More storms...

A  year ago last November, in Oriental Mindoro, Philippines, an evil wind came through and damaged/flooded much of the province. Houses, churches, and business were destroyed. People were put in a survival mode in a matter of hours. Pastor Jun, a pastor that I was with this past year, lost his home and his church building. The church began meeting under a large tent and plans were made for a new church facility. (Pastor Jun found housing and has waited for the church to be completed before focusing on a new home.) This last Sunday, the church celebrated the church's first service together in their new worship center.

This past Tuesday, Typhoon Nina, raised her ugly head and paid a "history repeats itself" visit. More trees down, more houses destroyed, and power lines down. For some, they were right back where they were a year ago. The church was made with cement blocks and stood the test of the storm. This area tends to be more susceptible to this evil winds than others. Pray for this people as they rebound once again.

        

   

News on SBC Work in the Philippines

Much information has come to me since my last blog. Here is an excerpt of what I had written: “In my research, I have found that Fundamental Baptists are on “every corner” but Southern Baptists are few and far between. The pastors I was with last April said they did not know of any SBC church nor had they ever met a SB until I came along.”

“Southern Baptists did have a greater presence in the Philippines until the International Mission Board made some necessary budget cuts and the missionaries volunteered for early retirement. The Philippines remains a prime mission field for SBC. I have been in contact with the IMB and they are getting word to a few who still have contacts there to let them know of my willingness to come.”

Briefly, I have had several email exchanges with a Southern Baptist missionary who lives in Manila. Here is a synopsis of her information:

“I am in Manila. My church here in Manila has an outreach in Calapan. Maybe I can connect you with my pastor, Pastor Lino Carononagan. Good Samaritan BC has started a church in Calapan but I do not remember which barangay? Pastor Lino can give more information.”

“There are about 2000+ Southern Baptist churches in the Philippines. Most of the churches are on Mindanao (1500+), Luzon (400+), and in the Visayas (100+). There are not many Southern Baptist churches on Mindoro but Mindoro is a Cooperative Program focus for the Luzon Convention of Southern Baptist Churches. Because of the early retirement, there are only 20 IMB missionaries left in the Philippines. “

I will be trying to get in touch with the church in Calapan and see what opportunities might be there. I have been talking more with the pastor from Naujan about the mission to the to the tribe of the Mangyan people by way of land and rivers to the mountains. Below is a picture of their recent journey. 

Philippines 2017...Inquire-Create-Implement Pt. 1

Time has gone by fast this fall as I have been thinking about Philippines 2017. Yes, I have been doing more than thinking. I have been making inquiries. Are there Southern Baptist Churches in the Philippines where I might serve on the next trip?  Of course, I am not limited to SBC churches. This year, I went to a Fundamental Baptist and a Christian Church. Pastors/wives of all denominations have needs and frustrations and are hungry for instruction and inspiration. Plus, SBC churches are not the only ones taking care of orphans.

In my research, I have found that Fundamental Baptists are on “every corner” but Southern Baptists are few and far between. The pastors I was with last April said they did not know of any SBC church nor had they ever met a SB until I came along. So I have been sending out inquiries to many Fundamental churches in the Philippines to see of their interest in my coming to their church and/or association.

Southern Baptists did have a greater presence in the Philippines until the International Mission Board made some necessary budget cuts and the missionaries volunteered for early retirement. The Philippines remains a prime mission field for SBC. I have been in contact with the IMB and they are getting word to a few who still have contacts there to let them know of my willingness to come.

There is a great possibility that might become a reality. One of the pastors I was with this year was going to take me to/meet with some remote pastors. The busy schedule did not allow for that. He does go to remote areas at least twice a year to offer free medical and dental services, feeding and supply clothing and slippers. Of course, this is not all free. Donations pay for this much-needed project.

