Today we headed north. We turned left out of the driveway, went maybe 200 yards and came upon a family sitting on a bench. We stopped to talk and share when I noticed the boy at the end, maybe 12yrs old, who’s eye was swollen shut. It looked quite painful. I asked what happened and he said a bee stung him. I felt nudged by the Lord to pray for him so I asked his father if it was ok if I prayed for him. He seemed a bit surprised at the request but said it was ok. So I laid hands on the boy and just asked Jesus to heal him and take the pain away. We then picked up the cross and headed on. We gave out tracts and preached to those we met as we moved on down the road. We came to another bus shed where a bunch of men were gathered (seems to be a common hangout), greeted them, shared what I was doing and the meaning and finished work of the cross. They received it very graciously and asked questions. We prayed with them and then took a picture.
Doreen, Joel and I held up pretty good considering the heat! We moved on, stopping to take a break in the shade part way up the next long hill. Later, as we were entering the next village, we met this young man alongside the road named Russell. We stopped to share the gospel with him and, as the bible says, “he received it with all readiness of mind.” It was a beautiful time of sharing, as he looked into our eyes with a continued longing to hear more. He prayed, willingly putting his faith and trust in Jesus’ death for him on the cross. We gave him a copy of each of the different tracts that we had and asked him if he had a bible which he said that he did have. We told him to start reading it at the gospel of John and then head toward the back of the bible through to Revelation. Joel invited him to the Shekinah fellowship church in Dalaguete. Pray for Russell that he will be protected from the evil one, pursue reading his bible and find fellowship in a local church.
Next, we finally made it to the next town where there was a big school and children everywhere at recess. So naturally, we had to give out stickers and in no time we had given out hundreds of stickers, even the teachers wanted some. Kids kept rushing over to see what was happening, it was like a feeding frenzy! They kept asking for more as they read about Jesus’ love for them.
After we got back, we jumped into a three wheeler with Alma, Lisa and Joel to do some much needed shopping. Along with the 100 lb bag of rice, we told Alma to get chicken for dinner. She only was going to get a few little pieces, as it is too expensive for them to usually buy chicken, but I made her get the whole chicken! She smiled and laughed in her shy Filipino way and graciously received. (As we had shared on one of the earlier blogs, we were able to bless the girls with food and other necessities, also because of your giving!)
On our way back from the market, we drove past Tiofila’s house and saw her outside walking with a walker! We rejoiced to see that she was able to put weight on her knee since she could not, just the day before!! Thank you Jesus!!
Doreen and I ended our day with a cold water bucket bath and then it was off to bed. As we laid there, we gave thanks to the Lord for a wonderful day and for the privilege of serving Him in the Philippines!!
Over the next few days, we saw God do some amazing things. We first carried the cross south towards town passing out tracts and stickers along the way, sharing with many and answering questions about the Cross and why we were there. It was “very hot!” (init gaayu) Though Dalaguete is a very remote part of Cebu, the simplicity of life and the beauty of the island is an attraction all on its own. The Filipino lifestyle here is one that’s focused mostly on people, not things. It’s a daily struggle for the basic necessities of life, water, food and some clothing. They tend the chickens, tether the goat, walk the cow and gather wood to cook with. The children are happy, smiling and playing when they are not helping with chores. In remote areas such as Delaguette, there are few who speak English as opposed to the cities where it is the second language. Having Joel and Laarney interpret for us was priceless.
As we walked Southward along the main coastal road, we took in the beauty, though never escaping the constant 100+ heat and humidity. After a couple of miles, we decided to take a break in the shade where the fresh water springs meet the ocean. Joel informed us that this is where the local Christian churches have there baptisms. After we cooled down a little bit we headed on and soon came across a bus shed where 3 men were sitting also trying to escape the heat of the day. We had a wonderful time of sharing the Lord with them, prayed with them and moved on. On our way back, we saw an elderly lady (80+) sitting in the doorway of her little house. Joel gave her a tract and she asked what we were doing. We shared how the Lord loved her and that we were carrying the cross as a reminder of God’s love. Joel asked if she knew Jesus in her heart and told her how she could. She said that she would like that so we all prayed with her as she invited Jesus into her heart. Doreen wept as she thought about Tiofila’s 11th hour conversion!! She also asked for prayer for her knee as she struggled with walking. After praying for her knee, she reached up and kissed each one of us as she cradled each of our faces in here hands, looked us in the eye and said thank you for coming to her village! (remember, you all who give, because of Jesus and your gift, we were able to meet and pray with Tiofila!) Thank you!
