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The Latest News |
| 12/12/2024 | COMING UP (furlough visits): Please pray for our brother Bud in New York, who has complications after knee surgery. Praise God that this past Sunday Elvie & I shared during Friday's JOY (Just Older Youth) Senior Citizen's Christmas festival/luncheon, and also on Sunday at the same church (Calvary Bibel Church) in Yorktown Heights, New York. The JOY group raised $425 for backpacks for BCA students for their upcoming Christmas celebration! Praise God also that our daughter Abby performed well in singing and playing the French horn during Moody Bible Institute's annual "Carols by Candlelight" and also a few days later, when she sang on stage during Moody's weekly chapel meeting. Praise God too that many donors gave through Christian Aid Mission during October and November for the following: $500 for Bibles, $51.80 for BCA's new multipurpose building, $400 to build benches for the community's outdoor basketball court, $45 to rescue near-death children through BCA's Emergency Medical Fund, $7,510.50 to sponsor students' tuition & other expenses while schooling, $948.20 for helping Filipinos in floods, earthquakes, fires and other disasters, $81 for family rice for destitute kids, $72 for BCA's Free lunch program, $1,026.80 to pay for the car's new battery and alternator which stopped working while in the hurricane in Georgia this past September. Total: $10,635.30 Thank you! "Sing like you MEAN it!" As Elvie & I watched the on her cellphone, BCA's orphans back in the Philippines sang to us the Christmas song, "We Are the Reason the He gave His Life". The children were to perform the next Sunday at our main church on the mainland. Also, the teachers at the Barner Christian Academy sent a video of the hundreds of students practicing. Their performance will be this next Wednesday. Filipinos love to dance, laugh and sing, and there is sure to be lots of all three on the Christmas performance, when the kids also receive their gifts. The teachers too, the next day when they have their Christmas party and also their Christmas bonuses! Speaking of students, Leah has once more received top honors for her island-wide competitive performances in the Arts and literature. And BCA's Teacher Jannah, amidst all the practices, managed to squeeze in some intellectual teaching as well for her 1st graders. Each Monday starts off with the weekly Teachers' devotional before the kids arrive and flag raising begins. The devotional leader this week was Teacher Cresty. Her topic was, "True Happiness is only found in Serving Jesus!" Jannah's first subject of the day was "Cleanliness". She began, "Students, name some good hygienic practices." Paulene raised her hand. "Taking a bath is a practice of good hygiene, Teacher Janna." Correct. Next was Gilbert. "Another is brushing your teeth." Again, correct. Athena mentioned, "Not just brushing your teeth, but brushing your hair, too." Gilbert quipped, "But not with the same brush!" After the laughter died down, Teacher Jannah then asked, "Jen, why again is proper hygiene important?" Jen's answer was so that we won't get sick. Immediately a fly buzzed around Athens' nose and she sneezed. Gilbert said, "I told you not to brush your teeth with your hairbrush!" Jannah continued, "Uncleanliness often breeds harmful bacteria. When that bacteria infects us, we get sick. How is this an analogy to our Spiritual lives?" Gilbert quipped, "Don't read your Bible with a toothbrush." Jannah could see that Gilbert was on a roll with his joke, which was getting old. So, she continued, "Good manners and good hygiene are similar to good Spiritual practices. When you read the Bible, pray and go to church every Sunday, you will have a cleaner life because the harmful bacteria of sin will be seen for what it is, and it is dirty." Jannah then asked her students to hold up their hands. "Every finger reminds us of a good spiritual hygiene practice. Why not tell the class of a good practice when I point to a finger? She then held up her THUMB. Paulene said, "Take a bath." Jannah then pointed to her POINTER finger. Gilbert said, "Brush your teeth…with a toothbrush." Jannah then pointed to her INDEX finger. Athena answered, "Brush your hair…with a hairbrush." Jannah then pointed to her RING finger. Jen said, "Wash your hands…with a washcloth and soap and water." Jannah then held last finger, the PINKY. Chandria couldn't resist. "Blow your nose, but not with a hairbrush or toothbrush, but with a Kleenex!" To which the class in unison responded, "Eeewwww!" The students then made an outer circle & an inner circle in pairs around the classroom. They discussed the "Kalinisansa Katawan" (Good Hygeine) lesson. The pairs were numbered, so when each corresponding pair was called upon, they shared with the class the things they had discussed about good hygiene. Classes progressed through out the day. An hour before the busses were called, Jannah tackled Mathematics. "In our final lesson for today, we'll be measuring length using non-standard units. I have prepared hundreds of popsicle sticks, which will be used as non-standard units. Group yourselves now into teams of five students each, and on a rotation, measure the following: your chair, table, blackboard, window and door. Measure each object by the number of popsicle sticks." The class did well and its evaluations all matched. However, Jannah called upon Gilbert and asked, "If the entire class used popsicle sticks to measure with, and one member used something else, would their findings be identical?" Gilbert answered correctly, "No." Jannah expected Gilbert to reply, "…because not everything is the same length as a popsicle stick." But instead, he said virtually the same thing when he quipped, "because a popsicle stick is much shorter than Athena's toothbrush!" Until next time… Let the islands…rejoice! Link for credit card donations: https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/6118435 TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: Present Need: $300.81 for: BCA Bus "Fi": $71 renewal of annual registration, BCA Bus "Lx": $229.81 for 80.274 gallons of gasoline. 3 Ongoing Construction Projects: Upcoming (General) Schedule: December, 2024-December, 2025: Paul & Elvie's 2024/2025 USA Speaking/Visiting tour: (tentative) BCA students' 2024 Christmas backpacks: This Christmas, 600 BCA kids will receive joy-filled* BCA Backpacks! NEEDED: $20 x 600 = $12,000. Received: $1,480. *joy-filled: Christmas t-shirts, stuffed animals, school supplies, Gospel tracts & scrumptious holiday food! Preaching themes by month for Davao Church: December: ADVENT/CHRISTMAS |
Churches, Schools & "Safe House" (orphanage): Barner Christian Academy: PHILS: PO Box 82,224 Davao City, Philippines 8000. USA: 18 (or #5) Eileen Drive, Rensselaer, NY 12144 OUR ACTIVE MINISTRIES: Abby- Student Moody Bible Institute PJ- Minister of Music Auburn Alliance Church (NY) Elvie- DEXCOM for CAMACOP MDD, Senior Principal at BCA, Sunday School teacher Paul- Senior Pastor at FAF church, President at BCA, President of PMBMI, 70.3-Ironman Triathlete Paul & Elvie- Paul & Elvie- Founders & Directors of FHF orphanage, Board members at FAF church. Rev. Paul, Elvie, PJ and Briana, & Abigail Barner Philippine cell# (977) 735-8714 PAUL; (838) 202-9437- ELVIE |
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| 12/5/2024 | 83rd Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (12/7/1941). Happy newborn birth-day, Azariah Barner! (12/5/24) COMING UP (furlough visits): Please pray for Baby Azariah, the healthy & happy newborn baby of our son PJ & his wife Briana. His birth-day was Thursday, December 5, after 34 hours of labor! Whew! You go, Bri! Thank you, Lord! They arrived home from the hospital to "HAPPY BIRTHDAY AZARIAH!" signs & lots of deep blue balloons which we had blown up for the occasion. Please pray also for a few young boys whose have lost their dad & their mom cannot care for them. So, she requested to have BCA'S orphanage care for them until she gets back onto her feet. Praise God that this past Sunday Elvie & I shared during Sunday School at DeHaven Baptist Church in LaGrange, Kentucky. The pastor also had the congregation pray over us & our ministry in Asia. We gave to some in the church gifts from the Philippines, since many have been sponsoring BCA students over the years. We also met up with Elinor, a friend who has been on past missions trips to Davao! While staying with Flo, a dear 91-yr old friend, & her sister Donna, we also packed up 3 boxes of stuffed animals & books which we had gathered in Indiana & were transporting on the roof of the car, through the states of IN, IL, WI & KY. Flo is storing these boxes in her garage until some members from the Indiana church arrive with the rest of the shipment to send out all 7 boxes by the end of the year. Praise God too that on this furlough, these past 4 months, we have already clocked 10,000 miles on the "new" used car we purchased after we'd landed in the USA this past August. "Welcome to Wisconsin!" Our family has passed through every one of the 50 United States, except Wisconsin & Alaska. But now that is down to 1, as just over a week ago Elvie & I picked up our daughter Abigail during her Thanksgiving break at college in Chicago, driving her up across the border to Wisconsin. Since our son PJ was waiting with his wife Briana in NY for their 1st child to be born, he was not with us. Yet the 3 of us on the road were able, before driving Abby back to campus, to check off "state #49!" PJ & Bri also represented us at the annual Thanksgiving family gathering in NY, & even built a snowman & had a snowball fight. Meanwhile in WI, we also saw our first snow in 3 years! While traveling, since the 600 sponsors of our BCA students are scattered across the USA, we are often able to stop-in & chat with these kids' supporters. Delightful people have shared lasagna, Chinese food, & lots of other goodies (like blackberry pie!), en route. Meanwhile across the ocean in the "Land of no-snow" BCA's "Go-to secretary" Doris bounded down the stairs of Barner Christian Academy for her meeting with the BCA bus drivers. One of the preschoolers was scratched-up when she fell down the steps of the bus (she is healing up now), so Doris hosted a makeshift "passenger safety course" which included re-scheduling the parents to occupy each vehicle to help the kids get in & out of the buses. The scheduling was a challenge, since then first bus runs begin at 6am, until the last morning run from Communal/Indangan at 7. Doris checked the attendance records to be sure nobody got left behind, as she also checked the temperatures & sprayed alcohol on the hundreds of students' hands as they arrived. Next-up were the other parents of the students…those who were not "conductors" on the buses were helping to straighten-up the classrooms to prepare for the students. Doris had a checklist of which parents were assigned to do what chores on which days & in which classrooms & hallways. Since many parents also have their own employment, Doris scheduled everyone in such a way that nobody had to put in too many chores each week. Whew. Just when she felt she was about done with the day, her cellphone alarm went off…the 2-minute warning that the end-of-day bell was about to ring. She rushed downstairs to arrange the bus drivers for their "back-home" runs. As the last bus shoved-off, she watched the smiling faces of the students, knowing that they would be safely loaded & unloaded with no mishaps. A job well done, Doris. Now about tomorrow… Until next time… TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: A. PJ's Late Night Worship Master list - PJ Barner: actor · singer · director. YouTube: #300-201: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26FzOhEZ3k41BCzNbiSZ-qw2 B. #400-301: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26EAnhq36C3vdyKCuYefKUop Ptl- after speaking at a church recently, an anonymous person slipped $1000 (in cash) into my coat pocket, to help pay for construction of a $4,000 8th grade classroom at BCA! 2024 BCA Christmas theme: Confronting in God's Discipline Present Need: $291 for BCA "Bus L" $5 sure brake & $24 check of wiring, BCA "Bus M": $24 -labor/mechanic & $3 -flat cord & $4 -tire repair & $1-auto wire & $1 -bolt& $8 -rubber caps & $2 -bulb/bulb socket & $1 -electrical tapes & $2 -brake fluid & $1 -sand paper & $5 -engine oil & $2 -led lamp & $8 -fog lamp, BCA "Bus N" $10 gasoline & (top overhaul materials spare parts) $21 1 gal. Castrol oil & $16 -bearing & $2 -distributor cap & $8 -oil filter & $13 -suspension arm, & $7 spark plug cable & -$11 spark plug & $23 -gear oil & $5 -fan blade & $7 -shock absorber & $5 -sure brake fluid & $6 -rubber caps & $2 -fuse &- $3 silicon gasket & $3 -tire wrench & $7 -engine support & $6 -tension bearings & $4 -clutch cable & $20 -fuel pump & $13 -hose flex & $4 -kerosene for washing the spare parts. Three Ongoing Construction Projects: Upcoming (General) Schedule: December, 2024-December, 2025: Paul & Elvie's 2024/2025 USA Speaking/Visiting tour: (tentative) BCA students' 2024 Christmas backpacks: This Christmas, 600 BCA kids will receive joy-filled* BCA Backpacks! NEEDED: $20 x 600 = $12,000. Received: $1,440. *joy-filled: Christmas t-shirts, stuffed animals, school supplies, Gospel tracts & scrumptious holiday food! Preaching themes by month for Davao Church: November: ESCHATOLOGY, December: ADVENT/CHRISTMAS |
| 11/28/2024 | Happy USA Thanksgiving! (11/28/24). Philippine Hero, Andrés Bonifacio Day "The Father of the Philippine Revolution" 11/30/24 COMING UP (furlough visits): Please pray for Lydia, a young professional considering volunteering in 2026 as parent-aide liaison at Barner Christian Academy. Praise God that this past Wednesday & Sunday Elvie, & I shared at the morning worship service at Arlington United Methodist Church in Bloomington, Indiana. We gave many in the church gifts from the Philippines, since quite a few have been sponsoring BCA students over the years. On Sunday, The men's group at church also decided to sponsor a child. Plus, the church donated hundreds of children's books for BCA's library, categorized by grade level! And also hundreds of stuffed animals for the students' Christmas (we give away 600 every year). "The shopping cart is overflowing…" While visiting friends in Missouri, Elvie & I joined them in a pre-Thanksgiving food pantry…food giveaway. Their church had a semi-truckload of groceries waiting to be packed, and had approved over 300 cars to come by & each load into their cars an overflowing shopping-cart-load of groceries each. To save time & waste, they were informed ahead of time what would be in the carts: asparagus, blackberries, sausages, beans, pre-packed sandwiches & salads, bananas, etc, etc. It was a whole lot of fun, volunteering side-by-side with church members of all ages! Bigger families got more, & smaller families a little less. Since some poor families did not own cars, they'd request a friend to drive in for them. Some cars represented 2, 3 or 4 families each. A few days later Elvie & I were at another church, this one in Indiana. After the service, we joined the outreach committees, listening & adding suggestions like, "Why not use leftover turkey to make sandwiches to give to the college students from Indiana University…especially since exams are coming up, as well as all-nighters, & also…but then again, maybe they lost their appetites, due to losing their recent football game again Ohio State!" A lot of church people there are avid "IU" supporters! A suggestion for the trustees was, "Perhaps one of the lesser-used Sunday school classrooms could become a 'Missions Walk' with each wall having bulletin boards of updates for each of the countries sponsored by the church?" Meanwhile, on the other side of the planet, BCA's Teacher Cresty was announcing to her 2nd graders that she was to transfer to 4th the Grade class, due to a new teacher, Ann, arriving. As soon as she made the announcement, a few of the kids had tears in their eyes, Then suddenly, as if a dam had broke, a domino effect caused the entire class full of 30 students to bawl their eyes out, running up & hugging Teacher Cresty. She really, really felt deeply loved. Actually, Cresty was surprised, since she realized she was pretty harsh with these kids, to always get things just right. But now the kids showed that deep inside, they truly respected her for standing her ground. "You know," Cresty assured them, "like in a family, once a child, always a child. You are, & always will be, no matter how old you get, you will be my babies!" Since they had never yet met Teacher Ann, one student spoke up. "We are afraid of Ann!" To which Cresty replied. "How can that be? You have not even met her yet!" When they asked if she would be strict & get mad, Cresty assured them, "Just like with me, she will not get mad if you obey, follow & listen to her. I taught you well. Now you can show your knowledge & Teacher Ann will be sooo impressed! I can't wait to hear her accolades of how smart you are!" There it is: a challenge. Tears were now dry as the kids saw this as a challenge to overcome. To be sure that Teacher Ann had the assurance of all the kids, after the last student left for his bus, Cresty placed 3 shiny golden stars on every student's desk calendar, rewarding them for being so brave with their new instructor. The next day was the day that Cresty feared. What would she say if she saw the 2nd graders in the hall? How would the older kids treat her on her first day with them? When she arrived, she saw they were also upset at her for tasking Teacher Espe's place, whom they loved dearly. Yet as the day progressed, they started to love this new teacher as well. And at gym time, who should be the opponent of the 4th graders, but the 2nd graders! It was dodge ball, & they had fun chasing each other around the room. Yes, children may be emotional, but they also are resilient. Praise God for giving such wisdom to BCA's teachers, who treat every child as their very own, & also as one of God's dear children. As Americans on the other side of this gorgeous Planet Earth celebrate Thanksgiving, thanking our Lord for all that He has accomplished through us, BCA's teachers & staff are also thanking God for accepting them as members of His forever family…His "babies". Let the islands…rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: Present Need: $305.41: BCA Bus "Ph": $36 bearing, $50 repair of carburetor, $40 left & right wheel alignment, $7 grease, $18 spark plug/ BCA Bus "Od": $39.13 for gasoline, 12.008 liters/ BCA Bus "N": $3 battery terminal, $30 gasoline, $15 gear oil/ BCA Bus "M": $6 diesel oil, $10 bulbs, $2 grease fitting, $8 gear box building/ BCA Bus "Lx": $20.29 for gasoline 5.7 gallons, $21 for annual inspection. 3 Ongoing Construction Projects: Upcoming (General) Schedule: November, 2025: Paul & Elvie's 2024/2025 USA Speaking/Visiting tour: (tentative) BCA students' 2024 Christmas backpacks: This Christmas, 600 BCA kids will receive joy-filled* BCA Backpacks! NEEDED: $20 x 600 = $12,000. Received: $1,255. *joy-filled: Christmas t-shirts, stuffed animals, school supplies, Gospel tracts & scrumptious holiday food! |
| 11/21/2024 | BCA's Drug Awareness Day (11/24/24). BCA's 2nd Preliminary exams (11/21-23/24). Happy Thanksgiving! (11/28/24) COMING UP: Please pray for our son Pj's wife Briana, whose baby is due any day now. How exciting! Elvie & I will be grandparents! Please also pray for Barner Christian Academy, as plans are being made to rebuild a clothing room. Since our previous clothing room was changed into an annex for the library, the clothing was put in boxes awaiting further plans. Friends have given $1,137 to begin construction of this new used-clothing room, as an outreach to the poor. Praise God that this past Sunday Elvie, & I shared with members of the Capital West Christian Church Sunday School Class & also one of their Evening Home Bible Studies in Jefferson City, Missouri. We gave the pastor a gift from the Philippines, & one of the members, Karen, invited us to her house to pick up a bag filled with Beanie Babies & Beanie Buddies, to send to the kids overseas. We also met with many families at their homes in Illinois, Missouri & Indiana! Plus, Elvie & I shared at 2 Bible studies of the Rock Springs Baptist Church in Missouri. Praise God too that a church in NC gave over $1,000 to help buy chairs for BCA. "Let's check the other house." After driving thousands of miles from New York to Missouri & stopping off in between to visit people & speak in churches, Elvie & I decided to drop-by an old friend's place. Lights were off, yet the lights were on down the street at their daughter's home. We knocked on the door & everybody was there! Then, as we shared dinner with them, we were informed that the 85-yr-old grandfather had just died a few days before, & the whole family was getting together for the funeral, to which we were then invited. Their son, whom I'd baptized when he was a teen, 3 decades ago, had driven in from 3 hours away, with his wife & kids, as well as many others whom we could never have found time to visit while in town otherwise. God's timing is always so perfect! Meanwhile on the other side of the planet in the Philippines, BCA's 7th Grade teacher Rona Joy looked out on her class & was amazed to think that she'd only a month ago replaced the previous teacher who had transferred to another school. These kids were so familiar to her already that her mind could connect a name with each smiling face. That first day had felt like a whirlwind of introductions, nervous smiles, & a sea of curious eyes. Rona remembered feeling a mix of excitement & apprehension, eager to connect with these young minds but also unsure of what to expect. This day, a month later, she called on Marc, "Yes, Marc, I see your hand. What is up?" Marc responded, "Oh, nothing, I was just stretching." Rona knew better. "C'mon, speak up. What is really on your mind?" Sure enough, Marc had a very thoughtful question for the day, "Hmmm, do you think that instead of just turning in our homework, that maybe instead we could exchange papers & critique the others?" Rona Joy smiled because, although that was her original intent, she had forgotten all about it. "Awesome idea, Marc!" Those first few weeks (last month) had been a blur of lesson planning, classroom management, & getting to know these students. She had quickly learned that each one is unique, with their own personalities, strengths, & challenges. Jiorgina, being the bubbly one who lights up the room with her infectious laughter every day, sure enough could see right through her instructor's façade, & quipped, "Oh, I know that Marc's idea was your idea all along. It is because you are the best teacher ever!" Then of course there is also Raqui, the class comedian who never fails to keep them all entertained with his witty remarks. "Homework? No, my dog ate it! And then, our water buffalo ate the dog. And then we ate the buffalo. And then…" he reached in his notebook & pulled out a crumpled-up piece of paper, "we found the homework in the buffalo's tummy. I dried it off & here it is…who wants to be the first to read my buffalo slobber?" Nearby classmates gradually backed their chairs away. After the grading of their homework papers, Rona collected the papers & then led them single-file to BCA's other building, specifically upstairs to the Science lab. Unfortunately, the microscopes which needed repair had not yet been adjusted & cleaned. So, Rona led them instead to the room next door, which is BCA's new computer lab. There, they explored the microscopic world via the school's trusty laptops, projecting images of plant cells, insect wings, & pond water samples onto every screen. Each student was very engaged, even without the hands-on experience. Jolly Raqui quipped, "That amoeba…hmmm…looks just like how I feel when I getup in the morning!" And happy-go-lucky Jiorgina laughed, adding, "I think it looks like my morning hair! Shapeless & totally without any sense of reason!" Rona sat back & reflected on these precious, diverse & talented students. They are curious, creative, & full of potential, & she is constantly inspired by their energy & enthusiasm. She rubbed her hands together, excited to see what the rest of the year will hold, & to continue learning & growing alongside her students, eager to embrace every moment of it. Ever-thoughtful Marc interrupted his teacher's reverie with, "Teacher Rona, what if we each choose one object that we studied today & write a little essay or poem about it?" Rona responded, "You know Marc, I think you will DEFINITELY be a 7th Grade teacher someday! I can hear it now…Doctor Marc!" Until next time… Let the islands…rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: A. PJ's ?? Late Night Worship Master list - PJ Barner: actor · singer · director. YouTube: #300-201: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26FzOhEZ3k41BCzNbiSZ-qw2 B. #400-301: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26EAnhq36C3vdyKCuYefKUop C. #425. PJ Barner is with Briana Barner and Lucas Palarion Taylor in Mati, Philippines. Tune in every Tuesday! WHO AM I? (jan 29) You can worship the Lord anywhere! Our last few days in the Philippines were spent in Mati with my childhood friend Lucas, who joined us for our first ever Late Night Worship karaoke. Watch till the end to see our score! 5 min, 45 sec. https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=837425954994549 Present Need: $301.35: BCA Bus "Lx": $136.35 for gasoline 8.935 gallons, BCA Bus "Le" $100 used axle & repair of used axle (replace axle bolt & flexible hose), $3 brake shoe, BCA Bus "H": $62 for gasoline 16.984 gallons. 3 Ongoing Construction Projects: Upcoming (General) Schedule: November, 2025: Paul & Elvie's 2024/2025 USA Speaking/Visiting tour: (tentative) BCA students' 2024 Christmas backpacks: This Christmas, 600 BCA kids will receive joy-filled* BCA Backpacks! NEEDED: $20 x 600 = $12,000. Received: $1,255. *joy-filled: Christmas t-shirts, stuffed animals, school supplies, Gospel tracts & scrumptious holiday food! Preaching themes by month for Davao Church: November: ESCHATOLOGY, December: ADVENT/CHRISTMAS |
| 11/14/2024 | COMING UP: Please pray for the 700+ homeless adults & children who visit Chicago's Pacific Garden Mission every day. This week we visited the mission & prayed with the workers who faithfully serve God by serving the needy. The chef was in tears as Abby laid hands on her & prayed. This woman is a culinary artist who creatively prepares nearly a thousand meals on a menu designed from the food that has been donated & purchased. PGM records & performs "Unshackled" on radio stations all over the planet. Already the mission is collecting turkeys for their upcoming Thanksgiving "feast". Please also keep praying for the stamp collecting ministry of Shell Point Village Retirement Community in Ft Myers, Florida. As people keep cutting stamps off their used mail & sending them in, the stamp ministry supports the publishing of Sunday school & youth discipleship materials in Latin America by a ministry partner in Argentina. The ministry gives 40 or 50 thousand dollars a year, & the year before last they passed a million given to that ministry since its inception. Shellpoint is dear to our hearts, as we often speak there Praise God that over $100 was given last week through Facebook's "birthday projects" in honor of Abby's & my birthdays, to replace BCA's sound system which was destroyed by the recent rainy weather. Praise God too that this past Sunday Elvie, Abby & I shared with members of the Parkview North Campus Church in Chicago, Illinois. We gave the pastor a gift from the Philippines, and also on our westward journey stopped at the homes of half a dozen families in New York, Canada, Michigan, Indiana & Illinois…many who sponsor BCA students in Davao! "BALLOT RECEIVED." I voted in my home state of New York this past Tuesday, November 5, & as soon as the election ballot I inserted into the machine was accepted, I smiled a great big smile & sighed, "YES!!!" After affixing to my collar the "I Voted" sticker, I drove home & announced to Elvie, "This is a great day! I actually had a say in who is to be the new president in these great United States of America!" Who did I vote for? Well, that is a secret. But the next day when talking to my doctor, I assured her, "The result of any election is in the hands of God." Meanwhile on the other side of the planet at BCA's orphanage, the children were sleeping. It is daytime in the USA while it is nighttime on the other side of the planet in the Philippines. The week was to be a busy one for the kids. As usual, they woke up around 5:30am to do their chores. Planting flowers & cutting grass, as well as chopping firewood, cooking breakfast & lunch, feeding the animals & sweeping the cottages & bunkhouses are their daily routine. LYKA is the youngest, in 5th grade. Since she had a boil on her foot, after folding her blanket, she skipped school. Instead, she had time to jot-down in her daily journal, "I really beautified the front gate of the property! There is a colorful circle of flowers there, & hanging ones too…all my little children, all smiling up at me & reflecting the glory of God, their Creator." So poetic, eh? Next in age is CJ. He just started high school this year. Still, he occasionally bears the brunt of the other boys' jokes. In his journal he stated, "I only ate a little at dinner tonight, since one of my older brothers said it was actually a fried rat. I knew it wasn't but couldn't help but think of the rodents, & looking for fur as I dizzily scooped the meat onto my plate of rice…" One of the older girls, CHRISTINE, recapped her daily chores in her journal. "Planting is both fun & hard work. After Melody woke me up, I went outside with a shovel to dig up the soil in the garden so that Melody, Leah & the others could plant the seeds for our okra & mongo beans. It'll be nice when it grows. I will be so proud that my family will eat the food that I helped to plant!" While the kids share the responsibilities of the vegetable garden, each has a special area for planting flowers. Christine's is the flower garden next to the church that we built this past June & July. She commented how she loves to attend church each Sunday, as when she goes up the steps, she sees the flowers that she planted. "They are part of my thank-you offering to Jesus, for dying for my sins!" While the next day school was cancelled, due to it being "Teachers' Study Day," the oldest of the orphans still had to attend. Juvy is in college, training to be a teacher. Her school's calendar is different from the elementary & high school ones. Still, she was excited about the day, since she had slept early (9pm) & was fully rested for her courses. She even got back in time for the kids' evening Bible study. The kids being at home, after their chores & paid projects (for allowance), they practiced their singing for evening devotions. Evening devotions are a special time, as Elvie & I join them via Facebook, wherever we are traveling in the world, & we can all pray, sing & study together. The next day, Saturday, was extra special. While the teachers & staff of BCA called us and celebrated Abby's & my birthdays on November 9 with sweets on Friday afternoon, the kids at the orphanage ate cake & ice cream on Saturday. The fact that we are on the other side of the planet didn't make the cake any less sweeter… Let the islands…rejoice! Link for credit card donations: https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/6118435 TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: A. PJ's Late Night Worship Master list - PJ Barner: actor · singer · director. YouTube: #300-201: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26FzOhEZ3k41BCzNbiSZ-qw2 B. #400-301: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26EAnhq36C3vdyKCuYefKUop C. #423. PJ Barner is with Elvie Egan Barner and 6 others. Tune in every Tuesday! ADTO TA SA LANGIT (jan 28) "Brother, what are your attachments here, on an earth full of sin, chaos, and failure? Brother, this is not our home. Let's go to heaven!" Part II of last week's LNW 2in 18 sec. https://www.facebook.com/pj.the.barner/videos/1313019340110546 #424. PJ Barner is with Kathleen Ocon and 7 others at Faith Alliance Fellowship. Davao City, Philippines. Tune in every Tuesday! ADLAW-ADLAW • KATAGBAWAN • MATINUD-ANON KA (jan 28). We're nearing the end of the LNW queue: only a few more videos left from our January trip to the Philippines! Here was the set from our last Sunday in Davao, led by my friends Darrel, Kathleen, Bea, Egi, RJ, and Melvin. We grew up at this church, worshipping the Lord here since we were little kids, and now the Lord lifted us to the position of worship leaders. Glory to God! 20 min, 56 sec. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FEEs0canKk Present Need: $300.46 for: $4 Faucet & teflon tape, $12 Painting materials for Chaplain Melvin's office. $284.46 for BCA school buses: gas for "Bus Lx": 90.461 gallons. 3 Ongoing Construction Projects:
Upcoming (General) Schedule:
BCA students' 2024 Christmas backpacks: This Christmas, 600 BCA kids will receive joy-filled* BCA Backpacks! NEEDED: $20 x 600 = $12,000. Received: $1,065. *joy-filled: Christmas t-shirts, stuffed animals, school supplies, Gospel tracts & scrumptious holiday food! Preaching themes by month for Davao Church: November: ESCHATOLOGY, December: ADVENT/CHRISTMAS |
| 11/7/2024 | Daylight Savings (11/3/24). Election Day USA (11/5/24). Happy 24th Birthday, Abby! (11/9/00). Happy 63rd Birthday, Paul! (11/9/61). Happy 26th Foundation Day, BCA! (11/9/98). Veterans' Day, USA! (11/11/18). COMING UP: Please pray that people who will be reading the listing on Facebook "birthday projects" will be guided to give the $2,000 needed to replace BCA's sound system which was destroyed by the recent rainy weather. Praise God that this past Sunday we shard with members of the Electric City Baptist Church in Schenectady, New York. A new family agreed to sponsor a BAC student! Also, we were able to visit sponsoring families in various states as we have traveled. "Do the Buc-ee dance!" While driving through one of 10 select south-and-western states of the USA, a store that has 50 branches and is inevitable to pass by is Buc-ees, a store whose mascot is a buck-toothed beaver. When Elvie & I stopped-in to buy some southern-style barbecue sauce, a human-sized beaver came over for us to take pictures with him. Some other tourists came by & a man called out, "Do the Buc-ee dance!" Suddenly, the beaver started to dance…er, I think that was what it was. Anyway, he sure put a lot of effort into it. And the photographer muttered under his breath, "Wow. I didn't even KNOW there was a Buc-ee dance!" Maybe he had made it up on the spot. Maybe? But actually, Country music star Lauren Alaina once taught Buc-ee's mascot, Bucky Beaver, a dance. Alaina was a runner-up on American Idol & her solo had a special dance…which is now the beaver's official romp. Meanwhile on the other side of the planet, BCA's Nurse Anilyn was giving check-ups to many of the 600 students. Since 90% of the students are very poor, they live in squatter areas where the hygiene level is pretty low. Stomach aches, headaches, coughs & fever are a daily scenario. While medicine is administered when needed, Anilyn shies more toward Filipino remedies like massages & rubbing aromatic ointments into the skin. Yet today, both Princess & Oliver were roughhousing during recess & had some scrapes & bruises. So Anilyn treated them with medicated gauze pads, affixed with surgical tape. Next day Mark came in with a fever & was really tired, So Anilyn sent a message to the teacher &, after changing the bedding in the clinic's bed, had him lay down for an hour before instructing one of the bus drivers (Titing) to drive him home. On Wednesday, the nurse stood at the school gate in the morning as the students arrived off from the school buses. "Students," she instructed, "as you enter, you must wash your hands & sterilize them with the liquid disinfectant." She also had each child stand before her to be thermal-scanned to check their temperatures. Better to send one virus-infected child home than start an epidemic with all of the kids getting sick. The BCA administration has file cabinets with every BCA student's permanent records. These include not only their grades, but the growth level from year to year, their vaccinations and medical history, and also their spiritual growth. Anilyn brought a stack of 30 medical record cards to the 4th grade classroom, armed with also gloves and a bottle of children's gummy vitamins. Zhyna wanted to be first in line to get her vitamins. "Nurse Anilyn, my name starts with a "Z", which is the last letter in the alphabet. But I want to be 1st in good health!" Anilyn responded, "Sure, Zhyna. You can be first in line. But you will also be first in the 'vitamin dance' to show how healthy you all are!" She knew that this little girl, sponsored by a couple in Upstate New York, that this little girl loves dancing & music. So, her request was met with a huge smile. "You bet, Nurse Anilyn!" Well, just wait until she sees that hot beaver suit… Until next time… Let the islands…rejoice! Link for credit card donations: https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/6118435 TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
Present Need: $303 FOR: $44 Floating valve for BCA's 3rd floor water tank, $30 for BCA Bus "Fi": gasoline, $110 for BCA "Bus L" diesel gas & $4 ball joint, $80 for BCA Bus "Ph" gasoline & $10 gear oil & $12 bearing & $13 -rubber caps. 3 Ongoing Construction Projects: Upcoming (General) Schedule: November, 2025: Paul & Elvie's 2024/2025 USA Speaking/Visiting tour: (tentative)
BCA students' 2024 Christmas backpacks: This Christmas, 600 BCA kids will receive joy-filled* BCA Backpacks! NEEDED: $20 x 600 = $12,000. Received: $1,065. *joy-filled: Christmas t-shirts, stuffed animals, school supplies, Gospel tracts & scrumptious holiday food! Preaching themes by month for Davao Church: |
| 10/31/2024 | All Saints' Day (11/1/24). BCA United Nations Celebration Day (10/25/24), BCA Foundation Day (11/9 or 11/17). End of Daylight Savings Time, USA (11/3/24). COMING UP: Please pray that the construction of BCA's orphanage "southwall" will be completed by 2025. It is the main thoroughfare of crittersgetting in to eat the baby seedling fruit trees. Please also pray for the church leadership teams which wehave chosen in the Philippines, for our churches, school & orphanage. Manyare volunteers, & others are paid. All are equally needed. Yet thevolunteers are balancing their "spare time" to help out in this important work.Please ask the Lord's blessing upon them, & also upon those around theworld who are supporting students at Barner Christian Academy. Praise God that this past Wednesday we shared with membersof the Friendship Baptist Church in Myrtle Beach, SC, during their MidweekPrayer Meeting, about God's work overseas. Also, on Sunday at Memorial AllianceChapel in Bishopville South Carolina, we shared both during the morning &evening gatherings missions challenges that more may respond to God's call to"go, give & pray" for the world to hear about Jesus. Abby too was on stagein Chicago, singing & playing her French horn during Moody Bible Institute'sFounders' Day. Also on stage were Ann Lotz (daughter of Billy Graham), andMatthew West, writer of "Hello, My Name is Child of the One True King," and"You're the God Who Stays." "Cotton pickin'!" We've driven over 5,000 miles on this furlough thus far,& after changing the car's oil & singing happy birthday to the car, wepopped into a roadside stand to celebrate by buying plums & apple barbecuesauce…oh, and a gallon of peach cider too! While driving through South Carolina, we watched acres &acres of fields along the road, which were filled with huge white bales ofcotton, half the size of railroad cars! "Southern snow" some locals call it.The family we stayed with has their own cotton fields, &let us, for the 1sttime in our lives, pick fresh, soft cotton; right off the stems. The write, fluffy cotton bolls were an incredible contrastto the orange & red sunset in the background…stuff for pictures! And thehugs & greetings of brothers & sisters in Christ at church the next dayat the Bishopville Memorial Alliance Chapel was just as beautiful. They trulyradiate with the love of Jesus. Along with the pizza & turtle pieafterward, scrumptious…there goes the diet. Meanwhile across the ocean in the Philippines, the cashierin Barner Christian Academy was preparing the semi-monthly salaries of theschool's 17 faculty & staff. "Praise God for favoring Davao City with goodweather!" Typhoon Kristine miraculously avoided Davao, even though other nearbycities were devastated by winds& floods. 70-yr-old Minmin is a great cashier, making sure that everybill is paid on schedule, from the electric bill to the Social Securitypayments of BCA's workers. "It is a lot of stress, but after 15years at thisschool, I have kind of gotten the hang of it all! And at the end of the day, Idefinitely feel fulfilled!" She does get concerned this time of the year, as the fluvirus is getting around, & riding the bus to work everyday puts her next tothose who might carry the virus. But her agenda each day is to start the daywith prayer, even before she steps foot out of the house. Oh, and she so looksforward to seeing the hundreds of students in the busy environment of theschool. Her 6-yr-old grandson is also there, which gives her pride &confidence to count down the hours until the recess bell rings and he traipsesup the stairs to her office to give his lola (grandma) a hug. Being the oldest employee of the school, Minmin is"everybody's grandma". Elvie & I made a great choice when we hired her,over a dozen years ago. She had been, at that time, working for over a decadeas treasurer for another Christian organization. When they changed management,they let-go all of their former employees. We snatched her up in a jiffy,knowing that their loss was our gain. And we have never regretted a minute ofit since. God continues to guide us, year after year, to choose the"balls of cotton" that are ripe for the pickin' in this incredible field ofministry. Even as we choose employees, they in turn also see the hundreds ofBCA students as a "field white unto the harvest"…souls ready to hear the Gospeland respond to God's offer of salvation through Christ Jesus! Until next time… Let the islands…rejoice! TOOLS FORPERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: PJ's Late Night Worship Master list - PJ Barner: actor · singer · director. YouTube: #300-201: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26FzOhEZ3k41BCzNbiSZ-qw2 #400-301: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26EAnhq36C3vdyKCuYefKUop #421? - Island Hopping Worship Jam pt 2. 25 min, 3 sec. Tune in every Tuesday! DIOS IKAW LANG • MAGPABILIN • TRIBES • GOD IS HERE • FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE • THIS IS THE DAY (CELEBRATE THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD) • OPEN THE EYES OF MY HEART • TRADING MY SORROWS • A STRONG TOWER (BLESSED BE THE NAME) • I LOVE TO BE IN YOUR PRESENCE • MY LIFE IS IN YOU LORD • DUNGOG UG HIMAYA. Did you think we only sang one song on that boat ride?? Of course not! I had a wonderful time joining Ate Lanie Taylor's worship team in singing a dozen praise songs I've sung since I was a child. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGPDfKXRMUA https://www.facebook.com/reel/1916880818787727 United Nations Day 2024: "Cultivating a culture of Peace" 2 MIN, 17 SEC. BCA Teachers' Appreciation Day choreography https://www.messenger.com/e2ee/t/7328339753959974 |
| 10/24/2024 | BCA Annual International Day dress-up & celebration, at BCA October 25. Yom Kippur (10/11-12). Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles 10/16-23) Please pray that, now that BCA's 2024 annual Government permit (#97) has been approved, the processing of next year's introduction of grade 8 will also be successful. Also that the administration that we have hired will be successful in finding replacements for two of our teachers who are moving to teach in public school. Praise God that a church we visited in Augusta GA lats month, picked-up for Elvie and me 3 packages and shipped them to NY so we could get them when we got to NY in a few weeks. Praise God also that Abby, at Moody Bible Institute, helped to lead chapel this past week, and this week will do so also for Founders Week, from Wednesday to Friday. On Thursday the orchestra is playing in the morning session. Abby plays the French horn in the orchestra. Praise God too that one of BCA's orphans, Leah, this past week won 2nd place an island-wide multi-school educational quiz bee championship! Praise God too that, since last Thursday, we've visited the families of many delightful Cristians who are sponsoring BCA kids. Plus we shared on the radio and at churches for both weekend and midweek services. Two of these were the Islander Alliance Church & Christ Cares Alliance Church, as well as Radio station WRDJ. Praise God also that Christian Aid Mission (in Virginia) is sending from donors countrywide, $8,398.80 for the following: $1,000 for ongoing construction of BCA's multipurpose building, $45 for BCA's Children's Emergency Medical Fund, $6,165 for students' tuition, $72 for BCA's free lunch program, and $1,116.80 for transportation. "God really wanted us here in Jacksonville!" On Sunday morning, I began the sermon by explaining that God brought us to this part of Florida by first blowing us south (out of Georgia) with strong winds form Hurricane Helene, then blew us east (out of Ft Myers) with strong winds from Hurricane Milton, then blew us north (out of Ft Pierce) with tornadoes…sending us up to Jacksonville! No place safer place to be than right where God wants us! When the service started, the choir sang "I'm just a nobody, trying to tell everybody all about somebody who saved my soul." I compared this to the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 who asked who the "somebody" was that Isaiah was talking about in his messianic prophecy. Philip explained pretty much that Isaiah was just a nobody, but that he told everybody he met about the "somebody: Jesus." In our circuitous route, for the pats 5,000 miles since we left New York in August, speaking in churches and visiting to thank those all-around Florida who are sponsoring BCA students, we now had stopped by Merritt Island, near Cape Canaveral. There, we were interviewed on Radio Station WRDJ. We were telling "everybody" about Jesus. Meanwhile, across the globe in the Philippines, BCA's Teacher Rocel challenged her 4th graders while writing with white-&-colored chalk notes on the blackboard. As the students diligently copied the notes, Rocel paused, mid-sentence. She considered this age-old, common practice in classrooms…this is certainly a less-than-ideal way to learn….but… a necessary step to capture information. "It is so…so…passive…" Rocel's thoughts considered the process as 30 little pencils, wrapped by little fingers, waited for the next set of notes to be written. "Passive…" thought Rocel. "So…passive. And passive learning hinders deeper understanding…" Suddenly, to the surprise of her 4th graders, Rocel picked up the blackboard eraser and wiped the board clean. With the eraser in her hand, she spoke to her students. "There is a better way. Let us not just use the notes, but discuss them and take a closer look at the pros and cons of copying notes from the board." Hmmm, this is new… 30 students were in rapt attention, curious as to what new words of wisdom would be brought from this messenger of knowledge. She took the chalk again and wrote a list of 8 words and phrases. Then she drew a straight line from top to bottom in the middle of the board and wrote at the top of one side "PRO" and the other, "CON". One by one, students volunteered to erase a word and write it instead into a column. The first was Ashley. She moved "Passive Learning" to the CON side. "Teacher and classmates, it can lead to passive learning where students are simply copying information without actively processing it. This can limit their understanding and retention of the material." Excellent. Rocel was very pleased. Next was Elijah. He moved "Accessibility" to the PRO side. "It provides a physical record of the lesson for students to refer to later. This can be helpful for those who struggle to keep up with notes or who need to review the material." Good, very good. Now, Alexa joined-in with the excitement. "Lack of Focus" onto the CON side. "Students may be so focused with copying notes that they miss important points or explanations from the teacher." 4th-grade heads nodded in agreement across the classroom. And yet… From the back of the classroom, Louis strolled forward and accepted from Alexa the red chalk, moving "Structure" to the PRO side. "Copying notes can help students organize information and develop their note-taking skills, which can be beneficial for future learning." Not to be outdone, Rose asked Teacher Rocel, "Can I have permission to move two?" Rocel agreed and Rose wrote both "Missed Opportunities for Engagement" and "Handwriting Speed" on the CON side. "It can hinder opportunities for active participation in the lesson, such as asking questions, contributing ideas, or engaging in discussions. After all, students with slower handwriting may struggle to keep up with the teacher, leading to incomplete notes or frustration." Nizel added one more to the PRO side: "Engagement: "For some students, the act of writing can be engaging and help them focus on the lesson." Before allowing Zanea to move "Limited Understanding" to the CON side, Rocel asked her students, "What do you think? You have seen 7 ways in which we should and should not use 'copying notes from the blackboard' as a form of learning. Let's take a vote. How many of you like taking notes?" Surprisingly, half the hands went up in the classroom. Zanea explained, "At least I know what I am expected to learn. A whole lot is taught in the classroom that is not the main subject, but makes the other learning interesting." Moving the last item on the board, she said, "Copying notes without understanding the concepts can lead to superficial learning and difficulty applying the information later." After the last student sat down, yet another hand was raised. "Yes, RR?" RR responded, "There should be one more item listed on the PRO side, which you have not listed, Ma'am." She picked up a pink piece of chalk and jotted, "I like doodling on the edges of my paper while taking notes!" Heads nodded all over the classroom and Teacher Rocel brought a life-lesson to fore. "God loves us so very much. We are not just blackboards to retrieve information about our Creator as we pray and read the Bible. No, we are so very much more. God follows every jot, every thought, every mark we make in life. He cheers us on when we try our very best. He mourns with us when we fall short. Yet He always, always, always is there to pick us up as we head out to try again." Nizel expressed what everybody was thinking. "Yeah, Teach. We are God's chalkboard!" Until next time Let the islands rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: A. PJ's Late Night Worship Master list - PJ Barner: actor · singer · director. YouTube: #300-201: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26FzOhEZ3k41BCzNbiSZ-qw2 B. #400-301: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26EAnhq36C3vdyKCuYefKUop C. #420. October Community Worship Night. PJ Barner was live. Thanks to my friends Tasha Foster and Keith Young for helping lead worship tonight! 1 hr, 19 mmin, 46 sec. https://www.facebook.com/pj.the.barner/videos/906158834241899 D. #419, Join us on Tuesdays! ONE WAY (jan 26). So grateful to Ate Lanie Taylor for taking us island hopping with her staff and family! 2 min, 41 sec. https://www.facebook.com/pj.the.barner/videos/886449283132546 E. #418. Join us on Tuesdays! OCEANS (jan 25). In January, shortly after our 2nd wedding celebration, we took my parents to Boracay (the #1 vacation destination of the Philippines) for a double honeymoon. Our most heartfelt thanks to our ninongs (godparents) Ralph and Arceli Sevelius for an incredible vacation! Briana Barner Elvie Egan Barner. PJ Barner is with Elvie Egan Barner and 2 others at Cebu, Philippines. 6 min, 59 sec. https://www.facebook.com/pj.the.barner/videos/514045621530651 F. #417. Join us on Tuesdays! SONG OF THE CEBU (jan 23). Earlier this year, our travels through the Philippines took us to Cebu. Sing it with me! Briana Barner Paul Barner Elvie Egan Barner. 2 min 45 sec https://www.facebook.com/pj.the.barner/videos/729726359337933 G. #416. Join us on T/Th nights! PJ Barner is with Briana Barner at Cebu-Mactan International Airport. Cebu City, Philippines. TRADING MY SORROWS (jan 23). More videos from our trip to the Philippines back in January! The handmade instruments at the Cebu Airport were gorgeous. Bri filmed a quick LNW of me playing from memory on a customized ukulele... and surprised me afterward by buying it for me as a present! My wife is the best! . 2 min 6 sec. https://www.facebook.com/pj.the.barner/videos/445706275287660 Present Need: $335 for: BCA Bus "Fi": $80 for gasoline. BCA Bus "M"
: $200 for gasoline, $2 for nut & washer for starter, $28 for repair of alternator, $23 for pull out &repair of radiator, $2 for nut. Upcoming (General) Schedule: October, 2024-November, 2025:ÿ Paul & Elvie?s 55- (remaining) churches, 13-month, 27-state & 5 country, 2024/2025 USA Speaking tour. Barner Family 2024-5 USA TENTATIVE Speaking/Singing/Visiting Tour: OCT-FL,SC/MD/NJ / NOV-NY,IL,MO,IN/ DEC-NY,TORONTO,KY/ JAN 25-NC,AL,SC,TX/ FEB 25-MEXICO,AZ,CA/ MAR 25- CA,UT,KS,NY/ APR 25 NY,TX/ MAY 25 WA,AK,OH,Saskatchewan/ JUN-AUG 25 PA,VT,NY,CT/ SEP 25 WI,NM,MO,AR,TN,NY/ OCT 25 NY,NJ/ NOV 25 NY,IL,Guam,Davao. BCA students' 2024 Christmas backpacks: This Christmas, 600 BCA kids will receive joy-filled* BCA Backpacks! NEEDED: $20 x 600 = $12,000. Received: $425. *joy-filled: Christmas t-shirts, stuffed animals, school supplies, Gospel tracts & scrumptious holiday food! Preaching themes by month for Davao Church: October: MISSIONS, November: ESCHATOLOGY, December: ADVENT/CHRISTMAS Churches, Schools & ?Safe House? (orphanage): Barner Christian Academy: PHILS: PO Box 82,224 Davao City, Philippines 8000. USA: 18 (or #5) Eileen Drive, Rensselaer, NY 12144 |
| 10/17/2024 | Columbus Day (10/14/24) COMING UP: Please pray that, #1, BCA's staff find replacements for 2 teachers who have transferred to other schools (2nd & 7th grades), and #2, that BCA can replace the $2,000 dollar sound system which was destroyed during a recent flood, and #3, that BCA's orphanage contractors can finish the perimeter wall so no more of the neighbor's cows come in to devour the baby fruit trees, and #4, that all the hundreds of students & orphans under BCA's care will be protected from the dengue fever epidemic that it coursing through the southern Philippines, and #5, that Christine, one of BCA's orphans, will get her hearing back. An infection got into her inner ear, which has caused temporary deafness. She is now taking medication, but it has yet to bring back her hearing. Praise God that BCA's youngest child at its orphanage, this past week received an honor certificate from school for her first quarter's grades! Praise God too for the enjoyable time Elvie & I had at the Vero Beach Alliance Church in Orlando, Florida, this past Sunday. We had been scheduled to speak in the morning at one church & in the evening at another, but due to the cleanup from the tornadoes, the morning worship was cancelled. Many from that church joined in the evening service at the second church. Also, since we were "free" for the morning service, we visited a Baptist church in Vero Beach, & they were thrilled to hear of what God is doing through our ministry in the Philippines, agreeing to pray for the needs there. "In September it was Hurricane Helene, and now in October it is Hurricane Milton!" While we had been smack-dab right in the middle of the mess made by Helene (back in Georgia), we just missed Milton, in Florida. A few days ago we were driving down the highway through the Everglades, & less than 24 hours later, three devastating tornadoes came down that very same road, taking the lives of over a dozen Floridians! And between 100 and 300 more tornadoes were sighted or predicted in the same section of Florida. What a mess! Cars overturned, roofs blown off, and just like in Georgia, trees uprooted and/or broken in half. Meanwhile back in the Philippines, BCA's Teacher Jovi felt exhausted while teaching her 5th graders. That was, until she began the day's Social Studies ("Araling Panlipunan") lesson. As she taught about how the Spanish, for 350 years, had ruled over the Filipino people with an iron fist, one of her students blurted out, "Oh, the Spanish were really infuriating! They seized our lands & properties!" While this student had caught Jovi off-guard with her remark, the expression of fury had brightened Jovi's day, as she suddenly realized that the students WERE paying attention; they WERE comprehending the ramifications of what was being taught; and they WERE engaging their whole beings with a response. However, the discussion did not stop there. The students each told in their own words the pride they had in the bravery of the heroes who fought for the rights of Filipinos, even at the cost of their lives. "Teacher, it's not enough," called out one child. "We want another story…we want more details." Jovi promised them that that they would continue the next day as they needed to proceed with another lesson. The feelings poured over into the next class as well, as Jovi led in "Short Stories". One story. which she read to the class, rightly revealed the merits of a father who loves his wife & kids. A female student suddenly started to cry. "What's wrong?" inquired Jovi. The girl quipped, "That is NOT my dad. My dad is NOT good. He is AWFUL!" She went on to explain his poor behavior due to drinking & being irresponsible. She also shared the pain of her family being broken due to her father's actions. Jovi did not justify the dad's bad actions. Instead, she pointed to each of the boys in the 5th grade class. "Guys, you can see how sad your classmate is. Learn from this. Do not mistreat girls. Be a REAL man. Be responsible, & you will be future pillars of your families. Will you do it?" The response was unanimous, as the boys all called out, "YES!" Jovi then had the boys & girls make up their own short stories, centered on responsible parents who love God 1st & love their family second, before others & himself. Focusing back to the USA where Elvie & I were driving along the Atlantic coast to Central Florida, I pointed-out to Elvie a rocket ship that was speeding into outer space, with a long white stream of a tail behind it. That was a ship making its ten-year journey to Jupiter! We had just visited Jupiter, Florida, but way up in the air, that bright, shiny bundle of science was headed all the way to the Planet Jupiter, nearly 2 billion miles away! A few dozen miles later, a car flicked his lights on & off. Looking down the road, I could see a large turtle crossing the highway. Cars slowed down & one guy pulled to the side of the road, ran out, & picked up the 20-pound critter to keep her from getting run over, setting her gently in the ditch where she had been heading. Even as the rocket ship never would get into outer place, had it not had the umph to get out of the Earth's atmosphere, and even as that turtle never would have made it across that busy road without some assistance, even so, at BCA, Teacher Juvy was giving her students the umph to look beyond the challenges of this life, to venture to greater heights than they ever could have imagined. Until next time… Let the islands…rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: A. PJ's Late Night Worship Master list - PJ Barner: actor · singer · director. YouTube: #300-201: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26FzOhEZ3k41BCzNbiSZ-qw2 B. #400-301: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26EAnhq36C3vdyKCuYefKUop Present Need: $301 for: BCA Kids "Jericho Fund" lunches ($135), Bus Maintenance – BCA Bus "Ph": $120 for gasoline, $16 for cable clutch repair, $2 for emergency tire repair, $4 for hub down bit, $8 for rubber cups, $4 for brake fluid, $4 for distributor cap, $4 for adaptor/ air cleaner, $4 for air cleaner hose.