I would very much like to go with him and his group over the mountains and rivers to the Mangyan tribe in the same province of Mindoro where I was this year. And because I want to help make sure this vital ministry takes place, if this becomes a reality, I will ask for my financial partners to help fund this whole project with $600. Can you imagine being able to do all of these services for only $600 which is by the way 30,000 pesos, a small fortune to the Filipinos. In America, this would not pay for a few tests for one person.

So, that is where I am right now. I am still depending on my prayer and financial partners to help make these provisions a possibility. I trust that you give generously to your own church and to the mission endeavors there. If you are so led to give to another mission cause consider donating to Mission to International Pastors and Orphans.

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Below are pics from the Mangyan tribe.

                      

Looking back..Looking forward

I find it hard to believe that Christmas is two weeks from Sunday.  Seems like last week we were celebrating Thanksgiving. And 2016…well…the year has gone by quickly. I have to say the most awesome, fulfilling experience for me was the mission trip to the Philippines. The time with the pastors and their wives, visiting the children in Squatter’s village, visiting in the pastor’s homes, visiting in members homes, speaking in two church services, speaking at a graduation ceremony, helping a man with his roof, providing medicine for families, and just making new friends combined for an awesome trip. Many Filipinos friended me before I even got there and many more after I left.

My goal for 2016 was to take two mission trips--to the Philippines and to Haiti. There were not enough funds for Haiti.  I am still hopeful that the two trips will materialize next year.  The missionaries from Haiti (Terry/Carolyn Routon) will be stateside January thru March. While in Haiti, they lead a Ladies Bible study on Monday and I think the church leadership teams meet on Wednesday while the children meet on Thursday. The pastors meet on Friday.

While Terry/Carolyn are stateside, several people will fill in the training spots. They have asked if I would Skype/train the church leadership teams while they are away. This will be a great way for me to stay in touch with the people.  While I was there in 2014-15, I saw how much they desired to learn and to be more effective in their God called positions. I saw human sponges soaking up every little bit of instruction and encouragement.

So, that is a little synopsis of this year and a prayerful desire for the coming year. I trust that your families will have a festive and joyful Christmas and you will be uplifted as you celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus.

Expressed Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday. Family gatherings, a feast for everyone, all day parades and football, family games, lots of laughter, and making new memories. Thanksgiving falls between Halloween and Christmas…a great holiday to kick off the Christmas season. I have always wondered how many people give genuine thanks on the fourth Thursday of November. There are many who will open up the day with a time of family sharing—a time to truly express how God has blessed them. Sadly, there are many families who will only offer up a token prayer to somehow legitimize that they are thankful.

How will you spend your Thanksgiving? Will it just be another day or will you have some heartfelt moments of true thankfulness? I hope you will consider all of the good times you have experienced as moments of blessing to share with others. I hope you will consider the trying times you have experienced as moments of learning to savor for yourself. Paul said that “in ALL things we are to give thanks”…both the good and difficult.

I have much to be grateful for this year. As for this blog and its purpose of missions, I am so thankful beyond measure for the prayer partners that so faithfully pray for the funding, the planning, the times of travel, and the mission to Pastors/wives and the children. I am very thankful for those who have a heart for missions, who share my passion for people in other countries, and who have determined that they want to be a financial partner. Praying and giving are essential to the Mission of Instruction and Encouragement for these special people.

I have now been to Haiti twice and to the Philippines once. I greatly desire to go to both places in 2017. There is a list of opportunities had and needs that were met in another article on this blog. The looks on their faces, the hugs that they give, and the comments that they make are enough to melt one’s heart. But always, it seems that I come away being blessed by them and their gratefulness. I go to give but they give so much more to me. I go to help but they help me in more ways than they know. To all who pray and give I wish you could experience the personal touch of missions to these special people.

