Baptisms - South China Sea - SFCC

See Debbie's post below.

Saturday events

Saturday morning we had worship at the center at 10am with the youth...another outstanding couple of hours of praise. Adam and Mariel did a fabulous job presenting the message. They spoke about forgiveness. Adam told about the Amish massacre and how the Amish families not only forgave the murderer but then blessed his family. It made a very big point with the group. Mariel and Adam tag teamed and I was so impressed with their maturity and wisdom. They have really connected with the youth here and have become great friends with many.

Afterward we started setting up for "Couples Date Night" and had at least 20 youth there at our "beckon call" to set up. I was so cute to see how so many of the older singles in the group were so excited about this date night for the married's of the church. WHY? Because the couples of the church rarely, rarely ever get to "go out" and have an evening alone much less a special evening.

We had 8 tables set up in hopes of 20 couples attending. We used fresh flowers that someone had collected from around the town, votive candles and some Hershey kisses that I sprinkled on the tables. It was pretty cute, I would scatter the kisses and one of the young girls would be right behind me setting the kisses upright...I knocked them over and next thing I knew, they were upright again....OK, they look just fine upright! After awhile, it was obvious the team had it all under control so we left to go home, shower and get ready for the evening.

Jake and I spent some time going over what we wanted to present to the couples which was a bit of our history and then some communication skills. We decided to teach them the technique of speaking one at a time and then repeating back to the other what they said and so on until you have your problem worked out. We illustrated it with a scenario of Jake doing the lawn and then coming into the house tracking grass and mud after I had just cleaned the house....I think we made a good point and Jake now knows that this is an issue I hope we have truly resolved!!

We arrived at the center about 1 hour before the date night should start and everything was all done and the kids had done a beautiful job setting up lights and a photo spot. The couples starting arriving just as the skies opened up with the daily downpour! Unfortunately, the rain kept several couples from being able to get out but the ones that arrived were SO cute and SO excited! We had long-stem roses for the husbands to give their wives and then they had their photos done.

After that we played a trivia game that Jim ran and 2 couples won a prize of coffee and sugar for the most answers. Jake and I then gave our talk (thank you God that I didn't get too nervous!) and then we had dinner, prepared by the church chef, JR, who cooked mushroom soup, curry chicken and rice and then dessert of Ube cake. After dinner, the band started playing "You look wonderful tonight" and all of the couples got up and danced....it was precious!!! You should of seen the smiles on all of their faces. This was a rare treat for them indeed. I will treasure this for a long time and, hopefully, will not take for granted the time that Jake & I get to spend together. God really blessed all of efforts and the couples see that they need to make a priority of their marriages. Tim gave everyone in there a couple of the"Fireproof" DVD and then Jake & I prayed over all the couples and thus ended the night. Thank you God for the blessing of this night for these precious couples!

And let all the people rejoice!

Sunday started early with worship intercessory prayer beginning at 6:30. I love this time of prayer coverage that targets specific prayer for the days worship! Jim spoke a powerful message on forgiveness and grace that truly touched my heart with conviction and repentance. Worship was uplifting, lively and amazingly God honoring. These people are extremely serious about worship and give it 100%. I will greatly miss this worship experience! Mariel gave her testimony at the teen service and touched the hearts of all with her honesty and passion. God was duly glorified through her!

Sunday at 1 p.m. was water baptism! There were 3 women desiring to be buried in baptism with our Lord Jesus, a mother and her two daughters. Our team, Tim, Bambi and several of the teen leaders piled into two vehicles with them and headed for the beach. I have never first hand witnessed a baptism in the ocean. It was awesome and we and the angels were rejoicing! Jim captured the moment on video which I am sure he will share.

We finished in time to get back to the Center for Mission's at 3 p.m. The team divided up and set out with various groups of teens and a few adults to conquer for Christ 17 barangay's (small villages). 70 missionaries were able to personally touch 593 people with the Good News and love of Jesus. What a win!!! :) I went with Tim and Bambi and two young boys (Larry and Russel) to a small mountain village (if you can call it that). I was honored to be the story teller and wowed (or horrified) the kids with my lively rendition of Daniel and his Babylonian capture. Having studied that with our Tuesday ladies group recently, I felt well prepared. The local kids were so sweet and loved to worship, praise and play. They are amazingly smart and were able to answer questions on a level of depth that astounded me. Once again, I am humbled and in awe of the genuine love and commitment to Christ that these people have no matter what age they are.

With the daily rain threatening us, we returned to the center for debriefing with the other teams and praise and worship to God for such an amazing win for God. Exhausted, yet filled with peace and joy that only comes through the touch of God, we returned to Tim and Bambi's for our last night there. Monday we would be checking in to the Sunset Bay Resort (a modest but comfortable local hotel on the beach) for our last two nights. Well, that's all folks! More to come I am sure...

