I trust you had a blessed Easter celebration, as Mary Ann and I did, celebrating Jesus Christ's resurrection. Jesus' death on the cross and His resurrection are more than merely historical realities but are the very power of God to transform our lives on earth and give us hope for eternity. As followers of the living Christ we look beyond His passion to the redemption He's made available to us and all the peoples of the earth. However, I realized again this Easter season the reality of people's spiritual blindness to and distortion of these truths. For example in Manila huge numbers of people made their annual pilgrimage Maundy Thursday evening walking many kilometers to the Antipolo City Cathedral, huge crowds paraded the Black Nazarene figurine around the Quiapo Cathedral on Good Friday and in Pampanga just north of Manila many whipped themselves and several were crucified under the blazing sun in an attempt to fulfill their vows to God and make atonement for their sin. People in other parts of the world may not do these types of religious activities but do other things attempting to "make their peace with God" which is equally blind and deceived. I was reminded again of Romans 5:1-2 which clearly states "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (NKJV) The truth is either the resurrection of Christ will incite us to celebration or condemn us because simply put there are only two types of people-those *in* Christ or those *outside* of Him. This is why we who know Christ need to share Him with others.
Here are ministry updates reflecting answers to prayer and requests for more.
1. Update on our students: Mary Ann has worked very hard in recent weeks on her Moody Bible Institute (MBI) classes and met her deadlines April 19 and 29. She is very motivated to earn MBI's Bible Certificate and she's making good progress. The deadline for completing her next class is June 17 but she's hoping to finish her work before we leave for Manila June 14 so pray for her.
Micah Ann, our daughter, is hoping to complete her Master's in Human Services from Liberty University sometime in May. She lives in Spokane, Washington with her husband Danny and is looking for work so pray for her too.
2. Gallon of Care (GoC) and hygiene projects: Last week we received word from Community Bible Church in Lebanon, Oregon whom we visited March 20, that they're making our Gallon of Care school supplies project their Daily Vacation Bible School project this summer. We're very glad for this because GoC is a great hands-on activity for classes, schools and families while the supplies are really appreciated by the poor students involved in our literacy ministry and used at our camps for street children. GoC is a winner for everyone involved.
We also received word last week that Missionfest Seattle (MFS) which will be held October 7-8 this year has made collecting and sending hygienic items for our ministry to street children and their families their project. Again we're very grateful for this because these items are useful in our ministry and a wonderful hands-on activity for those involved. Little did I know when I preached at LakeTapps Community Church, in the Seattle area March 13, that the director of MFS and his wife where in the audience so our Lord continues to set up "Divine appointments" for His glory and to assist us in spreading the Gospel and sharing compassionate care.
3. Second Mile based ministries update: Honest Hands discipleship camp #1 is scheduled for May 23-27, discipleship # 2 is June 6-10 with class # 9 scheduled to open early July. Please pray for a senior Filipino house parent as he needs to be in place by mid-May if these activities are to take place as scheduled. Working Hands Discipleship-Vocational Training's Wood Tech class has 12 young men and the Computer Tech class has 11 scheduled to begin mid-May, however, there will be no auto mechanics class at this time because Daryl and Sharon Germaine are on furlough. Mustard Seed, our Discipleship-Vocational Training ministry for young women has six of their ten recent grads involved in their on-the-job training while most of the January grads from Working Hands carry on with their on-the-job training. Barb Burchert, the director of Mustard Seed, is currently on furlough so they will not have a class until she returns.
4. Update on my left eye: I'm encouraged with the outpouring of prayer for my eye's recovery but the vision is still distorted with a brown greasy film so keep praying please. I'm still not able to drive so it's a good thing Mary Ann likes to drive, reading at night is difficult and my right eye gets tired so at times I get impatient and discouragement is always nearby. But I remain grateful for the good medical care I've received and so far funds to pay the bills. Pray for my May 27 appointment with my optometrist and for full recovery by June 14. However I find companionship with the Aposle Paul as possibly he had an eye problem too and like him I'm finding God's grace to be sufficient in my physical weakness. (see 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Galatians 3:15 and 6:11)
5. Update on our monthly support and vehicle fund: Little by little our personal monthly support is increasing and funds are trickling in for our vehicle in Manila. I ask you to prayerfully consider sending a gift to either account or both as the Lord leads because we're trusting the Lord to be fully supplied when we return to Manila. We're very grateful for everyone's financial support, prayers, words and notes of encouragement, delicious meals served, beds provided when we've been on the road, friendly conversations and godly fellowship. May each act of kindness shown us be credited to your account in heaven. (see Philippians 4:17) We are your hands and feet and we represent you as we serve in the Philippines.
6. Easter feedings update: For various reasons our Easter feedings scheduled last week were delayed but one was held April 27 with 55 in attendance and two others next week. Please pray that many street kids and their families will come to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through these fun activities and the host churches are prepared to receive them into their nurturing fellowship.
7. More fires in Metro Manila: Last week was the 67th major fire of 2011 in Metro Manila in our huge squatter communities and our team continues to receive requests from churches to help them assist the homeless. We'd like to assist but we have only about $500 in our disaster relief account so pray for us to have wisdom in knowing how to respond and resources so we can. In all the years we've lived and worked in Manila I don't remember this many fires and requests for help so it's really frustrating to have our hands and feet tied due to lack of funds.
