Couple of needs

Today we want to share two prayer needs for our friends on Mindanao.

First we update the ongoing ministry of Pastor Carlito in Mabas. He held the first Bible study on Sunday, and he reported to us that the people there were "hungry to know more about Jesus." We rejoice to hear that! As you may recall, Mabas is the place that had no church at all when we visited in April/May.

Pastor Carlito is praying for a digital camera so he can take photos of the Bible study. Let's join with him in praying for that (he estimates the camera should be 4,000 Philippine pesos, about $100 US). Also, since the mountain Subanen are poor in English, the usual KJV Bibles we usually send probably won't work. So, let's pray for some Visaya Bibles for this church. Pastor did not request those, but we take it upon ourselves to pray anyway.

Our second request is a bit different from our normal request. We have learned of a dear sister who is attending college "by faith." She is close to finishing her next-to-last semester. In two more weeks, she will have to pay the full balance of her tuition, which is 15,000 pesos, roughly $370 US.

This sister has worked while she pursued her education, but she is facing a total lack of funds. In fact, she did laundry for her the school board members throughout the time to try to earn more money, but she is nearing the time when the balance must come due.

She told us recently she is very discouraged, but we told her we would continue to pray for her need. Now, we are not usually in the habit of putting these personal requests here. But in this case, we wanted to alert the praying family of Christ to this need.

Recently, our Sunday School class looked at the wedding in Cana in John 2. There, Jesus performed a miracle in large part to save a family extreme embarrassment. We can be tempted to only pray for "spiritual" things, but we might forget that God is also interested in the "earthly" things. This matter is important to our sister. So let's pursue God's grace for her. We won't ask you for money for this, but we do ask you to pray. We only have two more weeks to see Christ answer this prayer.

Incidentally, this sister was on the fourth floor of her school building on Tuesday when a 5.1 magnitude earthquake hit. There was very little damage, thankfully, but imagine being on the fourth floor of a building when an earthquake hits. She said, "I thought this is the Day of JESUS CHRIST COMING. That all problem will be ok."

If we are Christians, we long for Christ's return. But until then, let us join with our mga igsoon and mga igsoon (brothers and sisters) in praying for their needs, for ministry and for their personal lives.

God bless you more for reading. Grace to you!

A shepherd on the way

Several months back, we told you about a place on Mindanao called Lopez Jaena. Within this general city was a churchless village called Mabas.

During my trip there in April, we made a visit to the little village, way up at the top of Mount Malindang in Misamis Occidental.

Even though we had a great response to the presentation of the gospel there, it was a bittersweet time because these new believers had no instruction in the word of God. I remember thinking of the people as "sheep without a shepherd."

We have reason to rejoice now, because we have learned that a new missionary pastor is going out to at least Lopez Jaena, and as far as we know, he is going to continue to Mabas.

Mabas is a difficult place to reach. You must ride a motorbike up an occasionally paved road (only wide enough for a motorbike) for about three or four hours to reach the top of the mountain. The people are poor, and you must be prepared the traditional animistic religion and the communist rebels who occupy the mountains on Mindanao.

The stepfather of this missionary referred to Subanen outreach (reaching to the people in the mountains; "Subanen" is a Cebuano word meaning "native") as "suicide." When missionaries go to the mountains, they expect to do without food, money, medicine, things we take for granted. They expect to suffer sickness and watch their children die of malnutrition. That's why they don't usually last long on the mountains but eventually descend to the plain.

So, let's pray for the missionary. Pray for his support. Pray for his needs. With only $100 a month, this missionary would have enough funds to be able to focus on his ministry.

We rejoice that a shepherd is going to minister to the flock. Let's also send along our prayers, and let's see what God will do.

Also, we received word today that one of our pastors is struggling with some financial matters. Just please pray for these indigenous missionaries who live among the poorest of the poor at times and live off the tithes and offerings of their flock.

Politics as usual

We bring you a special need for our mission school in Punta, Dipolog City. We are rejoicing that all the funds for the school to be built came in, and we know there is constant work going on at the school to construct the building.