So, I ask you now to continue to pray and continue to give as God leads. You are a blessing to me. My words are so inadequate for what has been accomplished because of you. This coming week enjoy God’s bounty, His favor, and His unconditional love.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

More pics--lost houses/churches in mountains of Haiti

     

     

    

    

  

Goat/Pig Project-Short Life But Gave Life

October 7, 2016

This afternoon I was able to Skype with some of the pastors in the mountains of Haiti. There was 13 present. When I asked how many had lost their home or their church every hand went up. After some discussion of loss, I was told that the goats/pigs purchased for the orphanage had not survived. That's okay. God has other plans to provide their daily bread. From my standpoint, there was a short life to the completed project but for about two years life was given to the children of the orphanage.  Below is a short history of the project and pics of goats that that  had matured.

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As for the goats, that is a God thing and a success story. If you remember on my first trip in 2014, there was a need for food at the orphanage. I purchased a goat to ensure food for at least three days. Another supporter was providing on-going monies for food but had discontinued any more help. My little goat wasn’t much but that was much needed at that moment.

In August of 2014, when I left, I had given some money to be used for any orphanage needs. The director decided he wanted to build a herd of goats and sheep. Thus, a new mission project was established. I continued to stay in contact with the Routons and the director of the Orphanage. No more monies were coming in for goats. So in November I sent more money for 4 more goats/sheep. In February 2015, I sent more money.

Several times along the way I had shared with my church what was going on in Haiti and the herd project. I was to make another trip in September 2015 should the funds come in. In the meantime, the children of my church decided they wanted to be part of the project so they started putting back their monthly mission offering for that purpose. Then, as my trip got closer, members came up to me and said they wanted to buy a goat or two. Long story short, I went on the 2015 trip with the goal of completing the herd that the director of the Orphanage had envisioned for their needs. Mission accomplished! The orphans were elated and lavished me with hugs. I told them that this was a joint effort that included children and adults of my church as well as a few Facebook friends. God has planted a major mission seed in many hearts.

I thought some of you would be interested in seeing the goats that were purchased last year and see what they look like today. This is so fulfilling being in something God inspired.

Haiti Update

The news says that the death toll in Haiti is now approaching 600 and rising. I have talked to my interpreter in the mountains. Pastor's have lost churches, houses, animals, and gardens...their livelihood is gone. Rousier lost his house as well as another pastor's relative house.  Must more will probably be reported.
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Here is an update I just received from Rousier in the Mountains:

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  After talking to most of the pastors in Mare-rouge, Kapen, Mol, Atdjako, Bedeyen and Bonbad and Krev this is what I found so far: Churches need tins; 2/4; ciment; bars 20 Houses lost: 101 Animals lost: 500 (goats, pigs, donkey and mule) Schools: 20 Gardens: Several People that got hit: several Trees several

  
  

  The people would need food, water, clothes, shoes and love. As a group, it is God's will to have a heart to those that are in need. The government won't really do much for those people, but instead they would make more money when staff like that happened. So God is asking His people to help in every way they can. It is time to turn love into ACTION. Because we believe that Action speaks louder than words.

  This is just for some in our groups if I would give an account for the commune (Mole Saint Nicolas) it would be a lot. God is not a little god; He IS a Big God. If He's asking you or telling to give or help those that are in need, He will show you. But you should never forget that “It is more blessing to give than to receive” .

  Note: please share with others (churches, friends, supporters, and organizations).

This is Rousier's house.

A Blessing for the Routon's

When the Routon's, missionaries from Haiti, come stateside they usually stay with a daughter around the Clinton area. Then  they will go visit friends  in various places to get caught up on family and ministry news. Some close friends in Warsaw had an emptry house that was empty and they felt lead to give the house to the Routon's. What a definite need in their life. The house will need some work  since it has been empty for years. The plan is to gradually remodel and repair. The house will become Terry and Carolyn's stateside home and future retirement home. People have offered to be a part of the remodeling. A mission minded gentlemen from Crossroads Baptist Church in Buffalo recently went to visit and seee what could be done with a group of men from the Buffalo area churches. So glad for the Routons. Note: Thier daughter and husband recently went to China for a 1 1/2 yearrs of missions. Timing and God's plan are everything.




