Through much prayer and deliberation, the staff of PAMAS Missionary Training felt led by God to send my partner and me to work alongside the few Bible workers there. Palanan, Isabela is one of the coastal areas assisted by PAMAS North Luzon through aviation services. It is separated from the mainland by the Sierra Madre Mountain range along the border. The residents are hardworking, but many struggle with harmful vices. Some common habits among them include smoking, drinking coffee, and consuming alcoholic beverages. Yet, there is no limit to what God can do especially on overcoming these vices.

One of the people we visited was Uncle Revinaldo Galves, also known as “Otoy.” He is 55 years old, and according to him, he has been drinking coffee since childhood—starting as early as two years old. But that wasn’t his only vice. He also became addicted to alcohol and cigarettes. Out of curiosity, he began drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes at just 15 years old.

The first time we visited him, he told us he had never had his blood pressure checked in his entire life, so he had no idea what it was. When we measured it, his BP was 160/100. We explained to him that he had high blood pressure. “That’s why,” he said, “I’ve been feeling unwell.”

We then asked him about his lifestyle. He admitted that he had many vices and also loved eating meat. When we asked if he wanted to lower his BP, he answered with hope and happiness, “Yes, I do.”

The first thing we told him was that he needed to remove the causes of his high blood pressure. In other words, he had to quit his vices and avoid foods that could cause high BP. However, we also emphasized that he wouldn’t be able to do it without God’s help.

Next, we advised him to get a check up with a doctor. We also encouraged him to try Russian Penicillin, a home remedy made with calamansi juice and garlic, which could also help lower his blood pressure. After that, we prayed for him and his family before heading home.

A week later, we visited him again. That time, we also checked on someone else who had high blood pressure. However, we were puzzled as to why, after almost a month, this person’s BP had not gone down, even though he had been consistently taking Russian Penicillin. We later discovered that he hadn’t actually stopped his vices, such as smoking and drinking coffee. We explained that overcoming vices and addictions are truly difficult unless they are surrendered to God.

When we visited Uncle “Otoy,” we were overjoyed to find that his blood pressure had dropped to 140/90. After another week, he told us he felt much better than before. When we asked if he had followed our advice, he immediately said, “Yes, I did, because I really want to get better.”

We admired his determination, but even more, we were in awe of the Lord because, once again, we witnessed His power—not only in lowering Uncle Otoy’s BP but also in giving him the strength to overcome his bad habits. We even asked if he had a hard time quitting, and he said it wasn’t difficult for him at all.

When God works, nothing is impossible.

So, we reminded him to thank the Lord because He is the One who truly heals and helps. Before we went home, we encouraged him to continue on the path he had started and to never forget to pray. We left with gratitude and praise in our hearts, knowing that overcoming vices and being free from addiction is not impossible with God.