5. Update on our monthly support and vehicle fund: Little by little our personal monthly support is increasing and funds are trickling in for our vehicle in Manila. I ask you to prayerfully consider sending a gift to either account or both as the Lord leads because we're trusting the Lord to be fully supplied when we return to Manila. We're very grateful for everyone's financial support, prayers, words and notes of encouragement, delicious meals served, beds provided when we've been on the road, friendly conversations and godly fellowship. May each act of kindness shown us be credited to your account in heaven. (see Philippians 4:17) We are your hands and feet and we represent you as we serve in the Philippines.
6. Easter feedings update: For various reasons our Easter feedings scheduled last week were delayed but one was held April 27 with 55 in attendance and two others next week. Please pray that many street kids and their families will come to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through these fun activities and the host churches are prepared to receive them into their nurturing fellowship.
7. More fires in Metro Manila: Last week was the 67th major fire of 2011 in Metro Manila in our huge squatter communities and our team continues to receive requests from churches to help them assist the homeless. We'd like to assist but we have only about $500 in our disaster relief account so pray for us to have wisdom in knowing how to respond and resources so we can. In all the years we've lived and worked in Manila I don't remember this many fires and requests for help so it's really frustrating to have our hands and feet tied due to lack of funds.
8. Update on Quality Improvement System (QIS) and Project Cycle Management (PCM) training: Both QIS and PCM are extensive training programs developed and field tested by Viva Network. Our network of churches and organizations working with children-in-crisis in Manila continues on with their QIS training which is for developed ministries. We'll start PCM training for less developed ministries in Manila, Legazpi City and Cagayan de Oro City in May.
9. Update on Fish and Bread Feeding, Literacy Training and Medical Clinics: We are currently feeding 2,448 people, which includes 60 senior inmates at the National Penitentiary, using primarily food from Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) at 27 sites. Fifteen churches are now in application and will start orientation soon hoping to use FMSC food for their feeding programs. We have 327 students in our literacy training program at 17 sites and on April 9 we had a medical clinic at one of our new feeding sites in cooperation with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and we treated 563 people. We have 25 churches hoping to have a similar medical clinic and the cost per clinic is approximately $400 so that's around $9,900 which we do not have. Pray that the Lord will provide these funds. We have a network of medical personnel who volunteer their time so these funds are used for medicine, transportation, food and small love gifts. To see photos log onto: https://picasaweb.google.com/action.siteam
10. The home-going of a dear friend: Last week I learned of the home-going of our dear Filipino friend, brother in the Lord and faithful ministry colleague Pastor Marlo Magbanua. I first came to know this quiet man of God several years ago and over the years we've done a lot of camping, literacy, feeding, evangelistic Christmas parties, disaster relief operations, medical clinics and a variety of other ministries together. Marlo and his wife Roquet were church-planters in one of Manila's most difficult flood prone squatter communities called Floodway and I preached in their church in November. His funeral was Thursday and he'll be missed by many. Pray for Roquet, who's a school teacher among extremely poor children, and their kids as they grieve but with hope.
11. Ministry schedule: Here is our schedule for your informed prayer:
April 30 Officiating the wedding of Andrew Sheppard (Mary Ann's nephew) and EunKyoung Cho at Bethlehem Baptist
11. Ministry schedule: Here is our schedule for your informed prayer:
April 30 Officiating the wedding of Andrew Sheppard (Mary Ann's nephew) and EunKyoung Cho at Bethlehem Baptist
May 1 Grace Church Eden Prairie, giving the Missions Momement in the 8, 9:30 and 11am services
May 8 *open*
May 8 *open*
May 11 Esko Apostalic Lutheran Church, Esko, MN 6:30pm
May 11-15 We will be in Cloquet so call us if you'd like to get together
May 15 Our Savior's Lutheran, Cloquet, speaking in the 8:30 & 10:45am services and 9:30 Sunday school
May 15 Our Savior's Lutheran, Cloquet, speaking in the 8:30 & 10:45am services and 9:30 Sunday school
May 19 International Bible Givers, Anoka, MN 6:30pm
May 22 Grace Baptist, Cloquet, speaking in the 9:30am service
May 29 *open* for speaking in Twin Cities area
June 3-5 All Nations Fellowship, of Bethlehem Baptist Church, retreat at Big Sandy Bible camp near McGregor
June 12 *open* for speaking in Twin Cities area
June 14 depart for Manila arriving 10:30pm June 15
*prayerfully consider helping fill our openings please*
Conclusion: Mary Ann gave her testimony twice at Maple Plain Community Church during their Easter services so if you're interested in knowing how she came to know Christ and about her calling into missions here's her story. You can read it by clicking here. I can't think of a more appropriate time for her to tell it than during a resurrection Sunday celebration. God's transforming grace is still a wonderment to us so He alone gets all the praise and glory through His beloved Son.
May 22 Grace Baptist, Cloquet, speaking in the 9:30am service
May 29 *open* for speaking in Twin Cities area
June 3-5 All Nations Fellowship, of Bethlehem Baptist Church, retreat at Big Sandy Bible camp near McGregor
June 12 *open* for speaking in Twin Cities area
June 14 depart for Manila arriving 10:30pm June 15
*prayerfully consider helping fill our openings please*
Conclusion: Mary Ann gave her testimony twice at Maple Plain Community Church during their Easter services so if you're interested in knowing how she came to know Christ and about her calling into missions here's her story. You can read it by clicking here. I can't think of a more appropriate time for her to tell it than during a resurrection Sunday celebration. God's transforming grace is still a wonderment to us so He alone gets all the praise and glory through His beloved Son.
Your friend, partner and brother in the Lord,
Jeff
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