February 5, 2013 Update

Greetings to you all, once again, from the mountains of Central Luzon. It has been a while since our last update. The busy holidays are now behind us and the new year is already over a month old, the time just seems to fly by.

The work of the Lord here is going along well, for which we give Him thanks. The Men's Conference in December went very well, there were several hundred men in attendance and the word shared was well received.

The daily home Bible studies are still producing some nice fruit for His glory and we are so thankful. We began the third Semester of Bible School at the Navy Base Assembly this past Lord's Day afternoon and attendance is still very good. This will run now until the second week of March. My preparations for Special Studies are all complete and Joyce and I will be heading down the hill for that week of classes on the 18th of February and returning home on the 22nd. They are expecting over 100 men and women for these classes this year since they are offering them free of charge to any full time worker and their wives. With that in mind I had to limit the amount of handout material I will be bringing. I plan on giving them a simple outline for each class. My subject this year is Expository Teaching, something near and dear to my heart.

 The Lord provided, through the women's conference in Chicago, funds which were used to help a poor family from the assembly in Baguio Gold. We were enabled to purchase materials for his family to build a new structure to live in. It is about double the size of the small shanty that they lived in for many years. Their home now has windows and a new roof that will not leak when the rainy season begins. It also has a concrete floor and new wood and siding for the walls...such a blessing. This man and his children have been faithful at the assembly there for many years. A special thanks to all who had a part in providing these funds for Habitat and Health. The funds also allowed us to help a woman with some medical work she needed done. So we are very thankful to the Lord.

 I am now beginning my preparations for our visit to Korea in April. I will have a rather full schedule while I am there but we are looking forward to spending time with Tim and Yolly Stafford, and to visit with the saints both in the Korean and Filipino assembilies.

Please keep Special Studies, the Bible School, the Home Bible Studies and the preparations for Korea in your prayers.

 Thank you all for your prayers and kind support of the Lord's work here among us. May He be glorified.

November 29, 2012 Update

Greetings to you all once again from Baguio.

 The Christmas season is upon us and it causes our hearts to remember the greatest of all gifts.  What a wonder it is that God would become a man in order to pay the penalty for our sin and redeem those who would put their faith and trust in that finished work.  It is good to remember.  It is good each week to sit around His table and remember who He is and what He has done. 

We are thankful to the Lord for providing us with a newer vehicle for the ministry here in the Mountains.  We were enabled by Him to purchase a 2009 Ford Everest 4X4.  So we went from a car that was 21 years old to a car that is just approaching 4 years old!!  Quite a difference.  We are so very thankful to Him.   

Tomorrow we make the drive back up to Kayapa and the three hour hike across the mountain trails to hold the Bible Study.  This is truly fertile soil and we pray as the seed is scattered that it would find the good soil of hearts prepared to receive the gospel, and that fruit would be borne.  Please pray with us.    I am a bit concerned about the drive so pray that the Lord would settle my heart.  We will be driving up in the early morning darkness and coming back in darkness as well,  across mountain roads that I am not real familiar with.  It is a hard drive, please be praying.  

The home Bible studies continue to be a source of encouragement to me.  Fruit is evident in the lives of those whom we have been teaching and to a teacher that is a tremendous source of joy.  

We finished up the second semester of Bible School a couple of weeks back.  It was quite a profitable time.  Many attended and we trust the Lord will use those things taught to build up the saints and lift their up their eyes, for their redemption draws near.  

In a few weeks I will be teaching at the Men’s Conference in the lowlands.  This will be my second time to be invited to speak to this gathering of men from all over the islands.  It is a wonderful opportunity for which I thank the Lord.  Continue to pray as I put the final touches on the message and as I prepare my heart before the Lord to deliver it.

My preparations for Special Studies are coming along well.  I am now in the process of organizing all my notes and putting them into a syllabus of sorts from which the lessons will come.  This year they have offered to pay the tuition for all full time workers and their wives to attend.  So we are expecting well over 100 students.  So please pray as I make decisions regarding notes and handouts for such a large group. 

Again I thank you all for your prayers for us and the Lord’s work here in the mountains of Central Luzon.  May the Lord continue to bless you….

The Latest from Baguio - October 31, 2012

Greetings once again to you all, and thank you all for your prayers for the Lord’s work here in the mountains. 