Upcoming (General) Schedule: October, 2024-November, 2025: Paul & Elvie's 56- (remaining) churches, 13-month, 27-state & 5 country, 2024/2025 USA Speaking tour. Barner Family 2024-5 USA TENTATIVE Speaking/Singing/Visiting Tour: OCT-FL,SC/MD/NJ / NOV-NY,IL,MO,IN/ DEC-NY,TORONTO,KY/ JAN '25-NC,AL,SC,TX/ FEB '25-MEXICO,AZ,CA/ MAR '25- CA,UT,KS,NY/ APR '25 NY,TX/ MAY '25 WA,AK,OH,Saskatchewan/ JUN-AUG '25 PA,VT,NY,CT/ SEP '25 WI,NM,MO,AR,TN,NY/ OCT '25 NY,NJ/ NOV '25 NY,IL,Guam,Davao. BCA students' 2024 Christmas backpacks: This Christmas, 600 BCA kids will receive joy-filled* BCA Backpacks! NEEDED: $20 x 600 = $12,000. Received: $425. *joy-filled: Christmas t-shirts, stuffed animals, school supplies, Gospel tracts & scrumptious holiday food! Preaching themes by month for Davao Church: October: MISSIONS, November: ESCHATOLOGY, December: ADVENT/CHRISTMAS |
| 10/10/2024 | COMING UP:
Please pray that, even although the global wetness from storms overseas has made many Filipinos sick, causing many of our evangelism leaders to have to cancel outreaches to knock on doors and tell people about Jesus, that God would both heal these leaders & also raise up others who are still strong to "take up the mantle" and lead in these door-to-door times to bring the story of salvation to those who have never attended a church. Praise God that many of the gaps in the perimeter wall & flower planter around BCA's orphanage, have finally been closed with the final cementing of cinderblocks (called hollowblocks overseas). Previously animals were getting through the gaps to eat the small fruit trees which were supposed to provide food for the orphan children. While the gap is now closed, it is still not high enough to keep larger "critters" (like the neighbors' cows) off the property. So keep on praying! Praise God too for the enjoyable time Elvie & I had at the 1st Alliance Church in Orlando, Florida, this past Sunday. They have a new pastor, and after my message he had the elders of the church pray for us and the ministry God has placed in our hands overseas. Some from the church have already visited the Philippines. Before evacuation for upcoming Hurricane Milton began, we visited a few families in other Florida cities, and others said they also want to come out and help on short-term work crews. While in Orlando we stayed at the home of the son of the missionary who had spoken 50 years ago and that was when God had called me to eventually become a missionary! Praise God that, while our speaking engagement for Wednesday this week (at Shellpoint Village Retirement Facility in Ft Myers, FL) was cancelled due to the incoming hurricane, we yet have a "rain check" (pun intended), for next time we'll be passing through this state. Praise God for, after waiting in hours of traffic to evacuate the West Coast of Florida to avoid Hurricane Milton, my morning Bible reading from Psalm 32 claimed, "surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance." "I'd like to sponsor a BCA student!" Way back in the early 1970s, my bunkhouse counsellor at Summer Bible camp in Upstate New York had led each of his 6 campers in studying the Bible carefully, & memorizing Bible verses, during our evening & morning devotions. Now, over half a century later, while Elvie & I were visiting his church in Florida, that same counselor now approached us after we spoke at his church. "Paul, just as I led you when you were a child, I'd like to do the same for one of your Filipino kids!" Over 50 years have not changed this great man of faith's commitment to "let the whole world know" the precious Gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ! Meanwhile on the other side of the planet in Barner Christian Academy, Teacher Veoly was meeting with the parents of her 45 kindergarten students. Some strong rains had washed mud into the classroom, so they were scrubbing down chairs & shoveling out the sticky brown mud. Each parent had his or her own role to play, working together in the classroom. Many of the dads worked on checking the electrical wiring, while others located the bolts for Veoly's whiteboard, which had come loose from the cement wall. Last year's parents had made it their project to each donate whatever they could so they could buy a used television to show videos & downloaded programs to the students. Some dads also checked this tv's wiring to be sure it was not damaged by the storm's moisture. Above the waterline where the walls were still dry, moms were giving the room a fresh coat of paint. Later, more paint would be applied to the lower portions. Just like when she is teaching the children, Veoly started them into singing so that every task seemed like a game & the morning flew by quickly. After half a day of work, the place once again looked spic & span. So, she sat them down for a mini-seminar on "The Role of Parents in Early Childhood Education". Emphasizing that Parents are a child's first & most influential teachers, Veoly stressed that, in these formative years of early childhood, children whose parents are actively involved in their education tend to perform better academically, have better social skills, & exhibit fewer behavioral problems. When dad & mom reinforce at home what the kids learn in the classroom, the students see all of life as a learning experience. Veoly took the opportunity to share her faith now also, saying, "The same goes for your reinforcement of what your kids learn in church during Sunday School. When you read with them the papers they have made during Sunday's classes, then they see Jesus as more than just a 'church guy' & more as their 'lifelong companion & eternal teacher." Veoly added an aside, "When kids see Jesus in their lives always, they also follow His teaching & end up stronger, able to face greater challenges during life." One destitute mom, who already has had two other of her kids as sponsored students at BCA, squeezing her body into her child's small chair, raised her hand. Veoly smiled, as she could immediately notice the similarities between the face of the little girl and her mom (who, just the day before, had occupied that same chair). When Veoly motioned for her to stand & share, the mom said, "You know, I never attended kindergarten myself. In fact, our family was so poor that I never even passed third grade. But when I help my little angel with her homework, she is actually teaching me!" After Veoly noticed many other parents nodding their heads, she motioned for the mom finish, "So…will I also receive a diploma when she graduates next year into elementary school?" Veoly assured her that she will have an even greater diploma in Heaven some day waiting for her, recognizing her years of service to God through her kids. A dad then raised his hand. "I know my little boy so much more now after working together with him on his math homework. Before, we had worked on projects together at our little home & also had scrubbed clothes together & even tossed around a basketball sometimes, but to share social studies & math together, I have seen that my little kindergartener is really smarter than me!" Not missing a beat, Veoly added to this dad's expressions, "And when your kids see you participate when we have special events in the classroom…" Another mom quipped, "…like when we had 'Parents' Occupation Day?" Exactly, Veoly responded, & thus the kids see school as a warm, community bonding time with their loving, extended families. "What about the needs we have at home?" asked another mom. Veoly responded, "I know that many of you struggle to make ends meet financially at home. That is one reason why we offered you free schooling for your kids. But we meet other needs too. As you know, BCA regularly feeds the hundreds of students in this school, with nutritious lunches. Do you know where the money comes from to pay for that food?" Heads were shaking around the room, so Veoly continued. "God has touched the hearts of a few Americans to give every month for our 'Jericho Free Lunch Program.' Pastor Paul, the founder of this school, the orphanage & also many of our churches, has a sister in New York state who collects people's used cans & bottles to recycle them & send the money here to buy rice, meat and vegetables for your kids! Every can she collects pays for one meal here!" A look of sudden understanding swept across the faces of many in the room. "By your involvement & volunteering in the classroom, I & the rest of the school's faculty can better understand how to meet the broad spectrum of your needs, as in the school logo, 'Spiritual, Mental, Physical and Social.' And the more involved you are in school, the less separation anxiety your child faces as the years progress." As I got to the end of reading Veoly's journal on my laptop computer, I was sitting at the dining room table of a family in Florida who had let us stay at their place these past two days. An African proverb says, "It takes a whole village to raise a child." But we have seen globally, that these kids are touched by people all over the world: from my old counselor to the loving parents & teachers of these kids, believers around the world are tackling the challenge to spread the love of Jesus across the planet. Until next time… Let the islands…rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: A. PJ's Late Night Worship Master list - PJ Barner: actor · singer · director. YouTube: #300-201: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26FzOhEZ3k41BCzNbiSZ-qw2 B. #400-301: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26EAnhq36C3vdyKCuYefKUop Present Need: $434: Bus Maintenance: BCA Bus "M": $233 for diesel gas & $39 for gear oil & $3 for fuel filter & $5 for oil filter & $1 for fuse & $2 for battery terminal & $5 for brake fluid & $1 for bulb & bulb socket & $1 for auto wire & $1 for electrical tape, Bus Maintenance: BCA Bus "Fi": $70 for gasoline & $6 for starter & $46 for gear oil & $21 for engine oil.
Upcoming (General) Schedule: October, 2024-November, 2025: Paul & Elvie's 56- (remaining) churches, 13-month, 27-state & 5 country, 2024/2025 USA Speaking tour. |
| 10/3/2024 | Rosh Hashana, 10/2-4/24, The Feast of Trumpets and the Jewish New Year COMING UP: Please pray that God will replace 2 BCA teachers who are about to be transferred to other schools in an adjacent school district. Please also pray for the Math tutors (former honors students from BCA's main campus) whom we have hired to teach the kids in our orphanage in areas of Algebraic Expression (for CJ) & Quadratic Equations (for Jonas & Christine). Praise God that in the few weeks we have been in Georgia, Elvie & I have shared missions challenges at the Damascus Baptist Church in Appling, Georgia, & also personally shared about the missions field with fellow worshippers at Redemption Alliance Church & National Hills Baptist Church, both in downtown Augusta, Georgia. Elvie shared her personal testimony of faith and I told stories of children's lives who have been changed by God's work thru us in Davao over the past 30 yrs. Please pray that we can plan a missions trip from members of these churches in 2026! Praise God as well for a delightful time sharing our ministry at the Wednesday evening prayer meeting of the Alliance Health & Rehabilitation Center in Deland, FL. Many retired missionaries from Asia & South America were present and they are truly prayer warriors, praying for multiple requests we had for the ministry that God is doing through us in the Philippines. "No power…no water…no gas…" When Hurricane Helene hit Augusta, Georgia this past Thursday night, it had already been raining for a few days. Millions of trees crashed down on houses & power lines & also blocked hundreds of roads. Some downed trees, 3-4 feet in diameter, were estimated to be nearly a hundred years old. Crossing the bridge over the Savannah River, where the race was to begin, Elvie stated, "NOBODY could swim a mile in THAT." The crisp, clean water had now overflowed its banks with a brown, rushing muddy torrent, carrying logs, downed trees & debris. "If there IS a race, where IS everybody?" Thousands of competitors swim, cycle & run in each of these 70.3-mile races, & yet when we arrived at the Augusta (Georgia) Convention Center on Friday, all the doors in the huge building were locked. Eventually, we saw a couple whose trim figures convinced us that they were fellow triathletes. "How do we get into the building to register?" we asked. The man said one word… "Cancelled." I would not have believed him, but he handed me his cell phone & I read, line-by-line the cancellation announcement. The Ironman corporation stated that they feared for the safety of the athletes, & also that many of the roads upon which the race was to traverse, were blocked by huge trees, downed power lines, dangling transformers & electrical wires. The evening before, in the darkened hotel, we had no internet, & also our laptop batteries were dead & the cell phones we have were not the ones we had a year ago when I registered for the race. Hurricane Helene had been preceded last month & earlier this year, by her "sisters:" Hurricanes Beryl, Debby, & Francine, & thus had affected an already saturated water table, causing these ages-old trees to uproot, often lifting up large sections of sidewalk in their wake. Many trees however just broke in half. Even now, almost a week later, flash flood warnings are preceding yet another hurricane alert, coming up from the Gulf of Mexico. Helene left a widespread path of destruction across the Southeast -- from Florida's "Big Bend" (base of the panhandle) to North Carolina, nearly 400 miles from where the storm had first made landfall. At least 150 people were killed by Helene in six states -- Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. In one NC county alone, 40 were killed & 600 residents could not be found. More than 20 tornadoes were reported across the five states of GA, NC, SC, VA & WV. Over 4 million customers lost power across the South & into Ohio on Friday & through the weekend in the wake of Helene. All the stores were closed, & since there was no electricity, the fridge shut down. But we had stocked-up on food in the hotel room anyway, as we do on most road trips, so we ate cold stuff that was still good, & threw away that which had got rotten or sour. With no race, when Sunday arrived, I said, "C'mon, let's go to church." Nightly curfews lasted from 7:30pm until 7:30am, & most churches had cancelled services. Some were even damaged by downed trees. But at 8am, we drove about 3 miles before finding a Baptist church which had set up chairs outdoors & even pushed their piano outside, for music. The skies were clear on Sunday & although there was the noise of chainsaws from neighbors cutting trees which had fallen, we were blessed by being with brothers & sisters in the Family of God. After Pastor Kevin ended his message, he broke us up into prayer groups. We then prayed for the city of Augusta, for the church's humanitarian aid outreaches which are giving food to the Hurricane-Homebound, & for those grieving the loss of loved ones whom the storm had sent into eternity…some in their sleep when trees fell through the rooves of their homes in the night. We then helped move the chairs & piano back into the church building before the rains could return. Now we are "on the road" again, in Central Florida, speaking in churches & greeting those here who are sponsoring Filipino students at our BCA Academy, before heading back north & west for churches in other states, plus Canada. This trip's mileage tally: 3,000 miles & counting Meanwhile overseas in the school, one of BCA's secretaries, Orbina, was printing & collating the 600 addresses & cover letters to send to sponsors for the school's 4th-Quarter mailing. Since it takes over a month for mail to reach the USA, this mailing, with its enclosed pictures, ARC (Academic Report Cards), SPRC (Spiritual Progress Report Cards) & personal Christmas cards with handwritten messages from the kids, needs to go out in early November, at the latest. Orbina's husband Richard is one of the elders of our Filipino church & has started a church in his own tiny home. This fairly new church plant is just over 5 yrs old & is aggressive in evangelism. They have a part-time male pastor named Joy, who is biovocational: a baker by trade. Also Richard is a teacher in public school. But both Pastor Joy & Richard have been hospitalized recently, which brought their house-to-house evangelism outreaches to a screeching halt. Still, over the past month, the church had divided the Outreach Teams into 3 groups which gave out 5-pound bags to their neighbors, with rice, noodles, coffee & sugar & then were invited into homes to also study the Bible together. The reason for the food is that Filipinos consider hospitality essential, & if somebody knocks at their door but there is no food in the house, they might make-believe they are not home, for fear they would have nothing to serve to their guests. When the guests bring food, that obstacle is already removed & God's Holy Spirit uses the food to pave the way to open-up hearts for salvation. So, God has used calamities & Christian love to open doors of opportunity for evangelism on both sides of the ocean…until the whole world knows! Until next time… Let the islands…rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: A. PJ's Late Night Worship Master list - PJ Barner: actor · singer · director. YouTube: #300-201: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26FzOhEZ3k41BCzNbiSZ-qw2 B. #400-301: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26EAnhq36C3vdyKCuYefKUop C. Progress on the construction of BCA's Father's House orphanage "Kathy's Cottage Guest House" on Samal Island, Philippines, September 20, 2024. 57 seconds. https://www.messenger.com/e2ee/t/8293339187363093 Present Need: $374: Bus Maintenance: BCA Bus "L": $140 for diesel gas & $3 for flat tire repair & $3 for change of tire & $130 for 1 tire & $5 for brake fluid & $10 for feed pump kit & $4 for fuel filter & $13 for clutch sleeve & $18 for oil seal & $48 for mechanic's labor. Upcoming (General) Schedule: October, 2024-November, 2025: Paul & Elvie's 86- (remaining) churches, 13-month, 27-state & 5 country, 2024/2025 USA Speaking tour. Barner Family 2024-5 USA TENTATIVE Speaking/Singing/Visiting Tour: OCT-FL,SC/MD/NJ / NOV-NY,IL,MO,IN/ DEC-NY,TORONTO,KY/ JAN '25-NC,AL,SC,TX/ FEB '25-MEXICO,AZ,CA/ MAR '25- CA,UT,KS,OH,NY/ APR '25 NY/ MAY '25 WA,AK,OH,Saskatchewan/ JUN-AUG '25 PA,VT,NY,CT/ SEP '25 WI,NM,MO,AR,TN,NY/ OCT '25 NY,NJ/ NOV '25 NY,IL,Guam,Davao. BCA students' 2024 Christmas backpacks: This Christmas, 600 BCA kids will receive joy-filled* BCA Backpacks! NEEDED: $20 x 600 = $12,000. Received: $210. *joy-filled: Christmas t-shirts, stuffed animals, school supplies, Gospel tracts & scrumptious holiday food! Preaching themes by month for Davao Church: October: MISSIONS, November: ESCHATOLOGY, December: ADVENT/CHRISTMAS |
| 9/26/2024 | COMING UP: Please pray for BCA's 12 orphans: 1) for the 10 who are still in school, their 1st grading exams are this week, and also the mosquito-borne dengue fever is rampant in school…many of their classmates are absent. 2) Melody is suffering with allergies & conjunctivitis (pinkeye). 3) Aldrin's school files need successful transferring to his new location. 4) Christine- continues to seek God's guidance as she helps to plant flowers & vegetables in the orphanage's 2 gardens. 5) Augustine has already graduated and is now working nights at a mango juice plant. 6) Juvy is in college & this week will be performing the 2nd series of her teacher-training practicum demonstrations. Please also pray for my strength in this next Sunday's Ironman Triathlon race (9/29). Please pray that my bicycle has no mechanical problems or flat tires, & that I finish each leg of the journey long before its cutoff time. I am racing to raise funds for construction of BCA's new chapel. Praise God that during our visit to the Redemption Alliance Church in Augusta, Georgia, this past Sunday, we met many fellow competitors in the upcoming Ironman race this next Sunday (9/29). Since many have been in the same race in previous years, they gave me pointers on the route, weather, water conditions, etc. Elvie & I also personally discussed missions with many members before & after the service. The church is so committed to their surrounding community, that they have cancelled their worship service the day of my race (9/29) so that they can volunteer at one of the 10 drinks & snacks stands to assist the athletes during the running portion of the Ironman triathlon. Their church is located 2 blocks from the T1/T2 swim-to-bike & bike-to-run transition area. "Sir, my husband is sick…" While riding a 36-mile bicycle training here in Georgia for my upcoming triathlon, I went over many bumpy roads & "rumble strips". About 15 miles down the road, I noticed I'd lost 2 of my 3 water bottles. After drinking that last one, I stopped at a McDonalds Restaurant to refill it. I waited in line 10 minutes before realizing that the water machine was right there in the lobby. However, how I spent those ten minutes was very curious… As I waited, an elderly woman started telling me about her poor medical condition & also that her husband is in a wheelchair with a brain tumor. Not sure how to respond, & wondering why she picked me to talk to, I chalked-it up to Southern hospitality. So, I assured her that God has a plan for each of our lives & that He gives sus strength until His determined time for our work down here is through. After I provided her with this kind assurance, a younger guy in line apologized to me that he uses a motorized Moped instead of a normal bicycle, to get around, though cycling would help him keep his weight down. I was thinking, "Why is everybody telling me their medical conditions? Here I am, wearing a bicycle helmet & wheeling my bike into the restaurant lobby so it won't get stolen while I fill my water bottle…" Down the road a few more miles, I considered this past month & a half since our plane landed in the USA. We had only brought one or two changes of clothes, since our suitcases were filled with letters from the 600 BCA students & orphans to their American sponsors. So, Elvie & I shopped at many discount (2nd-hand) thrift stores for clothes for our travels. As I pedaled, I glanced down at the logo on my black, short-sleeved bicycling shirt. Suddenly my recent medical advice made perfect sense…It said "St Joseph's Health: A Member of Thrifty Health"! So all those people thought I worked at the hospital? I guess I do work for "Dr. Jesus!" Meanwhile back in the Philippines, kids were writing more letters to mail out. One of BCA's secretaries, Faith, worked with Secretary Orbina to collate the kids' newest letters so they would be mailed to the correct addresses. She also typed into her computer the names of the 80-or-so new students at BCA. Most were 1st-time preschoolers, but many were transferees from other schools, so their previous grades had to be logged into BCA's system. As she tediously pored through the stack of papers, she kept an eye on her watch, to leave time for the errands downtown: 1) getting out to the money changer to convert dollars to pesos for the biweekly teachers' salaries, coming up on the 1st of October, & 2) buying t-shirts & materials for the upcoming Foundation Day in November…printing 700 t-shirts is no small feat! We not only provide free ones for the 600 students, but often the teachers & parents want to buy some for themselves as well. Keeping track of all those sizes…whew! 3,4&5) getting to government offices for annual permits (electrical, etc.), repairing printers, & paying more bills. "Hi Ma'am Faith!" Peering up from her pile of papers next to her laptop computer, Faith glanced over to see the source of the wee little voice. It was none other than cherubic-faced Charina, Orbina's 8-yr-old daughter. When the little angel saw Faith's smile of assurance, she rushed over with her arms out wide to give BCA's secretary Faith a great big hug. Followed-up by a "Filipino blessing:" the customary reaching-out by Charina's little fingers to grasp Faith's hand & press it to Charina's forehead as a sign of respect. "I just came over to say I love, you, Ate Faith!" And then…she was gone. Back out to the office of her mom next door. All of a sudden Faith's paperwork no longer seemed so bland. Instead, as she typed each page, her mind pulled-up the face of a little boy or a little girl…a child with hope & a future…all because YOU cared to sponsor their schooling at BCA. So, from Faith, from Orbina, from Charina, & from 599 other BCA students & orphans, once again, a hearty Thank You. Thank you incredibly much. Dr Jesus knew exactly what these poor kids needed. They needed an education…they needed Jesus…they needed hope…they needed love. They got YOU. Yup. God's provision is always perfectly sufficient. Until next time… Let the islands…rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: A. PJ's Late Night Worship Master list - PJ Barner: actor · singer · director. YouTube: #300-201: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26FzOhEZ3k41BCzNbiSZ-qw2 B. #400-301: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26EAnhq36C3vdyKCuYefKUop C. #415. Join us on T/Th nights! THANK YOU (jan 21). It was an honor to sing at Mrs Remedios Alvarado's funeral. She had a profound impact on my parents' ministry as well as in the lives of her children and grandchildren (including Jayvee Kris Alvarado, Jairus Vincent Selim Alvarado & Jeneflor Alvarado ). PJ Barner is celebrating life with Elvie Egan Barner and 9 others in Philippines. Thank you for giving to the Lord; I am so glad you gave! 5 MIN, 10 SEC. Tacunan, Davao City, Philippines, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/pj.the.barner/videos/1521918002052764 D. Students at Barner Christian Academy thanking you for the vitamins sent for their health. Friday, September 20, 2024. 7 seconds. Davao City, Philippines. https://www.messenger.com/e2ee/t/7328339753959974 E. BCA's Orphanage kids singing during evening devotions, 30 seconds. Samal Island, Davao Philippines. Saturday, September 21, 2024. F. Warp-speed of BCA orphanage kids evening devotions. 1 min, 17 seconds. Samal Island, Davao Philippines. Saturday, September 21, 2024. https://www.messenger.com/e2ee/t/26076805951910453 Present Need: $312: Bus Maintenance: BCA Bus "M": $59 for engine oil, Bus Maintenance: Bus "Ph": $140 for gasoline & $4 for motor oil & $14 for spark plug & $2 for soldering lead & $3 for bushing & $5 for Brake fluid & $46 for battery & $34 for repair of starter & saldery box & $5 for brake fluid. 3 Ongoing Construction Projects: Upcoming (General) Schedule: Barner Family 2024-5 USA TENTATIVE Speaking/Singing/Visiting Tour: SEP- GA/FL OCT-FL,SC/MD/NJ / NOV-NY,IL,MO,IN/ DEC-NY,TORONTO,KY/ JAN '25-NC,AL,SC,TX/ FEB '25-MEXICO,AZ,CA/ MAR '25- CA,UT,KS,OH,NY/ APR '25 NY/ MAY '25 WA,AK,OH,Saskatchewan/ JUN-AUG '25 PA,VT,NY,CT/ SEP '25 WI,NM,MO,AR,TN,NY/ OCT '25 NY,NJ/ NOV '25 NY,IL,Guam,Davao. Preaching themes by month for Davao Church: September: CENTRALITY OF CHRIST, October: MISSIONS, November: ESCHATOLOGY, December: ADVENT/CHRISTMAS |
