WOULD YOU LIKE TO HELP?

Wonderful news...all the funds needed for the sound system came in and was forwarded to the pastor. He has purchased the system. Thanks to those who generously donated.

One of the churches that I work with in the Philippines is in need of a used sound system. They purchased their current system 15 years ago and it was used then. No idea how old it actually is. The system was going off and on for a period of time and currently is dysfunctional...it is dead. So, the church is needing another used system.

Well, good used systems are hard to find. The pastor has found a sound system and two speakers for 15,250 pesos or around $300. To put that in perspective, their offering each week is around 800-1000 peso or less. Along with that income comes paying for utility bills, food, and clothing for the needy, school supplies and hygiene kits for children, and helping some with medical bills, So you can see the church, on its own, will probably never see another system if left to them to purchase.

I have been there to worship and they have a multi-talented praise team which depends on the system. The system does enable the praise team to do their part in adding to each service. So, there is a big need.

I put this info on here to see if anyone would like to give a donation to this worship need. If 15 people would give $20, 10 people would give $30, 5 people would give $60, or one person would graciously give $300, then provisions would be made for this need. What do you think? PM me if interested. Thank you.

Mission 2019: Just Gets Better Every Year! (Part 1)

Hello,

The heading is totally true. Every year just gets better. I come home ready to plan, prepare, and go on another trip back. I never knew that international missions could be so fulfilling and enriching. On the top of my bucket list is the desire to be able to make two trips a year or just stay longer on my one trip. I wish that everyone could experience the smiles, the joy, the laughs, the tears, the disappointments, and the discouragement of those who live on very little to nothing. Although, not one time did I ever hear anyone complain. Every day is a new day. They cannot live on yesterday or tomorrow. Only what can be accomplished today. This is their way of life. They have accepted their lifestyle which is to live day to day with great hope.

Mission 2019 has come and gone. I look forward to this time for a year and then the trip goes by so quickly. Every year is different. My desire is to never to just duplicate the year before. There are always different activities, different people, different places, and different situations that are planned and then some things happen that are not planned. I am a planner but some of my plans never happen, which is okay. God really knows the needs there more than I do.

I wanted to spend more time with the pastors so I stayed with them in their homes. How long I stayed depended upon how busy they were with their own church. Also, my intent is to never be a burden to them or their families. Their gracious hospitality was awesome and humbling. They are a group of gracious, Godly men who love their people and have sacrificed much as their pastor. Their congregations think well of them and follow them as their spiritual leader.

The churches are all church plants. Some are churches in their infancy (3+ yrs.) and some are well established (25+ yrs.). The current pastors are all the founding pastors. The church attendance ranges from 30 to 150. Those attending are predominantly children and teenagers. Evangelism and children/youth ministries are the major focus of each church. Some are buildings that have been around a long time and some are fairly new.

Worship styles are generally close in nature. All are upbeat joyful music. Each church has some kind of instrumentation from just a guitar to a full praise team/band. The singing is strong in each setting. The churches are of different denominations and independent but all focus on the teaching of the word of God and a strong relationship with Jesus. Because of poverty, all churches intentionally seek to help those in need.

What I found interesting was the involvement, the service of the people in each church. Their service was as natural as breathing. I did not see just a few people doing all the work. In one church, there is a devotion time for all leadership in the church at 5:00 am every day except Sunday. There are worship services every Sunday morning and Wednesday night. Home Bible studies are held several nights a week. Every Saturday a different family cleans the church. When there is a church meal, everyone does their part in the preparation, serving, and cleanup. A big need is to bring water from the well into the church for cooking, for drinking, and for the restroom facilities. The men seem to know when it is time to "fetch" a big bucket of water. If no men are around, two ladies will get the job done. The church functions like a well-oiled machine.

During the day, every church had teens and children hanging around. Children would play out on the road in from of the church coming in and out of the church. The teens had found a place to hang out as a group to use phones and play games.  I enjoyed hanging out with them and hearing their personal stories of family and school. They were out of school from April to June so they would tell of their fun activities. They were NOT looking forward to their break from school coming to an end.

Church/Community feedings are wonderful events. The people tell their friends and neighbors to come to worship service followed by food and drink. I am not sure if that possibly might be the best or only meal they would have that day. There are some children who are fortunate to get a handful of rice each day. So, they worship and they hear the gospel message. Then they receive two meals--a  spiritual meal followed by a physical meal. One pastor normally had around 60 in attendance on Wednesday night. He estimated that the attendance might rise to 90. So the food supply was planned for 90. When the night arrived over110 people had arrived. The church was literally packed. Community feedings do work. People come into the church for the very first time. Some may hear the gospel for the first time. Some may be in the church for the first time.

One inspiring event was the delivery of foods into homes. Families were chosen prior to my arrival. Then we personally went to the market to purchase quantities of food and went to the church to separate out the amount needed for each family. In the afternoon, foods were taken to each home and the foods were delivered. Several homes literally had nothing in the house to eat and no money. Joy and amazement shined through their faces. Such a fulfilling ministry to these individual families.

Well, I could go on. So many meaningful things happened. Thank you if you have read this far. I can promise you that NONE OF  THIS would have happened without the generosity of some mission-minded people. I am a team of one and, of course, cannot support all that happens on these trips. I am so thankful that God places an urge within people to contribute to helping these people.  Many of you walk alongside me in this way and we do much together.

This year I had some funds that I could use for children, food, and school supplies. Also, I had some funds I could use for another purpose. If I went into the home and saw other needs which would help the family,  I could make the provisions available or partner with others to get what was needed.

I want to get into what was accomplished but first I want to share something really encouraging. I have not been back even a month and have had three people already send donations towards Mission 2020. Wow...that just has not happened before. AS A RULE, no donations are given until maybe two months before the trip. This is such an awe-fulfilling moment towards the next trip.

In my next blog, I will get into the happenings/results of Mission 2019. Thank you for your interest and support.