The work here continues to go well.  The home Bible studies are producing some fruit for the Kingdom and we are so thankful to the Lord for this encouragement.  On Friday evenings we have three studies at three different homes up at Tip-Top.  They are three lovely families and I enjoy visiting with them each week.  Two of those families have started coming out on Sunday mornings for the Sunday School time and the Family Bible hour, which is such an encouragement.   The Tuesday night study continues to be a blessing to me personally.  That family always enjoys the study time and consistently are learning and growing, as anyone who teaches the Word of God knows there is no greater blessing than to see folks eager and hungry for the Word of God. 

Our trip to Kayapa had to be postponed due to heavy rains.  The barangay captain texted us and told us that the roads were too slippery and that we should not come at this time.  So we are praying for the Lord’s guidance as to when we will be able to return to that area to share the gospel. The fields there are truly “ripe unto harvest.” I was a bit discouraged that we had to cancel, but the Lord has a plan in all these things so we will wait on Him and trust in His leading.  Keep this in your prayers.

This week the assembly at Navy Base will be having a Family Day at Camp John Hay.  These times are always so good for the assembly family as it builds bonds between us all.  We are praying that some of the new families will join us so that they can begin to feel a part of the assembly and not just “visitors”.

I continue in my preparations for upcoming conferences and seminars for the end of the year and into the New Year, so please keep these things in your prayers .  I have been spending many hours at my desk trying to prepare in advance since my regular studies keep me quite busy as well.  

We are going to have our fourth session in this “semester” of our Mini Bible School at Navy Base this coming Lord’s Day.  The turnout for these studies has been very good, and we are thankful to the Lord for that.  We pray that what is taught would bring honor and glory to the Lord and be an encouragement and challenge to the Lord’s people.

On another subject, I was wondering if any of the assemblies that you are in fellowship at have over the past couple of years upgraded your sound systems and you have tucked in a file cabinet somewhere an old wireless lapel mike system that you are no longer using.  If so, and you would like to donate it to the work here I would certainly appreciate it.  There have been many times I wish I had one to take along with me to different meetings.  It is a bit cumbersome sometimes to try and hold a mike and speak for me, since I have a hard time standing behind the pulpit, as many of you know.

Also we are beginning to realize that we will need to replace our 1991 Mitsubishi vehicle in the near future.  She has been a real work horse for us but her age is catching up with her and her maintenance is a regular on going situation.  We need a vehicle I can depend on when taking trips up the mountain trail, and not have to be worrying about whether or not it will break down and strand us.  We are so thankful to those who have helped us keep her on the road, but her days seem to be numbered.  Please be praying with us regarding this ministry need,  that the Lord would provide a newer vehicle for His work here.

Again, thank you all so very much for your prayers for His work here among us.  May the Lord continue to bless you all as you serve Him in your part of the vineyard.

Update, September 19, 2012

Greeting to you all from Baguio, I pray that you are all doing well and rejoicing in our wonderful Lord.     A couple of things to report for your prayers:

Please pray for the various on-going home Bible studies.  We are seeing good fruit from a couple of them, and two families who have come to know the Lord are now in fellowship at the assembly, for which we thank the Lord.  We pray for consistency and growth in their spiritual lives.  In another study we are encouraged to see the hunger that these saints have for the clear teaching of the Word.  Pray that they may continue to grow in grace.  

Secondly, please be praying for the upcoming Bible school session scheduled to begin on October 14^th.  It is the second “semester” of classes on Eschatology, and we will begin our look at the book of Revelation.  The first “semester” of classes was well attended by young and old alike and I was much encouraged by their desire to learn.  We are praying that they will all be able to return to continue this study.  

Thirdly, please be praying for the assembly down in Baguio Gold.  They seem to be struggling a bit and could certainly use your prayers.  Pray for wisdom and guidance for the elders as they deal with some recent issues.    

We would also appreciate prayers for Joyce.  She has been having some health issues which we are trying to get diagnosed.  She has had some heart problems and has gone through a battery of tests.  We will be finding out the results today (Wednesday September 19, 2012).  She has been quite fatigued and has been experiencing many heart palpitations, please keep her in your prayers.

We are preparing for the Men’s conference in December on the topic of “Protecting the church from modernism” and for the Special Study classes in February on the topic of “Expository Teaching” Please keep these preparations in your prayers as well.