Love to all! Debbie

Not for the Faint of Heart

It's 06-28-2010. Jake and Adam get BALUT a try. Don't watch this if you have a weak stomach! Balut is a local delicacy - a fertile, boiled duck egg. You have been warned! :-) Here's the YouTube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlX6ZPnO8iI

Teamwork Truck Lift

You make do with what you have!

I am the Vine...

Connie and I began our day by experiencing grocery shopping Filipino style. We walked to the grocery store and waded through the crowded isles in search of items needed to prepare an appetizer for Saturday night's couples dinner. I must say that this course is not a standard part of a Philippine dinner function. After much brain storming, we decided upon a delicacy of Ritz type crackers with Velveeta type cheddar cheese mixed with an herb packet on top. Not fancy, but hopefully liked. We shall see! :/

We met with the principle of the school and her staff at 11:00 for lunch at Pizza Hut. I bonded quickly with the head of the Science dept. and the head of the Value's dept. (Yes, they teach values in the school here! USA could stand to adopt this curriculum.), being fellow grandmothers and all we became fast friends. Connie will fill you in on those details. After lunch we had the opportunity to attend a Catholic Mass being held at the school's opening ceremony. We were given front row seats of honor and an electric fan to assist in keeping us cool. Treated like royalty!

Spent after being in dress clothing in all the heat, we returned to Tim's to change and rest before afternoon cell groups. Connie and I were privileged to attend the same ladies cell group that we attended last week. It gave us great opportunity to further bond with the women of last week and also to get to know the new ladies. Our group was 17 strong with many new women that were a harvest of our follow up visits of the prior day. Connie and I both shared our testimony with the group. I was moved by a young woman named Chereez who connected greatly with my struggles in my marriage. She tearfully shared her pain and to God's glory was encouraged by the grace and healing that I shared from my own experience. I prayed over her and Connie prayed over the rest of the group. There is no greater good than for us to use our own struggles and pain to encourage and help others. It truly takes the victory away from Satan! I pray that God will change the heart of her husband and that she too will one day have the wonderful, Christian man that Bert is in her husband Jose Marie.

One thing I have realized to be true is that women are all the same and share the same fears and trials no matter what race, culture or status. However, we are all daughter's of the King and greatly loved and cherished. Our value comes only through our place in Christ which supersedes all barriers. Praise be to Jesus!

Love and miss you all! Debbie

Unexpected Grace

Today started with a little breakfast and then Debbie & I off to the "drygoods" store and the local market to get a few supplies for "date night". We stopped at the "drygoods" store to buy JR, the church cook, a large pot for cooking tomorrow night. He typically whips out an incredible meal with 2 woks and 2 burners in a very small narrow kitchen...but we thought since we were asking him to make a soup for tomorrow night that we would buy him a stock pot. We gave it to him this evening and he was amazed and thrilled! Then we went to the market and after much deliberating went with a "ritz" cracker that we will spread some "american cheese spread" mixed with some herbs. They did not have any fresh cheese and we were told that it is hard to find and very expensive...so kraft in a box it is!!! Who knows, we might be next on "Americas top chef"!!

We then went to Pizza Hut where the team along with Tim & Bambi had a set meeting time for lunch with the High School Principal and 8 of her department heads. We really enjoyed getting to talk with them all and share why we are here. I know that Adam really connected with the PE dept. head and I with the math dept. head. Jake sat next to the principal and had a great visit with her. All in all, it was a very good meeting and Tim was very pleased. There is a protocol that typically must be followed at the school but this meeting allowed some of that to be bypassed which will be very good for future meetings. After lunch, we all went to the High School to watch the school's opening ceremony/mass. Many of the youth from the church were singing in the program and it was good to see them and encourage them by being there. We were honored with a front row seat and an introduction as the Principal's friends from Maryland USA!

After being out in the hot and humid day we went back to the apartment for a little rest....Jake went on to the center to give his auto shop boys a test on what he had been teaching them the last 2 days. We then left for cell groups...Mariel & Adam to a youth cell group; Debbie, Bambi & I to the women's and Tim, Jake & Jim to the men's. I think Debbie is going to blog about the cell group so I will end for now except to say that as we were leaving, Janalyn showed up! (The 10 year old girl I told you about last night) She got big hugs from Debbie & I and then I introduced her to "Tito Jake" (Uncle Jake) . He gave her a BIG huge which you could tell she really liked! God is working....and I should not be surprised when his grace is given again and again...

Random Photos

These are the some random photos put together in no particular order, mostly taken by Jake and Debbie. The background music is played by Tim Warden our host on his piano at home. Enjoy!

Geoffry - A Faithful Servant

Video Uploads to Blog

Finally! I found the little icon to publish video clips and photos directly to the blog. Hopefully, this first test works well.

Note to self

Always, Always, Always remember to take toilet tissue with you to ANY bathroom while in the Philippines....did I say to ALWAYS take toilet tissue with you...

I had a great nights sleep last night for the first time since getting here! Praise God for that!!

