Meetings this Lord’s day at Navy Base were very refreshing. The Lord’s Supper was a good time of remembering our wonderful savior and all that He has accomplished in our stead. The Spirit led us in worship by using the sharing of the first brother on the theme of “choosing what is best” from the account in Luke chapter 10 regarding Martha and Mary. From there we remembered Mary’s outpouring of worship in her anointing of the Lord Jesus in John 12, and wiping his feet with her hair. Then, the Spirit led another to share from the sister account of that anointing in Mark 14. What a wonderful and uplifting time of remembrance.
Following the Lord’s Supper we had our respective Sunday School classes. This week we continued our Look at the first chapters of Acts. I began this series last week with an introduction to the book. I will be sharing this teaching time with another brother from week to week. Again, it was a delight to remember the bodily resurrection and ascension of our Lord and the out pouring of the promised Spirit.
At the family bible hour one of the young men spoke and gave an excellent message on the coming judgments. In which he outlined each of the judgments that are coming in the program of God. He did a very good job and we are quite pleased with His dedication to the things of the Lord. It is only his second time to speak at the family bible hour and he already speaks with confidence and skill. Certainly a Spiritual gift the Lord has given to Him to use for His glory.
We had a good bible study on Friday last at the home of one of the saints, this study is mainly for her family and extended family. I shared on the word pictures describing the servant of Christ in 2 Corinthians.
This coming Lord’s Day I will have the opportunity of speaking once again at the assembly in Baguio Gold, which will be the first time since arriving back home in Baguio. I am looking forward to seeing them again and to scheduling our next session of bible school there.
Tomorrow morning we head back down the hill to Manila. Joyce is still having some on going complications from her surgery and another visit to the doctor is needed. She may need another procedure to stop the fluid retention that she is having above the lower incision. Please pray with us that this added procedure is unnecessary. She has been a bit weepy these last couple of days and could sure use your prayers and encouragement.
Kim and Larry are doing well, and are fitting in quite nicely now at Faith. They are sure keeping busy, but outside of the normal adjustments, are settling in quite well. Thanks for your prayers for them.
I will send an update on to you all regarding Joyce when we return from Manila later in the week.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Back In Baguio Aug 21, 2008
Typhoon Karen, a category 2 typhoon, has moved by to the north of us these last couple of days dropping several inches of rain on the northern and central sections of Luzon. It has rained non stop for a couple of days and we are finding holes in our roof that we did not know existed previously. We have several new “water features” decorating our home. The storm should move far enough away today or tomorrow to give us a break from the constant noise of rain on a metal roof, which at the first is rather soothing, but then becomes a constant din that causes the soul to desire quiet.
Last evenings prayer meeting was sparsely attended due to the storm, yet it was a good time of prayer and Wini began a series of devotionals on the parables of our Lord. Last evening we were reminded of the Lord’s concern for the lost, from Luke 15.
This Lord’s Day I will be teaching an introduction to the book of Acts at the 10 O’clock adult Sunday school, and then at the 11 O’clock family bible hour I will be teaching on the second advent of our Lord Jesus. So they have put me right back to work, and it is a blessing indeed!
Joyce is recovering nicely. She still does have a small section on the lower incision where she is still leaking, all else has healed up nicely. We will be heading down to Tarlac City, about 2 plus hours down, for a check up on Saturday. So we would ask that you continue to keep Joyce’s recovery in your prayers.
Driving across to some of the new outreaches has been impossible these weeks due to the rainy season and storms. Wini has received some text messages from the folks in Atamok desiring to have a bible study. As soon as the weather clears a bit we will make a trip over. We are thankful to the Lord for the interest these folks are showing in spiritual things. Pray that as the gospel continues to go forth in that area that souls in this family would come to Christ.
It is so good to be with the saints at Navy Base again. Psalm 133 describes it well. “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!...”
The Lord bless you and keep you my friends. Thank you all for your prayers.
Last evenings prayer meeting was sparsely attended due to the storm, yet it was a good time of prayer and Wini began a series of devotionals on the parables of our Lord. Last evening we were reminded of the Lord’s concern for the lost, from Luke 15.
This Lord’s Day I will be teaching an introduction to the book of Acts at the 10 O’clock adult Sunday school, and then at the 11 O’clock family bible hour I will be teaching on the second advent of our Lord Jesus. So they have put me right back to work, and it is a blessing indeed!