| 9/19/2024 | COMING UP: Please pray for John, a retired pastor in North Carolina who (with his wife Noel) is covering our Philippine ministry for an article in their church's denominational magazine. We are also scheduled to speak in person at their church this next January, 2025 Please pray also for our 600 BCA & FHF kids to be safe from dengue fever. The International CDC (Center for Disease Control) has issued an international warning that cases of dengue fevers and deaths is substantially higher during the rainy season. Our kids are patrolling their home to be sure there is no standing water where the mosquitoes can breed. In our fishponds however, the tilapia and catfish eat the insect eggs. Please pray too for Aldrin, an orphan of ours who has now been transferred to a family in a distant part of our island of Mindanao. While riding a motorcycle to school he wiped out and is recovering from some severe scrapes from the gravel road. Praise God that during our visit to the Damascus Baptist Church in Appling, Georgia, we were able to share briefly during Sunday school and also personally discussed missions with many members during various church meetings on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. Praise God also that, when "Nono" a construction worker at our orphanage's guest house construction site, removed the waterproof tarp from on top of the 30 bags of cement that were under it (to protect from rain), his companion Bobong grabbed a stick just in time to beat to death an 8-foot snake which had curled-up between the bags. Did they eat the snake? Maybe. Praise God too that, while getting my haircut in Georgia, I was able to pray with the barber, and also share about her spiritual condition. Her 14-yr-old daughter is becoming a challenge for her. "C'mon in!" Our hosts along the east coast have been more than hospitable during our recent thousand-mile drive from New York to Georgia. Steaks (from Nate's family) & a cabin in the forest (from Bruce's family) in Pennsylvania, chicken parmesan (from Dottie's family) in Virginia, and biscuits & gravy...with grits! (from Rich's family) in South Carolina. Always a soft pillow and comfy bed to sleep in before heading back out on the road for another 6-hour, 300 or so miles to log-in for each day. Now we are in Georgia for a few weeks, & the southern hospitality shows through in the churches we visit during these 2 weeks of training here for my upcoming triathlon race on 9/29. "Y'all come on back tomorrow for a Bible Study" and "We're gonna see y'all this Wednesday for Prayer Meetin', right?" While traveling thousands of miles by car could otherwise be dull, the people make it a joy for missionaries like us, as we meet fellow brothers & sisters in Christ. Meanwhile back in the Philippines, BCA's Teacher Rita has an overflow class of 1st & 2nd Graders. The Philippine Dept of Education wisely allows combining up to two lower grade levels to keep student-teacher ratios low. This year, BCA has an overabundance of kids in these two grades especially. After flag-raising in the gym on Monday, where nearly 300 kids gathered for calisthenics, prayer, announcements, pledges & singing of the national anthem, Rita's 30 students each placed their hands on the shoulders of their classmates in front of them, marching single-file to their classroom. Monday's classroom routine included prayer, greetings, taking attendance, followed-by Teacher Rita's asking each of her students, one-by-one, about their weekend. "Students, see this mirror? Please start from the front of the classroom, & each student name the student next to you in the mirror & then assign & announce the next consecutive number." So, from the first row, Ryan began by looking in the mirror & saw the student next to him (although he could clearly see her right next to him even without the mirror). "Princess," stated Ryan. Then he added, "Student number 1". "Very good!" responded Teacher Rita. One by one, the students followed Ryan's example perfectly, naming their fellow classmates with their corresponding numbers, up to the last child, #30. And then the real fun began. They each paired-up, even numbers with even & odd numbers with odd. The students each received a page of the newspaper, which they cut into the shape of the head of their partner classmates. They then cut- out from colored construction paper the shapes to match their faces: with eyes, nose, mouth, lips & ears. Rita's 2nd & 3rd graders then pasted the body parts to the newspaper "face silhouettes" as a mask. The class roared with laughter as each student placed the corresponding "masks" over the faces of their "intended" in the front of the classroom. Often the eyes were not aligned, & they were making fun of their own creations. While many times the obvious dimples or smiles resembled their classmates, sometimes the masks didn't resemble human faces at all, but instead looked more like a monkey! While Teacher Rita & the students laughed & laughed, what really made her day was to see how much they enjoyed making their projects & how they cooperated in sharing their scissors, crayons, & glue with their classmates. During the next lesson, GMRC (Good Manners and Right Conduct), Rita introduced a new topic: the importance of prayer. "Students, sometimes when we come to God in prayer, we do not feel that we can really express ourselves, & almost feel like our praise & requests are like the simple disfigurements that we see in the masks we just built. But such is not the case at all. You can pray to God ANYWHERE, ANYTIME & tell God ANYTHING. He sees us as we are. He sees our inner heart & the Bible says that God knows the words before they are even on our tongues." She went on to share how prayers express our deepest values, strength & guidance in Christ & our source of peace. "So, students, how & when do you pray? Let's start with Arjahay". Arjahay responded, "In my house, there is only one room. Papa, Mama, & my two sisters & little brother sleep side-by-side on the floor. Our C.R. (bathroom) is outside, as is the cement thing we cook on, over a fire. I do have my own pillow, & under it I hide my Bible & the little stuffed animal, a red dog I got from BCA for Christmas last year. Before I go to sleep, I take out Stuffy (that is what I call my stuffed dog) & fold his paws in prayer. Then he & I pray together." Everybody clapped at Arjahay's response. As the students shared their prayer experiences, the home became a common location where they prayed. Rita caught up on this as she explained, "Be it ever so humble, your home is an intimate place. A place of love, food, joy & family. It is no wonder that when you pray, you often do so at home. Even farther, wherever you travel, Jesus is with you. Since prayer is a deeply personal experience, wherever you are you can feel God's presence & the warmth that is home. Thus, be sure to pray every day, as often as possible." Then Rita distributed little pieces of paper, which each had words on them describing situations in the country, people's names, & places. Each student prayed a short 1- or 2- sentence prayer focusing on the subject, person or place on their papers. Some prayers were very simple, while others were very profound & thought provoking. It not only allowed them to practice their public speaking skills but also helped them feel more connected to the act of praying. Rita was pleased to see their enthusiasm as they volunteered to lead, & it created a warm & supportive atmosphere in the classroom. As I read Rita's journal on my laptop, I was sweaty from my daily (swimming, cycling & running) training for next week's upcoming 70.3-mile Ironman race. [NOTE: today's roadkill tally of sights seen while cycling 36 miles: 4 dead armadillos, 1 dead snake, 3 crosses (people who had died on that road), & 1 flat tire (mine)]. I reflected on how great our God is: He hears & answers the prayers of the thousands of BCA students & their families & church members in Asia, at the same time that prayers are being lifted-up by the people here in Georgia with whom we are sharing. More than that, God knows our struggles & can see "beyond the mask" into our innermost daily trials & triumphs. Until next time… Let the islands…rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: A. PJ's Late Night Worship Master list - PJ Barner: actor · singer · director. YouTube: #300-201: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26FzOhEZ3k41BCzNbiSZ-qw2 B. #400-301: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26EAnhq36C3vdyKCuYefKUop C. SPECIAL #414. Join us on Tuesdays! GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU • HAPPY BIRTHDAY Hey, did you miss us? Welcome back to Late Night Worship, now at the brand-new Barner Home!!! 6 min, 37 sec. https://www.facebook.com/pj.the.barner/videos/1024962679632496 Present Need: $300 for: (installment #7 of 9) $2,700 for 5 (2hp Carrier brand) air conditioners for Barner Christian Academy: #1: 7th Grade classroom, #2: Library, #3: Home Economics classroom, #4: Men's chaplain's office, #5: 3rd Grade classroom. $600 remaining. 3 Ongoing Construction Projects: Upcoming (General) Schedule: Barner Family 2024-5 USA TENTATIVE Speaking/Singing/Visiting Tour: SEP- GA/FL OCT-FL,SC/MD/NJ / NOV-NY,IL,MO,IN/ DEC-NY,TORONTO,KY/ JAN '25-NC,AL,SC,TX/ FEB '25-MEXICO,AZ,CA/ MAR '25- CA,UT,KS,OH,NY/ APR '25 NY/ MAY '25 WA,AK,OH,Saskatchewan/ JUN-AUG '25 PA,VT,NY,CT/ SEP '25 WI,NM,MO,AR,TN,NY/ OCT '25 NY,NJ/ NOV '25 NY,IL,Guam,Davao. BCA students' 2024 Christmas backpacks: This Christmas, 600 BCA kids will receive joy-filled* BCA Backpacks! NEEDED: $20 x 600 = $12,000. Received: $60. *joy-filled: Christmas t-shirts, stuffed animals, school supplies, Gospel tracts & scrumptious holiday food! |
| 9/12/2024 | COMING UP: 9/15- Augusta, GA (church #1 of 2) Please pray for one of our orphans, "Buzz," who has moved out of our orphanage & is now with a family in the southern section of our island of Mindanao (3 hours away). Praise God that our speaking & singing at the East Greenbush (NY) New Life Assembly of God Church this past Sunday was very well received. Many members of the church sponsor students at BCA and the church is even considering sending a missions team out to help us with construction sometime in the next few years! Praise God also that many of Elvie's friends & prayer warriors from around the world greeted her a happy birthday this week, as she turned 57. "CAUGHT!" A Filipino religious leader who claims to be the "Appointed Son of God" with millions of followers, has been chased down via a police manhunt for the past 2 weeks, to stand trial for child abuse & human trafficking. A few thousand of his followers were trying to defend him, & after one died of a heart attack, the "false messiah" finally was captured in a subterranean chamber under his huge colosseum in Davao. While it is shameful that such criminals will deface the name of God for their own benefit, it is a joy that other institutions (like BCA) truly care for the eternal & temporal wellbeing of its students & their families. Barner Christian Academy has hired 2 chaplains: one for the boys & the other for the girls. Eunice is the lady chaplain. Just as with the students, Eunice gives homework to the parents of these students in their weekly Wednesday morning group Bible studies, as well as in their assigned 1-on-1 spiritual counseling times. This past month alone, eight women & one couple prayed to receive Jesus into their hearts! One of the lady-converts (Marlie) had previously been a follower of the self-proclaimed "Appointed Son of God" who was just captured by the police. During their monthly Children's Sunday at church, Eunice led the Junior Service, where dozens of kids came up to the stage to perform Christian songs & to recite Bible verses. Other items for Eunice were to pray for healing: a mother from Grade 7 has breast cancer, while a Grade 2 Mom …her baby died right after delivery. After months of waiting, she was so disappointed in what had happened to her newborn baby. Another mom is having marital problems, & Eunice cried with her & prayed with her. After the group meetings, both chaplains & all 200 of the parents in attendance held hands around the perimeter of the BCA school gym & prayed for each other's needs. Eunice and Melvin give spiritual evaluations of each student, on a rotating basis. Copies of these are placed in BCA's permanent files, and also additional copies go to you, the sponsors, so that you can pray for your kids. These personal guidance c lasses are scheduled as follows: Grades K-7 on alternating Wednesdays & Thursdays, with one hour for each class. Final score for the self-proclaimed Philippine messiah: one less for him, one more for Jesus! Until next time… Let the islands…rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: A. PJ's Late Night Worship Master list - PJ Barner: actor · singer · director. YouTube: B. #400-301: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26EAnhq36C3vdyKCuYefKUop C. https://newlifeaogeg.org/ NOTE: click link on "Sermon-English. Barner Family- Missionaries to The Philippines". Sermon at New Life Assembly of God Church in East Greenbush, NY. Sunday, September 8, 2024. 1 hr, 34 min, 38 sec. Present Need: $300: Bus Maintenance: Bus "Ph": $30 for repair of alternator/replace carbon & soldering, $49 for toys for children, $3 for purified water for guests, $4 for Paint for new chairs, $8 for Waterline parts & faucet,?$206 for Buses "Fi & Ph": LTO Renewal of Registration. 3 Ongoing Construction Projects: Upcoming (General) Schedule: Barner Family 2024-5 USA TENTATIVE Speaking/Singing/Visiting Tour: SEP- SC/GA/FL OCT-FL,SC/MD/NJ / NOV-NY,IL,MO,IN/ DEC-NY,TORONTO,KY/ JAN '25-NC,AL,SC,TX/ FEB '25-MEXICO,AZ,CA/ MAR '25- CA,UT,KS,OH,NY/ APR '25 NY/ MAY '25 WA,AK,OH,Saskatchewan/ JUN-AUG '25 PA,VT,NY,CT/ SEP '25 WI,NM,MO,AR,TN,NY/ OCT '25 NY,NJ/ NOV '25 NY,IL,Guam,Davao. BCA students' 2024 Christmas backpacks: This Christmas, 600 BCA kids will receive joy-filled* BCA Backpacks! NEEDED: $20 x 600 = $12,000. Received: $60. *joy-filled: Christmas t-shirts, stuffed animals, school supplies, Gospel tracts & scrumptious holiday food! |
| 9/5/2024 | Elvie's 57th Birthday (9/9/67). Philippine National Heroes Day 8/26. USA Patriot Day (9/11/01). COMING UP: Please pray for our 31 church plants this week. We gave all of our pastors the same topic: "Sanctification: God's ongoing work to improve your walk with Him". Believers, especially our many new believers, need to see that God's work of sanctification in their lives is a glorious journey of teamwork between them & their Creator. Praise God that our speaking, singing & officiating communion at the South Westerlo (NY) Congregational Christian Church this past Sunday was very well received. The church itself sponsors a boy student at BCA & many members of the church do so as well. Praise God also that our daughter Abigail this past school semester at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, made the honor roll with great grades! Praise God too that during the months of June & July, gifts from those choosing to give through Christian Aid Mission totaled as follows: $45 for BCA's Children's Emergency Medical Fund; Praise God that this week three visitors from Mexico & California have come to the Philippines for three days to see & pray for the ministries that God has led us to begin there. Praise God also for the fantastic time we have had these last couple of days with Briana's parents & eleven siblings! "C-c-c-cooold water…" Swimming in Lake George, NY, which is mountain water, is a lot different from the tropical ocean water we are used-to in the Philippines. Nonetheless, as we & other pastors from New York & Vermont enjoyed a few days of "free respite", for ministry people to "catch their breath", it was a nice break before Elvie & I head south on the next wing of our American speaking tour. And after a few dozen laps in the mountain water, the body acclimates…kinda-sorta… Meanwhile, (between swimming, bicycling, Bible reading, singing around the bonfire & eating), we touched base (online) with our orphans, teachers at the school, contractors, & pastors of the churches, back in Davao. All is well & they were thrilled that we took the time to follow-up on their activities & projects…until the weak internet connections overseas would cut us off. Overseas in the school itself, BCA's Teacher Jannah challenged her first graders. Our staff had fed hundreds of Barner Christian Academy students after lining up the tables & chairs, placing plates & utensils & cups, & also spending half the night cooking the food for this huuuuuge "BCA family". Energetic with full tummies, the kids descended upon their classrooms. Some of the first-graders had challenges adjusting from kindergarten to 1st Grade. One difficulty was that there is no nap-break like back in kindergarten. Also, preschool has 2 ½ hours of class time, while elementary is a full day. "Energizer time!" Jannah & her co-teachers have done this a thousand times, & they know what "wakes up" the kids. Filipinos love music & dancing. The mini-Zumba exercises, accompanied by upbeat Chirstian children's songs, got the blood flowing back into the drowsy kids' craniums. Perfect timing, as Chaplains Melvin & Eunice arrived for their weekly "spiritual counterpoint" half-hour with the kids. While Jannah led a Bible lesson, the chaplains took the students aside, two-by-two, to interview them on their spiritual progress (verses memorized, daily devotional routine, & Bible knowledge). Next hour began Reading & Literacy class. "Reez, please read the word at the top of page 6 in your workbook." Jannah, seeing that the students had grasped the concept, took out her colored chalk & wrote a dozen simple, three-letter words on the blackboard. To tie-in the next subject (Mathematics), she placed the list inside a large triangle, with numbers corresponding. In an adjacent rectangle shape on the board, she had placed duplicate numbers & then in a third shape (circle) she placed suggested words to choose from. One by one, students volunteered to bring a word from the circle into the rectangle to rhyme with the triangle. Having prepared these very words' corresponding pictures, on post-it notes, she asked the kids to find something in the shape of a rectangle in the classroom, & stick the note to the item. No duplicates. At first it was easy: a rectangular lamp received a basset-hound "DOG" which rhymed with its counterpart, "HOG." There was finally just one post-it note left, & the students were stymied. All the rectangles in the classroom were already stuck-up with yellow post-it notes donned with rhyming pictures. But nowhere for "BUG" which had rhymed with "HUG". Finally, Fritz raised his hand. "Techer Jannah, I think I found where the BUG belongs!" Jannah urged Fritz, "Go ahead, Fritz." The class then watched curiously, as Fritz made his way up to the black board, removed the "BUG" picture & placed it into his hand. They were surprised that Fritz did not look around the room, but instead went directly to the bookstand in the corner of the room. Chaplain Melvin had left the classroom's Bible on its stand. Fritz picked up the Bible, holding it out so that everyone could see. As Fritz stuck the yellow note to the Bible, he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Jannah. She couldn't help but use it as an illustration, saying, "When you can't seem to figure out what to do with things that BUG you, bring them to Jesus! Open the Bible & read it. There you will find the solution!" Until next time… Let the islands…rejoice! Link for credit card donations: https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/6118435 TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
Present Need: $300 for: (installment #6 of 9) $2,700 for 5 (2hp Carrier brand) air conditioners for Barner Christian Academy: #1: 7th Grade classroom, #2: Library, #3: Home Economics classroom, #4: Men's chaplain's office, #5: 3rd Grade classroom. $900 remaining. 3 Ongoing Construction Projects: Preaching themes by month for Davao Church: September: STEWARDSHIP, October: MISSIONS, November: ESCHATOLOGY, December: ADVENT/CHRISTMAS |
| 8/29/2024 | USA Labor Day (9/2/24) COMING UP: Please pray for our new church services at BCA's orphanage on nearby Samal Island. We have built an open-air church with stage & roof, & have yet to install electricity. For now, however, we use a hundred-foot-long extension cord to bring a floodlight out to the site. Since those who preach to the orphans are speaking on Sunday mornings on the mainland, it is often dark before the barge gets them to the church. Mosquitoes & bugs are also drawn by the light. Praise God for a great Sunday at the Clearview Alliance Church this past Subnday in Castleton, NY. Abby sang a solo, Elvie greeted the people in Filipino, 1,000 Filipino kids sang via video, & we also taught Sunday School & gave a Bible message during the worship service. A family who sponsors a BCA student has decided to also include a 2nd student in their sponsorship! Praise God as well that our son PJ & Briana's baby shower last Saturday was well attended & they received many items needed for their upcoming "arrival" this December! Thank you! Praise God too that, When Abby hit a deer recently with our old van, not much damage was done to the car, & she was not harmed. "Wow, it is a tiny Filipino barong for a boy!" This past Saturday, our kids PJ & Briana were opening gifts during their baby shower (one of three, in Albany, Greene & Auburn, New York). Thank you to all who gave gifts, both online & in person. As they opened their gifts, one present that Elvie & I had bought overseas a few months ago & carried in our luggage halfway around the world on the plane, was a cute Filipino-style "fancy shirt" for a baby. Meanwhile back across the ocean in the Philippines, BCA's new Teacher Cresty challenged the parents of her 2nd graders, "Ten of our 2nd-Graders have joined another class." Years ago I, as founder of the school, limited the classroom sizes to 30 students per elementary class & 15 for the preschool classes. This is unlike public school which sometimes has as many as 70 scrunched into dusty, open-air classrooms, for one teacher. However, BCA's 1st & 2nd grade classes this year have 45 students each. The Philippine DepEd (Department of Education) allows some teachers to teach 2 grades at once in the same classroom. Teacher Rita is the new teacher we hired for the "Multigrade 1&2". Cresty explained to the parents how this works. "Teacher Rita has a strategy. She knows what she is doing, & we have duplicate lesson plans." When the parents approached Rita, they were quite impressed, for she teaches each group with a lower teacher: student ratio for that specific grade level. Instead of 30:1, it is half that, at 15:1. As far as developing lesson plans, she teams up with the solitary teacher for those two levels, so the kids are getting the same material as those in solo grades. Due to the rainy weather, each of the classrooms also have less students, due to colds & fevers, which keep students home. While the students' temperatures are checked by the school guard by a thermal scanner, still occasionally a sick kid gets through, & some of the teachers have started to feel a bit under the weather as well. When the teachers are out, others are available to substitute for them until they feel better. "Students, today we will practice reading. The book is 'Cat In The Hat'. The really nice thing about the story is that it rhymes. So, if you are trying to pronounce a word, make sure it rhymes, & you should be okay. Some are made-up words, so this will be fun!" Pedrino was the first to read. "The sun did not shine," Next to be chosen by Cresty was Vennes. "It was too wet to pray." Cresty corrected her, "Vennes, it is never to wet to pray. We can pray anywhere, any weather, any time of day or night. Although we have not yet gotten to the word in the poem that 'pray' rhymes with, what word might fit that rhymes with 'pray'"? Vennes immediately saw her error & responded, "Well, of course it was too wet to play." Cresty affirmed Vennes' remedy with, "Excellent. Now for the next line by Jian?" Jian had been distracted by something outside the window. In this case, it was practically raining cats & dogs outside. When Cresty called again to him, he was instantly alert & read miraculously right where he was supposed to, "So we sat in the house…" Cheska finished the page with, "All that moldy wet day." Cresty asked, "Cheska, could you look at that again? While it makes sense, I do not think that is what was printed." Cheska said, "Oh, teacher, I know that the book says, 'all that cold, cold wet day.' But in our home, this rain has been so constant every single day, that mold is starting to form on our walls, both inside & outside. So, I think it should really say 'moldy, wet day.'" Cresty could not argue with Cheska's 2nd-grade reasoning abilities, & didn't want to stifle her creativity. So, she asked the class if anyone could revise the poem to include both ideas. Pedrino's hand shot up again & he was called-on by Teacher Cresty. "Oh, that is simple, Teach. Since the word 'cold' is repeated, why not just substitute one of the two old words for the new one?" So Cresty called on Cheska again to act on the suggested revision. Correctly she said, "all that cold, moldy wet day." The rest of the class applauded the teamwork of their classmates. When the volume died down, Jian let out a resounding "Aaaahhhh-chooo!" Everybody laughed, & Cresty said, "Awesome timing, Jian. But why doesn't it fit?" After sniffling & wiping his nose on his sleeve, he answered, "Oh, Teacher Cresty…it doesn't rhyme!" Let the islands…rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: A. PJ's Late Night Worship Master list - PJ Barner: actor · singer · director. YouTube: #300-201: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26FzOhEZ3k41BCzNbiSZ-qw2 Present Need: $313: $83 for BCA Buses: key duplicates, $33 for internnet surcharge, $168 for community aid projects, $29 for cleaning supplies. |
| 8/22/2024 | Ninoy Aquino Day (8/21/24: Philippines), Susan B Anthony Day (8/26/24: USA). NOTE: You are invited! Please come to the baby shower of our son PJ & his wife Briana as they celebrate the (upcoming) December arrival of their 1st child (a boy). August 24, 2024, 1-3pm Albany Alliance Church, 251 Washington Ave, Albany, NY 12205. Contact person: Sandi Barner psbarner@juno.com (440) 223-9319. {please see their gift registry under "TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH" after the weekly message in this email}. COMING UP: Please pray for BCA's four bus drivers (Boy, Elmer, Ben & Titing), whom we have agreed to pay overtime so that they can also serve as security guards for the school. In order to keep a much-needed guard on-site during the school hours, we are rotating their shifts so that the students' pick-up schedule remains effective. A guard is necessary while working with preschoolers, since they tend to, in their inbred curiosity, sneak away & wander when moving from one class to the next. Praise God for a great Sunday at the City Harvest Church this past week in Albany, NY. Pastor Ernie interviewed Elvie, Abby & me and also invited me to speak at a Men's Breakfast in 2 weeks! Praise God as well that this past week we were able to buy a new (used) car (2011 Honda Odyssey) to replace the 2004 one we've been using for the past 12 years! "Okay students…salute!" BCA's Teacher Rocel lined-up her 30 fourth graders in the gym, single-file between the 3rd graders and the fifth graders. The day began with flag raising, pledges, alma mater cheer, prayer & calisthenics. The patriotism in these kids is contagious, as the expressions on their faces during their singing of the Philippine national anthem was truly invigorating. Beyond the commitment to their country, this weekly, Monday-morning time at the flagpole also builds unity among the students within the school. Character development in enhanced through teaching discipline, self-control, & leadership skills. Many of the students were especially pleased with the prayers, for today was exam day. "Teacher Rocel, could we maybe skip the exam today?" Jifran suggested. Rocel, having taught many years, had a ready answer for Jifran, having fielded the question from others over the years. "Jifran, Diagnostic Tests in education are a powerful tool for personalized learning, & play a crucial role in my evaluation of each students' knowledge & understanding." Jifran quipped, "Uh, Teach, could you please talk in English for me? Many of those big words are not yet in my vocabulary!" The rest of the class giggled, but Rocel responded, "No problem. For all our students, let me clarify. Without a test, I might not realize how really smart you truly are!" "Oooohhhhh!" Sighed the class. And from that point on, each student grabbed his or her pencil, sharpened to a point, and scribbled away at the answers which they knew that they knew that they knew, all along! Rocel grinned inwardly at her reverse psychology, knowing deep down inside that tests identify learning gaps, allowing her to tailor her teaching strategies to meet individual needs & optimize learning outcomes. Twenty minutes later, Rocel requested each student to pass the exam to the person on their right & they corrected them together. Instead of calling out the final grades on each paper, which could embarrass those who did poorly, she collected the papers & graded them while the students had free reading time. Finally, the announcement of how the students did as a class: Rocel first read form the Bible, Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me". Then she announced, to cheers from the entire class, "For the first time on my career, it is unanimous. You ALL received 100%! Nobody in the entire class got even one question wrong! In-class Pizza party on me tomorrow, kids!" "YES!" Until next time… Let the islands…rejoice! Link for credit card donations: https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/6118435 TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