Jake has been very busy the last 2 days teaching the guys about car maintenance and trying to fix 2 of the vehicles at the church. You will have to read his blog for some of the details....all I know is that I prayed for God to watch over him so that he would not die of a heat stroke because he was out in the heat nonstop for about 12 hours each day. The guys are really learning alot and Jake is LOVING it. It is really good for them to see a man working so hard as they dont have that as a role model that often.

Read Debbie's post today to see what all she and I did today. I will add that I loved going with Bambi into the neighborhoods today and meeting with all the women; praying for them and their families. Met a young 10 year old girl, Janalyn, just as sweet as she could be....was not in school because her father does not allow her to go. She can not read or write. As she was leaving us Bambi called her back and got very quiet with her, asking her some questions. Bambi showed us her leg that was very bruised and swollen and told us that her father had beaten her last night. No reason for it and this isn't the first time this has happened. In fact, the mother has left the home due to him beating her. We prayed over her. Later on she appeared again and came and sat with us while we talked with another family. I gave her lots of hugs and she had a smile on her face as we left her. Please pray for this precious, innocent child....that God will intervene in her life.

Another busy day! But all in well and God is good!!

I won't regail you with details of Wed. events as Connie and I were together for the day and she blogged the details already. I will say however, that God is alive and well in the Philippines and we are so honored to be a part of His work here! We finished our day having a wonderful meal together at Oasis, a Japanese restaurant in town. We were all VERY tired from the heat and business of the day but enjoyed the food and fellowship.

Thursday began early but we all had a great nights rest (which was unusual). Connie and I went with Bambi to do follow up with some visitors on Sunday and invite them to attend various cell groups, couple's date night (being hosted by Jake and Connie!) and Sunday worship service. We spent the morning walking through "homes" that were crowded and poor. People were bathing outside and doing laundry by hand. Young children were abundant and very curious of us. We handed out candy and soon gained popularity. The women we spoke to were kind and gracious and we hope that they will choose to attend the women's cell group that meets on Tuesday evenings. We are praying for a good turn out on Saturday night and would covet any prayer coverage!

This afternoon we (Jim, Connie, me, Tim and Bambi) were invited to a member's home (Grace) to share our testimony and visit with her and some of her family and friends. They seemed very interested and were willing to share some details of their lives as well. Tim said that our time with them was well received and much needed for encouragement. Jim's testimony was a true "God thing". I hope Jim will blog about that. Tonight we were supposed to do several children's cell groups but the rain prevented us from going as the groups meet outside. Well, that's about it for now! Keep up the prayers, they are working! :) Love to all, Debbie

Hotdogs and Marshmellows

Okay, so Debbie and I spent a couple of hours yesterday with Bambi and Carmela to plan "date night" for the church's married couples....in discussing the meal we said we wanted to pass some appetizers while everyone was coming in. We asked what was typical?...crackers and cheese, you know, the kind of stuff we do in the states. NO, they like to have marshmellows and mini hotdogs on a toothpick! together...

Next eyeopener was trying to come up with some prizes that the couples could go home with after winning a couple of games that we will play, you know, something that would be considered romantic to enhance the marriage...candles we suggested...NO, they only use candles in "brown outs"...what about music CD's....NO, most people have no means to play music...Bambi suggested a small basket filled with coffee, sugars and creamers as this will be most useful and wanted. Great, we will go with that.

On to the tables and decorations...how we would love to have access to our round tables at the church building and our throw away tableclothes....good luck! They do have some tables, various shapes and sizes so we will get creative with this! They have such a workforce that all Debbie and I had to do was say what we want and Carmela will get her troops out into the city to try and find what we want....like "tealights"...flowers...these will be gathered from bushes around the city and candies....well, these are too expensive. (I wanted Hershey kisses for the tables but Carmela said they were too expensive...I am going to pick some up from the local market and scatter a few around the tables anyway so that I can share how special they are to me and my family and maybe instill a little romance!)

We will meet with JR,the church cook, and discuss menu today. This has been a fun project and will continue to be an enlightening one into the Philippine culture.

After this planning session, we had lunch at a local place and Debbie & I had fresh "Lumpia" which was like a burrito with fresh local vegetables inside(mostly a root vegetable alot like Jimica) and a semi-sweet sauce poured over top. This has been my favorite dish so far....and for desert we shared a Hola-Hola (Zach's fav) which was a shaved ice concoction with coconut and a "flan" on top....it was very good. I thought of you Zachary with every bite!

Afterwards we rode a "trike" to meet Loleit at a local hospital to meet and pray over the sick there. This is a ministry that she has done for 3 years now, going every wednesday, to pray for the sick. The first person we visited was a 6 yr. old boy, Jefferson, whose mother said my name when we walked into the room....WHAT...turns out, she remembered me from Sunday when we went out into the villages to do the "missions" . Their home was our first stop that day. Her son was hit by a van on Monday and has suffered some brain trama. It was such a God thing to have this "coincidence". We prayed and visited with him for quite awhile and by the time we left, we were graced with the ever slightest smile on his precious scraped up little face!