Note from Terry/Carolyn:
Picture of a house in Warsaw that was given to us personally by some very dear generous friends.   Both pics show there is a lot of work to be done inside and out as it has been vacant 10 years.  It is great to have a home on the state side to stay when back for R & R.

News From the Philipppines

I received the report below from a pastor I was with in the Philippines. He and his church has had a difficult time since the Typhoon last November but God has done some amazing things. Briefly, the typhoon took out MANY home, churches, and businesses. Since no one has insurance, everyone where on their own to get funds to rebuild dependent on contributions from anywhere.

This pastor lost his home and church building. The night of the typhoon his home was looted and set on  fire.  This family had to live in a another small house while kids were in a tent. The church began meeting under a big tent. Little by little the church has began to rebuild. The people have remained faithful and have grown in number. Churches tend to thrive under a crisis. His story is more detailed b below....really God's story.

I am looking forward to 2017 when I will be able to attend his new church and see how God has brought in new people into the kingdom.
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Our house was hit by typhoon Nona and was collapsed to the ground. However, we were still able to recover all the books, clothes documents, all the papers and all our things inside the collapsed house. But in the second night after the typhoon, while we were sleeping at the guest house that is far from our collapsed house, thieves came in and burned our house and we don’t save anything. When the neighbors awakened us and informed us what happened, the whole house was almost consumed. All the books, Bibles, important files, legal document, clothes, kitchen ware and all our things inside the house were all consumed by fire and became ashes. Nothing left to us.

                                  

The roof of the Church building of Bagong Buhay Christian Church, Bagong Buhay, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro,  blown out by typhoon Nona on Tuesday at 11:00 o’ clock in the morning December 15, 2015. Only the flooring left with the debris scattered inside and outside the building.

Despite of what happened in our church building caused by typhoon Nona and the pastors’ house was burned by the thieves, all these circumstances did not hinder the zealous members of Bagong Buhay Christian Church to celebrate our church anniversary yesterday December 20, 2015 even in just under the makeshift tent. Our fervent prayer is we could construct a new and durable church building and the house of Pastor Jun Falla be reconstruct as soon as possible. 

1st pic-Construction begins....           ..2nd pic-August 2016                3rd pic-Completion Fall 2016

      

                                               

Did you know? An update on Haiti happenings.

Did you know....

Haiti
1. That Pastor Astene's daughter died of Typhoid Malaria at 17 years of age. She had battled this illness for about three weeks but there is no cure...just treat the symptoms. She was a very sick girl. She will be missed by not only her family but all children of the orphanage. Please pray for the family.

2. There was a couple who had been living together. Some of the ladies shared with her that the Bible teaches that lifestyle is a sin. She has no idea. She really hadn't heard much out of the Bible. She went home and talked to her live-in. They said they would think about marriage. While I was there in 2015, she told the ladies she was ready to get married. While teaching the pastors/wives conference, I led a Lord's Supper and led a marry ceremony. Yes, she and her boyfriend were  married and crowd gave them a standing ovation. All of them knew of the situation and were so pleased to be able to observe this ceremony of commitment. I have heard that the wife still attends church and the husband does not. He is very intimidated and self-conscious because he cannot read. Maybe someday someone will work with him as his tutor.

   

3. While I have been in Haiti, Rousier has been my interpreter. He is also the Routon's interpreter and Haiti guide. He purchased a little piece of property to build a house for his young family. When I was there in 2015, the property had been marked of, some trenches dug, and some dirt hauled in as well as some blocks of cement. The plan was to "pay as you go". I have been amazed at what has happened in a year. As you can see from the pic below, the lower part of house is complete. The walls of the upper level need finishing and the roof put on. Prayerfully, the house will be finished this fall.

            


4. This past Spring, Terry and Carolyn received a huge blessing. For the last ten years or so, they have stayed with their daughter when in the states and visited friends and  family.  A couple they know gave them a fixer upper house.  WOW. Their plans are to remodel the house as it will be their retirement home but immediately they have their own place for stateside lodging. They are totally in awe so what God has done.