Present Need: $300 for: (installment #5 of 9) $2,700 for 5 (2hp Carrier brand) air conditioners for Barner Christian Academy: #1: 7th Grade classroom, #2: Library, #3: Home Economics classroom, #4: Men's chaplain's office, #5: 3rd Grade classroom. $1,200 remaining. 3 Ongoing Construction Projects: Upcoming (General) Schedule: Barner Family 2024-5 USA TENTATIVE Speaking/Singing/Visiting Tour: AUG- NY/ SEP-NY,PA/VA/GA/ OCT-FL,SC/MD/NJ / NOV-NY,IL,MO,IN/ DEC-NY,TORONTO,KY/ JAN '25-NC,AL,SC,TX/ FEB '25-MEXICO,AZ,CA/ MAR '25- CA,UT,KS,OH,NY/ APR '25 NY/ MAY '25 WA,AK,OH,Saskatchewan/ JUN-AUG '25 PA,VT,NY,CT/ SEP '25 WI,NM,MO,AR,TN,NY/ OCT '25 NY,NJ/ NOV '25 NY,IL,Guam,Davao. BCA students' 2024 Christmas backpacks: This Christmas, 600 BCA kids will receive joy-filled* BCA Backpacks! NEEDED: $20 x 600 = $12,000. Received: $60. *joy-filled: Christmas t-shirts, stuffed animals, school supplies, Gospel tracts & scrumptious holiday food! Preaching themes by month for Davao Church: August: EVANGELISM, September: STEWARDSHIP, October: MISSIONS, November: ESCHATOLOGY, December: ADVENT/CHRISTMAS |
| 8/15/2024 | Happy Kadayawan (Davao Harvest festival) August 7-17, 2024 COMING UP: Please pray for BCA's bus driver Ben, as he processes the paperwork for a "new" 2nd-hand schoolbus which he won in an auction bid in Davao City. The vehicle was purchased to replace one of our older school buses with the newer, stronger one. Praise God for a delightful Sunday School & worship service this past Sunday at Colonie Alliance Church, & also Saturday at a Men's breakfast in Greene Alliance Church, both in New York state. Elvie greeted the congregation in the Cebuano language, and Abby sang an incredible solo. Plus we also played a video with all 600 of our BCA students singing a missionary song, with hand motions! "Read…read…read!" BCA's Teacher Jovi was surprised that many of her 5th grade students still were hesitant to grab a book to read it. They knew how. It was just that they did not WANT to read. In Philippine society, you almost never see anyone carrying around a book to read, & neither are most kids able to afford Kindle or books-on-line. Jovi wanted to change this, at least with her 30 5th graders. Patience…patience…And then "Teacher," asked Cedric, "what do we need to learn, & WHY? How does anything in real life have to do with dusty old books?" "Oh, Cedric, Cedric, Cedric…we need to learn to read so that we can understand important information like questions on tests & exams. Reading is important in our lives. You read the destination on the windshield of the jeepney (public bus). You read the ingredients on your food to be sure you are not allergic to any of its contents. Reading can save your life!" After other students joined-in with the conversation, the whole class requested on a regular basis if they, once they finished their exams, quizzes & assignments, could snatch a book off the classroom's bookshelf, & read some more. Jovi assigned a special reading time (noon) for the entire class to do silent reading, & delightfully, the class would glance up at the clock on the wall each day & then, in anticipation you could hear whispers of…29…28…27…26…gradually increasing in volume until they got to 3…2…1…YAY!!!! At around 20 seconds to go, many had already gotten out of their seats to sit down on the "reading carpet" which would transport their imaginations to a flying carpet to bring them to worlds of fantasy & imagination. Occasionally a student would lose interest in a book & request another one. If the same student repeated this over & over, before losing her patience, Jovi remembered the words of Pastor William, who had visited the school with a Baptist work team from Utah in January, "Always be nice. Even when the kids are not nice. Always be nice. The kids will never forget your kindness for the rest of their lives." These simple two words ("be nice") made Jovi realize that she should treat her students with kindness to nurture their interest in learning. It was challenging, but incredibly fulfilling to see their progress! Until next time… Let the islands…rejoice! Link for credit card donations: https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/6118435 TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
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| 8/8/2024 | Happy 1st anniversary to PJ & Briana (8/12/23). THIS WEEK (8/8-14): 8/8-9: Paul & Elvie visiting in Thousand Islands, New York Please pray for my (Paul's) training for the upcoming Ironman 70.3-mile triathlon in Georgia next month (9/29). I am presently battling a lingering (non-infectious) internal infection which I picked-up while overseas. Elvie & I both had medical checkups this week & the doctor thankfully prescribed proper medications & referrals. Also, my New York bicycle needed some care & is in the shop, since the gears have been a little stubborn after not being used for nine months! I called it "manual shift" since when I shift to high gear, I have to manually get off the bike & use my hands to pull the chain from the small sprocket over to the large one… Please also pray for Doris, one of BCA's secretaries. Her mom died a few days ago, after a long illness. Doris' husband died last year, so it has been a strain for her and the kids, who are now all either in college or with families of their own. Praise God for a dear, dear senior couple who has been sponsoring a BCA student for many years. They gracefully helped Elvie and I through our "arrival jetlag" by inviting us, along with Abby, to their cabin along the shores of Canada for a few days. We even got a change to ride their boat & explore a castle! Praise God too for the friendly congregation of the Alex Bay Baptist Church (Upstate New York) with whom we shared a brief report of God's work in the Philippines this past Sunday & Wednesday. Praise God as well that I (Paul) this week have finished completely reading the Bible for my 86th time and have begun #87, in Genesis once again. Praise God again that, BCA's secretaries have located a misplaced box of letters to sponsors from their BCA students. Elvie and I filled our suitcases with over 400 letters, but this particular box could not be found…until a week later when the "stash" was located behind a desk in the faculty office. Since those are being mailed from the Philippines, they will likely arrive stateside sometime in early October (or maybe even late September) instead of this week. Praise God too that, since BCA's Preschool Teacher Veoly is engaged will be transferring to a teaching position in public school after the wedding next month, we have already hired (and Veoly is busy training) a new preschool teacher to take her place. "Think ART!" As BCA's Teacher Espe observed the smiling faces of his 30 second-graders, he instinctively KNEW that creativity was breathlessly anticipating the slightest opportunity to bubble-over from these Filipino kids. Yesterday Espe had instructed them to bring various art materials like paint, crayons, water colors & so on, into class. "Upon the white illustration board [posterboard] which I have placed upon each of your desks, with the materials that you have chosen, PAINT!" That was all. A Whole lot of room for variations in style & content. The students were aggressive, oblivious to their surroundings until Espe rang a little bell to notify the students of the halfway-point through their 3-hour-long project. Immediately some sighs came up from the room, as voices intermingled to imply…"more time…pleeeaaassse?" Espe assured the students that, although each was required to turn in his or her project within the time proposed, they would not have to present them until the next day, to explain before the class. "Just consider 2 Corinthians 13:9, "For we rejoice when we are weak, but you are strong. This we pray also for, that you be made complete." When finally, the students hopped onto BCA's school-buses for home, Espe sat at his desk, calculating the performances of his students in all subjects. Finally finished, he rewarded himself by looking out over his empty classroom. Was it only 20 minutes since those many lives filled each desk with hope & expectation for the generation which would lead this great country into its glorious future? Espe strolled from desk to desk, evaluating each project which was set-out to dry. It was almost as if the kids still sat there, since he could tell which belonged to whom, for the expression of their personalities was right there in vivid color, bursting out to say, "Here I am! This is ME!" One of Espe's students who had the best outcome was Charina. Yellow flowers speckled the pure green a small grassy clearing in a deep blue-green forest. Rabbits & deer peeped their heads out from the twilight shadows. Espe could almost hear the wild birds chirping their songs which echoed down the glade of this beautiful nature scene in this incredibly good contrast of colors. Another student, Kael, had matched his classmate in aesthetic presentation as he painted with silvers & grays the rocks that bright white water cascaded-over in a mountain waterfall. Since this 2nd grader had used crayons for the rock, but watercolors for the water, the portrait actually appeared 3-dimensionally transparent, able to see the rock through the water. It then passed with imaginative perspective through trees to form a river. No animals in this picture, but Espe could almost feel the water spray up in his face…and then suddenly moved the desks aside, as there really was water on his face. The rain outside had leaked through a hole in the ceiling. Another project for the BCA bus drivers to repair, for… "For we rejoice when we are weak, but you are strong." & rivers & trees. Until next time… Let the islands…rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
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| 8/1/2024 | 7/31 FLYING: (with layovers, 41 hours) Davao to Manila, Manila to Korea, Korea to Chicago, Chicago to Maryland, Maryland to Albany, NY. THIS WEEK (8/1-7): 8/1- Paul & Elvie fly to USA for 39-state speaking tour July 31. 8/4 (Sunday) Thousand Islands, New York, USA. Please pray for the hundreds of new students at BCA. Even though classes have already begun, destitute families are still being interviewed as they enroll their children. Most Elementary classrooms are full, but two classes a half-dozen or so empty seats: Playschool & Nursery. The more the students, the more we can pay our teachers! Praise God for "Boy," one of BCA's four bus drivers. He's been greatly loved by the students, as he's driven for us around 7 years. However, since he is concerned about his eyesight getting weaker, he'll be retiring now. May God bless his retirement! Some have suggested that we also "retire" the quarter-century-old bus he has been driving, since it too seems to be teetering on its last "struts". But buses are pretty expensive, so we'll hold onto the ones we have for at least another decade or so… "Your teeth are beautiful!" Over a dozen years ago, one of our elementary students fell down the school stairs & broke a tooth. I brought her to the dentist, but Bianca's tooth had to be replaced. Fast-forward to 2024, & Bianca invited Elvie & I to her wedding this past Monday. As a bride, Bianca had a stunning smile. After the couple said their vows, "Pastor Boboy" (the officiating minister) asked me to pray for the couple. I also was requested to give well-wishes during the reception (5 hours later). Explaining to the audience Bianca's childhood accident, I shared how we too come to Jesus with weaknesses & sin. But Jesus makes us beautiful, & one day we, like Bianca, will enter into an everlasting bond with our Creator & Lord as the "Bride of Christ" at the "Marriage Supper of the Lamb". (Rev 21:2 & 19:9) Of course, I led in the prayer of repentance in case anyone had not yet accepted Jesus, & was led by the Holy Spirit to do so. Bianca & her new husband Dan are both believers in Jesus & had met in the youth group at church. That same morning, on the other side of town, during classes at BCA, Teacher Donna was leading her students in a "work skills" woodworking project. They were to actually build real chairs & tables! Throughout the day, the gymnasium echoed with the sound of sawing & sanding, blended-in with animated discussions on design & technique. While Kiana was meticulously smoothing her chair, Sean remarked "Woodworking requires more patience & precision than I expected!" These two girls' dedication set the tone of enthusiasm among their peers, who were equally immersed in their tasks, as teamwork flourished. Andrea straightened out the table legs, coming up with lots & lots (& lots) of suggestions to make it prettier. Well, maybe a little too many suggestions… As she jabbered on, Jeff & his companions tried to finish up before Andrea began suggesting even more ways of doing it differently! When everybody sat back to take a break over their snack, Winter asked, "Teacher, this is…So. Much. Work! How can carpenters do this…Every. Single. Day?" Donna explained that the dedication they have to their projects builds a joy and determination to do well. After a while, it becomes fun! Jaheza took a step back & gasped, "Oh, I can't believe that just a few hours ago, this beautiful creation was just a hunk of wood!" As Daryl carved delicate shapes into the soft legs of the table, Cape held a paintbrush, ready to bring out the details with a splash of color. Donna made eye contact with her students, & reminded each & every one of them of the transformative power of "experiential learning". Yes, today they created furniture. But also, their young minds were empowered by instilling lifelong skills & values, in which they could take ownership. Closing the class as the paint on the chairs & table dried in the corner of the room, Donna said, "Students, Jesus does this to you also. We come to Him as sinners, but he carves & shapes & paints us with His awesome gifts & abilities, washing us first so that all sin is removed. No impurities left. But this chair and table are not just to look at. They are to be used! You too, as children of Christ, are called to be used by God to change the world for the better & lead many others to know Him and be changed for the better!" Great job, Donna! And you too, kids! Until next time… Let the islands…rejoice! Link for credit card donations: https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/6118435 TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
Present Need: $300 for: (installment #4 of 9) $2,700 for 5 (2hp Carrier brand) air conditioners for Barner Christian Academy: #1: 7th Grade classroom, #2: Library, #3: Home Economics classroom, #4: Men's chaplain's office, #5: 3rd Grade classroom. $1,500 remaining. 3 Ongoing Construction Projects:
Upcoming (General) Schedule: Barner Family 2024-5 USA TENTATIVE Speaking/Singing/Visiting Tour: AUG- IL/NY/ SEP-NY,PA/VA/GA/ OCT-FL,SC/MD/NJ / NOV-NY,IL,MO,IN/ DEC-NY,TORONTO,KY/ JAN '25-NC,AL,SC,TX/ FEB '25-MEXICO,AZ,CA/ MAR '25- CA,UT,KS,OH,NY/ APR '25 NY/ MAY '25 WA,AK,OH,Saskatchewan/ JUN-AUG '25 PA,VT,NY,CT/ SEP '25 WI,NM,MO,AR,TN,NY/ OCT '25 NY,NJ/ NOV '25 NY,IL,Guam,Davao. BCA students' 2024 Christmas backpacks: This Christmas, 600 BCA kids will receive joy-filled* BCA Backpacks! NEEDED: $20 x 600 = $12,000. Received: $60. *joy-filled: Christmas t-shirts, stuffed animals, school supplies, Gospel tracts & scrumptious holiday food! Preaching themes by month for Davao Church: August: EVANGELISM, September: STEWARDSHIP, October: MISSIONS, November: ESCHATOLOGY, December: ADVENT/CHRISTMAS |
| 7/25/2024 | THIS WEEK (7/25-8/1): 7/25-28: Pennsylvania missions team visit, Paul & Elvie fly to USA for 39-state speaking tour July 31. Please pray for the ongoing construction of BCA's orphanage guest house. Already it has 20-foot-high cement pillars built, & the roofing materials will arrive next week, after the cross-beams are also poured. Please continue to pray for the following hospitalized sick people: Church elder Richard, with hernia surgery// Pastor Joy, our church-planter, with kidney stones// Church treasurer Merlyn, with dengue fever// Church song leader & guitarist Jimry, with tonsilitis// Church bass guitarist Rodel, with cancer. Also, the Pennsylvania team has had a few members who have caught colds and/or boils. Praise God for the Pennsylvania work team which has been with us for over a week & is now headed back to the USA. They were an incredible help, and also met for the 1st time the students they have sponsored for over a decade! Praise God too that, although the church we are building requires a lot of "fill," (to fill-in the 4-foot space between the 6-inches of cement & the ground) we needed many tons of rock & dirt. Well, the hardware store's driveway was destroyed by a recent flood, & they brought in bulldozers to remove the mess & build a new driveway. They sent us 6 truckloads of "fill" for free…that is, until the truck started to get bogged down in the mud at the orphanage. Praise God also that, 2 weeks ago, our church hosted a sports award ceremony in which over 200 teenagers attended! After our orphans sang in church that morning, and before the 3-hour-long evening awards ceremony began, we brought a picnic to share with the orphans. Problem was, we couldn't find any open area big & flat enough for all of us to eat together outside…until I got the idea of bringing them to the cemetery. They loved it! Praise God that, at our BCA school's "Operation Clean up" & "Skol Brigada" recently, Elvie was interviewing dozens of poor parents for our free-school sponsorship program. After a full day of 20 interviews, Elvie left for a 2-day overnight "Pastors' Prayer Outing" in Tomayong. "Who are you?" Pastor Wayne (part of the visiting Pennsylvania work team) preached on Sunday at church from Romans 1 & 9. "Our identity," Wayne challenged, "is in Jesus! Is He your Savior & Lord today?" Wayne's team not only joined worship on Sunday, but also brought the kids to slide down the rapids, had a pizza party, dug dirt, laid block, helped build our new "Orphan Church," taught crafts, worked on our school buses, cooked, & helped serve our 600 students! The visitors left for home just a day before BCA's first day of classes began, & Teacher Rocel introduced herself to her new batch of 4th-Graders. From this first day of school, she was greeted by a classroom filled with eager faces: each with their unique personalities & learning styles. Getting to know each student individually & building a connection with them is a priority for Rocel. She strove to create a safe & inclusive environment where every child could feel valued & supported. Rocel thought to herself, "Throughout this year, I am sure to witness remarkable growth in my students. It is always a privilege to see their eyes light up with understanding when they grasp new concepts or solve challenging problems." As she looked out on her full classroom of students & saw a familiar face…well, no…this little girl greatly resembled that cherubic face from last school year, but that child has already advanced to 5th grade. Rocel could still remember, at the recognition ceremony when that pupil, a top achiever, broke down in tears because she felt her parents would not be happy with her achievement! Rocel had wrapped her arms around that girl and motivated her by assuring her that, whether or not she had achieved the goals she had striven for, she had certainly accomplished much, & improved immensely. The student's tears immediately dried up and transformed into a smile of self-esteem. Kids need to be reinforced in the importance of not only celebrating academic success, but also nurturing emotional well-being. Rocel's challenge to her students echoed the Sunday message of Pastor Wayne, "Who are you?" Rocel showed her student, "In the eyes of Jesus & me, YOU are SPECTACULAR!" Until next time… Let the islands…rejoice! Link for credit card donations: https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/6118435 TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
Present Need: $309 for: Bus Maintenance BCA Bus "Fi": $6 for repair of radiator & $3 for hose clip & $2 for silicon & $9 for head gasket & $26 for oil & $40 for labor for machanic, Bus Maintenance: BCA Bus "L": $170 for diesel gas & $7 for rubber cups & $46 for diesel oil. 3 Ongoing Construction Projects:
Upcoming (General) Schedule:
Barner Family 2024-5 USA TENTATIVE Speaking/Singing/Visiting Tour: AUG- IL/NY/ SEP-NY,PA/VA/GA/ OCT-FL,SC/MD/NJ / NOV-NY,IL,MO,IN/ DEC-NY,TORONTO,KY/ JAN '25-NC,AL,SC,TX/ FEB '25-MEXICO,AZ,CA/ MAR '25- CA,UT,KS,OH,NY/ APR '25 NY/ MAY '25 WA,AK,OH,Saskatchewan/ JUN-AUG '25 PA,VT,NY,CT/ SEP '25 WI,NM,MO,AR,TN,NY/ OCT '25 NY,NJ/ NOV '25 NY,IL,Guam,Davao. BCA students' 2024 Christmas backpacks: This Christmas, 600 BCA kids will receive joy-filled* BCA Backpacks! NEEDED: $20 x 600 = $12,000. Received: $60. *joy-filled: Christmas t-shirts, stuffed animals, school supplies, Gospel tracts & scrumptious holiday food! Preaching themes by month for Davao Church: July: WORK, August: EVANGELISM, September: STEWARDSHIP, October: MISSIONS, November: ESCHATOLOGY, December: ADVENT/CHRISTMAS |
| 7/18/2024 | Pennsylvania Work Team arrives! (7/18/24) THIS WEEK (7/18-25): 7/18-28: Pennsylvania missions team visit, Paul & Elvie fly to USA for 39-state speaking tour July 31. Please pray for the incoming American work team, arriving today (July 18) from Pennsylvania. In the ten days they are here, we plan to have special outings with the orphans, listen to the visitors share at church, and work together on projects at the orphanage. Please pray for good weather and safe travels. There'll be 6 of them. Praise God that Pastor Jeremiah, who successfully planted a thriving church for us about four years ago in a village named Tacunan, planted 2 more churches a few hundred miles away. And now he is coming back to Tacunan to plant another daughter church for us! Praise God too that there were 35 pastors who attended the Corinthians 2 Prayer fellowship which we hosted at our church this week. "Ouch!" that was definitely a pulled muscle in my back. I should've worn the brace before digging…I shoulddah…I shoulddah…I shoulddah…now I'll be wearing this brace for at least a week! Last month, Elvie & I had hosted a full-day pastors' prayer meeting at BCA's "Father's House" orphanage on nearby Samal Island. After I'd mentioned in one of my prayers the need to build a church at the orphanage, many of the pastors agreed, "When you start, tell us, and we'll get our people to come over to help out!" So, we set a date and started digging. And sure enough, they showed up! The church is an open-air design we made ourselves. Stage #1 is to build the stage, with a slanted roof over it. Stage #2 will be a storage room in back, and Stage #3 will be a high roof without walls. That way we can have very large groups worshipping together out on the lawn, all at the same time. Last Monday I spent 8 hours baking: brownies, cookies, cake, biscuits, granola bars & cornbread muffins. It took a while, since everything (except the biscuits & brownies) were baked from scratch. Every day is different. The high number was forty in one day! All volunteers! One lady doesn't mind getting dirty, and when everybody else is using the shovels, she gets down on her hands and knees to scoop the dirt up with her fingers! One gutsy young couple works nights as security guards for a beach resort, and volunteers during the day, every day, for 10 hours a shot, to help us dig, mix cement, lay block & weld trusses to build the church! I love being a part of God's incredible, giving family! BCA's orphans, when they are not busy with their chores on the farm, prepare meals for the multitude! Meanwhile, back on the mainland in Davao, BCA's 1st Grade teacher Krystal has been teaching Summer School. It is a new batch of kids, and she'll be seeing this same group in 2 weeks when the new school year officially begins. Krystal's eye automatically tried to focus on one particular student; Justin. But then she remembered: "oh yeah., he graduated into 2nd grade last month. He's not 'mine' anymore." Well, the kids are gone. She still sees them in the hallways & they'll greet her with a smile. But they have new instructors now, & she also must focus upon & cherish her newest "batch". However, the clay figures, she guessed who might have made them. There was a robot. That HAD to be from Jacob. It was so PERFECT. Nothing Jacob did was anything less than perfect, even for a 1st grader. Then there was an incredibly colorful butterfly painting. Maybe, just maybe that was from Jaya. Jaya ALWAYS wore very colorful clothes to school. Then, right there in the middle of the shelf, she saw it…two rolled pieces of clay, different colors, and intertwined together in a hug. "I wonder…" Yup, it was almost as if Krystal could feel Justin's hug right then. And then the little, 2nd grade voice piped up… "did you miss me?" Ahhhhh…. Until next time… Let the islands…rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
Present Need: $300 for: (installment #3 of 9) $2,700 for 5 (2hp Carrier brand) air conditioners for Barner Christian Academy: #1: 7th Grade classroom, #2: Library, #3: Home Economics classroom, #4: Men's chaplain's office, #5: 3rd Grade classroom. $1,800 remaining. 3 Ongoing Construction Projects:
Upcoming (General) Schedule:
Barner Family 2024-5 USA TENTATIVE Speaking/Singing/Visiting Tour: AUG- IL/NY/ SEP-NY,PA/VA/GA/ OCT-FL,SC/MD/NJ / NOV-NY,IL,MO,IN/ DEC-NY,TORONTO,KY/ JAN '25-NC,AL,SC,TX/ FEB '25-MEXICO,AZ,CA/ MAR '25- CA,UT,KS,OH,NY/ APR '25 NY/ MAY '25 WA,AK,OH,Saskatchewan/ JUN-AUG '25 PA,VT,NY,CT/ SEP '25 WI,NM,MO,AR,TN,NY/ OCT '25 NY,NJ/ NOV '25 NY,IL,Guam,Davao. BCA students' 2024 Christmas backpacks: This Christmas, 600 BCA kids will receive joy-filled* BCA Backpacks! NEEDED: $20 x 600 = $12,000. Received: $60. *joy-filled: Christmas t-shirts, stuffed animals, school supplies, Gospel tracts & scrumptious holiday food! Preaching themes by month for Davao Church: July: WORK, August: EVANGELISM, September: STEWARDSHIP, October: MISSIONS, November: ESCHATOLOGY, December: ADVENT/CHRISTMAS Churches, Schools & "Safe House" (orphanage): Barner Christian Academy: PHILS: PO Box 82,224 Davao City, Philippines 8000. USA: 18 (or #5) Eileen Drive, Rensselaer, NY 12144 QUIPS:
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| 7/11/2024 | THIS WEEK (7/11-18): Monday-Saturday 7/18-28: Pennsylvania missions team visit, Paul & Elvie fly to USA for 39-state speaking tour July 31. Please pray for the newest crops we are experimenting at BCA's orphanage: peanuts & corn! (cracker jacks?) If successful, these will not be just for the orphans, but also for the farm animals. Please also pray for the Pennsylvania missions team, arriving this next Thursday (July 18) for ten days. We plan to enjoy time working alongside the orphans on building the stage, and also having a few fun outings with them (including jumping off waterfalls!) Praise God that Elvie's team of ladies have thoroughly enjoyed their national women's conference in Iloilo City. Her host had a car left by a relative, but didn't know how to drive it. Elvie to the rescue! Praise God too that, after 3 days of no power, the electricity finally came back on at the BCA campus, and summer school is in full swing! "YAY!!! The pastors are here!" After a church in New York gave funds for us to start building a church at BCA's orphanage, Elvie & I made plans. Since funds are limited, and the need is great, we decided to make it an open-air stage with a covered outdoor gymnasium, dedicating the completed stage on July 27, just before we head back to the USA at the end of this month. When we had a pastors' prayer time at the orphanage last month, 6 of the 10 local pastors who were present asked, "Can we help?" Of course! Filipinos have a term, "bayanihan" which means to help each other out in a community. Often it means everybody putting bamboo poles under a house and picking it up to move it. We dug a foot deep for the large rectangular lawn area (40'x26') designated for the stage, and 2 ft deep for the 5 pillars. Every week, the pastors have been coming (once or twice a week), and it has been exciting to watch the conversion of the area, taking shape. The pastors bring their families and we make a day of it. We all get really sweaty and dirty. Ages range from 4 to 72! One pastor brought his three teenagers, and boy, were they hard workers! I spent half a day during the weekend, baking homemade granola bars (my own recipe, w/ oatmeal, coconut, peanut butter, raisins & choco chips) and cornbread muffins. I couldn't find any corn meal in the stores, so I ground down into flour some corn grits (manufactured for the chickens). I used the coffee grinder, & it worked! But for some reason, they didn't rise. Yet they tasted like "rice puto" (a traditional Filipino snack), so everybody loved them! Even though bayanihan is typically a free, goodwill gesture, Elvie and I agreed to give the pastor from the farthest away, $20 to help him pay for gas. He had driven 7 people for two hours across the island (& back), and over the mountain which is in its center. All this on a motorbike with 12-inch wheels & with a side car attached! Talk about commitment! Meanwhile Teacher Violy, who has transferred from our BCA school to teach instead at a public school, was preparing her start-of-year lessons for her kindergarten class. She'll be recycling many ideas that the kids really loved during Violy's years at BCA. One of these ideas was the use of clay. Tables had been set up around the classroom, with various assorted colors of clay hunks in the middle of each table. Then they gathered around the tables to shape their memories into tangible forms. The room had buzzed with excitement as tiny fingers began to knead & roll the clay. "Yeah!" exclaimed Leah, as her hands were already forming a small ball. "I made a dinosaur!" Looking at the hunk from all different angles, Violy just couldn't see a dinosaur there. But hey, imagination, right? The kids caught on that they'd have to narrate their work, so Karina exclaimed, "This is cool! I made a bunny!" as her eyes sparkled with excitement. She then looked a little shyly and whispered, "Can you please help me make it its ears stand up? They are just not co-o…co-oper…co-operating!" As the months went by, Teacher Violy every once in awhile put out the clay again. The kids blossomed in confidence as they learned from their previous experiences. By the end of the school year, they were like little Rembrandts! Mother's Day especially was very special. After they made clay pots for their moms, Dwayne, his voice soft, but clear, told Violy, "My mom loved it so much! She still uses it to keep her rings in." When they made animals, Brandon's fingers skillfully shaped a miniature elephant. The classroom looked like Noah's Ark: a miniature zoo. But as Violy glanced over all the creations, she looked questioningly at a big red heart. Shada explained, as she held up her creation, "It's for you because you are the best teacher!" As Violy thought back of the instance, tears welled up in her eyes as she had accepted the small, clay heart (and also realized that Shada was not calling her beloved kindergarten teacher an animal) "Oh Shada!" She cried out, "This is beyond beautiful!" The kids molded clay, while God molded hearts through the love of Teacher Violy. Until next time… Let the islands…rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: A. PJ's Late Night Worship Master list - PJ Barner: actor · singer · director. YouTube: #300-201: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26FzOhEZ3k41BCzNbiSZ-qw2 B. #400-301: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26EAnhq36C3vdyKCuYefKUop Present Need: $337 for: $5 for blind rivets for roof & hose for clogged pvc pipe, Building Maintenance: $53 for signage (materials) & $3 for Faucet & $14 for Materials for fixing electrical line & lentils & $15 for Repair & cleaning Grade 1 Aircon, $140 for Bus Maintenance -Philips -gasoline & $26 for repair of alternator & $29 for replace TC & check up of wirings, horn, wire & switch, Bus Maintenance Fields -$52 for gasoline. |
| 7/4/2024 | Happy 248th American Independence Day (4th of July, 1776). Happy 28th Wedding Anniversary, Elvie & Paul! (7/6/1996). THIS WEEK (7/4-11): Monday-Saturday 7/1-6: National Christian Women's Convention in Iloilo (Elvie is flying with 8 ladies from the church to attend). [LOOKING AHEAD: Pennsylvania missions team visit: July 18-28, Paul & Elvie fly to USA for 39-state speaking tour July 31]. Please pray for safety for the construction workers at BCA's orphanage. This past week, a few workers faced minor injuries: one with the jackhammer, and the other when he lost his grip on an iron bar, which scraped his stomach. Both have recuperated and are back at work. Three projects are in progress simultaneously at this time: 1) a planter/fence around property's perimeter, 2) a 2-story guest house, 3) A stage/open-air church building. Number 2 & #3 are destined to be completed this month. Praise God that VBS is finished and Summer School has begun at BCA. The 1st three days of classes were cancelled however, due to an interruption of electricity. "Today is God's gift!" Doris (one of BCA's secretaries) prepared for her day with a checklist. #1 was a reminder that, since every day is a gift from God, it is to be cherished, no matter what it brings. Doris' elderly mom is very sick, & her husband died last year from cancer. Yet Doris' very talented 3 daughters are getting highest honors in school & college, and are active in the church youth group. Summer school started on Monday, and the bus drivers brought the hundreds of students onto the campus. However, only a few hours later, Doris was calling Elvie, since there was no electricity. No electricity means no air conditioners. This week promises record high temperatures. Also, no electricity means no lights for the students to read by, and none for the computers in BCA's internet laboratory. Elvie & half a dozen of the school's female staff are home packing their bags, preparing for their flight to Iloilo, an hour away, for a weeklong national women's convention themed, "Faithfully Flourishing: a reminder of God's abundant grace and the growth He brings into our lives." So, while these ladies are away for the week, Doris and the others are behind, "holding the fort" with hundreds of students in classrooms day after day…except Monday thru Wednesday this week, that is, as the kids got a break and were brought back home until the electricity comes back on. While Elvie was packing for her trip, she & I discussed what to do about the power outage. "Yup. Postpone classes," we decided. Later, after dropping off the lady-delegates at the airport, I popped into the school offices to see how the teachers were doing. We discussed how to help the kids catch-up from the three-day "power-outage" break. They are pretty sharp, these teachers. And they truly are concerned about the welfare of their students. Dona Mae spoke for the rest as she explained, "We teach 4 core-subjects during Summer School. Typically it is just a half-day. But to make up for the 3 off-days, we'll just make this Thursday & Friday, as well as next Monday, to be full days, just like during the regular school year." Brilliant. Yes Doris, just like in your goals: "Today, everything that comes… is from God's hand, and thus …cherish it, for it is God's gift!" Until next time… Let the islands…rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: A. PJ's Late Night Worship Master list - PJ Barner: actor · singer · director. YouTube: #300-201: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26FzOhEZ3k41BCzNbiSZ-qw2 · B. #400-301: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26EAnhq36C3vdyKCuYefKUop C. Pastors' prayer meeting at BCA orphanage June 28, 2024. https://www.messenger.com/e2ee/t/8293339187363093 D. Delta Lake Family Camp 2024, Rome, NY. Centennial (100 years). Worship singing. 27 seconds. Day #2, June 30, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/deltalakecamp/videos/813678264073823 E. Delta Lake Family Camp 2024, Rome, NY. Centennial (100 years). Opening weekend. Family Camp 2024 Opening Weekend, celebrating our Centennial! ?? | Delta Lake Bible Conference Center | Delta Lake Bible Conference Center https://www.facebook.com/reel/799972582200336 Present Need: $446 for: & $2 for chain for reserve tire & $3 for vulcate & $2 for fuel filter, Vehicle Maintenance: Bus "M": $362 for Diesel gas & $13 for diesel oil & $2 for vulcate & $2 for bulb & $2 for end cups & $56 for pull out & installation of starter, repair & replace of carbon brushholder, replacedof armature & solenoid switch & $2 for hose clip. |
| 6/27/2024 | Happy 248th American Independence Day (4th of July, 1776). Summer Solstice (June 21, 2024). NOTE: Due to a recent glitch, any donations given to this ministry through tithe.ly.com between May 20 & June 19 did not go through, which means that, based on past giving trends, this ministry has forfeited over a thousand dollars. However, any recurring gifts will pick up again June 20. According to the tithely rep, "…your account is now fully verified. Your donations and deposits are functioning normally. All of the recurring donations are still in place. The only thing your donors would have to do is initiate a one time donation to cover the donations that might have been missed…". THIS WEEK (6/27-7/4): Thursday 27: Samal Island "IGACOS Pastors' Conference" (Paul is the Bible Teacher). Saturday 29: PJ's 27th B-day. Church Women's group in full-day event at BCA Campus (to prepare for upcoming conference). Monday-Saturday 7/1-6: National Christian Women's Convention in Iloilo (Elvie is flying with 8 ladies from the church to attend). [LOOKING AHEAD: Pennsylvania missions team visit: July 18-28, Paul & Elvie fly to USA for 39-state speaking tour July 31]. Please pray for the new teachers arriving on BCA's campus this week for their "Teaching Demos". New staff are arriving to "Teach the Teachers" & are evaluated on their teaching styles. These demos are not job-threatening, for incoming teachers have already been hired by this time. The demos are to give pointers to new teachers, by the seasoned faculty, for BCA's unique learning environment. BCA guides students, by combining hand-in-hand 1) their intellectual prowess & 2) Biblical truths. Praise God that BCA's eleven orphans were front-&-center on stage at church this past Sunday. Performing 20 minutes of music & Scripture reading, they also gave-way for 15-yr-old Leah's stirring solo. After worship was ended, they joined the youth from half a dozen sister churches, as we hosted a basketball (for the boys) & volleyball (for the girls) tournament. Not 1st place, but lots of fun! On our way back to the barge for their trip back to BCA's orphanage on nearby Samal Island, we celebrated by stopping at a few roadside kiosks, for a progressive dinner of: 1) roasted chicken, 2) watermelon, 3) soda, & 4) rice. Then we pulled over to the curb for an evening picnic! "We've a story to tell to the Nations…a story of Jesus…" BCA's 2024 month-long series of 31 VBSes celebrated their grand finale this week. The teachers had paired-up to complete 16 locations of 2-day events, with many venues featuring a combination of churches at one Worship Center. By now the songs & their adjacent Bible lessons were memorized, yet not rote. The excitement & endurance was only broken-up by a 4-day Spiritual Retreat for the staff at a faraway beach. Then they came back rested-up with vim & vigor for the last hundred kids in 5 final churches in three locations of Ulas, Bangkal & Matina Pangi. No matter how tired the leadership team may have been, to hear the precious words repeated by many children during the closing prayer, "Dear Jesus, I am a sinner, please wash-away my sins…" stirred up emotions of everlasting joy in the hearts & minds & souls of BCA's staff. As BCA's teachers, pastors, chaplains, administrators & bus drivers were busy "out in the field" with the kids, some staff stayed behind to keep things rolling on the BCA campus itself. Just around the corner on the calendar will be BCA's annual Summer School, followed-up by the start of BCA's 2024-25 school year… with our brand-new seventh grade class! Secretary Orbina typed-away on the computer in her office, "Dear sponsor, thank you for loving & praying for me, your BCA student, this year…" Since annually, around 15% of BCA's 600 students graduate out of the sponsorship program, Orbina (nicknamed "Inday" by the staff) is covering for Doris to interview prospective new poverty-stricken students. Meanwhile, Doris is away helping the VBS & also often at-home to care for her very sick & aged mother. As "chief cook & bottle washer" while the staff is busy elsewhere, Inday fields the visitors to the campus. She gets out her cell phone to take pictures. Inday also distributes crayons for the new kids to color pictures of thanks for their new sponsors, while collecting from the parents, data for the DepEd (Department of Education), collecting the kids' personal school records as well. Inday has a huge task ahead of her, as Elvie & I will be leaving next month (for a year and a half) to find more sponsors in the USA, & we need to place prospective kids on the waiting list so that we can give choices to inquirers stateside, as we visit 92 churches in five countries & 39 states. As the day came to a close, Inday said goodbye to that last family, locking the gate from the inside. Ah, finally she could concentrate on the next 20 letters (for the 3rd-quarter mailing), which Pastor Paul & Madam Elvie would be bringing in their suitcases to mail from New York on August 1. It was a joy, after seeing so many poor children during the day, to get home to her own son & daughter, & to prepare a meal for their family of four. "Did you see more kids today mom?" asked her daughter Charina. "Yes, anak" [nickname for "my dear child"]. "Do they look smart?" asked her son Charvin. "They will all be just as smart as you, with their BCA education, palangga" [another nickname for "my beloved child"] After the family got up from dinner an hour or so later, they all went outside together under the stars to scrub their clothes. The water pressure is stronger in the evenings, & it is also cooler. As they joked & splashed each other, Inday considered the faces of the poor kids she had interviewed today. Did they also have food to eat? Clothes to wear? Did they even have 2 parents to share their day with? Well, from now on, each & every one of them would have loving teachers, bus drivers and staff to greet them each day with a smile & ride on the love & prayers from their sponsors. Along with Inday's husband Richard (one of the church's elders, as well as a teacher himself in a different school) they tucked their son & daughter into bed, leading them in their evening prayers. "Dear Jesus, thank You that in our own small way, we are bringing…. "a story to tell to the Nations…a story of Jesus…" Until next time… Let the islands…rejoice! Link for credit card donations: https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/6118435 TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
Present Need: $300 for (installment #136 of 400) $120,000 3-story, flood-proof (9-foot-high backfill) raised parking garage/ school chapel & teachers' apartments next to BCA's present building. $49,200 remaining. 3 Ongoing Construction Projects:
Upcoming (General) Schedule:
Barner Family 2024-5 USA TENTATIVE Speaking/Singing/Visiting Tour: AUG- IL/NY/ SEP-NY,PA/VA/GA/ OCT-FL,SC/MD/NJ / NOV-NY,IL,MO,IN/ DEC-NY,TORONTO,KY/ JAN '25-NC,AL,SC,TX/ FEB '25-MEXICO,AZ,CA/ MAR '25- CA,UT,KS,OH,NY/ APR '25 NY/ MAY '25 WA,AK,OH,Saskatchewan/ JUN-AUG '25 PA,VT,NY,CT/ SEP '25 WI,NM,MO,AR,TN,NY/ OCT '25 NY,NJ/ NOV '25 NY,IL,Guam,Davao. BAC students' 2024 Christmas backpacks: This Christmas, 600 BCA kids will receive joy-filled* BCA Backpacks! NEEDED: $20 x 600 = $12,000. Received: $60. *joy-filled: Christmas t-shirts, stuffed animals, school supplies, Gospel tracts & scrumptious holiday food! BCA church MPM: "Midweek Prayer Meeting" speakers (9:30 & 10:30am): June: Spkr: Mr. Viray/ Music: Mrs. Viray. Preaching themes by month for Davao Church: June: PETER, July: WORK, August: EVANGELISM, September: STEWARDSHIP, October: MISSIONS, November: ESCHATOLOGY, December: ADVENT/CHRISTMAS |
| 6/20/2024 | "Double-Day*" (6/12/24) THIS WEEK (6/20-27): Monday-Thursday 17-20: BCA Teachers & Staff on annual 4-day Spiritual outing/retreat. Monday-Tuesday 24-25: looking ahead: final 2024 VBSes in Ulas, Bangkal & Matina Pangi churches. [Looking ahead: Elvie with 7 ladies from church flying to Iloilo for National Christian Women's conference, July 1-7// Pennsylvania missions team visit: July 18-28] Please pray for the spiritual growth of 300 newly-baptized believers, who were baptized in the Pacific Ocean, Davao Gulf, at last week's "Araw Ng Metro Dabaw" event, at Valles Beach, Toril, Davao. Elvie had done the planning for the event, & did a great job leading over 1000 church people at the beach on Philippine Independence Day June 12. Please also pray for healing for BCA's Bus Driver Ben. After cooking food at his home for BCA's Annual 4-day teachers' retreat, he crashed his motorcycle in a rainstorm, while bringing the food to the school for the team's departure. He is ok, but scraped-up his hands & knee pretty bad. And the food was destroyed. He & BCA's other three bus drivers drove the ten-hour trip to their retreat's destination in Cateel, Eastern Mindanao. Sometimes the trip together is just as much fun as arriving at the destination. Praise God that during a "Tribute to Parents" at the recent Libuak Elementary School Graduation exercises, many grads handed flowers to their parents, but it looked like our 12-yr-old orphan CJ had nothing in his hands as he walked up to the stage to shake the hands & "bless" Elvie & me. He then reached his hands into his pockets & pulled out two colorful, crumpled, 3-D hand-made paper roses! These kids are so precious to us. Praise God for the 9 Americans (of the 17-member missions team) from Texas, USA who visited us for 2 days this past week. After visiting BCA's orphanage & praying for the kids & construction projects there, the Texas pastor (Jim) preached in our church on Father's Day & also led an evangelism seminar. Then, 20 people from the church, along with some from the youth group, went door-to-door to share our faith with neighbors who live near the BCA campus. "Chicken of the Sea? Is there a chicken in the sea?" While I was preparing my lunch, Dodong, who is one of the cement workers at a building project on BCA's orphanage-campus, picked up my can of tunafish & was curious about its label. Grinning, I answered back, "No, the chicken are not in the sea, but in the can!" Meanwhile, BCA's teachers & staff were 10 hours away in Cateel City, at their annual "Spiritual Staff Retreat". The last time Elvie had been to Cateel a dozen years ago (Nov/Dec 2012), was after Typhoon Pablo had killed over a thousand residents, wiping-out crops, homes & entire villages. At that time, the 6th-grade classroom of our BCA school was the central processing unit to re-bag into smaller units for families, tons & tons of rice, noodles & canned meat, which she had delivered, along with toys, clothes & Bibles, in a convoy of trucks & school buses, to distribute among the survivors. Now, the city is fully recovered, & our staff had been planning this retreat/location for a few months. They didn't realize until their arrival that a government teacher-training seminar was taking place the very same date as their retreat! So, they joined-in, with academic training in the afternoons & spiritual training in the mornings & evenings. They also slept on the floors & pews of churches in the area. After they return from the retreat, we will be saying goodbye to a few of our teachers who are transferring to public school. One of those exiting is Romnick. As he moves on, we will miss him in church as well, for he had been one of our Sunday school teachers. During the Retreat's spiritual training however, Romnick was one of the leaders. He began his devotional with, "The beauty of each day is not that IT is NEW, but that WE are being MADE NEW." He mentioned in his exhortation, about incidents that had occurred in his 6th-Grade classroom this past school year. Looking around him, he stated, "Just 12 years ago, this place was a wreck. Mud was everywhere, trees were down & hundreds of corpses lined the gullies. But remember the Bible verse in Psalm 19, 'The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul…', Just as this place of devastation is now a vibrant city again, even so, when our lives have low spots, remember, God is with you in the high times and the low times and promises He'll revive us!" Romnick then recalled back when he had asked his Science class to name some calamities. They suggested earthquakes, volcanoes, typhoons & tsunamis. "Each of these," continued Romnick, "make changes in the earth's surface. Problems in life also leave scars. But even though the scars often remain, we get used to them & move on." He then had shown pictures & let them identify what kind of calamity had caused the devastation in each. For instance, one city was buried in lava. That was of course, a volcano. Sometimes a calamity is the result of ongoing hardship over a long time. Earthquakes occur along fault lines; cracks in the Earth's crust where tectonic plates meet. They occur where plates are subducting, spreading, slipping, or colliding. As the plates grind together, they get stuck & pressure builds up. Finally, the pressure between the plates is so great that they break loose. Even so, in life we have friction every day. Thus, every day we need to bring these things to Jesus before a major calamity happens. "When I was a child, we often had no money for food. I would bring a little container of rice to school for lunch, & inside I had no meat, just a little salt to flavor the rice. But I survived." He asked the students what kind of challenges they had. Ashley spoke up to tell of family hardships, & suddenly burst into tears. The girl sitting next to her placed a hand on Ashley's shoulder & the crying stopped. Next was Ivan. "I have not seen my dad in five years, since I was very small. He started another family with a lady in Manila, & my mom is with another guy, whom I call my stepdad, even though divorce is illegal in the Philippines." Romnick had purposefully delved into personal tidbits as a form of "narrative psychology". He explained to his kids that the stories we tell about ourselves are the key to our well-being: the maps we use to find our way through life. Once they are examined and accepted, we can look calmly at the future. Back to the present, Romnick closed his devotional with, "What is the relationship between the volume of 3-D figures such as a rectangular prism & a pyramid? Pour water into both, & they can have the same amount that each one holds, but they look oh, so different. Likewise, I cannot totally grasp the length, width & depth of your rejoicing nor of your suffering, but I do know that the God who is with me in my life's experiences is also with you in yours & thus we both have equal cause to…REJOICE!" The next morning's devotional by Teacher Jerry-Ann, entitled "From overthinker to overcomer" tied in so well with Romnick's: "Remember, Philippians 4:6-7 says, 'Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer & petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts & your minds in Christ Jesus." Until next time… Let the islands…rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: A. PJ's ?? Late Night Worship Master list - PJ Barner: actor · singer · director. YouTube: #300-201: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26FzOhEZ3k41BCzNbiSZ-qw2 B. #400-301:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26EAnhq36C3vdyKCuYefKUop C. Our son PJ on music team Praise & Healing Service at Auburn (NY) Alliance Church, Sunday, June 16, 2024. 1 hr, 55 min, 22 sec. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekVA867a43U (PJ's quote from Frances Chan: "Most people would like to take a selfie with Moses, but don't they know they can go up to the mountain themselves to see God?) D. Our daughter Abigail on music team at Albany (NY) Alliance Church, Sunday, June 16, 2024. 1 hr, 1 min, 38 sec. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjySqyl8IAI E. VBS at BCA Tuesday June 11, 2024 54 sec. The BIBLE. Davao City, Philippines. F. VBS at BCA Tuesday June 11, 2024 1 min 49 sec. Be strong & Courageous. Davao City, Philippines. https://www.facebook.com/1504076525/videos/pcb.10231993127800061/1651148022325317 G. Closing prayer and benediction Sunday, June 9 at Faith Fellowship Church Laverna Hills, Buhangin Davao City, Philippines (I messed up a little in the first note of the 3-fold Amen). 5 min 36 sec. https://www.facebook.com/1504076525/videos/pcb.10231993127800061/1669624880439983 H. Praying for birthday celebrants and visitors on Sunday, June 9 at Faith Fellowship Church Laverna Hills, Buhangin Davao City, Philippines 12 min, 24 sec. https://www.facebook.com/paul.barner.5/videos/787957600142356 I. Jairus Alvarado preaches on Sunday, June 9 at Faith Fellowship Church Laverna Hills, Buhangin Davao City, Philippines. 53 min 1 sec. https://www.facebook.com/paul.barner.5/videos/769977925319380 J. Elvie gives the announcements on Sunday, June 9 at Faith Fellowship Church Laverna Hills, Buhangin Davao City, Philippines. 5 min 66 sec. https://www.facebook.com/1504076525/videos/pcb.10231993127800061/1017671153220128 K. VBS at BCA Tuesday June 11, 2024 1 min 28 sec. Davao City, Philippines. You are Faithful. https://www.facebook.com/paul.barner.5/videos/1116569992763528 Present Need: $306 for: Vehicle Maintenance: Bus "Fi": $50 for gasoline, Bus "L": $210 for diesel gas & $15 for "vulcating" brand new tube & change of tire & $2 for rubber boots & $3 for Devcom & $10 for Brake fluid & $1 for fuse pin & $15 for rubber cups. |
| 6/13/2024 | Happy Fathers' Day! (6/16/2024). 80th Anniversary of WWII's D-Day* (6/6/1944). *On this date, more than 150,000 troops from the United States, Britain & Canada landed on the beaches of Normandy, France, beginning a months-long battle that eventually liberated Europe from Nazi Germany. Codenamed "Operation Neptune" & "Operation Overlord", D-Day was the largest amphibious invasion in the history of warfare. THIS WEEK (6/13-20): THURSDAY-FRIDAY: 2-day VBS at "Session H" at Oceanview & Lasang churches. SATURDAY: A. Wedding of Ella, former BCA teacher. B. Texas missions team visits BCA Orphanage. SUNDAY: Father's Day. Texas Pastor Jim is guest preacher. MONDAY-FRIDAY: BCA Teachers & Staff on annual 5-day Spiritual outing/retreat. (looking ahead: final 2024 VBSes in Ulas, Bangkal & Matina Pangi churches) Please pray for the 60 or so children & young teens who made decisions for Christ during VBS this 2 past weeks: some who made 1st-time decisions for salvation, while others rededicated their lives to Jesus Christ. Please also pray for two of BCA's orphanage high school graduates, Oliver and Melody, who have (this recent week) passed the SICC (Samal Island City College) Guidance Testing Center entrance exams! Praise God that Trish, a member of the Arizona missions team, spent 2 weeks with BCA's orphans, including a day-out at the beach, & also assisted during BCA's recent cluster of Vacation Bible Schools. Praise God also that about a dozen pastors & dedicated members from a few local churches came to the orphanage to help digging, in preparation for the new church/stage/basketball court which we are building. They moved about 2 tons of topsoil from the location of the church's future foundation, 100 feet away to a rocky area next to the fishpond, which will be named "Mommy Elvie's Flower Garden". Praise God too that the Philippine Department of Fisheries donated 1000 tilapia minnow fish to the orphanage for the kids to grow, & eventually to harvest & eat. "Think about Joseph…" After BCA's Chaplain Melvin interviewed dozens of boys regarding their spiritual growth, he filled-out BCAs unique "CDEs: Child Development Evaluation" forms. It was Friday afternoon: time to counsel the fathers of some of these boys. Frank (not his real name) expressed his own frustrations to BCA's chaplain. "I don't know what to do. I am angry at my brothers who have ganged up on me & really treated me like dirt." Chaplain Melvin was seated in his new, comfortable Chaplain's Office: a large, former storage room on the BCA campus, which he had cleaned out & also had begun painting. This was after he had steamed the mildew off the walls. "Frank, you are not the first. Around 5,000 years ago, a guy in the Bible named Jospeh was super talented, but his brothers treated him like dirt. Just as they were about to kill him, they changed their minds & instead sold him into slavery!" Suddenly Frank's face was not so downtrodden. "Whoah. Compared to Joe's family, my brothers are saints!" Melvin went on the share how God protected Joseph, even guiding the mighty Pharoah of Egypt to make Jospeh prime minister of the country! When Melvin told how Jospeh's brothers had come to get grain during a famine, Frank waited in anticipation to see how Jospeh would exterminate the ne'er-do-wells. But Melvin stated, "Joseph forgave his brothers! And they lived happily-ever-after together in the land of Egypt!" In Melvin's counseling sessions, he has noticed that some people who feel sad figure that nobody has ever experienced anything as awful as what THEY are experiencing. But Frank saw here that he was not alone, & that the same Sovereign God who guided Jospeh also guides Frank. Frank promised that he would forgive his brothers & act as if they had never done him wrong, while also taking precautionary measures to protecting himself from his brothers harming him again in that same way. Fort the rest of the workday, Melvin was busy rearranging the music equipment storage closet, & also preparing sound equipment & microphones for an upcoming wedding. Delighted in the privilege of touching lives like Frank's, Melvin thought back 2 days to Wednesday's morning prayer meeting with the parents of students in the school. When BCA's chaplains & parents began praying, Melvin suddenly felt an incredible boost as God's Holy Spirit overwhelmed him, to clearly understand the depth of truth in the scriptures which the school secretary had presented. Melvin peeped through his formerly closed eyelids to see if others had experienced the same rush. Sure enough, like a wave, around the circle of parents, standing side by side & holding hands & praying, it was as if a wave of the sea was washing over the group, & each was noticeably spontaneously breathing deeper & smiled. In basketball practice a few hours later, there seemed to be an extra spring in Melvin's step, as he thought back to that incredible surge of power he had felt in the morning prayer meeting with the parents. Until next time… Let the islands…rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: A. PJ's Late Night Worship Master list - PJ Barner: actor · singer · director. YouTube: #300-201: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26FzOhEZ3k41BCzNbiSZ-qw2 B. #400-301: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26EAnhq36C3vdyKCuYefKUo Present Need: $300 for: (installment #2 of 9) $2,700 for 5 (2hp Carrier brand) air conditioners for Barner Christian Academy: #1: 7th Grade classroom, #2: Library, #3: Home Economics classroom, #4: Men's chaplain's office, #5: 3rd Grade classroom. $2,100 remaining. 3 Ongoing Construction Projects: |