The next visit was with the parents of a 1 and a half month old baby boy sick with a fever. So tiny and fragile lying in an adult size bed. They were very receptive to us praying over him.

Next was a 59 yr. old woman, Norma, who was just this week diagnosed with bone cancer...please pray for her! Alot of her family was in the room with her and they too were very receptive to us praying for her and all came and stood around her bed with us as we prayed. After the prayer, I went to her bedside and took her hand and looked into her beautiful eyes for several seconds...seemed like a minute....I don't know what it was, but there was a connection there (Im glad I didnt start crying til I left her room) but I will remember Norma and continue to pray for her.

Last visit was to a 79 yr. old man, Arturo, with advanced crippling arthritis. He has been there for over a year. His english was quite good and we had a good visit and prayer with him. I went to shake his hand and he said, it doesnt work too good, I told him that it was just fine as I tried to put my hand in his and make it fit...Debbie did the same and then he asked her for a hug...hummm, I said, "Hey, dont I get a hug too" and of course he obliged!

Such a humbling experience and I thank God for it.

I am having some issues with swelling...hands and feet....must be the heat and standing/walking all day. I am drinking tons of water...any other suggestions? I've never had this before!

My love to all...more later

Me and Da Boyz and the MiniCab

whoa - yesterday was a tough one - we (me and da boyz - Mark Jo, Gilbert and Alley) - successfully extracted the engine and tranny from the "MiniCab". We let it drop on the ground and then we enlisted some philippino and american beef to help lift the minicab over the engine. We then spent the next several hours disassembling the engine and teaching the boys about motors and how to maintain them. We changed the oil in another car (toyota corolla) but couldn't get the oil filter off. "Pastor Jim" joined in and lent his strength to the matter as well, but we still couldn't budge the little filter. It must have been put on by a gorilla. Will try again today. We hope to change the oil, oil filter, fuel filter and air filter in 2 more vehicles today.
We need find a set of ramps and/or jack stands - versus rocks. Safety of my team is a real concern.

Today we will go thru a full lesson on vehicle maintenance - tires, oil, air, etc - in hopes that the young men can take over the tasks of vehicle maintenance and possibly start their own businesses - mobile oil changes.

Can't wait to try baloot - duck eggs with the duck embryo inside - I expect it to be a little crunchy but good.

Exhausted but very happy - Jake

Amazing Grace

Was privileged to hold a one week old baby girl today. Beautiful head of dark black hair and just as alert as you would ever want a newborn to be. Fe, her mother almost died last week giving birth to her due to internal bleeding but is doing fine now. We went to encourage her and pray over her. Her husband was not with her for the birth and will not meet his new daughter until December when he comes from Bahrain (where he is working) and take his family back there to live. Wish "candid camera" had been hiding when we were walking up to Fe's house because a dog came out around a corner to attack us and I jumped and screamed...luckily he was on a chain!! Thank you Lord!!

Debbie and I are working out the details on a "couples night" that Jake and I will host this Saturday night. Timothy wants to encourage the couples of the church to work on their marriages and make them a priority in their lives. We hope to try and create a romantic atmosphere for them, share some experiences, some humor and fun! Pray about this for me as those of you who know me well, know I do NOT like getting up in front of people AT ALL....God continues to stretch me...I may be so limber that when I return that I can take that Yoga class that I have been putting off!!

You all know it is rainy season here but God has blessed us today with NO rain...so far. It is 6:30pm and we have Praise and Prayer at 7:15 until about 9pm...so we don't have to be outside until we leave for dinner after 9pm. We have actually been blessed with the rain because it drowns the mosquitoes and cools off the temperature!

This is all for now oh faithful followers; thank you all for your constant prayers, we feel them so much and are so grateful! Love to all, Connie

Just a little R&R! :)

Well! Happy to report that after a wonderfully harrowing weekend, God allowed us some much needed R&R at a small beach area on the coast. Monday morning was beautiful, since the daily down pours usually hold off till afternoon. Connie and I took a long walk on the beach and debriefed from our mission experience on Sunday. Adam, Jake, Jim, Mariel and Tim swam in the China Sea and soaked up some sun. Bambi, in her delicate condition, sat under a shade tree and read. Nice to relax for a couple of hours! We had lunch at a small cafe seaside and then came the rain. I thought we would wait out the storm until Jake decided that he was a fish and took off toward the ocean to swim in the rain! Inspired, Adam followed at a full run and dived into the waves. Not to be left behind, Tim soon followed! Only Jim kept his sanity and remained dry. We women praised him for resisting peer pressure. :) Later, Connie and I attended a ladies cell group that met at 5:30, which of course had food (did I mention that these people eat all the time?!, I don't know how they stay so slim. :/). I was asked to share my testimony (which I have never formally done) and then the ladies asked us many questions about our faith and our marriages. Many of the women were single or widowed. We were happy to share our "wisdom" and amazed that they were so interested. We ended with a birthday cake (June, one of the widow ladies had a birthday), made from Ube (a sweet potato type local plant) which was purple and WONDERFUL!

