Schedule

Written by Maureen for our e-mail updates:

Below is our weekly schedule. After I return to the U.S. on August 6, Natalie and Christie will continue following this basic plan through November 20.

Monday - Rest day (In theory)

Tuesday - Papandayan Elementary School - Gospel presentation and follow-up Bible studies. Natalie has grade 6 (2 sections), Christie has grade 5 (4 sections), and I have grade 4 (4 sections). Natalie will take over my 4th grade classes when I leave.

Wednesday - Visitation and in-home Bible studies in Papandayan. 11:45 AM Bible study with students at Papandayan High School during their lunch break.

Thursday - Visitation and in-home Bible studies in Guinhawa.

Friday - Visitation and in-home Bible studies in Guinhawa. 4PM group Bible study at Lito's home.

Saturday - 9 AM Youth discipleship training - Hope Baptist Church, Sabang. 4PM group Bible study at Cita and Midel's home.

Sunday - Sunday School and Worship Service at Cita and Midel's home. 2PM youth discipleship training - Central Baptist Church, Lumambayan.

Update

This was written by Maureen for our e-mail updates: 


Of the 65 people that attended the first church service at Cita's home, almost all had been personally visited by Benji, Natalie, Christie, or me over the past year or so. Many were involved in our weekly Bible study or had been visited by us in their homes on a regular basis.


Gina, however, was new to us. She had been invited by Cita and had been a Christian for a number of years.

On Friday, Cita, Benji, Natalie, Christie, and I set out to visit Gina in her home. We were told she lived at the top of the mountain. We walked and walked and walked, higher and higher and higher. Much of our walk was through mountainous jungle. At one point we came to a clearing where it became apparent how high we were. Benji immediately sat down and said he was afraid of heights and could not go on any further. When we finished laughing hysterically, we told him it was no problem, we would go on and he could sit here and wait.

Natalie and Gina's home.

Mary Jane, Gina, Mary Grace and her husband.

Cita and I

When Cita, Natalie, Christie, and I arrived at Gina's home, we found she had 4 adult children who were not believers. Christie prepared to share the gospel and we asked Cita if she could interpret. Up until this point, Cita had simply accompanied us without actively participating in the sharing. She had heard us share the gospel with Benji interpreting many, many times. When Christie started sharing, Cita was able to interpret point by point with no problem. As Christie read the scriptures in her English Bible, Cita would read it in the Tagalog Bible. Cita actually grabbed the water bottle from Christie and did our illustration of 1 John 5:11-13 by herself. It was a wonderful and moving scene for me. It has been on our hearts that the believers in Guinhawa would grow and take on a more active role in the sharing and Bible studies. This was happening before my eyes.

We left Gina's home with four new members in our spiritual family. As we walked back down the mountain, Cita's face beamed each time we shared with the people we passed how she'd done such a fabulous job interpreting Christie's gospel presentation.

. . . and if it hadn't been for Benji's fear of heights, this great step forward would not have happened :)

Shavings of Death

                                     

This morning we had our first church service in Guinhawa! Cita, who has been a believer for three years now, has opened up her home for everyone to meet there. Yesterday, while having a Bible study in her home and discussing the first service for the next day I looked down and noticed a good portion of us had our feet in wood shavings. Cita's husband builds caskets for a living at their home. I thought of the stark contrast, here we are sitting in shavings that represent death; however, God has brought new life into the Filipino brothers and sisters that were siting around me. "Made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions- it is by grace you have been saved." Ephesians 2:5

New Beginnings

This morning we had our first church service in Guinhawa, one of the barangays we have been working in. It is truly overwhelming to think about all the details that have happened for this to take place. Here is a breakdown from the past couple of years that my mom wrote out today in an update:


July 2010 - Lesia Mooney and I met Cita while walking down the street in Guinhawa. Cita gave us some bananas. We wanted to share the gospel with her but Cita's English was not too strong and our Tagalog was virtually nonexistent. We said we would come back with Benji to interpret for us.

July 2010 - July 2011 - We looked for Cita but could never find her home. Even with Christie staying in the Philippines for 5 months that year, she was never able to locate Cita.

July 13, 2011 - Benji and I reconnected with Cita as well as her husband Midel and her sons. We were able to share the good news of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They prayed to received Jesus as Savior. We instructed them in simple Bible study.

July 2012 - Visted Cita and her family and continued with some basic Bible study.

July 2013 - At Cita's request, we started a Saturday evening weekly Bible study in her home. Cita invited friends and neighbors. One by one, people got saved and began attending the Bible study.

