May
12
2012
We just finished a great week of camp with the teens from our church! The theme was Facing the Giants, Who is Your Goliath? Throughout the week we heard some great preaching on th
e giants of fear, pride, and public opinion. By the weeks end seven teens trusted the Lord as their Savior and others made decisions about their own personal giants. The devil fought hard to disrupt the week but the Lord still worked in the lives of the young people despite it all. We made a lot of good memories and Elizabeth and I really enjoyed participating in camp! At the end of the week I had to face one of my own giants, balut! I’ve never really liked the boiled fertilized egg but somehow there I was, standing in front of the whole camp holding the crunchy egg. Two other Americans were next to me examining their own balut. I tried to eat it in one big bite but that strategy didn’t work…I won’t go into the details but lets just say it was a failed attempt. I couldn’t get my wife to try one but perhaps she was smart. We had a lot of fun this week and really enjoyed seeing the Lord work in hearts! When it was finally time to take the kids home we had another interesting developement; our jeepney broke down! Having your one and only jeepney give out during camp is a major problem but thankfully some of the other churches let us borrow their vehicles. As a result I ended up driving for the very first in the Philippines. Our journey began in the mountains so traffic wasn’t terrible…until we got into the city. I think I scared the teens a few times. Right before we started for home several teens asked me, “You sure you know how to drive Pastor Chris?”. Praise the Lord, after getting lost and just barely avoiding a couple of motorcycles we made it home safe and sound! That was an experience all on its own but I think it gave me a little more confidence about driving here in Cebu.
May
4
2012
We signed the contract for our house this week! After traveling on the road for a couple years we’re really looking forward to putting some roots down. It’s a cute little three bedroom home so we have room for you if you want to visit! Funny thing is there is no bathroom but they’re working on that right now. The lady that we’re renting from has been very kind and let us make some necessary changes, like adding a bathroom. We don’t want to put a lot of money into the house because we are just renting it and we hope to someday buy a home, Lord willing. At this point we’re just thrilled to finally have our own place! I think Elizabeth is counting down the days until we move in. June 1st is moving day, and we praise the Lord for helping us find a place so quickly.
Apr
28
2012
Well, we’re back in Cebu and we’re quickly finding our niche in the ministry here at North Cebu Baptist Church. Seven new visitors came from our brand new target area and of those seven one mother made a profession of salvation! We’re also excited to be involved in the Extension Classes the church has on Saturdays. These backyard bible schools give us the opportunity to go into an area, set up chairs, and teach the local children about the Bible. This is also a great way for the parents to hear the gospel! Summer has been a busy time for us here in Cebu and in just one week we’ll be in the middle of camp! Please continue to keep that in your prayers as we encourage the kids to go. We also ask for your prayers as we try to finalize our housing situation. It looks like we found our first first home! We will be renting and hope to move in on June 1st. These are exciting times for us as we settle in our new home!
Apr
19
2012
Momma Mila meets Abbie for the first time!
After finally setting up our temporary home in Cebu, Elizabeth and I found ourselves on a plane headed for Manila. Summer is a very busy time here and we were about to experience our first camp in the Philippines! Two years ago, we met Pastor Nemual Lesada while we were on our survey trip. He and his family were very helpful to us during our stay and soon became our friends. It was also during that time that I visited my mother. It had been two years since I had last seen her so what a blessing to finally be with her again. When we visited her in her home it soon became clear to me that she needed to move and find a better place to work. It just so happened that Pastor Lesada had mentioned to me that they needed a cook for their brand new camp. Praise the Lord, only He could time things so perfectly! Now, two years later I was returning to speak at that camp and see my mother in her new home. Keep in mind that this would also be the first time that my mom would get to see Abigail. What a truly special moment for us! I was also blessed to see my mom in such good hands. The church there in Manila has greatly helped my mom both physically and spiritually. Elizabeth and I enjoyed spending our first week of camp with them. I preached twice in Tagalog and the juniors seemed to respond well. My mind is quickly grasping the language again but I still need a lot of help! Sixteen children got saved throughout the week and many more made some great decisions. What an encouragement to see God work in the Philippines. Elizabeth and I still have two more weeks of camp to go this summer in Cebu so please keep that in your prayers! The people here may have a completely different culture but they still have the same spiritual, emotional, and physical needs as people in the States. Only God can change their hearts and show them a better path!
Apr
10
2012
Things have been busy as we settle into this beautiful country. Our time here has almost added up to one month and we’re still adjusting to the new culture and climate. Right now we’re in the middle of the Philippine summer and temperatures can easily rise to almost a hundred degrees with humidity. Back home this would be enough to keep most people in their homes but here it is a daily part of life that the people have learned to live with. Abigail is adjusting well and loves her new surroundings. Her blue eyes and light colored hair have made her a tiny celebrity. She has been a great conversation starter with different people as we travel on public transportation. I think she would make a great soul winning partner! Easter came and with it, Holy week, one of the biggest holidays in the Philippines. It’s a time when people take vacation and celebrate…and almost nothing can be done throughout the week. I was reminded of this when I went to get our P.O. Box address and the only lady who could give me the address had taken a vacation to China and wouldn’t be back for several days. Yes, we’re still acclimating to the new pace of our new home. Praise the Lord we’re finally here! There are some frustrations but what a blessing to finally be in Cebu.
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