Monday, we roughed it again (ha, ha) when we were invited to have breakfast and swimming/surfing at a local business owner's home whose name was Rey. His home was magnificent and he was very gracious. He had a beautiful infinity swimming pool that Connie, Adam, Mariel and I enjoyed while the men visited with Rey. It was rough, but someone had to do it! In the afternoon, Connie, Bambi and I visited a member that had almost died last week in child birth. Her name was Fe (Fay) and I was shocked at how healthy she looked and her level of activity. The baby (Rhoda) was precious and we prayed over them before we left. She was so touched and you would have thought we had given her a priceless gift (which in reality we did!). I am convicted to learn to appreciate better the value of intercessory prayer. I have witnessed God's movement as a direct result of prayer many, many times on this trip. It never ceases to thrill an amaze me. The church is planning a couples dinner on Saturday night which Jake and Connie have been asked to host. We did a planning meeting in the afternoon and are waiting at the center for Praise & Prayer at 7:15 this evening. Not expecting anything short of wonderful as these people truly love to praise and worship. Will fill you in later! Wish you all were here!

Debbie

Lizards, Cockroaches and Traffic! Oh my!

Hello followers!
This is my first time getting around to blogging. Sadly the internet is down at Tim and Bambi's so i am writing from an internet cafe across the street. I am having an absolutely life changing time. I am so very blessed to be part of my team and this mission. I am the baby of the trip so i am very well taken care of. Debbie and Connie are absolutely amazing substitute mommys. I am missing my real mommy though. I really don't know where to begin this report so i will begin by dispelling a few myths. Firstly, Roosters do not crow exclusively at the crack of dawn. NO, the crow at two in the morning, noon, midnight, dinner time, breakfast time etc. Also not all bugs are afraid of humans. The cockroach in my bathroom (please do not ask me how big it is) charged at me instead of running away. And finally i would like to dispel the myth that a third world country can not be one of the most charming places a person can be. I am hopelessly in love with this culture, from the food to the amazing people i have met. I will always hold the experiences i have had very close to my heart. ~Mariel

Where to begin

I don't even know how to start. The last few days have been amazing both in seeing God at work here and in God "stretching" me. We have witnessed such love and sharing among the church members and acceptance and hospitality from people we are trying to reach in the communities. WE have been in rain, thunder and lightening storms and have walked through and stood in water that I never dreamed I would even step in! Debbie and I were not in the same "missions" groups but went to the same area so I know that she shared with you all what we experienced...I wont go into detail here since she did.

Just let me say that I was sooo moved last night when we went back to the "center" (the church) and shared our experiences. There was a guy there, Robbie, an Irishman that Zach met when he was here 2 years ago. God arranged a meeting with Robbie and us at dinner a few nights ago. He had not been in the Philippines in 1 and a half years and yet, he shows up at a restaurant that we were at and remembered Tim and then thought he knew Jake and I...Tim said, well, these are Zacharys parents!! (Guess he saw Zach in us!!ha) We invited him to church and he came. He ended up staying at the church ALL day and going with a group on the missions outreach. He was so touched that he just about cried last night and said that he owed it all to Zachary. God is so good! Pray for his heart to continue to open to the Lord and to transform him as He has so many others here.

I wish you could all experience what we are. Emotions are all over the place...we can not process all we have seen. My heart has been broken and mended and broken again. To all the moms reading this...love and hug your children every chance you get. There are so many children here that are starving for love. We are doing our best to give all we can. My hug bank is overflowing.
To all you dads out there reading this....hug your daughters. Love on them through their growing up years, dont be afraid to hug them and show them the love you feel. They need that reassurance. We have seen and heard about so many girls that have no father figure or have a father that abuses them or totally neglects them. God is loving them when their earthly father doesnt. And He is doing it in a mighty way...we see it, they see it and feel it. Praise God!!

Forever Changed!

Hi All! Internet has been down at Tim's for the last two days so I am behind in my daily blogging. So much has happened, I don't know where to begin. Saturday teen worship service was amazing! I am so impressed by the overall spiritual maturity of these kids. They all work in the church in big and small ways, everyone has a job no matter how young. They all share their testimony and are quick to give all glory to God. Adam and Mariel spoke and I could not have been more proud. We prayed that God would touch their lips and speak His word into their hearts and He came through in a BIG way. Adam brought the message, Mariel read the Word and they both sang as Adam played the guitar. The teens here loved them and they (like most kids do) bonded and have become great friends. Adam was asked to join the praise and worship band that would play at both Sunday services. He played the bongo drums and enjoyed it immensely! He was very comfortable and hopes to play with them often. Tim asked him to speak again next Saturday, but I am not sure he is comfortable doing that. I hope Mariel will go ahead and accept the offer to speak as Adam will help her with the musical part of the service.

Jim gave an amazing message on fatherhood which was well received by all. He and Jake prayed over all the father's in the congregation personally. It was very moving and the men were touched.