| 6/6/2024 | Philippine Independence Day (6/12) THIS WEEK (6/6-13): THURSDAY: (today) CJ's 13th birthday celebration at orphanage. Also closing-exercises of 2-day "Camp Joshua" VBS at "Session B" in 4 Samal Island locations: Penaplata-Limao-Babak & San Vicente. FRIDAY-SATURDAY: 2-day VBS at "Session C" in BCA's orphanage, with closing bonfire. MONDAY-TUESDAY: 2-day VBS at "Session D" in 5 "mainland" locations: Lasang, Oceanview, Ulas, Matina & Bangkal WEDNESDAY: Citywide mass baptismal service (Elvie is the planner)…nearly a hundred are expected to be baptized at the beach that day, with bands, drama, & Biblical preaching…and lots of food. THURSDAY-FRIDAY: 2-day VBS at "Session E" on the campus of Barner Christian Academy. Please pray for these 2 weeks of Vacation Bible School, as the students sponsored by Barner Christian Academy invite their unsaved friends to hear about Jesus during their exciting 2-day event of games, Bible lessons, songs and dances. Three 2-day sessions are each arranged in 4 various locations, totaling 6 VBSes, with each week sponsoring the complete staff. Then, at Sessions 4 & 5, at the orphanage and the BCA school campus. Please also pray for the construction of a stage/church at BCA's orphanage. The church youth group has already requested future use of the stage for a week-long Bible camp/training event, and we've only just completed digging up the topsoil to reveal the rock underneath, which will be dug through to install its cement foundation! Please also pray for BCA's media team, as they take video footage of nearly 1,000 kids in BCA's 16 VBSes, and combine the songs into a mosaic, 4-minute presentation which Elvie & I can show in nearly one hundred churches we visit on tour in USA/Guam/Canada & Mexico over 2024-2025. Praise God that McKelvin, a ten-yr-old boy who broke his leg last week, received money from BCA's "EMF: Emergency Medical Fund" to pay his hospital bill. Also, praise God that a church in the western USA gave over $700 for to replace the refrigerator which has a broken motor at BCA's orphanage. That church's missions committee also gave funds to stock- up the orphanage on plates, pans, utensils & other much-needed kitchen supplies. Praise God that Pastor Jim, from a Filipino church in Texas, is arriving this month with a work team to Mindanao. On Father's Day (6/16), Pastor Jim will be preaching at our church! With Jesus, we are strong & courageous!" Hundreds of VBS kids flexed their muscled as they sang the theme song for this year's "Camp Joshua" Vacation Bible School. We chose the farthest-flung location to begin our 31-church VBS series…after an hour-long wait to drive onto the cross-channel barge, then another 3-hour drive on mostly dirt roads to the fishing village of Tucanga, Samal Island. All the teachers & staff of BCA, plus some volunteers from the church, & also an international visitor, Trish, from Arizona, USA. While this fishing village-church is by far not the biggest, it definitely in in the running for the biggest heart! Just these last 2 weeks, members of the church have brought their motorcycles over to our side of the island to help 3 separate times, at our orphanage, harvesting coconuts, trimming the banana plants, and working alongside our orphans to spruce up the orphanage's 5-acre Campus. While climbing up a coconut tree, one worker nudged a bees' nest & scooted, shinnying down the tree at breakneck speed, receiving only 6 beestings before running off at the ground level, to cake mud on the throbbing bumps to withdraw the stingers. These families just want to show in some small way that they are extremely appreciative that their children are receiving free schooling through BCA's international student sponsorship program. Also, this past Sunday, our church youth group on the mainland invited half a dozen other church youth groups for a sports fest: nearly 80 teens, who competed here at BCA in basketball and volleyball. Watching the games, you'd think the boys were angels, as they seemed to be "flying" in the air more than on the ground! Especially when the basketball got stuck between the hoop & backboard, and one Filipino kid leapt up into the air & with one fell swoop, knocking it back down into play! While the 2023-24 school year at BCA is now over, & kids are looking forward to when their new 2024-25 year will start, they do not get much of a break. No, we require VBS & Summer School attendance, so in essence, they have 12 months of schooling. Our teachers also do not get much of a Summer break. The nursery school teacher Jerry Ann entered into her daily journal, "Today dawned with the promise of a fresh start, brimming with excitement as I entered the familiar halls of our beloved institution: BCA. Anticipation danced in the air, setting the stage for a day filled with bustling activity & cheerful interactions." Hmmm, how can this be the case, when the students were absent on their "in-between-events" day? Jerry-Ann's stated "Administrative tasks" included calculating the final report cards & grades to be submitted to the parents, sponsors & also to the Department of Education. Partway through the day, I (Paul) arrived at the school with cookies & muffins I had baked for our incredible staff. Elvie also provided a full lunch that she had cooked-up. As the teams were assigned to various churches for VBS, the training began to build excitement: 2-days, followed by 2-more-days & then even 2-more, each at different locations. They'd be camping out, staying in churches & also, the closer they got to the orphanage, staying there as well. "As the day ended," continued Jerry Ann in her journal, "I could not help but reflect on the camaraderie & sense of purpose that permeated our interactions. It was a reminder of the joy that comes from working together towards a common goal. With renewed energy & enthusiasm, I looked forward to the adventures that awaited us in the days to come…" She then opened her Bible to read her verse for the day, "Let all that you do be done with love." 1 CORINTHIANS 16:14 At church Sunday, between the Friday training & the Monday VBS, I preached form Matthew 26, when Peter had denied Jesus 3 times before his Savior was crucified. "Do NOT Kidnap Christ!" I challenged. "When we refuse to tell people about our Jesus, it is like we are locking Jesus into a jailcell & keeping him all to ourselves." Requesting that the congregation take an imaginary, invisible key out of their pockets & holding those keys into the air, I said, "Put your key in the lock & open the door to let your testimony be told to your friends…& now into the lock again, to tell your family & co-workers…& one more time, to tell your classmates!" This week the teachers are doing just that: opening the door of their testimony by telling hundreds of BCA students about Joshua's victory at Jericho, & also about our own victory through Jesus' salvation at the cross! Bright and early at 4:30am Monday morning, the teachers loaded into the BCA school buses to head off to the island to tell poor children of fishermen & farmers that blessings abundant are provided for life by our Savior Jesus Christ. Until next time… Let the islands rejoice! Link for credit card donations: https://tithe.ly/give?c=6118435 TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
Present Need: $324 for: Vehicle Maintenance: Bus "L": $1 for sand paper & $10 for Bash relay & $81 for repair of gear box, stop light seal, steering wheel pump & dragging & $6 for Fuel filter, Vehicle Maintenance: Bus "Ph": $226 for gasoline. 3 Ongoing Construction Projects:
Upcoming (General) Schedule: American short-term work teams:
Barner Family 2024-5 USA TENTATIVE Speaking/Singing/Visiting Tour: AUG- IL/NY/ SEP-NY,PA/VA/GA/ OCT-FL,SC/MD/NJ / NOV-NY,IL,MO,IN/ DEC-NY,TORONTO,KY/ JAN '25-NC,AL,SC,TX/ FEB '25-MEXICO,AZ,CA/ MAR '25- CA,UT,KS,OH,NY/ APR '25 NY/ MAY '25 WA,AK,OH,Saskatchewan/ JUN-AUG '25 PA,VT,NY,CT/ SEP '25 WI,NM,MO,AR,TN,NY/ OCT '25 NY,NJ/ NOV '25 NY,IL,Guam,Davao. BCA church MPM: "Midweek Prayer Meeting" speakers (9:30 & 10:30am): June: Spkr: Mr. Viray/ Music: Mrs. Viray. Preaching themes by month for Davao Church: June: PETER, July: WORK, August: EVANGELISM, September: STEWARDSHIP, October: MISSIONS, November: ESCHATOLOGY, December: ADVENT/CHRISTMAS |
| 5/30/2024 | THIS WEEK (5/30-6/6): THURSDAY: (today) Arizona missions team arrives for 2 wks. BCA Orphans' Elementary Graduation Presentation (CJ moving-up to Jr High: 7th gd). FRIDAY: Jonas' 15th birthday celebration at orphanage. SUNDAY: Communion Sunday. My Bible message: "Kidnapping Jesus". MONDAY-TUESDAY: 2024 VBS begins: locations "A": Day #1 & 2: Island Village Churches: TUCANGA-KAUSWAGAN-KAPUTIAN-SION-BANDERA. WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY: 2024 VBS: locations "B": Day #3 & 4: Island Village Churches: PENAPLATA-LIMAO-BABAK-SAN VICENTE. Thursday: CJ's 13th birthday celebration at orphanage. Please pray for the twin baby goats ("kids") who were born at BCA's orphanage this past Tuesday afternoon: a boy & a girl. Last year when the mamma goat had twins, one was much weaker & died within the week. Please pray that both kids remain strong, to help us increase the herd. While we have 4 goats now, we'd like to make it a dozen. Of course, sometimes toward the end of the month when the food budget gets thin, we butcher an animal or two. But being bigger, the goats are usually a last resort, after chickens, fish & other critters on the farm. Praise God that 3 American friends from various states, this past week gave a combined total of over $1500 for the following: Bibles, Triathlon fund for BCA's new chapel, BCA's EMF (Emergency Medical Fund), & food for the orphans. Praise God also that this week I (Paul) finished reading the Bible cover-to-cover again, for my 85th time. Now for #86…today already nearly halfway through Genessis…Hi again, Abraham, Isaac & Jacob! Long time no see. I miss you guys… Praise God for Elvie. She was the speaker at a church-wide ladies' event this past Sunday afternoon. Afterward there were sack races, Bible charades, Bible quiz questions, relay races, other games, food & fun for all. The orphans (only half of them female) couldn't resist & begged to stay for all the fun. Praise God also for BCA's orphans. They ran the music time Sunday, along with scripture reading, prayer, etc. BCA's Chaplain Melvin was the preacher. Since Pastor Melvin is extremely gifted at music, he trained the kids for their Sunday presentations on Saturday night, riding his motorcycle onto the barge to the orphanage, ten miles away. On his way, Melvin almost wiped out when his tire was flattened by not one, but three nails scattered on the road in front of him. He pushed his bike to a place that could fix his tire. However, before heading back to the mainland (after training the kids at the orphanage), he confided in me that since he had used his barge-fare to fix the tire, he had no way to get back. Instead of just handing him the funds, I presented the need to the kids. "Let's take an offering to pay the $3 (150 pesos) that Pastor Melvin needs!" I wasn't sure if the kids would give or not. After all the kids went back to their rooms to get money, Johnjohn went from one to another of his siblings (plus myself) with his hands cupped in front of him. Then, pouring out the collection onto the tabletop, I was amazed when he counted the love-gift for Melvin…nearly THREE TIMES what he needed! Praise God for the sacrificial giving of these kids! Where did the kids get this money? We give them fare to get to school each day, and also we give them lunch money. But they have carefully saved, & with moist eyes I reminded Melvin that these kids truly have sacrificed & gone without, so they could give these gifts. After the rumble of Melvin's motorcycle could be heard passing out the gate & onto the gravel road home, I looked at the kids, making eye contact with each precious child, one-by-one. With deep emotion, I exclaimed with a soft voice, "I am SO PROUD of you guys!" "As president of this institution, I now pronounce you GRADUATES of Barner Christian Academy, School year 2023-2024! Please move the tassel on your caps from the left to right side." Dozens of students in their white graduation togas watched as BCA's underclassmen, class-by-class sang, "We are the World," (links at the bottom of this page) & many Christian songs. A cute little 4-yr-old preschooler had also been ushered to the stage for his well-practiced solo. You could hear a pin drop. But he just stood there, all 3 ft high of him, alone in his brand-new school uniform, on a big stage with a microphone in his hand. He looked out on the audience, of 300 students & parents, teachers & staff, & immediately got stage-fright. He stood like a statue for a whole minute. People waited expectantly…especially his teacher & parents, who had practiced this solo with him for weeks. But when it came time for the presentation, he just stared. Then, wailing at the top of his lungs, he screamed, "WAAAHHH!" Kindly, his teacher & mom came out on both sides of him, removed his white-knuckle-tight grasp on the mic, & patiently walked him down the steps of the stage. Gotta hand it to the audience. Instead of laughing or judging, they gave him thunderous applause! One very touching song's lyrics sung later by the graduates included, "I have learned a lot of things, but I have one question for you, Mom & Dad: Are you PROUD of ME?" With hardly a dry eye in the place, hundreds of nodding heads confirmed, "Yes. YES! We are so VERY proud of you!" A few days later, Elvie & I attended the graduation & moving-up ceremonies of our orphans on nearby Samal (IGACOS: Island Garden City of Samal). Three days of ceremonies culminated in Melody receiving her diploma from 12th grade, & CJ receiving his from 6th. CJ is a bruiser of a 12 yr old. When his classmates gave bouquets to their parents, I didn't see anything in his hand. Then he came over & reached into his pocket, pulling 2 homemade flowers out: one for Elvie & one for me!). At one point, during the high school ceremony, Melody & her classmates in their white togas, stood up & looked at their parents. I remember when Melody's father had died of dengue fever over a decade ago. Relatives & neighbors had at that time threatened to split-up the 4 siblings & raise them in various villages, scattered miles apart throughout the jungle. But instead, since then, Elvie & I have been their parents. Today, a dozen years later, this little orphan child no longer has tears of grief in her eyes, but instead, tears of joy, singing to Elvie & me. "Dad & Mom, you are the reason I'm here today." I didn't see a 19-yr-old. No. I still saw that little 8-yr-old whose father I had just buried. And then last night, Melody introduced us to the young man whom she plans to attend college with (while she remains at the orphanage, commuting back & forth). We really grilled this guy, R-Jay. Elvie & I had tons of questions, yet he seems to be a strong Christian & is dedicated to accomplish his goals in life. Back on the mainland, BCA's teachers & staff are now busy finalizing their students' end-of-year grades for the Department of Education records. Elvie also is training the BCA faculty, staff, & also volunteers from the church, for Vacation Bible School (VBS) & BCA's 2024 Summer School, to begin next week. Upper classmen are especially thrilled to try out 3 of BCA's brand-new classrooms! This year, BCA once again is sending the teachers out 2x2 to the 31 various locations for VBS (where they will stay overnight, sleeping in the church sanctuaries). We are also shortening the number of days for each location, collecting the smaller groups into the larger areas, & increasing the length of each day's program to a full 8 hours in each church. The final event (of the 31 VBSes at 6 locations) will be at BCA's orphanage on nearby Samal island, with the entire VBS staff participating, including a bonfire & banquet. We expect over fifty kids, since our own 11 orphans are excitedly inviting their neighbors & buddies from school to come. American friends have also given funds so that we can feed all who arrive. Even though classes for School Year 2023-2024 are finished, BCA's Teacher Jovi was reminiscing about one of her 5th Grade classes back in March. She was evaluating the students' reading abilities via a theory called, "Learning By Doing". This approach promises to not only enhance understanding, but also retention & the ability to apply knowledge. Using project-based learning modules created uniquely by each teacher, it uses a hands-on learning style to transform educational experiences by making learning tangible & directly linked to real-world applications. Teacher Jovi, with a blank piece of paper on her desk in front of her, had pen in hand. Blank white sheet of paper. Lots of space but…no ideas. Huh? Was that a bird outside the window? No, Jovi, do not be distracted. Come on ideas, where are you? Think. Lots of paper, no ideas. Pen full of ink, but none of that ink on the paper…Hmmm… "Ok, let's put me in the place of the students. Do I want lots of repetitious, silly questions? No, of course not. Let's get right to the point and get it over with. Lots of questions would not help me measure the knowledge of the students effectively." If I was a student, completing this module, I'd…wish I was somewhere else! That's IT! Let's use the kids' imagination & move their minds OUT of the classroom and on-site! Suddenly ideas flowed like those of a dream. Jovi placed each student on-site, constructing a bridge across an expansive chasm. The first essay was to determine the need. In one paragraph, the learner was to describe the problem: build a bridge. Next paragraph: what it will be like when the bridge is completed. The ceremony opening of the bridge, the first vehicle across, the free-flow of products & people from one cluster of villages & cities to another. Next, what steps were taken to construct this massive edifice: funding, budgets, materials, workers, manufacture of specific enormous girders, security guards to keep materials from being stolen, secret agents to keep the guards from stealing their own materials, paving materials, traffic redirection signage, community awareness specialists, salaries & food. Fast-forward a few months to moving-up & graduation day at BCA. After reading carefully every single module of each student back in March, Teacher Jovi had been thrilled by the ingenuity of her kids. As they stood on stage, side by side, Jovi envisioned their future to come, as their present, right now: potential contractors, architects, city planners & surveyors, working together for a common goal…all wrapped up in 5th-Grade bodies! Until next time… Let the islands rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: A. PJ's Late Night Worship Master list - PJ Barner: actor · singer · director. YouTube: #300-201: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26FzOhEZ3k41BCzNbiSZ-qw2 B. #400-301: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26EAnhq36C3vdyKCuYefKUop C. Barner Christian Academy Graduation Ceremonies, Part #1 https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12nFr6UnLM7ZX3h9scSZAp2S65vriyILX D. Barner Christian Academy Graduation Ceremonies, Part #2 https://www.facebook.com/bcadavaocity/videos/974705640647703 E. Barner Christian Academy Graduation Ceremonies, Part #3 F. Barner Christian Academy Graduation Ceremonies, Part #4 https://www.facebook.com/100001935800352/videos/pcb.25385470937767417/366659955915490 G. Barner Christian Academy Graduation Ceremonies, Part #5 https://www.facebook.com/bcadavaocity/videos/890600829495283 H. Barner Christian Academy Graduation Ceremonies, Part #6 https://www.facebook.com/bcadavaocity/videos/337735239340675 I. Barner Christian Academy Graduation Ceremonies, Part #7 https://www.facebook.com/bcadavaocity/videos/1108918680389580 J. Barner Christian Academy Graduation Ceremonies, Part #8 https://www.facebook.com/bcadavaocity/videos/1002522704820199 K. Barner Christian Academy Graduation Ceremonies, Part #9 https://www.facebook.com/bcadavaocity/videos/504457738573632 L. Barner Christian Academy Graduation Ceremonies, Part #10 https://www.facebook.com/bcadavaocity/videos/456917086739620 M. Barner Christian Academy Graduation Ceremonies, Part #11 https://www.facebook.com/bcadavaocity/videos/502092245479917 N. Barner Christian Academy Graduation Ceremonies, Part #12 https://www.facebook.com/bcadavaocity/videos/1147282916478723 |
| 5/23/2024 | Memorial Day, USA (May 27, 2024) Happy Graduation Day, BCA Batch of '24! (5/23/24) THIS WEEK (5/23-30): THURSDAY: BCA Graduation Presentation. SATURDAY & SUNDAY: Community-Wide ladies prayer mtg at our church. MONDAY: 1st day of 6-day BCA Teachers' Retreat. TUESDAY: Graduiation of high schoolers at BCA's orphanage. WDDNESDAY; Graduation of elementary students at BCA's orphanage. Please pray for Wayne & his 6-member missions work-team coming from Pennsylvania in July, half of whom are thrilling, God-centered teenagers. They have recently purchased their airplane tickets & are looking forward to coming: "working hard in serving the Lord & spending time with the children". Meanwhile, Elvie & I are planning-out the details for the eleven days they will be here. The timing is great, as they can assist in mixing & pouring cement for the new stage/basketball court/church at BCA's orphanage. Since this church youth group sponsors 2 children from BCA, the team is really looking forward to meeting them. They emailed, "We can't wait to come & serve & worship with brothers & sisters in Christ from half way around the world." Please also pray for Trish, a retiree from Arizona who is returning to the orphanage for a month to work with the kids. She helped supervise the kids pre-covid for a few years when they were much younger. Praise God that a friend in Virginia gave $320 this past week for tools at our orphanage. This was very timely, as we had just bought shovels, extension cords (for the jackhammer & grinder) & other tools for an ongoing construction project to build a guesthouse/houseparent residence at the compound. Praise God also for our daughter Abby's safe flight from Chicago to New York on Monday (due to a gate change, she had to run past 30 gates in five minutes!). She's finished the year of classes, but stayed on campus a few days to work for food service at an event. For the next few months in New York, she plans on working at a summer job to partially pay for her next semester at Moody Bible Institute. "ONE for ALL & ALL for ONE Purpose!" 80 young people, aged 8 to 28, along with 20 volunteer staff from the church, yelled out together the theme of this month's outreach event, the "Amazing Race". BCA's Chaplain Melvin, who is also my assistant pastor in charge of music & youth, led the devotional: "Working as a Team to Fulfill Christ's Great Commission". On Sunday afternoon at 2, the kids had come to BCA from multiple churches (including ten of BCA's orphans), in white t-shirts, for splashes of colored-powder to be thrown onto their hair, clothes & faces. But before arriving at the finish line, each of the six teams (red, orange, yellow, green, blue & purple) had to overcome a series of obstacles: 1: running a half-mile, 2: the spider web (one-by-one squeezing through a "web" of string without touching it), 3: flour transfer relay from face-to-face, 4: hopscotch in a 6-square cross-shape, 5: balloon relay. Everybody had a blast, laughing, yelling & singing…and sweating! And eating lots of spaghetti at the finale. The singing alone, with a live band & energetic Christian songs, took nearly an hour. Altogether, after the final awards ceremony, (everybody got something) they ended up heading home around 8pm. The next day at BCA, Teacher Espenosa was prepping his 2nd graders for BCA's annual Graduation & Moving-up Ceremony, which is scheduled for today, Thursday (5/23). After the Monday-morning teachers' group devotional, as well as the schoolwide flag raising, Christian Zumba, prayer & national anthem in the gym, Teacher Espe welcomed his 30 students to their seats. "Today's Bible verse is Romans 8:28, 'And we know that all things work together for good, for those who love God are the called according to His purpose." Together the class recited the verse. Then, one-by-one, each student did so as well. By the time student #30 recited it, the verse was firmly ingrained in their little heads. "Now, although we are finished with all the lessons & exams, & before we head back to the gym for practice of your songs, dances & marches, let's have some fun!" YEAH! Called out the kids. They earned this fun day by diligently doing all their lessons throughout the school year. However, Espenosa had a scheme up his sleeve: the kids, though having fun, were still going to learn a few more things! "We are going to be a barnyard!" They counted-off by 2s & lined-up in parallel lines. Then, pairing-off at the blackboard, #1 in each pair wrote the name of an animal on the board. #2 then made the sound of that animal! After 20 minutes of "baas & moos & grrrs & roars", Espe came to realize it was more of a zoo than a farm, Nonetheless, teamwork & identification, as well as spelling & reading, were accomplished. Next, still in the theme of game-oriented learning fun, Espe wrote ten numbers on the board, all the way from 5 to 5000. Pointing his ruler at the number 5, and then with his other hand at the animal name "bear", the students roared at the decibel 5 bears would sound. When he got to "chicken", he pointed to 5000! Those in other classrooms most likely were curious as to what all the deafening squawking was, coming from around the door of 2nd Grade! Congratulations, Class of '24! You made it! Until next time… Let the islands rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
Present Need: $300 for (installment #130 of 400) $120,000 3-story, flood-proof (9-foot-high backfill) raised parking garage/ school chapel & teachers' apartments next to BCA's present building. $51,000 remaining.