Just when you think it can’t get any better, it does!! Rick and I have just returned from our trip to a very remote place called “Dalaguete”, on the southern part of the island of Cebu, Philippines. The two hour bus ride was great. It was air conditioned, and as we watched the view of city buildings turn to palm trees and water buffalo, we started to get excited! The city has been wonderful and the friendships that we have developed are priceless. Carrying the Cross in the crowds has been great, but we had been longing to walk the dirt roads of Cebu to meet the mountain folk and experience their simple ways of life. We knew this was our chance!
To the next village!
We were excited to have Joel, a brother in the Lord along with us. He came to the Lord through the Christian camp of Shakinah ministries. Joel, now in his early thirty’s, was reservedly excited in anticipation of sharing his faith in a new way! He has been such a blessing to us from the first week of our arrival here on Cebu island! Since he is unemployed right now, he has taken us under his wing and helped us through many cultural adjustments, transportation and such, making sure that we are not taken advantage of, as is the custom of most taxi/bus/tricycle/jeepney drivers with American visitors.
Joel
We arrived Tuesday, March 13th around 6:30p.m. and got off the bus right in front of the home where we would be staying. Alma and Lisa where outside waiting to greet us with welcoming arms! Charissa was a bit concerned about how I would handle staying in her grandmothers old style, Filipino home with no windows, shower or hot water. I knew it was going to be very different for me too, but I was ready!
It had been 4 years since Joel and the girls had seen each other so conversation stirred immediately about the days of growing together in the Lord at the camp and filling in the blanks! Alma and Lisa showed us to our room, the only one with an air conditioner (or air-con, as they call it). Charissa had asked them to give us that room but we could tell that sacrifice was no stranger to these girls! We felt honored and blessed to share their home!
Morning came quickly, as breakfast was served at 6:30. Alma and Lisa dismissed themselves promptly at 8:00 to begin their day teaching the children. Both have earned degrees in teaching, and though they could go abroad and earn a good living, they decided to stay in the Philippines to serve the Lord among their own people.
With our new Filipino language tracts in hand, Joel, Laarney, Rick and I had prayer and then headed out with the cross! The hot humid air clung to us like a wet blanket as we started up the mountain and we watched palm trees all around us swaying in the breeze. As we came upon this large group of men sitting around under a bus shed on the side of the road, we passed out our new tracks written in their language, preached, answered questions, and continued on. As we climbed the mountain, we enjoyed the tropical beauty, deep ravines and coconut trees, it was just beautiful! Our hearts beat with excitement about what God about to do! It was uphill all day but such a blessing to be so remote!
We had carried the cross up the mountain only about a kilometer when we hit the first grouping of huts. Laarney went to the right and Joel jumped the ditch on the left, past the goat and went under a home built on stilts where an elderly woman was sitting. He sat right down next to her and started sharing the gospel with her as he went through the track. He took his time to make sure that she understood clearly. Rick and I found a little hand made bridge of split logs (with flip flops nailed to them to hold it together) and crossed over with the cross to join Joel.
Rick leaned the cross up against the stilts of the neighboring hut and gave stickers to all the children looking at amazement at this white man carrying this huge cross! After Joel finished sharing with the women, he joined us and shared with all the children in their native Cebuano language. We crossed back over the little bridge to the other side of the road where we found families gathering to see what we were doing.
Laarney had already begun sharing the gospel, distributing tracks and telling them why we were there. After Rick shared with them while Laarney translated, we continued on up the mountain looking back to see many of the people intently reading the tracts! And so it went all day, one hut after another, never missing one. We found people going about their various chores as we climbed the mountain. One man was shaving a banana tree trunk with a very sharp machete, making fodder to feed his cow, another man was chopping up coconuts and laying pieces in the sun to dry, to then make cooking oil out of them. (That is very common here as it is a way to make an income). One man that stands out distinctly in our memories, after taking the tract, seemed to devour every word even as he walked back to his home never lifting his eyes from it. As we walked away we saw that he had sat down still looking intently at this tract that explained his need for a savior! His expression will forever be etched in our minds for we knew that something was happening in his heart. I just had to take a picture!