However, there is an urgent need for which we ask your prayers. There is a new divisional superintendent for Dipolog City, and with the change in leadership comes a surprise bribe -- I mean -- fee.

Normally, the school must pay government fees four times a year. However, with the ascension of this new superintendent, all Christian and private schools are required to pay another fee of 1,000 pesos per child this month (September). The new superintendent is apparently able to set arbitrary fees without explanation.

The 1,000 pesos translate to roughly $25 in U.S. currency. That's not much to us, but for the people in the Philippines, it is quite a bit of money, especially when you start multiplying that per child.

We have been given an extension until next week, ending Sept. 14 (subtract a day for International Dateline).

Let's pray God will provide the funds for all the kids.

Also, let us pray as our friends at the school, Obadiah Learning and Development, have asked us to pray.

They are praying the new superintendent will attend the dedication service for the school. The church will feed the guests, and the pastor will preach the gospel. They are praying that all will be able to attend and come to know Christ. Let's join with then in this prayer.

Our God hears our prayers

"And the prayer of faith shall save the sick." -- James 5:15a

During my trip to the Philippines a couple months ago, we got to know one particular woman. Her children are in the Obadiah Learning and Development Academy, and the family was introduced to the gospel of Jesus Christ through the school. 

In the hospital

Up until the time of my visit, this dear woman had been sick for a long time. In fact, before my trip, Bro. Joel told me of this woman who was so sick she couldn't sit through the service without collapsing. Her husband earns his living as a motorcab driver (a motorcab is a motorbike with a side saddle). The family was left with very little money for the needful medicine and treatments.

The children were often missing school to take care of their mother, and most expected the worst. She tried many different medical treatments, including visiting "kwak"doctors who were unable to do anything for her. My first full day in Punta, we met with the Obadiah parents, and they asked me to pray over this woman. Then, later during my stay, they told us she had been admitted to the hospital. 

So one Sunday after the service and some baptisms, her husband took me and some others to the hospital to visit this dear woman. How do you offer encouragement to a perpetually sick woman who understands maybe one-fourth of the words you say? I didn't do it very well, I don't think. But one verse that came to mind was the passage referenced at the top of the page. I let this new believer know that God promises to heal the sick if they pray. 

Jesus tells us that we will see amazing things if our faith is the size of a mustard seed. Well, that's being generous to describe my faith that day. In fact, I prayed for her with very little faith. I can be guilty of very weak faith at times. But after we prayed and we talked, she told Bro. Joel (who translated for me) that "now I know I must trust Jesus to heal me." (Quotes are as well as I can remember after two months.)

How is the family now? Well, after prayers of many believers (most of whom have greater faith than I do), we get this report from Bro. Joel.

"If she was so sickly before," Bro. Joel said, "it is the opposite now, to God be the glory! Now she drives motorbike to fetch her relatives to church, Amen!"

In fact, the family is reaching another family, bringing the family to the church and to the in-home Bible study. 

"Pastor Mario and the whole church were amazed last Sunday for her," Bro. Joel said.

God's people praise Him because He restored the health of this dear woman. Notice what else Bro. Joel told us.

"Her testimony, if not of Obadiah, she will not know Christ and believe on Him and got healed from her illness," he said.

Her children attend the school because of a third-party sponsor. This is why we tell you these stories. For between $15 and $50 a month (depending on government department of education fees), you can sponsor a child in the school. Imagine that. You may never get to go to the Philippines, but you could be a part of reaching an entire family with the good news of Jesus Christ.

When you join with an indigenous mission work, do you realize you are partakers in their fruit? Just look at this family. A poor family with minimal income, a sick mother, and multiple children. Now, they have Christ, the mother is driving a motorbike under her own strength, and not only are they converted, but they are reaching other families. 

What on earth can compare to being a part of impacting the eternity of people? Please pray for this ministry, and pray about joining in with the work. 

And let's rejoice at the work that God is doing through these dear, wonderful people. 

Praising our Provider

This week, the news has been dominated by an evil man's empire crumbling, the kingdom of a man who was willing to sacrifice children to protect his own reputation.

