Childrens Bible Study

Sunday- August 15

The following Sunday we decided we would have our first Bible study with the children in Morenteville. Joan, who is p. Benjis wife, his daughter, Trisha, and myself went to our meeting place to reach out to the children. Within a few minutes of being there - some of the older men in our adult Bible study started going around the neighborhood inviting all the children to come and participate. I was completely shocked because I never said anything to them. They are new Christians but they are already serving and ministering to the people around them! Praise God. We talked on creation and made handouts for the children to color. There were only 15 handouts and we had over 30 children come! I thank God for all that He is doing in these peoples lives !

1st Bible study w. Morenteville

One of the small barangays that we are working with is called Morenteville. It is a very poor and dirty area. We have shared the gospel with many of the Filipinos there and were looking forward to start our first Bible study with them. Pastor Benji and I told them that we would be meeting at 3pm on Friday afternoon. I was a little nervous how many of them would actually show up because p. Benji told me that sometimes it is hard to get them to commit to a meeting. We went to our meeting place and we had 10 show up! It was so encouraging and after we were finished they were asking to learn more about the Bible . Four of them were new and had never heard the gospel before so we shared with them and they accepted!During our Bible study with the adults many children came and stopped by and watched and listened to us. This is when we decided we should start meeting with some of the children and have a different Bible study with them! We are now meeting with them on Sunday afternoons at 3pm!

105.9

Friday August 13

Pastor Benji took me to the radio station that he used to work at. I thought we were just visiting to say hi - but they asked me to sit down and they interviewed me over the radio and asked me what my purpose was for being here in the Philippines. I was able to tell them that I am staying in Pinamalayan to share the gospel. They had mentioned that I could come back and share the gospel over the local radio station! The radio station has their office next to a technical college. As we were leaving there was a group of college students out in the hallway waiting to go to class. I asked if I could share with them the gospel and they said yes! 10 of them prayed to receive Jesus - one of them was already a Christian, which was very exciting!

Down-time

Thursday - August 12

Right now our schedule everyday is working from 9 am - 4 or 5pm. When I get home I usually like to go running or be active in some way. One of the girls that lives in the dorms with me asked if I wanted to play basketball, so we went over to the basketball court and there were 4 girls already playing- so we joined them and played 3 on 3. I immediately felt the urgency to share the gospel with them because it was more important than playing basketball at the time. I asked them if it was ok to share and they said they did not know for sure they would go to heaven and that they wanted me to share with them. All four of them prayed to receive Christ! how exciting!

Meeting Needs

Pastor Benji and his wife Joan are very good friends with me and my family and we have known them for ten years. They live here in Pinamalayan where I am staying. They are very well known in the community and everyone that knows them respects and looks up to them! Last Thursday a Muslim girl, Joanna, came to their family asking if they had clothes that she could have. Pastor Benji and Joan have 3 daughters, so she probably thought they would have some for her. They were able to give her a few items of clothing. Afterwards Benji told me what happened and he wanted me to meet her and share the gospel with her. We have our "meeting" place that we are able to rent from one of Benjis friends where we can share the gospel, and currently hold our Bible studies! We met the young girl at the meeting places along with 2 older gentlemen, Yoni and Wilfredo, who happened to be hanging out. We shared the gospel with all three of them and all 3 accepted - even Joanna, who is a Muslim.
( all three of them have also been attending our weekly Bible study, but I will share about that later! =))

Pastor Benji told me that Joanna didn't have any pants so I felt compelled to buy her some jeans. We went to the market and the area where they sell clothes is what would be considered a thrift store in America. We were able to pick out 2 pairs of jeans for $4 and went back to give them to her. Joannas face immediately lit up and continued to thank us for the clothes. Not only was God able to meet her physical needs but also her spiritual!
Yoni, me, Wilfredo, and Joanna
Me and Joanna

Orphanage in Pinamalayan

There is an orphanage that we go to in Mindanao every year, which is very special to us. Where I am staying, on a different island than Mindanao, there is another orphanage about 15 minutes away. I didn't want anyone to get confused on the two =) They have asked me to come and speak with the children once a week, to teach whatever I want, so we are doing discipleship with them! The children have terrible backgrounds, for example one girl was sexually abused by her father, while other children are there because their parents can't afford to support them. All of them are Christians, which is exciting. Last week was my first day with them and we went over the gospel and why is it important to share it. Afterwards, they practiced with each othersharing the gospel. Two of them would come up to the front of the room and pretend they were sharing. Only one of the older girls has ever shared the gospel but the rest of them have never shared before. By the end of the session it was so exciting to see the shy children becoming more confident in sharing the gospel. Many of them are high schoolers, so pray that God would give them boldness in sharing. In the next week or so we will be taking the children outside the orphanage to practice what they have learned and to actually share the gospel with people who have never heard!

Radical Transportation

In America I have only driven either a truck or a minivan (aka - party van). This past week we just got a motorcycle for me to drive while I am here in the Philippines because it is cheaper than having to use the public transportation ( a tricycle ) . I learned how to drive it the first day we got it =) Even though my dad builds motorcycles and we have had them at our house all the time while growing up I have never driven one by myself! I was a little nervous but it is easy to drive! I drive it to go to all the different areas I have ministry and keep it with me where I am living. Let the adventure begin....