We will return later this month to Kayapa which is a new outreach about two hours drive Northeast of Baguio on the Mountain Trail.  The last study there went very well and there were many questions regarding salvation by grace through faith without works. It was our third visit to this remote village. Now that the rainy season is coming to a close we hope to make monthly trips up for studies, often times this requires hiking three hours on the trails to reach the homes where these studies are taking place.  Our goal is to eventually see a new assembly started in this town. 

This week we head down to Manila for a visit.  Joyce has a weekend conference to attend with our daughter Kim this coming weekend.  I will be speaking at one of the local assemblies in the area. Next week Joyce’s brother Dale, his wife Lois and their daughter Dorothy along with her husband Aaron will be arriving for a two week visit.  Dale will be the speaker at our expat missionary retreat the first week of October.  The retreat always is a time for us to reunite with fellow missionaries and learn of what the Lord is doing in different parts of the Philippines.  Good teaching that feeds our souls is also much appreciated.  We will return to Baguio on October 8^th.
 

Well, I have given you a lot to pray for!!  I trust you will continue to support us by your prayers.  Pray for the Lord’s provision for the needs of the poor among us.  We love you all and give thanks to our Lord for you.  God bless….

Nice to Be Home - Update - August 12, 2012

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on the earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  Matthew 6:19-21

     These verses were on my mind this morning as we begin to settle in once again here in Baguio.  It is nice to be home.  We spend a wonderful morning yesterday with the saints at Navy Base remembering the Lord and hearing from His word.

     The trip home was fine and without incident as there was no flooding on any of the roads that we used.  The roads were in pretty bad shape and my poor car got knocked around quite a bit by all the pot holes, but survived.  Kennon Road, the road up the mountain to Baguio, was open as well to light vehicles, and we were able to pass without any problem.  At Camp 4 a bridge was washed out but we were able to skirt around it and still pass.  It is raining again this morning and talk of a new storm approaching.

     We are now beginning to focus our eyes on the next several months and what the Lord would have us do.  I am now scheduled to speak at the Men’s Conference in Bulacan in December and to teach at Special Studies in February, also at the camp site in Malolos.  I am also beginning preparations to teach the next Bible school session here in Baguio, continuing our lessons in Eschatology.   We will begin the home bible studies again next week , Lord willing.  So in very short order we will be back to the regular routine, which is always comforting to me.  I enjoy and need regular routine.  I love and thrive in the “rut”.

     Continue to pray for those of your brothers and sisters in Manila who have been affected so severely by the floods which plagued the lowlands once again.  Some close friends from San Juan had to be evacuated from their homes as the flood waters were reaching up to the second floor. We thank the Lord that all are safe, but several of the chapel buildings and many families from those works in various parts of Luzon have been affected once again, so please keep them in your prayers.  And be praying for Dave Harvey and those handling the relief efforts that the Lord would give them wisdom as they use the funds that the Lord will provide.

     The outreach up in Kayapa is currently on hold due to the heavy rains, so be praying that we will be able to return there, once the rains have subsided.  The last time the brothers were able to go up they had a study that lasted past mid-night because those hearing the word had many questions regarding salvation by grace through faith alone.  So keep this outreach in your prayers.

Thank you all for your prayers and for taking the time out of your busy schedules to read this update. 

     May the Lord continue to bless you all for His glory!!

April 27 - Kayapa Ministries

We arrived back from Kayapa safe and sound yesterday afternoon after smoking brakes and cars that had the water boiling in the radiators.  It was a hard drive both ways, but after a few stops to let the cars recover, we made it safely back to Baguio.

The time spend in Kayapa was profitable. There were over 30 kids out to the VBS programs and close to 40 people out for the film showing.  I was amazed to see them intently watching the movie on Thursday night.  All eyes were glued to the screen, even to watch the credits at the end. 

We also had Bible studies with those who where around during the time VBS was going on.  It was a good time of study with many questions being asked.  We met some other brothers and sisters in Christ who have been hungry for teaching.  Next time they want us to come and visit their place and have a Bible study.  It is just a three hour hike across the mountains.  Lord willing we will be able to have a study in that area the next time we visit and we are praying to establish two more studies in the surrounding areas as well. 

The next we travel over to Kayapa we plan to visit families scattered around the mountain side and try to begin these new home Bible studies as the Lord leads, then to return,  initially once a month, to teach.  We are thankful to the Lord for what He is doing in the hearts of the people in this region. We were so well received by all.  

 Thank you all for your prayers…