As our day ended we made our way back down the mountain along this narrow trail. Our feet ached from the heat and the steady climb all day, but our hearts soared when we thought of each time we looked back over our shoulder to see those people eagerly reading their gospel tracts. As we got to the bottom of the mountain, Laarney’s sister had coconuts and coconut pie waiting for us as refreshment. What a treat!
Please join us in prayer as we pray for this region and those beautiful people of the mountain and we also would like to ask you to please prayerfully consider helping them financially. You cant even imagine how just $10 can help! We could, upon request, share an address where you can write to them to introduce yourself and your desire to help or whatever you’d like to share! They truly are wonderful, dedicated, God loving, Self sacrificing servants of the Lord! These saints are barely existing for the sake of the gospel! Each of us giving so very little will enable them to do so much more!
Though the girls never asked for any thing, when Rick and I found out that they literally were scavenging the beach for shells and seaweed to eat, we decided to take them on a shopping spree, not just for rice and food but also for products like shampoo, soap and toilet paper which is really a luxury to them!! Just the look of humble appreciation on their faces blessed us immensely and knowing the hearts of our supporters, we knew that you all would have wanted us to help them!
Thank you all so much and remember, you give so that others may live eternally!
Kereoke beach revisited….
As we had promised, we went back to Kereoke beach, here in the Philippines, before leaving the northern part of the island. We knew we needed to be faithful to walk through the doors the Lord had opened for us to share the gospel with a few people we had met.
After squeezing into the three wheel motorcycle sidecar which was quite snug with Doreen and I, never mind the 3 others, we jumped on a jeepney (a small open backed bus with no windows that squeezes 10-15 people wherever they can fit) eager to test our knew language skills!! When you approach the place where you want to jump off, you just knock on the roof and yell “Para!” Upon arriving at Kereoke beach, we bailed out and stopped at the end of the palm tree lined driveway for prayer. We asked the Lord to bring to us, the two men that had begun to open up to us the day we arrived. As we walked in, we greeted the girls in the parking lot and the lady security guard that we had enjoyed visiting with during our stay there. Then immediately out of the office, came the owner. He seemed so moved that we had come back like we had promised! We picked up where we had left off several days before, about the need for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and not going to God through Mary or the church. He graciously received our witness this time, quite different from our first encounter. Just then, our Jewish friend showed up right on time! It all could not have been timed any better!
After the owner gave us two free bottles of coke, our Jewish friend, Tom (we’ll call him) asked Doreen and I to join him by the waters edge as we sat down on two skinny board benches. The first day that we had met Tom, he shook my hand, looked me in the eye and said, “You are a missionary? I want to talk to you!” He opened up about some challenges in his life and we talked about Jesus, who He was, and what He came to do. Tom said, “This is great! As a Jewish boy, we did not get this at temple!” This was a beautiful time together. As we sat there and shared for quite some time about the Lord, it began to get dark. Then the full moon came rising up out of the ocean! It was amazing!! It was the most beautiful witnessing situation ever! The only thing that would have made it “perfect” was if Tom had given his life to Jesus! He didn’t, but we planted many seeds that I believe, by God’s grace, will grow. Doreen and I planted them with all the love and care Jesus could put into our hearts.
We caught a Jeepney back to Uwe’s, to what turned out to be the concert night. After a beautiful dinner that Uwe had made just for Doreen (a German spaghetti), they got her to do a mini concert and Uwe even video taped it, which Doreen took full advantage of by sharing her testimony and song, “Because I love you”, along with several others. We found out the next morning that Uwe and Tommy had sat up until almost 3:00 in the morning listening to Doreen and Dianne’s CD and the video taped testimony over and over again! See (www.hisongs.com)
We will never forget our friends in Liloan and Uwe’s hospitality and kindness!! We count him as our friend!!