Post-Philippine Trip and Thoughts

July 6, 2016

Post-Philippine Trip and Thoughts

My trip to the Philippines seems so distant but yet seems like only yesterday. I was in awe of how God took my pre-determined itinerary and changed it to His. There were certain goals I wanted to accomplish and I did so but they happened His way, not mine. That is probably why the trip was fulfilling because He was in charge and not me. I was just the vessel.

I enjoyed meeting the people He put in my path, the opportunities of services that were provided to me, the joy of watching people in need respond to God’s generosity realizing that He had not abandoned them, the hunger of pastors for encouragement and education, and the excitement of children over the least of things done for them….hugs, laughter, attention, and ice cream.

I still want to visit the pastors in the remote areas of the Philippines. I want to hear their stories of how God called them to pastor, of some of their struggles, of any persecution for Christ’s sake, and how they have been strengthened because of their experiences. Americans do not know persecution. I don’t know any who have been stripped, whipped, or imprisoned for speaking the name of Jesus. For people in China, Russia, and other Middle East countries this is a way of life. Just like the Sun coming up every morning they can count on persecution of some kind every day. Every pastor in China can expect to be imprisoned at least once for three years in his lifetime. They say that is where they get there seminary education. I don’t know about Philippine pastors. For them, maybe there is no persecution today but maybe in the not so distant past. I am so looking forward to near future trip.

The ministry to pastors in Haiti continues on through the leadership of Terry and Carolyn Routon. What once only a weekly meeting of local pastors has become about 7 groups meeting in areas some as far as 2 hours away. Those pastors came to them and ask if they would help get a group going in their area. I have been there two times and now to teach and to do one-on-one with pastors. In a return trip, I would like to visit each the 7 groups and do more one-on-one. Pastors can be more open when they know others are not listening to their struggles.

As for the goats, that is a God thing and a success story. If you remember on my first trip in 2014, there was a need for food at the orphanage. I purchased a goat to ensure food for at least three days. Another supporter was providing on-going monies for food but had dis-continued anymore help. My little goat wasn’t much but that was much needed at that moment.

That was in August of 2014. When I left, I had given some money to be used for any orphanage needs. The director decided he wanted to build a herd of goats and sheep. Thus, a new mission project was established. I continued to stay in contact with the Routons and the director of the Orphanage. No more monies were coming in for goats. So in November I sent more money for 4 more goats/sheep. In February 2015, I sent more money.

Several times along the way I had shared with my church what was going on in Haiti and the herd project. I was to make another trip in September 2015 should the funds come in. In the meantime, the children of my church decided they wanted to be part of the project so they started putting back their monthly mission offering for that purpose. Then, as my trip got closer, members came up to me and said they wanted to buy a goat or two. Long story short, I went on the 2015 trip with the goal of completing the herd that the director of the Orphanage had envisioned for their needs. Mission accomplished! The orphans were elated and lavished me with hugs. I told them that this was a joint effort that included children and adults of my church as well as a few Facebook friends. God has planted a major mission seed in many hearts.

After my Philippine trip was completed this year, my mission fund was depleted. I sent out a memo to prayer and financial partners of this need. Because of the lack of funds I would not able to plan a trip to Haiti. I praise God that some monies have come in but not enough to plan a trip. There has been some discussion about me doing some teaching to the Haitian pastors and/or church leadership that meets weekly. Currently, there is Missouri pastor engaged in that project so I don’t know where the discussion will lead.  Please make that a matter of prayer.

My heart’s desire and my passion are to go the Philippines and Haiti each year. My prayer is that people will have a desire to be a part of these mission endeavors and pray and give. I know all of us have a passion to DO MORE in our own calling and all of wish finances was not an issue. Of course, nothing is impossible if God is in it. I so pray that God is in my passions and other will make it just one of their passions. May God bless all who have been a part these mission endeavors since their beginnings.

I thought some of you would be interested in seeing the goats that were purchased last year and see what they look like today. This is so fulfilling being in something God inspired.