We spent most of the rest of the afternoon in fellowship with the members (eating of course! Man, do these people eat!) and getting to know them better. Later, we divided up and went out on mission's to various parts of the city. Connie and I were on separate teams that each went to the very poor coastal area's. I was teamed with 4 other members (one adult, Ima and 4 kids, Desiree, Lanie, Henry). We took the churches newly donated "minicab" which needs much work. The exhaust spewed into the back to the point of making me ill. We were unable to open the windows due to the torrential storm we were traveling in. The streets were flooded and our student driver thought he was Mario Andretti and could use a few lessons in working the clutch. I must admit, I truly feared for my life. Never so glad to arrive at any destination until we got out of the van.

We went to a small village area called San Augustine. I have never personally witnessed such poverty. We walked in ankle deep water that had God only knows what in it. The allies we walked were very narrow, muddy and only one person could pass at a time. My umbrella did little to keep me dry and my flip flops offered no protection from the polluted water. I was in a sun dress from church, which was soon soaked. I walked with my arm around a young girl of 14, named Desiree. She quickly became my guide and right hand girl. She was very shy at first, but lots of hugs, smiles and words of encouragement soon won her over and we became fast friends for life.

The "homes" were mere hovels of scrap metal. One room, if you could call it that, no electricity, no indoor plumbing, no appliances, no furniture, no lights or windows. They cooked on a small propane like open flame in old metal pots. The children ran in the ran and I was told that is how they bathe. The adults were curious of me with my light hair and eyes, but all were shyly friendly. The children were shy at first, but soon warmed up as I started taking their pictures. They became "ham's" quickly and loved to see their photo's on the camera screen. Soon we were fast friends and I was a celebrity! :) I did nothing more than pray over the mother's (which was well received), smile till my face felt frozen, speak words of love to the children and give lots and lots of hugs. The children love to be hugged and kept coming back over and over for hugs. No telling what I was hugging as they were all dirty and most likely lice infested. But, it was worth any risk and I can't wait to go again next Sunday!

We arrived back at the church and each team reported their success, numbers and all in all God had a big win today. We sang praises, laughed and prayed. Each of our team shared our thoughts and feelings with the group and we closed in prayer and thanksgiving for such a successful harvest. Satan tried to stop our efforts through the storm, which was severe and frightening, but God had other plans and His protective hand kept all safe and sound. I cannot express how grateful I am to all of you who gave me this opportunity. I will forever be changed! I already can't wait to return and hope that many of you will join me. I have so much share and am still trying to process everything. Much more to come! Love and miss you all. Please continue to keep us in prayer for health, safety and God's glory! Debbie

First Video Clip

Here's a link to a video clip uploaded to YouTube.com. More blogging to come!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZPAP9QEfAk

Show me your glory!

Day two began much the same as day one, a wonderful breakfast after a great nights sleep. Prayerfully the jet lag (which was minimal) is over and my body has adjusted to the 12 hour time change. I give the glory to God for that as in the past even 3 hours set me back for days.

Our mission today was to "walking prayer" as Tim calls it in the San Fernando town square. He asked us to walk around a set perimeter of the town center and pray for specific strongholds that need to be broken in this city. Homosexuality is very open and prevalent, the government is corrupt and the families are broken. Most are not saved or open to the gospel. Adam and Mariel walked together. Jake, Connie and I were a prayer team and Jim set out solo. We walked and prayed for about an hour. It was amazing to see so many people just sitting around the town square. Unemployment is great here. Of course, we stood out like sore thumbs but took advantage of the attention to draw interest to our mission. We did not pray out loud but Jake, Connie and I did take turns praying while seated around a play area. We prayed quietly and drew curious glances from adults and stares from the kids. Most smiled at us and I hope they felt our prayers on their behalf.

After that we went back to the center for a delicious lunch prepared by a young man who has dreams of becoming a great chef. We debriefed and shared what we felt God led us to pray for. When we finished we went to the Botanical Gardens to spend time listening to God and praying. Thinking this trip out of town would be quick and uneventful proved to be a mistake! The "minicab" that we were in literally blew up and left us stranded halfway up the mountain in a desolate, poorly inhabited area. Not to be swayed from our mission and knowing Satan was behind this, we finished the last mile on foot. Oh, did I mention that it started storming and pouring down rain. :( I truly thought after yesterday that I had reached my peak of sweating, but much to my surprise and discomfort, I was wrong! Wet, hot and REALLY sweaty we reached an oasis called the Science Center and found shelter. We waited out the rain in song, prayer and personal Bible study then on the gardens. They were a true picture of God's amazing creativity and handy work. We walked to a quiet spot then sat and shared what God spoke to each of us during our quiet time and then closed with prayer.

Our next venture was various cell groups. Connie and I visited the women in a very small, poor area of San Fernando to attend their cell group. I am humbled to admit that it was not I who taught these women, but they who taught me. The spiritual maturity of these Filipino brethren is truly breathtaking and surprising. They are truly spiritual giants whose lives are wholly devoted to Christ. I am learning much from these gentle, hard working, loving people and am increasingly honored to be serving here. Well, tomorrow starts at 6 a.m. and am praying for a good nights sleep. Adam preached his first sermon tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. and I could not be more proud. Adam and Mariel are proving to be great assets and eager to serve. This is proving to be a life changing experience for all so stay tuned!