Joyce is recovering nicely. She still does have a small section on the lower incision where she is still leaking, all else has healed up nicely. We will be heading down to Tarlac City, about 2 plus hours down, for a check up on Saturday. So we would ask that you continue to keep Joyce’s recovery in your prayers.
Driving across to some of the new outreaches has been impossible these weeks due to the rainy season and storms. Wini has received some text messages from the folks in Atamok desiring to have a bible study. As soon as the weather clears a bit we will make a trip over. We are thankful to the Lord for the interest these folks are showing in spiritual things. Pray that as the gospel continues to go forth in that area that souls in this family would come to Christ.
It is so good to be with the saints at Navy Base again. Psalm 133 describes it well. “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!...”
The Lord bless you and keep you my friends. Thank you all for your prayers.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Saturday, August 02, 2008
August 2, 2008 Joyce Surgery Update
Greetings to you all. This has been a challenging week for us. Joyce entered the hospital on Tuesday afternoon. After a battery of tests she was all set for her surgery on Wednesday. We both slept well Tuesday night having committed the following day’s surgery into the hand of our Lord.
Wednesday morning at about 5 AM the doctors and assistants came to take Joyce to the OR. She left the room at about 5:30, and I did not see her again until almost 5 PM. The surgery began at 6 AM and was in two phases. The first phase lasted three hours, the second phase was an additional 6 hours, so she did not leave the OR until about 3 PM, nine hours later. She was in the recovery room until a little before 5, when she was finally rolled back into the room, awake but still a bit groggy. It was sure good to see her again. After the first phase the oncologist visited me in the room to let me know that his phase was completed and that it went well. He mentioned that a few of the lymph nodes, that he removed, were a bit inflamed. So we are awaiting the results of the biopsy. After the second phase that surgeon also came and visited with us to let us know that his part went very well. So we thank the Lord for the good work of these fine men, instruments in the Lord’s hand for this moment in our lives.
Larry and Kim had come down from Cainta to spend the day with me and keep me occupied, and I was certainly thankful for them. They were there to greet Joyce as well when she was rolled into the room.
It is now Saturday afternoon here and Joyce was released from the hospital this morning and is resting here at Rose Brooks’ home in San Juan, just about a ¼ mile from the hospital. She is still a bit weak but doing very well. She still has several drains in and we have to care for them for the next week or so, but other than that this phase of things is finally over. Thank you all so much for praying. We will be remaining here in the Manila area for at least another week or two depending on the doctors and Joyce’s progress. We have a follow-up visit on Monday with one surgeon and Wednesday with the other. We long to be back home in the mountains, but the Lord’s timing is best. We will look to Him for His guidance.
We will keep you updated. Thank you so very much for uplifting us in prayer…we certainly have felt HIS presence.
Wednesday morning at about 5 AM the doctors and assistants came to take Joyce to the OR. She left the room at about 5:30, and I did not see her again until almost 5 PM. The surgery began at 6 AM and was in two phases. The first phase lasted three hours, the second phase was an additional 6 hours, so she did not leave the OR until about 3 PM, nine hours later. She was in the recovery room until a little before 5, when she was finally rolled back into the room, awake but still a bit groggy. It was sure good to see her again. After the first phase the oncologist visited me in the room to let me know that his phase was completed and that it went well. He mentioned that a few of the lymph nodes, that he removed, were a bit inflamed. So we are awaiting the results of the biopsy. After the second phase that surgeon also came and visited with us to let us know that his part went very well. So we thank the Lord for the good work of these fine men, instruments in the Lord’s hand for this moment in our lives.
Larry and Kim had come down from Cainta to spend the day with me and keep me occupied, and I was certainly thankful for them. They were there to greet Joyce as well when she was rolled into the room.
It is now Saturday afternoon here and Joyce was released from the hospital this morning and is resting here at Rose Brooks’ home in San Juan, just about a ¼ mile from the hospital. She is still a bit weak but doing very well. She still has several drains in and we have to care for them for the next week or so, but other than that this phase of things is finally over. Thank you all so much for praying. We will be remaining here in the Manila area for at least another week or two depending on the doctors and Joyce’s progress. We have a follow-up visit on Monday with one surgeon and Wednesday with the other. We long to be back home in the mountains, but the Lord’s timing is best. We will look to Him for His guidance.