But we are rejoicing today because of the generous gift of a man with no reputation who invested in Christ's kingdom.

We expected a donation of $500 would go to the construction of the Obadiah Learning and Development building at Punta. The would leave us $1,500 short of the goal of completing the building. However, after Tuesday night, we are pleased to report that the entire goal has been reached. As we say in Visaya, "Dalaygon ang Diyos."

Now, we're not at liberty to discuss (nor do we know) how much was given by whom. But we are told with solid testimony that a very generous donation was given by a man who is far from wealthy. He simply wanted to invest in Christ's kingdom.

We are so thankful. Salamat for all the prayers, and for all the gifts. Now, please pray for Obadiah, that God would continue to use this ministry to reach the lost in and around Punta, Dipolog City. These children have no hope of escaping the poverty into which they are born without this ministry school. But the children have hope, and not just in this life. Baptisms are "almost daily" as a result of this outreach.

Obadiah's leaders are also praying for additional sponsors. The amount each child needs varies from month to month. Some months, it is only about $15 per child, because the needs are fare to school and daily snacks. Other months, government fees are due, so the cost is $50 per month those months.

Please pray for more sponsors for these children. Also, pray about being a sponsor yourself. Perhaps God will use you to reach a child, a family, a nation with the grace and love of Jesus Christ.

Construction continues

We wanted to give you an update on the Obadiah Learning and Development mission school that is being built. We are grateful that through Love in Action Ministries we were able to send $1,000 toward the needed $3,000. There is still a need of $2,000 to complete the construction of the school.

Pastors from other churches help in construction
to keep costs down.

Currently, Obadiah meets in the multipurpose building at Shiloh Bible Baptist Church in Punta, Dipolog City. Several months back, a neighbor donated a plot of land for five years of minimal rent for the school to have its own place. Construction began soon after, and we have seen the progress.

The school is an outreach ministry, reaching poor families who cannot afford to send their children to private schools. The public schools on the plains are too crowded, and the poor children often fall through the educational cracks.

A view from the back of the building

The families to whom the school ministers are often very generous with what they do have. Bro. Joel tells us of one family that offered to donate a palm tree to the construction of the building. This family is poor, and the mother fights sickness often. The father is a motorcab driver, so his earning income is small in comparison to the family's need. But Bro. Joel tells us of great spiritual growth in this family.

God has provided in many ways for the building construction. Contractors and inspectors have waived their fees, for example, and God continues to work through us to bring the funds to complete the building. Fortunately, other pastors in the area have been willing to help build the school house. You will notice a few men in the photos. They are pastors in other areas who have been willing to help build the building so the school does not have to hire workers.

Pastor Ronilo "Carpenter Bee" Buyog works on the building.

The working conditions are rarely ideal. In fact, since the construction began, tropical depressions have rolled through the area constantly. There is urgency to complete the task because the wood and cement are exposed to the elements. Work days go on through hot or high water, literally.

Weathering the storm

Bro. Joel told us of one particular day when it was
"so hot from 8 a.m. to noon, and it rains from 1:30 to 6:30. Yet we still work."

Let's do our part, too. This is not just an educational opportunity. This is an investment in eternity. Let's join together and invest in the gospel outreach to the poor on Mindanao. Let us seek God's blessing, in this life and the next, for these dear children.


If God lays it on your heart to help with these needs, please contact Love in Action Ministries. You may contact them through the website, by mail to Love in Action International Ministries, Inc. P.O. Box 85 Dothan, AL 36302 or by calling 334-494-4995.

Praise report

We want to pass along another praise report. Yesterday we told you about a teacher in Ozamis who was suffering from typhoid fever. We got an update from Pastor Manuel Obut, who told us he visited her in the hospital after the day's classes ended.

In part, here is what he told us, "She's doing fine, no more rashes, fever, and typhoid virus. God used the injectable medicines for her fast recovery." Pastor Manuel told us the teacher could have been released today, but they are keeping her for another day or so to try to get her blood pressure back to a healthy level. So, we praise God for our sister's response to the medicine, but we continue to pray for her full recovery.

Let us thank our God for His answers to our prayers.