Love to all, Debbie

Day 2

hey everyone! We have had a very full day already and it isnt even 1pm yet! This morning we went to the city 'center' and walked around the plaza and prayed about whatever God put on our hearts. Timothy asked us to be mindful of the people we passed and to pray for the government here. The people here are truly beautiful and everyone likes to wave and smile at us.
We went to the church building to share our experiences and talk about what we prayed about and then we were served lunch. Some of the church members prepared us a typical philipino meal of "mungo' and rice and it was really yummy. It was a mixture of beans sort of like lentils, onions, leaves and small bits of pork. We had fresh mango's (the best i have ever had), and other fruit. This afternoon we are off to a botanical park to read the word and pray in preparation for the various 'cell groups" we will be a part of tonight. There we will share what God showed us in the word and also our testimonies.
last night, Jake and I went to a cell group out away from the main city....walked at least 2 miles to get to the area through the country side, through rice fields, past oxen, chickens, goats and many dogs. The children were precious and loved singing to the Lord, playing games, reading his word and having a snack. We gave them all some little tubes of toothpaste, some toys and some flipflops! One little boy was totally facsinated with his Dinosaur toy from mcDonalds!! (Thank you Vincent!)...love to all

Day One And All Is Well!

Well, it's 10:00 pm on Thursday, June 17 and we just recently arrived back to Tim and Bambi's wonderfully cool apartment. The weather was very hot and humid today (surprise, surprise!) and I think I lost 5 lbs. from sweat. Tim "took it easy" on us today :/. After waking up to an amazing breakfast prepared by Bambi and two of the teen girls from the Center (that's what they call the church here, will explain later), we took off to the local mall to pick up a few needed items (snacks!) and then went over the the local High School to meet the team that runs the campus ministry there and to meet the principal of the school. She is the powers that be for this very important ministry and Tim wanted her to know how important their good standing is to him and the church. She was very gracious and accepted an invitation to join us for lunch sometime next week. The local teens were VERY interested in us. We were somewhat of a freak show with our light skin, hair and eyes. Most probably have never seen anyone with blond hair and blue eyes. They were like little puppies, so sweet and affectionate. My heart really goes out to them. So many come from broken and/or abusive homes. They are truly wonderful, loving people and so gracious and kind. After that we have lunch at Pizza Hut! :) Best meal in days! Ate like a pig knowing it may be my last edible meal of the day. After lunch we went to the Center, which is awesome. Met many more teens and young adults. So amazing how in love they are with Christ and how focused on mission (local and global) they are yet so young. Truly contagious! Adam and I were invited to accompany two young women (Kari and Kay) who were conducting a "cell group" with children in the community. I have not often seen such poverty, yet the kids were happy and very curious and affectionate to both of us. We played games, sang worship songs (in Togala, their native language, which was truly humorous for me and Adam!) and witnessed Kay (who is new to the Lord and still searching) conduct her first Bible lesson with the kids. She told me after that she had been nervous, especially with us there. It was a wonderful opportunity to encourage and love on her. She truly is gifted and her heart is seeking. She suffers from depression and given the struggles in my own family I know God placed me with her today. He is soooo amazingly wise! Being immersed in His Kingdom work here leaves me humbled and honored. I am teary now just posting His amazing events of this day. I wish you all could be here with us to experience probably the most life changing work of my life. I am looking forward to what the rest of the trip brings and ready to serve! We ended our day having dinner by the beach and I watched God's handiwork in the most beautiful sunset. What a wonderful God we serve! Praise, glory and honor are His forever.

Arrived Safely!

Hello from San Fernando, la Union, Philippines! After nearly 48 hours of travel, we are all settled in awoke early to a new Thursday morning. All travel by car, train, van, bus, and planes was on-time and smooth transitions from one to the next. Tim & Bambi Warden are wonderful hosts and several young people from the church were (and are) on the scene to assist us with getting ready to move around the area. Tim thought it best for us to use the morning as some down time, but we should be off to a cell group meeting this afternoon.

Yes, it's hot! But, being the rainy season, we were blessed with a fair day yesterday and so far again today. But that can change quickly. We are 12 hours difference in time zones, so when it's 8:40am here, then it's 8:40pm at home. We at a local mall on the way here and definitely were the center of attention as we strolled through with many eyes turning our way as these strangers passed by.

Expect to hear form others on the team soon. We already have many stories to tell!
Jim

FCoC
Missions Moment
Sunday, June 13, 2010


Our congregation’s tag line is “Seeking to know Him; Seeking to make Him Known”. With that as a backdrop, our small congregation is sending a team to the Philippines to help in making Him known. We are going with the intent to serve in whatever capacity is necessary to assist the mission work there.