We will keep you updated. Thank you so very much for uplifting us in prayer…we certainly have felt HIS presence.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
July 23, 2008 Update
Had a visit with the surgeon yesterday evening and Joyce’s surgery has been postponed until Wednesday the 30th. Evidently there was some miscommunication between the nurse and doctor regarding the date, so his first opening was Wednesday.
So today and tomorrow Joyce has a battery of tests that she must have in preparation for surgery. She must also have a visit with a cardiologist. We are praying that we can get all these tests done today and tomorrow so that we can head up the mountain for the weekend to visit with the saints there and to finally be home, if even for a short weekend.
Thank you all for your prayers and help during this time. The Lord is so very faithful to us. This morning he gave me a verse from Psalm 20. “Some trust in chariots, some in horses, but I will trust in the Lord.”
So today and tomorrow Joyce has a battery of tests that she must have in preparation for surgery. She must also have a visit with a cardiologist. We are praying that we can get all these tests done today and tomorrow so that we can head up the mountain for the weekend to visit with the saints there and to finally be home, if even for a short weekend.
Thank you all for your prayers and help during this time. The Lord is so very faithful to us. This morning he gave me a verse from Psalm 20. “Some trust in chariots, some in horses, but I will trust in the Lord.”
Monday, July 21, 2008
Update -In the Philippines - July 22, 2008
Greetings to you all from a very hot and steamy Manila. We arrived safe and somewhat sound last Wednesday evening and have been running ever since. Seems like we have been here for weeks instead of just a few days, we seem to have gotten much accomplished in those few days.
Most of our days have been taken up in trying to get Larry, Kim and the kids settled into their new dorm. They will be taking care of 13 high school boys, at last count. The dorm is quite large but in need of a lot of work. So they have their work cut out for them these next couple of weeks. The students begin arriving on August 11th. There are several maintenance issues that need to be resolved as well as normal preparations. As first time dorm parents there is so much they still need to learn about the normal everyday functions of the dorm, so they are continually learning new things and new responsibilities that they will have…keep them in your prayers.
Joyce and I had to take a quick trip over to Subic yesterday to get our car registration renewed. Because of a new law we were unable to renew it here in Manila but had to take the 2 hour trip over to Subic, and unlike Manila, they are not very modernized and so we had to wait about 1 ½ hours for them to pass paper work from one to another, stencil our car, and then finally issue the new years stickers.
This evening (Tuesday our time) we will be visiting the Doctor for Joyce, and hope to have more information regarding her up coming surgery, scheduled for Friday. Please keep her in your prayers.
We had desired to visit with the saints in Baguio before her surgery but because her doctor’s appointment had to be changed we were unable to make a trip home to the mountains. We are deeply saddened by this, but know that our Lord has all things in His control. So now we will not be able to go home until her surgery is over and she has recovered enough to travel.
We know that you are praying for us and that is such an encouragement to us. Please drop us a short note when you get a chance, it would be an encouragement to Joyce. So many of you already have, and for that we give you thanks.
Most of our days have been taken up in trying to get Larry, Kim and the kids settled into their new dorm. They will be taking care of 13 high school boys, at last count. The dorm is quite large but in need of a lot of work. So they have their work cut out for them these next couple of weeks. The students begin arriving on August 11th. There are several maintenance issues that need to be resolved as well as normal preparations. As first time dorm parents there is so much they still need to learn about the normal everyday functions of the dorm, so they are continually learning new things and new responsibilities that they will have…keep them in your prayers.
Joyce and I had to take a quick trip over to Subic yesterday to get our car registration renewed. Because of a new law we were unable to renew it here in Manila but had to take the 2 hour trip over to Subic, and unlike Manila, they are not very modernized and so we had to wait about 1 ½ hours for them to pass paper work from one to another, stencil our car, and then finally issue the new years stickers.
This evening (Tuesday our time) we will be visiting the Doctor for Joyce, and hope to have more information regarding her up coming surgery, scheduled for Friday. Please keep her in your prayers.
We had desired to visit with the saints in Baguio before her surgery but because her doctor’s appointment had to be changed we were unable to make a trip home to the mountains. We are deeply saddened by this, but know that our Lord has all things in His control. So now we will not be able to go home until her surgery is over and she has recovered enough to travel.
We know that you are praying for us and that is such an encouragement to us. Please drop us a short note when you get a chance, it would be an encouragement to Joyce. So many of you already have, and for that we give you thanks.
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