met many other Filipinos there. Jay was attracted to the
passion of the people at the service. He asked to attend the discipleship training,
24
live in the Uni ѕ