Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Update - April 15, 2009

The temperature today in Manila was 95, (Wednesday the 15th) but with the heat index it felt like 108. I am not looking forward to traveling back into that heat tomorrow morning. We have been back and forth to Manila so much these last few weeks that I am growing a bit weary of the trip. But we thank the Lord that He has continued to give safety and blessing on each of our ventures down.

Laarni has had her surgery and all things went very well. Thank you all for praying. The nodules on her vocal cords have been removed and tomorrow in Manila we will learn if she can speak again. It is then that we will learn whether or not the surgery has been a total success or not.

The last session of evening bible school at Navy Base went very well, for which we thank our Lord. We were able to finish up the book of Hebrews and the saints have found the 40 hours we spent in study profitable to their spiritual growth. We still have two remaining classes to teach down in Baguio Gold. This Sunday and next we will finish up the third session for them. Again, we are much encouraged in the desire of the saints to study the word.

Our daughter Rachel paid a short visit to us these past two weeks. It was a joy to have her here with us. She spent a week in Manila with her sister and us and a week here in Baguio.

This morning we had another two hours of Ilokano, and it is beginning to click. I am able to form sentences relatively easily now and our vocabulary is expanding for which we thank the Lord. On my last visit to Baguio Gold I did the entire introduction to our lessons in the letter of Paul to the Ephesians in Ilokano. Again, we used a combination of four languages as we shared with the saints there last week. This week I will be speaking to the assembly at Navy Base. We will be beginning a new series on the life and ministry of Elijah.

Joyce is doing much better. Thank you for all your prayers for her. The medications she is on seem to have really made a difference. The Physical Therapy for her neck continues as well and she goes for several days with out headaches now, which is a blessing indeed.

Some of you will remember Tia Elizabeth Bundok. She is the woman for whom a wheel chair was purchased over a year ago. She has gone home to be with the Lord she loves after so many years of hardship and struggle.

Thanks again for all your prayers, and may the Lord richly bless you.