Month: March 2012

 Wed.,Feb. 29…
   Once again, the sights, sounds and smells have  confronted me all day as I carry the Cross. To think, many of these people and children have never taken a breath of clean air, walked a clean road or just enjoyed a pleasant view! The hustle and bustle of the Philippines, life in the city, creates these dirty streets, garbage and dying animals, it just blows my mind to see it all!! I meet so many and as I look into their eyes and listen to them speak, I know that they have never felt the joy of real love. It’s only use or be used! Oh, the emptiness in the eyes of many of those I encounter each day! There are so many children here in the philippines that are abandoned in the streets and left to, as best they can, raise themselves! One thing though, that is a stark difference, is when you meet a real believer and you see the light of Christ in their eyes. It is brought home to you again, the difference “Jesus” DOES make in a persons life and that is the hope you have for ALL people! That is also the motivation that keeps driving Doreen and I on! If they could just have ears to hear what the Lord is saying and His love calling out to them! Then there are those you meet who are so lost in the false security of “just religion” and Oh how dark is that darkness!! Jesus himself said, “be sure that the light that is in you is not darkness, but is the true light!” We meet so many here that just have religion, when the Lord wants us to have a relationship with Him. That’s why He died on the Cross, to pay our sin debt, to clean us out, to make a place where He could live, that through the resurrection and the gift of His spirit, He could come and dwell in our hearts and have the relationship that He so much desires!!
   

We got up early to get ready for church. Wow! How do I write about today?! We were able to meet and fellowship with a delightful group of believers, a connection only God could make. This little church group was a connection of a friend, of a friend, of a friend of Pastor Jonathon from Manila! (little did we know that this divine appointment would be the catalyst of all the ministry that we are to do here).God knit our hearts together from the very start!
Pastor Ronald and his wife Charissa are such a beautiful inspiration and testimony of a mission couple, living on faith! They show God’s love so beautifully through their self sacrifice and dedication. They reached out and embraced Doreen and I, as total strangers because our hearts beat alike in desiring to get the gospel out to the multitudes of people here on Cebu island! (we will speak more about their ministry later and how you can support their work and the difference they’re making in lives)
Ronald and Charissa have been building a work here that was an amazing thing for Doreen and I to see! As we watched a self-taught 13 yr old, play keyboard and  beautifully lead the worship team of other young people, all their hearts shining the love of Jesus! We were so honored because, as best they could, they did the service in English just for us! The day of fellowship that we spent will linger in our minds for a long time. Then late that afternoon they took us to their home for the youth fellowship service in their front yard. Under the shade of those trees, we listened to the young people share their stories and testimonies of how Jesus had changed their lives. The warm breeze blew through the yard and as the sun set, Doreen sang and I spoke. We were reminded once again that we were on the mission field!

-Ronald and Charissa helped arrange a room at “the baptist house mission compound”, which has proved to be a real blessing to us! One day after settling in there, we took the Cross out into the market place not far away. We handed out thousands of tracks and stickers which again, we’re so eagerly received which Doreen was amazed to see because it’s so different from America! As always here, it is HOT, HOT, HOT!!! But because of the hunger of the people, we were glad to keep going. We must tell you about this one young man around 19, that we gave a track to, who goes by the name “JR.” He works in this little tin shed on the side of the road which held an old sowing machine in it that he must use somehow to make his living. When we gave him the stickers and track, and shared with him that Jesus loved him, we could see that he was so grateful as the biggest smile you ever saw came across his face! It was so beautiful to watch him hanging on every word that I shared about the love of God. Though his friends came over, it did not even divert his attention as he listened. The last thing he told us was, “I will pray that prayer” as he pointed to the track!! Every time Doreen thinks of him, she remembers the insatiable hunger and hope she saw in his eyes, which still brings tears to her eyes!!

From my heart-Feb. 24, 2012…
Praise the Lord! As I write this, we are sailing between the islands in the Philippines… the last several days have been pure JOY!!  Though the sights, sounds and smells are all too familiar to me since I have been in so many places in this world, to Doreen, it is a first to a poorer country. To me it is a reminder that we are back on the front lines, so in that I actually have to say, I enjoy them, for I have so long been hungering with all my heart to get back to the mission field where I’ve been called! These multitudes of sights, sounds and smells help me to embrace the variety of God’s world and his love for all mankind! Whether it is the stench of the dumps in Nicaragua or the variety of smells of flowers in Fiji, Holland or New Zeland. I welcome them all because when I smell them, I know I am in the trenches for Jesus and this great big world NEEDS HIM!!
As we sit here looking out the big window in our cabin watching the islands and mountains go by, we do not know what awaits us ahead. All we know is that it is the island of Cebu! I look forward to carrying the Cross there. It was received well in Manila. Now we are taking it to another island. It is warmer there they say, and more rural. No matter, we go in His love! My prayer is that the Lord will allow me to feel a little of His heart for this people. He has always done that before and that is exactly why carrying the Cross and serving Him has the richness for me that it does. For life is not worth living till we look beyond ourselves and live for what’s important to HIM!!
Tonight we just enjoyed a quiet evening on board the ship. Dinner together was beautiful! Later, I walked out on deck for quiet time and to pray.
Sat. Feb.25…
Well, we will soon be docking in Cebu. Only the Lord knows what we will find there. We are ready, Jesus is with us! As we sail in, a beautiful rainbow welcomes us. We can see the storm clouds moving out. The sun is now up. We will dock at pier 5. We just received a text and we will have friends (we have not met), meet us at the dock. P.T.L!!!