Paid in Full! We are excited to report that our van has been completely paid off! Our thanks go out to those who prayed and sent money to help us purchase this vehicle! So many of you went above and beyond in your giving and we feel so blessed. Thank you for investing in our family, our ministry, and the lives of the children we pick up!
Say What????
Living in a third world country means you will experience some very unusual moments. Sometimes they will make you cringe or laugh. But then there are times….you will just watch in shock and wish that you had NOT just seen that! It was a Saturday afternoon and like most Saturdays I went out visiting people, hoping to talk about Christ. During that time I met two ladies, a grandmother and her daughter. We began to talk and nothing seemed unusual…until I noticed their adorable baby. I remarked how cute the newborn was and immediately the mom spat on her baby. I tried to hide my shock as she continued the conversation like nothing happened. The baby was very sweet so it wasn’t long before I complimented her again. This time grandma got in on the action and spat on the baby! By this time I felt like I was causing the problem and asked why in the world were they spitting on their baby!? As it turns out Filipinos believe that when someone compliments their baby a curse has been placed on the little one. It was almost like I “jinxed” the baby’s good luck and somehow spitting on the baby took away the curse….not sure how that works. After hearing this I told them, “Well, if that’s the case, please don’t spit on your baby! I promise I won’t do it again!” Yep…Just another day living in a third world country…
Our Landlord, on the right
Thank the Lord for miracles, small and great! As we serve the Lord at North Cebu Baptist Church, we have tried to be a light outside the church as well-to people close to home. Our neighborhood has watched us settle in and commit ourselves to the Lord. They quit asking us about our destination when we leave home and smile, “Going to church again?” We love our landlord. She is a sweet lady who has completely devoted her life to Catholicism. Like so many people living in Cebu she wonders what makes a Baptist different from a Catholic. Over time we have tried to show her Christ’s words, “I am the way…No man cometh unto the Father BUT BY ME.” and “Not by works of righteousness which we have done…” it is by Christ’s work alone that we can go to heaven someday. After living here almost two years our landlord shocked us by attending our “I Love Jesus” Valentine Banquet. It was a joy to have her in church! During the service she heard a clear presentation of the gospel. We can only thank God for this tiny miracle and pray that she will be saved!
This year we hosted NCBC’s Hearts Day Teen Banquet. It was a great reminder for the teens that you can have fun in church! When the big day finally arrived we had 46 teenagers in attendance! Personally, I enjoy Valentines Day. Not only is it my birthday, but now I also enjoy it as a husband. It’s a wonderful thing to celebrate love in this harsh world but my greatest joy in celebrating this holiday is remembering God’s love. How can we understand true love until we see it in Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross? That is a love that gives all…that is true love. Our teen night was filled with fun games and crazy skits but overall it was a night that we used to emphasize the love of Christ.