Have a joyful Resurrection Sunday!

Mary Ann and I just returned home after 3 restful and delightful days at the Rizal Re-Creation Center in Laguna the place where we had our field conference last month. It is being managed by Joe and Ruth Mauk who developed Caliraya. They run the Re-Creation Center now and we had lots of time with them and other guests. It was fun for me to be around several church youth groups having retreats because the kids are so energetic and eager in their singing, playing games, listening to the messages and praying it was refreshing and revitalizing.

We enjoyed getting away from the daily grind and pollution of life and ministry in Manila and had lots of time to read, swim, study our Bibles, pray and get caught up with each other with no demands on our time and attention. This morning we attended a 5:30 sunrise service in their covered basketball court with about 600 people in attendance from local churches. It was a glorious service exalting Christ with
lots of singing and a powerful message from Luke 24. To think 25-30 years ago there were very few believers in this area adds even more significance to this service for us. I praise God for the faithful missionaries and their Filipino colleagues who sacrificed much to initially plant these churches!

We trust each of you will also have a joyful Resurrection service at your respective churches. Praise God that He raised the Lord Jesus from the grave having defeated satan and death and paid in full our debt of sin by His sacrificial death. Today He's alive at the right hand of His Father and living in and through us giving us hope for today and eternity. Have a wonderful day with friends and family.

With much love,

Jeff and Mary Ann