July 2013 - July 2014 - Benji continued the Bible study. Cita and Benji visited friends and neighbors sharing the gospel and inviting people to the Bible study.

April 2014 - Reymark, an 18-year-old young man, came to Christ as a result of the Bible study.

June 2014 - Reymark enrolled at Mindoro Bible College to prepare to be a pastor.

June 2014 - Reymark's mom was saved.

July 13, 2014 - Three years from the day that Cita was born into the family of God, we had the first church service in her home with over 65 in attendance. The morning started with separate Bible studies for adults, youth (led by Reymark), and small children. This was followed by a worship service with music, prayer, and a message. We ended by enjoying a lunch of pancit, spaghetti, and chicken soup.

the congregation

Reymark, mom, and Cita

On July 3rd, mom and Natalie made it safely to the Philippines. We have been catching up with them on all of the ministry opportunities that have happened so far. One of which, is an elementary school that pastor Benji's wife, Joan, works at. We have previously been to her classroom and have shared the gospel along with following up on Bible studies to three of the parents. This morning we all visited the school to discuss with the principal the possibility of volunteering. She began to ask questions of our background experience. We described previous job descriptions and what we're passionate about. Thankfully both mom and Natalie are teachers and are able to connect in that way. While answering her questions, the principal did not seem to want us in her school. She then asked what was our underline motive for being there. Mom explained that we simply want to share the love of Jesus and to serve her and the school in anyway possible. There was suddenly a longer pause. The next few words, I believe, surprised us all. The principal went on to say that she would love for us to teach Bible stories to the students. We never once mentioned what we would specifically like to do. We are still waiting on a final word from the principal after she discusses with some of the other teachers a plan of action. Please continue to pray that this would become an open door for us to speak truth into the lives of the students, teachers, and parents.

Traveling back to Pinamalayan while running into Pastor Gem

Rice Fields

Yesterday, pastor Benji, a fellow believer named Cita, and myself set out to do visitation for the church we are looking to start. There was a gentleman and his family they knew who needed to hear about Christ. We ended up walking through a large rice field. Several times while falling into the water and mud I thought about the cost of the gospel. Sure I was only simply getting dirty and could easily wash it off, but how much more our Savior endured and sacrificed for us. He experienced death. This weighed heavy on me knowing the cost of the gospel and the responsibility we carry to share it with others.We eventually reached the straw nipa hut after trekking through what seemed like a puzzle maze. There we met the father Rudy, his brother J.R., and his daughter Dahlia. We carried on conversations getting to know each other and explained the reason of our visit. We were able to share the gospel with them. Each one of them wanted to accept Christ! It never gets old to experience the joy of sharing what Christ did for us. Rudy, had many questions about the gospel because previously he was part of a church that did not believe in Christ being the only way. He explained the concerns and differences of his previous religion to what he was hearing now. Before, the emphasis was how much money one could give and being able have the most beautiful church in order for them to go to heaven. Thankful that God does not require this for salvation but that it is a free gift, not of works! (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Cita leading the way through the rice field.

               Dahlia, Rudy, J.R., Benji

Lessons Learned

Today marks two weeks that I have been in the Philippines. This is my 11th trip back and I am thankful for the opportunity to be able to serve. I quickly noticed in this short amount of time that I was struggling with mixed emotions. So many of these thoughts and feelings were not based on truth. These lies were beginning to affect my outlook on being here. Questions began to arise, such as, "Am I capable of serving these people?" "Is God able to use me?" "Because my feelings don't match up with what I know is truth does that make it wrong for me to be here?" During this time I was also reading Andrew Murray's book, An Exciting New Life. It is filled with basic truths and doctrines of the Christian life. In the first chapter he wrote, "Be very much in dread of your own thoughts." How easy it is to focus on our circumstances rather than on Christ. He is the one who gives clarity, peace, self-worth, joy, love, confidence, and assurance. The book goes on to say, "Man's own distorted thoughts of the way to serve and to please God-namely, by what he does and is- are deeply rooted in him."

I had a break-through, just only two days ago, and believe it or not it wasn't while I was serving. Mondays are our "rest" days. Throughout the rest of the week we are visiting people, sharing the gospel, following up on discipleship, and whatever else God brings along our path. This past Monday I was just sitting outside. I had finished writing journal entries for my school work and it was there as I was doing nothing, I had a peace that surpassed all understanding. (Philippians 4:6-8) God loves me as I am, even just sitting. He doesn't love me anymore or any less, with the feelings I have or don't have, whether I'm in America or the Philippines, if I'm sharing the gospel, or simply just sitting. Trivial as that may seem, it was crucial for me.

                    The view from our backyard