1991 Mitsubishi Pajero

June 12, 2007 Settled in Manila

We arrived in Manila safe and sound three weeks ago tonight (June 12^th). Things here have not changed that much over the years we were away.

We are finding our way around with out much difficulty through the heavy unpredictable traffic. We are in the beginning of the rainy season so although it is hot and humid most days an afternoon thundershower often cools things down.

The Lord has provided for us a nice place to stay while we are temporarily in the Manila area.
It will meet our needs nicely until we make the move up to the mountain city of Baguio in October or November. Baguio is a pretty modern city in the mountains and we are praying that the Lord would provide a place for us to live there as well as one that is safe. Please join us in praying.

We were able to visit with the saints in Cogeo this past Lord’s day. It was so good to see them all again. We arrived late at 9:30 not realizing that their meetings begin now at 7:30 AM and run until around 10:30. But warmed my heart to see them going on for the Lord. Joyce and I spent many years working among them and they have been a great encouragement to us.

This week we will be visiting with the saints in Justinville as it is their anniversary Sunday. I taught them a couple of series in the past on how to study the bible. They are a wonderful group of committed believers.

My Sunday schedule is full here until we move up to Baguio in the fall. I will be speaking at four different assemblies once a month for the five months we will be here in Manila. We trust and pray that we will be an encouragement to them. Pray with us.

May 21, 2007 Enroute to the Philippines Today

Today we leave for the Philippines. We are anxious to be on our way. We are not sure what the future will hold for us but we entrust that into His care. Thanks to all who have been praying for us.

We will arrive in Manila at about 11:00 PM Tuesday after traveling for about 20 hours. The temperatures in Manila have been in the mid to upper 90s these last days with the heat index around 105-110. So there will be quite an adjustment for us.

We pray that we will be able to move into our apartment before the end of the week. It will be nice to have a place to call home again.

We plan to take up language study to brush up on our Tagalog those first months, before we take up the challenge of a new language. Be praying that the Lord would guide and direct us and that we would be sensitive to that direction, lest we run ahead of Him or lag behind.

We do covet your prayers. “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise be glory and honor for ever and ever Amen”

We will write again from Manila once we are able to get “hooked up”, to let you know we arrived safe and sound.

Update - April 25, 2007

Greetings to all. The Lord graciously provided someone to purchase our car here in Chicago. We never needed to post it in a newspaper or online, the Lord provided in an interesting way. One of the men from Warrenville Bible Chapel had an accident on the highway a few days back, he was sideswiped as he attempted to enter the highway. His family was in need of another car, and I had one that seems to fit their needs. So the Lord met two needs at the same time, and answered two prayer requests using the same vehicle. The funds we receive from this sale, along with some funds we have been able to put aside, will go toward the purchase of another vehicle in the Philippines. Pray.

From the writing of this letter we have 25 days left before we head for Manila. Next week we will be heading up to Dubuque for Abby and Daniel’s graduation. We will be renting a car, since ours will no longer be ours come this Friday. We will spend the week with them, and Rachel, Kim, Larry and the grandkids will be joining us up there for the weekend of Graduation. It will be nice to have the whole family together one last time before heading overseas. It will be hard to say goodbye this time, since we do not know when we will see them again. We leave that in the Lord’s hands.

As things seem to be falling into place, it appears that we may be planning a move to Baguio in the Mountains sooner than we originally planned. Please be praying that the Lord would give clear guidance in this. Pray that He would provide a place for us to live in Baguio, if it is His desire for us to move up there in November.

Thank you for all your prayers.

Update, April 9, 2007

It has been a while since I updated you on our progress. It is Easter Sunday morning and I am amazed once again that our blessed Lord of glory came into this world to save sinners like you and me. “who was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised because of our justification.”

We have been quite busy since last we wrote. We had a wonderful time of fellowship with the saints in Dallas. Each assembly we visited demonstrated to us the love and warmth of our Savior. Our hosts, while in Dallas, were so very kind to us. They opened up their home to us for nearly a month, and it was such a wonderful time of fellowship each and every day. We will miss them. They have been, for years, such good friends as well as our brother and sister in Christ. We look forward, in the will of the Lord, to be with them again soon.



We arrived in Kansas City, Kansas a little over a week ago and spoke here last Lord’s day and will do so again this Easter Sunday morning. As always, everywhere we go, the people of the Lord are so gracious and kind. Again the couple we are staying with are good friends and it makes us feel so relaxed and rested.

We spent the last couple of days in Detroit speaking at a conference at Grace Bible Chapel. What a joy! Not only did I have the opportunity to speak three times, but I had the privilege of hearing several other brothers speak. Ahhh, what a blessing to be under the sound of the word of God. Often, because you are doing so much speaking yourself, you miss this wonderful blessing. I was so refreshed!! We were in Detroit from Thursday until Saturday, and arrived back in Kansas City Saturday in the early evening, quite exhausted, but renewed in spirit. A special thanks to all those dear saints in Detroit who welcomed us with open arms into their fellowship.

At the time of this writing it is just 42 days until we leave for Manila. We are becoming anxious, in the good sense of the word. Ready, oh so ready, to return.

From here we will be traveling to Chicago and Dubuque for the graduation of our daughter Abby and her husband Daniel from Emmaus, as well as visiting some dear friends and family in the assemblies there. Our daughter Kim and her husband Larry and our two grandchildren live in the Chicago area and we are looking forward to being with them again. It is the last leg of our very long time of travel. We thank you for keeping us in your prayers.

Detroit Pics - Good Friday 2007

Joe Wooten, seen with Joyce, was a classmate of Joyce's dad Ken Brooks, at Emmaus Bible School in Toronto in the late 1940's. Ken visits with Mrs (Hilda) Joe Wooten (splendid pianist) between meetings.