Blessings, Balloons, Baptism

What a busy week and a blessed one as well.

Thursday -20th. A group went to Kukabay - small village next a dump near La Banc and maybe 20 minutes from Valley Cathedral. God met us there as Tom and I were requested to pray for an elderly man, then Tom was asked to pray for a leader in the village whose home had become the village school. This man wanted Jesus in his life, Tom prayed and we with him....................then he asked to be baptised and Tom with the church 'zone leader' carried out the ceremony in the stream the ladies used to wash their clothes. What a joy and a testimony for the village and a new name in the Lambs Book of Life. Tom made animal balloons and blessed the children...............all 30+ received a balloon and many tried themselves to do Tom's skill event - we had fun.

Friday -21st. It rained all day............. no surprise.

Saturday -22nd. Twink and I were asked to speak at a local Bible study, an arm of the Valley Cathedral Church (they have planted over 45 churches and have a pastors' training program too......plus several schools for children). It was raining again that day but we went anyway and prepared by taking a blue tarp to make additional area for attendees. Well the site was a cooking room maybe 6' by 8' and the tarp extended out another 6' by 10' to allow the 35-40 men, women, and children to be present. What a blessing. Opened with worship, then two or three testimonies and then Twink and I gave a message from the heart. I'd been pondering and preparing a message on 'hearing the voice of God' so I gave a synopsis of this and Twink gave my testimony about 'Trust Me' and God's saving me from the ocean and healing my paralysis.
Again this is an arm of Valley Cathedral church, literally hundreds of Bible studies helping people know God and praise Him together.

Sunday - 23rd. Twink stayed back and was asked to bring a word in the church service. And she did bring a word of encouragement. The focus was 'age makes no difference in friendships. The church service was smaller but still over 200 people that day. Denny went with 11 Crossroaders to the minimum security prison just outside of Manila. It held over 8,000 men and Sunday was a key visitor day with an atmosphere of carnival (if possible) and openness - albiet with walls and barbed wire all around. All entrants were frisked (just like an ordinary airport experience for me with my pacemaker) and the men got a huge stamp on their forearm to distinguish the guests from the prisoners! Howard our leader brought a moving message and Fred led the English portion of the worship - what a fellowship time.

Mon/Tues 24/25 local ministry and preparation for departure on Wednesday 26th.

Thursday the 27th should be a very long day and feet finally on the ground in San Mateo.

Soar In Trust

Busy Feet

Howdy again............Twink has very busy feet Bible study on the waters edge/village site, feeding program, mentoring students/orphans coordinating more ongoing activities and still having fun. Her dental work went well and she receives her crown today.

Oh, by the way Tom and Lisa (referred to on our front page) have a much more detailed blog with video and many pics that show the heart of what is going on. Tom also has a great balloon ministry that children of all ages love.

Soaring in the Philippines

Feet on the ground

Ministry going well and different areas touched daily. The Valley Cathedral held a "camp" with two full days (0500 - 2200) of flag raising (National anthem followed by exercise), prayer groups, class teaching, sermons, and all..........alot like our VBS but more time involved in each day! Our group gave testimonies, preached, sang worship songs (individually [trio] and entire group), visited a small squatters village (we might call it a slum but they do not) where a Bible study was held by about 40 women and nearly that many children again where testimonies and prayer were the focus. A healing did take place there too...........Twink was part of the four ladies who attended. Tutoring of the children at the orphanage starts today and will continue for the next two plus weeks we are here. We plan to visit the jail, take a jaunt to Corrigador (island next to us maybe 30 min boat ride) on our day off.....Monday, and begin attending to more ministry that opens up daily. In the nest few days we'll pick up trash around the school yard.

Twink is now at the dentist with a small problem we think will be resolved in a normal fashon - our leaders have gone to this Filippino dentist each time they have been here. She trained here but did some additional training in the USA albiet uncomplicated items.

Thanks for your ongoing prayers.

Soaring in Trust

Wow in the Philippines

We made it after three legs of flights and it's wonderful. Now we're at Valley Cathedral Children's Home in Niac ( pronounced NIEK which is about 2 1/2 hours south of Manila).
There are about 45 children living here and they are wonderful. Two Canadian couples currently are live-in staff and love the children.

The organization in the USA is called Potters Field Ministry out of Glendale Arizona, dunno if they have a website or blog.

Our tasks here are about 85% love on the children and the rest help them with reading skills, math skills, hold them, play with them (basketball, swings, play ball), be of service the the admin staff.....'exta hands' for them. Yesterday at church Twink prayed with a young woman - not from the orphanage to receive Jesus. Awesome.

A Korean couple who took their CDTS in Kona (which we staffed) came up to us at church! they have a small orphanage they've just started. What a joy to connect and see them in full time.

All the families are doing well and the CDTS children especially are loving on the Filipino children sincerely. Joyful to see.

Just getting started and we have three weeks of excitement ahead of us here.

Soaring in Trust

Our posts most likely will be weekly on Mondays for a while.

Soaring up high

Saturday several from our class went skydiving near Eugene. The drop from 10,000 ft was amazing and quite a rush. Soaring has a new meaning in addition to the spiritual one. Fifteen of us went and six jumped and screamed with amazement..........would we do it again all would say 'yes' and a few who didn't risk it wish they had.

Now a few last things before departure and we're off to start another phase which will also be amazing and a an additional trust issue ............ go and tell is the commandment.

Trusting Him

September in the Philippines

YWAM CDTS in Salem Oregon....After the 12 week teaching session on discipleship (June-August) an eight week outreach is next (September-October). Here is the schedule for the Philippines:

Sep 4 Depart from Portland, Oregon
Sep 6-7 Arrive Shalom Center, Manila
Sep 8-26 Niac, Philippines (30 miles from Manila) - Cathedral Childrens Home (orphanage)

*** We plan to depart for the US on the Thursday the 27th***

*** The CDTS class of 13 students, 11 children, and 6 remaining staff continue ***

Sep 26 - Oct 4 Baguio, Philippines (7-9 hr bus ride) - Working with local churches
Oct 4 Bantac and Caneo (6-7 hr bus ride) - Working with local churches
Oct 29-31 Shalom Center, Manila
Nov 1 Depart Manila to PDX Portland to Salem YWAM base
Nov 5-8 Salem YWAM base - Debriefing


*** Expecting great things to be done for the Kingdom. Thanks for your prayers.