Baby Cristine update

When I lived over in the Philippines last year so many of you financially supported and prayed for baby Cristine, who has hydrocephalus, to be operated on. If you remember, the final verdict was that the doctors could not operate on her in Manila and they told the parents to enjoy the time they had with her. Tonight I received an e-mail letting me know that she had passed away on April 29.

My heart sank and I couldn't help but cry. All of a sudden everything that seemed important today or that I have been stressing over recently, vanished. I thought about how God brought together Filippinos and Americans to give financially and pray for this baby. In Pinamalayan, where I lived -the radio station, the local government offices,the bus station, businesses, friends, and strangers decided to give. Americans - from reading this blog decided to give, some of whom I hardly know, but God used it all for His glory. All of the details of this journey are mind blowing and I can't begin to thank all of you who had a part in this!

I began to realize that Cristine is now in a better place. Also, because of Cristine, several have come to know the Lord including her own mother and aunt. I remember when I was over in the Philippines God gave me peace to this difficult situation - so that others may know Him! We were trying in our own power to raise money and see this little girl healed while all along that wasn't God's plan, He used her sickness so that others could hear the gospel!

Saying Goodbye

Raymart, Malign, Me, Benji, our tour guide

Friday, Benji and I along with 5 other people climbed to the top of one of the mountains here in Pinamalayan. It took almost 2 hours to get to the top and it was worth it! I was physically exhausted but to be able to see all that God has created and be in awe of Him was like no other experience. We were able to share the gospel with 3 of the people Malign, Raymart, and Dan. I praise God for every opportunity He gives me to share!

This week we have been saying goodbye to everyone. I think it is one of the hardest things I have had to do. When God allows you to be used investing in other peoples lives you are left in awe of all that God has done. I have personally seen several lives changed while I have been here. We have been visiting everyone in our Bible studies to spend one-on-one time with them and to encourage them that even though I will be gone to keep growing! A huge praise is that in both areas I have been working in there are people going behind me to continue doing Bible studies and follow-up with our people!

One of which, is a family that just came to us this past week and telling us that they were so excited what we have been doing in this specific area that they want to start a church! I am thankful God has sent other people to continue the work!

Coming to a Close

This weekend we had a fellowship with our Bible studies in Pili. We were encouraging them to take their faith a step further in the first act of obedience. They said they were not ready but all of them came to the Bible study and the husband of one of the mothers was taking notes! It is so awesome to be apart of their spiritual growth.

We also had four of them attend church with us this morning! My prayer for them is not to form religious habits but to see the importance and life-changing experience they can have in their relationship with Jesus. I could not imagine a life without Him. Through the good and bad He is worth living for!!

This morning the pastor spoke in Matthew 5 - ye are the salt of the earth. After the service, the church thanked me for working with these mothers and sharing the gospel with them. This service was two-fold for me - it encouraged me and reminded me that when I return to the states, even though I don't know what is the next step- what I'll be doing or where I'll be working etc., I am still supposed to be a light to those around me. Secondly, everyone is supposed to be a light. So many people here have called me a missionary and even so far to say a "pastora" I feel I am inadequate to be called either. I simply just graduated from college and felt Gods peace to take time off from what the world thinks I should pursue immediately- wealth, a successful career etc. and follow God's leading to simply tell others about Him!

As this experience and journey is coming to a close I am excited to see how God will continue to work !!
CherryAnn, Melody, Baby, and Agnus!

October 26

I have kept a list of people that I have been praying for to have an opportunity to share with, especially since I only have a few days left here in the Philippines. One of which is a group of girls that work in the market. They have all been very nice and always say hello to me when I walk by. Today I walked by and they were all sitting and talking so I felt that God was giving me this perfect opportunity to share. When I asked about their eternal security they didn't know where they would go but they told me they would like to know how to go to heaven. I shared with them and all four prayed to receive Christ! I am thankful for the gospel in its simplicity and availability to anyone!

Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

October 22

We had our Bible study with one of our ladies, Lenny, and right away I noticed another lady, who I had never seen before. After we were done they told me it was Lennys sister-in-law, Charrevette. She looked like she was getting ready to leave but I asked if I could share with her for a few minutes. I shared the gospel and she chose to accept!

Not only have these Bible studies allowed us to further the gospel but it has been teaching me and growing me as well! The topics have been for new believers and how to grow in their relationship with God. Some of the topics were the Holy Spirit, prayer, and memorizing scripture, all of which have been an encouraging reminder for me to take advantage of these in my Christian walk!

Last night I was struggling with my thoughts about coming back to America. What will I do? Where will I work? What is the next step? I started to pray and ask God to help me trust Him with my future. I went to go study the next lesson that I would be sharing for today and sure enough the lesson was on "Trusting God". It's not just a one time decision when we choose to follow Christ- but a continual action in our everyday lives. One of the verses in the lesson is Psalm 33:18- But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.

God is carefully watching over those who fear and trust Him! I began to think about one of the characteristics in this verse- God's unfailing love. I started to think about other characteristics of God, He is compassionate, forgiving, merciful, just, provider, trustworthy, etc. The more we know God and His characteristics the easier it is for us to trust Him. We will have nothing to fear when we realize who He is.

October 19

Lemuel and Dennis

This morning we went to our Bible studies, one of which is a mother by the name of Divine Grace. She is 24 yrs old with two boys. When we shared the gospel with her several weeks ago she told us that she wanted us to share with her husband so they could have Bible studies together. Her husband works in town and is never home, except for today. After we had our Bible study I was introduced to her husband and God had laid it on my heart that this might be the one opportunity to share with him since he is never at home. Not only did we get to share with him but another husband of a wife that we have Bible studies with!

Discipleship

We have been able to start many Bible studies in our two areas of ministry. One of which in Pili, we have encouraged them to come to church. This past Sunday we had six of our mothers come to church with us! We had a seperate s.s. class with them and then we all went to the main service. All the women told me they enjoyed it and were encouraged by it! One of them just recently lost her 17 year old son to a motorcycle accident. Her name is Agnus, and when we first visited her and shared the gospel she was crying and looked like she had lost all hope! The next time we saw her she was smiling and looked as if a burden had been lifted off of her! The same with another mother, who's husband left her because he told her he didn't want to support them anymore. Her name is Menchie, she too was crying all the time and was having to take depression medicine. We were able to see her again today to do a Bible study and she was very excited to see us! She was smiling a lot and thanked us over and over for coming to visit her! It is amazing to see the gospel change peoples lives!

I was thinking about Cristine Joy the other day and it hit me, some of the people that we have been able to share the gospel with, we would have never have met if it weren't for this precious baby! They wouldn't have had a chance to hear the gospel and have eternal life. The same with Agnus, someone brought us to her because her son had died, if her son had not have died her and her husband probably would have never heard the gospel! In terrible situations, God is still able to use them for His glory!