Each one of you is traveling with us on this mission. You have participated through the coin cans, purchasing the cook books, purchasing Frederick Farkel games, contributing items to the garage sales, through direct contributions and other means. This trip is budget neutral meaning that not any of the money for this trip is coming out of the church budget. Thank you from the team for this.

The team:
Mariel Phister
Adam Newcomer
Debbie Newcomer
Jim Denison
Connie MacLeod
Jake MacLeod

We will leave Monday morning
Train to NYC (4 hours)
Bus to JFK (1 Hour)
Korean Air to Seoul SK (14 Hours 20 Min)
Layover in Seoul (4:30)
Korean Air to Manilla (4 hours)
Van from Manilla to San Fernando La Union (5 Hours)

When do we get there? Some time next year…

Blog: - Jim - great job

Prayer – Please continue to cover us in prayer

Going with Us in Prayer

It's Sunday morning! Tomorrow our team of six will load up and start the journey to San Fernando, Philippines. (Personally, it's curious that in the first place I worked years ago as a missionary [Trinidad, West Indies], part of my ministry was teaching in a school in a city by the same name, San Fernando.) Our team has been praying that God is already preparing many people for us to meet and share the good news of Jesus with.

But on this Sunday morning, we have asked our whole church family to join us on the journey through prayer. Pray for us and, more importantly, for the people among whom we will be serving the next two weeks. Pray that:

• God will open a door for our message, that we may tell the good news of Jesus clearly (Colossians 4:3)
• Whenever we open our mouths, words will be given to us so we will fearlessly make known what Christ has done for us and the forgiveness He eagerly and freely wants everyone to receive (Ephesians 6:19)
• The message of the Lord, in the short time we have, may spread rapidly and be honored (2 Thessalonians 3:1)

Thanks for joining us on the journey!

Counting Down!

4 days and counting down! All the planning, hard work, prayers and prep are finally coming to fruition. I've been spending alot of time in prayer this week that God's Spirit will fill each team member with His power and Word to work and speak boldly. I pray for a great harvest in the Philippines! I would ask that you all would also pray for that and our safety and health as well. I know God has great plans for each of us and can't wait to see what they are! Will stay in touch as often as I can through this blog. Love you all and thanks again for all your support!

Making a list...

I can't believe the time has come to start gathering supplies and packing the suitcases...we leave on Monday, June 14th and once we leave my house at 10a.m., we will not be done with our travel until Wednesday, June 16th around 6-7pm local time in the Philippines...whew...
Pray for safe travels and that we can all get some sleep on the planes.
We get to San Fernando, La Union, Philippines via car, train, bus, 2 planes (1st is 13 hour flight and 2nd is a 5 hour flight) and then finally by car to the Wardens.
I am excited to be there and meet another part of our christian family; to work with them and see firsthand what all the Lord is doing there!

The Countdown is On!!!

Hello everyone!
Welcome to the official place for news and updates from the Frederick Church of Christ 1010 Philippines Missions Team. The trip officially begins June 14 when we depart by train from Baltimore to New York City to catch our flight from JFK International Airport at 12:50am, just barely into June 15. We'll be flying Korean Airlines, first to Seoul, South Korea to transit then on to Manila, the Philippines capital, arriving the morning of July 16 local date/time. We'll be met by Tim & Bambi Warden who will have driven 5 hours from San Fernando to pick us up, only to make the return trip with us in tow. The trip ends July 1 with our return to Frederick basically in the reverse order of our travels to the Philippines.

Our purpose is to assist and serve the thriving church Tim & Bambi started a few years ago in any way we can; to share the love of Jesus and good news about Christ to as many as we can; and to encourage the local church family there so they know they have brothers & sisters in Jesus that love them and pray for them daily from literally the opposite side of the earth. You can check out our schedule at http://www.google.com/calendar/hosted/christian.com.ph/embed?src=christian.com.ph_6rnvlrjl7q2949qd0o4ojl8b48@group.calendar.google.com&ctz=Asia/Manila It's a full schedule with many planned events but all with plenty of room to allow God's leading.

Here you can read updates (hopefully daily ones) from one or all of our six-person team. The team consists of: Jake & Connie MacLeod, Debbie Newcomer, Adam Newcomer, Mariel Pfister, & Jim Denison. We'd like to thank everyone in our church family and many elsewhere who have helped to make this mission trip possible through direct gifts, saving & giving spare change, bringing aluminum cans and other recyclable items to sell, donations to yard sales, purchasing Frederick Cooks! cookbooks, Cat's Meows of the FCOC church building, & Frederick Farkel games (all of which are still available for purchase - they make wonderful gifts!). This trip would not have been possible without the generosity of so many. Thanks!!!

So now we're gathering our supplies, packing our bags, still learning lots and asking many questions about the country and its people, and even trying to learn some phrases in the local language. Please keep us in your prayers as we prepare to leave and visit the blog when you can. We look forward to sharing our observations, thoughts, experiences, and feelings, especially many stories about the wonderful people we will meet.