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| 5/16/2024 | May 16, 2024. HAPPY GRADUATION, BCA STUDENTS! (May 16, 2024) THIS WEEK (5/16-23): THURSDAY-SATURDAY women's prayer conferences in Tomayun & Bago. SUNDAY: (afternoon) Youth Group "Color Race". MONDAY: Abby flies from Chicago to New York for her summer job. WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY: BCA Graduation Rehearsal & Presentation. Please pray for the construction of a guest house at BCA's orphanage. The orphan boys helped us to dig the footings (most of it through solid limestone), inserting over a thousand pieces of rebar as an iron skeleton, and are pouring cement into the wooden moldings this week. Our intention is to have housing for the teams which arrive next month. Since funds for this project will run out after the outer shell is completed, we'll focus on getting the roof, walls, water, septic and electricity done. Elvie and I plan to finish this and the orphanage's church-stage area before leaving for the USA in August. Praise God that I (Paul) now have a crown for my back tooth. For many years, the broken tooth was painfully cutting into my tongue. Once I even tried to smooth it with sandpaper. Yet now it is ok. While parking one of the school buses to get to the dentist, it didn't fit in the underground lot, so I had to park it along the street. A lady came by to say, "Parking is free!" I said thank you. But she still stood there. When she repeated herself, she'd meant to say, "Parking has a fee!" Oh well. Nice tooth anyway! Praise God too that, on Saturday night while returning from a few days on the Island where the orphanage is, before heading to the barge, I had stopped to get flowers for Elvie. I didn't think any stores were open, but in a shaded area on the side of the road, I saw a florist shop! However, since it was dark, I did not notice the overhanging tree branch which I scraped against, breaking the side mirror. Yet on Monday, since It is a traffic violation to drive without a side mirror. one of our bus drivers, Elmer, was able to get it replaced in just under an hour. "Joshua! March around that Jericho wall!" Elvie led the nearly 200 delegates as she taught a 2-day teaching seminar for this Summer's Vacation Bible School curriculum across Davao City. If each VBS has 50 kids (BCA alone actually has 31 centers totaling over 600 kids & their friends), then the Gospel will be presented to thousands of children! The focus this year is "Be Strong and Courageous!" (Joshua 1:9). In today's world, often unbelievers are judgmental & rude against anybody who believes in a higher power than everyday people. So, we are empowering these Filipino kids to be a mighty army to stand up to persecution by loving their neighbors to Jesus! Elvie read, researched & then taught these VBS teachers also to be courageous every day. That was Friday and Saturday. Sunday was Mother's Day & the kids at our orphanage had a special treat for their "Mommy Elvie". They'd made the projects themselves, presenting them at the end of the worship service Sunday. All the moms were in tears as their families presented their projects & sang to them. One highlight of our orphans was a huge homemade card and a bouquet of lavender crepe-paper roses! They took hours & hours to fold, roll, paste & prepare…in a plastic cup! And after our own kids PJ, Bri & Abby (in Chicago and New York) finished watching the Northern Lights, they called to wish Elvie a Happy Mother's Day. Meanwhile, as the days draw toward the close of BCA's 2023-24 school year, 3rd-Grade teacher Donna prepped her students In the Social Studies lessons of advertising. Filipino commercials use catchy slogans & jingles which are designed to propose familiarity when the consumer sees that item on a store shelf. In their minds, they suddenly think of the song. And in some Filipino grocery stores, at certain times, everything will stop & employees dance in the aisles! Donna challenged her class, "We'll break up into groups, and start our creativity workshop: choose a make-believe consumer product & make a "patalasta" (announcement) designed to catch people's attention, with a unique slogan!" Suddenly the classroom was buzzing with the static of excitement as the 3rd graders brainstormed, putting their imaginations to work. Sparks of creativity ignited their eyes as they sketched out their plans & discussed their visions within their respective teams. Some focused on environmental awareness via their products, while others created brand new products not yet invented, but salable. "I can't draw!" cried one little girl. To which Donna came along beside her to say, "Then use another medium to advertise! Songs, slogans, anything!" Since it was a group activity, the "non-artistic" girl delegated the drawing tasks to another, providing crayons, pens, pencils & markers. Donna left enough time at the end of class for all the performances and explanations, hence: "commercials". The half-dozen consumable goods varied from drinks to home maintenance to pet food & clothes. However, the very last was one which was extremely creative. The product to be advertised was…SALVATION! Three of the 5 team members came across the front of the room with a (not too catchy) jingle, "Life is fine. You are well & pretty. But you are not living 3-D!" Posters the team had made placed a black line down the middle, with black & white cartoon stick drawings of people on one side, contracted with colorful people on the other side, which were shaded with depth. The final slogan was, "My life was fun of pretentions, Everyone applauded. Teacher Donna could also see how this fit-in with her closing Bible story of Jesus' healing ministry, highlighting His compassion & power to bring wholeness to the sick, the blind, the lame, & the broken. Let the islands rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: A. PJ's Late Night Worship Master list - PJ Barner: actor · singer · director. YouTube: #300-201: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26FzOhEZ3k41BCzNbiSZ-qw2 B. #400-301: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26EAnhq36C3vdyKCuYefKUop C. Barner Christian Academy of Davao City, Inc. It's cleaning time! Thursday, May 9, 2024. Grade 4 -JEREMIAH. It is common in many educational institutions for students to be responsible for cleaning their own chairs. This practice helps instill a sense of responsibility and cleanliness among students. By cleaning their own chairs, students contribute to maintaining a hygienic environment in the classroom. It also teaches them basic life skills and encourages them to take ownership of their surroundings. 2 min 36 sec. https://www.facebook.com/bcadavaocity/videos/370683038725844 D.Barner Christian Academy of Davao City, Inc. Catch up Friday activity. Friday, May 10, 2024. 1 min 18 sec. https://www.facebook.com/bcadavaocity/videos/1106504917204499 |
| 5/9/2024 | Happy Mothers' Day (5/12/24). Yom HaShoah, the Day of Remembrance of the Holocaust May 5-6, 2024. Please pray for our construction of a guest house at BCA's orphanage. This week we have begun digging for the foundation, and have already moved a ¼ ton of dirt & rock by hand (shovel & electric jackhammer). The topsoil will be used for Elvie's flower planters around the perimeter of the campus.Praise God that, of the 90 churches we are visiting on this Aug, 2024-Nov, 2025 speaking tour, 13 have confirmed (14%). Praise God that, when we applied to the Department of Education to include 7th grade this next school year, they actually approved for us to open K-12! While we do not have enough classrooms nor teachers yet for these 6 new grades, we do plan to include both 7th & 8th grades this next year (July, 2024). We are renovating the campus to compensate for these new classrooms, and shuffling some other rooms to include high school Home Economics, etc. "There's plants sticking out the windows of the van!" When Elvie & I drove an hour away to help plan her nephew's upcoming wedding, Elvie's brother Jesse (who shares her love for flowers & plants) gave her some potted, small trees, already blossoming with flowers. We loaded them into one of BCA's school buses and drove it onto the barge, riding the waves out to the island where BCA's orphanage is situated. 2 hours later, after arriving at the orphanage, the kids ran out of their cottages to help unload the things in the bus, as well as from our pickup truck. I had bought shovels and also a very long extension cord to run our electric jackhammer. We're doing the groundwork & footings for construction of another much-needed building at the orphanage. Melody is one of the 6 girls at the orphanage, & in her daily journal she wrote, "A busy day…Pastor Paul & Mommy Elvie came!" Then she detailed the day. "I woke up at 5:20am. Arranged my bed & cleaned around the front of the house before showering & then breakfast." At 6:30 Melody left for school & studied (among other things) the branches of government: Legislative, Judicial & Executive. When the Philippine government makes laws, it is a process that many people are involved in. "Kinda like at the orphanage," wrote Melody in her journal, "We all decided together with Mommy & Daddy what our chores are so that everything can run smoothly." She then came home from school at 5pm. First thing on her agenda was to clean more of the area in front of the house. After dinner was the Family devotional time. Christine was the speaker, with the verse from Romans 5:8, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." "I can see how God's love is a like the flowers that Mommy Elvie brought for us to plant. They come from the dirt, which is icky and…well…dirty. But the flowers are beautiful & clean & fragrant & colorful & delicate & soft. God really makes us into a brand new, & very much improved creation!" So go ahead and stick your head out the window, human flowers. As Melody explained it, we shine with the beauty of Jesus! Until next time…Let the islands rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: A. PJ's Late Night Worship Master list - PJ Barner: actor · singer · director. YouTube: #300-201: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26FzOhEZ3k41BCzNbiSZ-qw2 B. #400-301: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26EAnhq36C3vdyKCuYefKUop C. Barner Christian Academy of Davao City, Inc. WHAT A FRIDAY CATCH-UP DAY FOR KINDERGARTEN II- JERUSALEM. A.M SESSION KIDS Literacy: Listening Skills Activity WELL DONE, KIDS. https://www.facebook.com/100064105080572/videos/pcb.825490602931102/816259667221937 D. Barner Christian Academy of Davao City, Inc. Terrestrial Biomes: Reading and Learning. https://www.facebook.com/bcadavaocity/videos/968623591100062 E. Barner Christian Academy of Davao City, Inc. Benefits of Tie-Dye in Learning: https://www.facebook.com/bcadavaocity/videos/1456205908630219 F. Barner Christian Academy of Davao City. Maligayang Araw ng Kagitingan sa ating lahat! https://www.facebook.com/bcadavaocity/videos/781038120682548 G. Barner Christian Academy of Davao City Look: Grade 5 students had a fun learning experience https://www.facebook.com/bcadavaocity/videos/400640069588358 H. Barner Christian Academy of Davao City. Grade 4 - Tongue twister activity https://www.facebook.com/bcadavaocity/videos/333723279717959 I. Barner Christian Academy of Davao City. Fire Safety Lecture song. https://www.facebook.com/bcadavaocity/videos/407290802093373 J. Barner Christian Academy of Davao City. Fire Safety Lecture. https://www.facebook.com/bcadavaocity/videos/3813645865521105 K. Barner Christian Academy of Davao City. Reading & Summarizing stories https://www.facebook.com/bcadavaocity/videos/981308516789235 L. Barner Christian Academy of Davao City. Relay Race Spelling Unfamiliar words with meaning https://www.facebook.com/bcadavaocity/videos/1135972267547611 M. Barner Christian Academy of Davao City, Inc. Introducing ice breakers and dance activities in the classroom. https://www.facebook.com/bcadavaocity/videos/405872259042568 N. Abby Moody Bible Institute video chapel chapel livestream. Worship Wednesday. O. Barner Christian Academy. April 12, 2024. Spelling with a twist https://www.facebook.com/bcadavaocity/videos/1496155727780515 |
| 5/2/2024 | Philippine Labor Day (5/1). USA National Day of Prayer & See You at the Pole (5/2/24). BCA's VBS curriculum orientation training (4/29). USA Arbor Day (4/26/24) Please pray for the 81 churches we are visiting in the USA during our upcoming 2024-25 USA Speaking tour. Eight of these churches have already confirmed the date & time our visit, which beings in August. Please pray also for the temperatures to cool down in the Philippines, as it has been topping over 100 degrees Fahrenheit lately. After COVID, the Philippines shifted to America's school calendar, but it puts kid sin classrooms during the hottest part of the year. So, this year schools will revert back to the pre-COVID calendar. Praise God that one of Bri's adult students (Briana is a lifeguard & swim instructor) sent $50 to help with BCA's expenses! "Nanay Doctor, we'll miss you!" On Monday afternoon, busloads of hundreds of BCA students filed-out of BCA's buses, with hands on each other's shoulders, marching single file behind their teachers & down dirt paths into a poor area on the outskirts of Davao City. There they, one-by-one paid their last respects to Nurse Lucy, BCA's medical clinic in-charge since 2004. Some students' parents also had been students at BCA years ago, with Lucy as their nurse. For over a week, every day, various pastors in this ministry came to share condolences & Biblical truths from scripture about our eternal destinies. The next day, Tuesday, was the day for burial, so Lucy's white casket was moved from her home to the BCA school's gymnasium. Classes were cancelled for 2 days, since Wednesday (May 1) is Philippine Labor Day. At the school, before heading out to the graveyard, hundreds gathered to hear messages, eulogies & my Bible challenge from Hebrews 11, "What Does it take to be a Hero?" I mentioned those who, over the centuries had given their lives as martyrs for Jesus. Yet this woman of God, Nurse Lucy, was also a 21st-Century Hero of the Faith. She was never burned at the stake nor beheaded for her faith, but she lived daily for Jesus. 20 years ago when her 2 little boys were enrolled at BCA, Lucy & her husband Rey started attending the church & discipleship meetings. They both accepted Jesus as their Savior & she was truly vibrant for the faith. A florist, nurse, designer, evangelist to her neighbors, prayer warrior & friend, she had introduced her friends & family & loved-ones to Jesus & to this ministry. In fact, so many started attending the school & church, that 6 years ago, we saved them the challenge of transportation, by planting a house-church in their village. Every Sunday morning, amidst chickens and dogs and cats and rats, that open-air church's singing & music & teaching can be heard up & down the paths & alleys of that poor village. Over the years, Elvie & I hired other new believers from that village to become bus drivers & cooks in the school. Now Lucy is receiving her reward in Heaven. Meanwhile a few days ago on the BCA campus, Teacher Rocel explained to her 4th Grade students more about death & also about making our lives meaningful for Jesus. After having her 4th Graders recite in unison the books of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, Rocel had them open to John 11, as she read to them, "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die." In the past, around this time of day Nurse Lucy would go from class to class to give out the vitamin gummies that were recently donated to the school. But with Lucy gone now to Heaven, one of the parents distributed the vitamins instead. Then Rocel distributed "Mindanao Times" newspapers to each student. Today's task was "Mga bahagi ng Pahayagan" (parts of the newspaper). After identifying the headlines, table of contents, & then special subjects, issues & current events that Rocel had chosen before class, the students broke-off into groups to discuss the obituaries. Most Filipinos who die are not listed in the obituaries, since their families cannot afford it. Then, choosing an issue, each group elected a "newscaster," & as he or she was reading the article, others in the group were acting out the scene being described. "Students do you see, that in life, God is our narrator & we are acting-out scenes of our lives that God has already written before we were even born!" Rocel went on to inspire the kids with the confidence that, during these two weeks we are looking back & reminiscing on the life of our school nurse. But unlike a book or newspaper article, it never ends! For Christians, we will live forever and ever with our Jesus in Heaven! Until next time… Let the islands rejoice! Link for credit card donations: https://tithe.ly/give?c=6118435 TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: A. PJ's Late Night Worship Master list - PJ Barner: actor · singer · director. YouTube: #300-201: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26FzOhEZ3k41BCzNbiSZ-qw2 B. #400-301: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26EAnhq36C3vdyKCuYefKUop C. Abby on stage with music team at Moody Bible Institute Chicago, IL. Giving Day President's Chapel: Reach the lost April 23, 2024. 1 hr, 1 min, 59 sec. (esp #6:47-#16:40). D. BCA students exiting school buses to poor rural home where nurse Lucy lies in-state. 2 min, 35 sec. https://www.facebook.com/100042470883656/videos/970684794568465 |
| 4/25/2024 | Feast of Passover (4/22/24-4/29/24)*. Earth Day (4/22/24). * Pesach celebrates the Israelites' liberation from tyranny. Also known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread & Passover. Please pray for BCA to find a new school nurse. Lucy, the former nurse, who has been struggling with cancer for the past seven years, passed away Sunday morning (4/21/24). Other positions needed before the beginning of the next school year (in July) include librarian, 7th Grade teacher & houseparent for the orphanage. Lucy was a key lay-leader, gifted in decorating, cooking, organizing and hospitality at our house-church at Communal, Davao. Praise God for confirmations from three more churches for us to speak at during our upcoming 2024-2025 furlough, starting this August. "Smile!" BCA's secretary Faith visited a swampy, poor area of Davao with Elvie & other BCA staff members. They took pictures of children aged from 2 to 12, as they dropped into hut after hut to interview potential families for the BCA free schooling program. After visiting 4 different villages, they headed back to the school to collate the information for mailing to their new sponsors. In the 2nd Quarter (April through June) packet, letters, pictures, cards & other data were prepared to be mailed across the ocean to the USA. Faith came back to the school to look-up the recommendations from the Fire Department for their upcoming inspection…mostly just making sure that all the fire extinguishers were working properly. During the inspection (Friday) they also conducted a fire exit drill & a fire safety assembly for the students. It is a child-friendly presentation, and was enjoyable for all the kids. After the firefighters left, Faith prepared her Bible message for next week's morning prayer meeting with the parents. She had been assigned for the month of April, with the topic, "Living the Christian Faith". Kind of appropriate, since her name is Faith. After submitting BCA's National Achievement Test scores to the government (online) she headed for home. On her way home, she passed through the city to schedule the 2-DAY "Drug-Free Workplace" seminar for BCA's chaplains to attend next Thursday and Friday. When they complete the seminar, they'll be the ones to come back to the school to train our teachers, students, parents & staff. Faith opened the door of her house and plopped down on her sofa. "Thank you, Lord, for an exciting week & month so far! You are my guide, my comfort, & the reason I do what I do. Please continue to blee the 600 students in Barner Christian Academy, & may you be glorified by their lives as they become adults!" Until next time… Let the islands rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH: A. PJ's Late Night Worship Master list - PJ Barner: actor · singer · director. YouTube: #300-201: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26FzOhEZ3k41BCzNbiSZ-qw2 B. #400-301: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLItygvjoq26EAnhq36C3vdyKCuYefKUop C. Worship service at Faith Fellowship Church (Davao Philippines) on Women's Sunday April 21, 2024 1 hour, 20 min, 13 sec. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIaP2zRiV3Q |
| 4/18/2024 | USA Tax Day (4/15). Philippine "Araw Ng Kagitingan"* (4/9/24). BCA 4th Periodical Exam (4/17-19). *Philippine "Araw Ng Kagitingan" (4/9/24) [The Day of Valor: Commemorating the World War 2 "Fall of Bataan" to Japanese troops during World War II: initiating the 65-mile forced "death march" of Filipino & American refugees/prisoners. 3,000 died on the march (many slaughtered by Japanese soldiers) & 27,000 more died later at the destination: a concentration Camp]. Please pray for our church youth group's semi-annual evangelistic outreach: a half-mile-long Color Fun Run/Amazing Race at BCA on May 19, for 200 kids, aged 13 & up. Praise God for many who gave through Christian Aid Mission during February & March, for the following needs: $3,000.00 for BCA's new chapel, $45 for BCA's Children's Emergency Medical Fund, $1,000 for local community evangelistic outreaches, $6,714 for student sponsorships, $72 for BCA's Jericho free lunch program, $2,098.30 for utilities, school fees, food & clothes for kids at BCA's orphanage, $1,000 for gas & repairs of BCA's school buses. "Come on, you need a tire, don't you?" The small lady with the big voice called out, from her open-air storefront tire store, to any cars on the street which were passing by. These were actually potential customers, since the street is known for its many such tire stores. As Ben (one of BCA's bus drivers) drove me down that street, he called out from the open driver's seat window, "How much for a size 700 tire?" Fortunately, at that time of day, the traffic was minimal, so they could holler back & forth to dicker down on a price. Finally, he whispered over to me, "Now it is your turn!" All streetside parking spaces were full, so I leapt out the passenger side door & rushed to the storefront to pay for the two tires, with my credit card. Ben drove around the block a few more times, until finally a worker from the tire store rolled the 2 bus tires into the back of our pickup truck, & away we went! Meanwhile, as BCA's Teacher Krystal started her Math class, she led the 30 1st-graders in singing, "Five little monkeys sitting in a tree…" Then she asked, "Any volunteers to recite the days of the week?" Devine began, "Monday, Tuesday…" Then it was Cedric's turn for the months of the year, "January, February…" & then Matthew was to tell what special holidays came in each month, "January: New Year's Day, February: Valentine's Day…" when he got to December, he gave an aside, "This is the month of greatest love, as we celebrate God's gift of His Son!" Yet between lunchtime & recess, when the other students were having their snacks, Freyja asked Krystal, "Teacher, can I have 5 pesos (10 cents)? I have no money to buy merienda (snack)." When asked by Krystal where Freyja's mom was, she said, "In Manila to avoid Davao's current pertussis (Whooping cough) virus. Yet she left me behind in Davao for school." From that point, Teacher Krystal decided she would be a "2nd mom" to this little girl, until the virus diminishes. Teacher Krystal heard a drumming noise, wondering where it was coming from. Apollo raised his hand. "It's Juros, Teacher. He's beating on the underside of his desk!" Now Krystal doesn't like tattletales, but since she now had a target, she looked questioningly at Juros. "I can't help it ma'am. I am just a drummer at heart. I never speak out of turn in class, but my hands speak for me." So, Krystal wrapped Juros' hands in old socks to muffle the sound. Krystal called 3 of the "J-kids": Joaquin, Jacob & Jayce, up to the blackboard. Each was given a piece of white chalk & instructed to draw three types of transportation. As they were drawing, the students were to try & guess which form of transportation was each picture. After all were drawn & also guessed correctly, Krystal gave a gold-star sticker to each artist & identifier. Surprisingly, all 9 drawings on the blackboard were different types of vehicles: a school bus (with "BCA" on its side), a carabao (water buffalo), bicycle & so forth. "Raise your hand if you know the sounds of each." Clithon correctly mimicked each vehicle, (especially the carabao) & was given 9 stickers! "Now Zeandrie, could you act-out each mode of transportation?" After an explanation of what a "mode" was, Zeandre got them all except the airplane, since she had never been on one before. She just couldn't figure out how to mimic an airplane. Unrequested, 3 or 4 classmates immediately leapt from their seats to zoom around her with their arms spread out from their sides. Before going on with the lesson, Krystal led the students in the for the song, "I may never march in the infantry…zoom over the enemy, but I'm in the Lord's army!" This subject ended when Krystal had the kids identify which vehicles travel via air, land and/or water. But first, Ayesha was called upon to explain what would happen if we had no transportation. "We couldn't get to school because…" and the class responded, "no school buses!" Next, "We can't go places fast because…" And the class responded, "No airplanes!" Finally, "We couldn't get gold-star stickers because…" Silence. Nobody knew where she was going with this one. Ayesha finally finished, "…because, we couldn't get to outer space to pick out just the right gold-stars, with no rocket ships!" Hmm, now is there a lady at the tire store in outer space to call out to you to replace your tires? Until next time… Let the islands rejoice! |
| 4/11/2024 | Please pray for the process of transferring a ton (2,000 pounds) of cases of preschool items into the new storage building which we just finished building on the roof of our BCA school. This, combined with the tearing down of a few walls in one of our less-used storage rooms on the first floor, which will be used for home economics & 7TH Grade. We really need to finish beautifying, painting & preparing these 3 areas (complete with new doors & fire exits) before the government's surprise inspection which could happen at any time. Plus, the new classroom's bathroom needs a tad of work done to make it function again. Praise God that although the temperature went up to 115 degrees, & many schools had a half-day of classes, BCA's kids were fine all day in their air-conditioned classrooms. Praise God also that 2 new sponsored kids enrolled at BCA this week: their mom is a former 2nd grade student of ours & their dad is in jail. Praise God too that a friend tithed to us the profits from an investment he made, donating over $4,000 which we are using to build the new storage room for preschool supplies plus the following: gas for BCA's Bus "O": $55, gas & 11 plate battery for BCA Bus "C": $501, gas for BCA Bus "H": $383, 2 tires & 4 shocks & brake fluid & atf fluid & 12v horn for BCA Bus "L": $296, 4 Brake drums for BCA's Bus "Fi": $479, For the BCA guest house: $125 for an ironing board & 60kg hand truck (dolly), and we treated our twelve orphans to a fun afternoon at the mall, with dinner at a Chinese restaurant: $94. Also praise God that, while driving my pickup truck, I was following a large flatbed truck filled with iron beams. I decided to give it an extra car length of buffer space, just 2 minutes before it went over a bump & dumped the whole load onto the middle of the road…had I not moved, the iron beams would have gone through my windshield! "Dad, please take out your cell phone…" Our son PJ & his wife Briana (in NY) called on "Messenger" to Elvie & I (in Davao), & Abby (in Chicago). "Got it? Ok, go to your list of contacts, find your own phone number, & change the name from 'Dad' to 'Lolo!'" After a split second, it dawned on me…Elvie & I will be grandparents! Lolo means "Grandpa" in the Philippines! Yes, Briana is pregnant! Yay & congrats! Meanwhile in the Philippines, BCA's 5th Grade teacher Romnick was giving awards to his students. "Absolute" is a smart & creative student. She has a 95% average, so has top honors. "Mytha," a natural-born pioneer always in the classroom, was recognized with the Leadership Award. With this inspiration for others to aspire toward future awards, Romnick then showed the students a video, with a fill-in-the-blank (with missing words) worksheet to complete as they watched: "What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?" followed-up by a second video (with corresponding worksheet) on "7 Steps in finding the right Career". "Rey, could you read your first answer?" Rey responded: "#1: Make a list of your hobbies. I like to read & to play basketball." "Ashley, you have #2." Ashley quipped: "#2: Discover what you're good at. I am really good at washing clothes & dancing." "Carlo, 3." Carlo explained, "#3: Identify your personality traits. I am an extrovert & ambitious." Heads nodded around the classroom, since Carlo is also a bully. "Cyan, you have 4." Cyan said, "#4: Determine what you want out of a career. I want to make money…LOTS & LOTS of money!" Chuckles again. "Geneford, 5." Geneford began, "#5: Talk to industry experts. Well, Teacher Romnick, since I want to become a teacher, I will ask you, what is your secret to being a great teacher?" Romnick was tongue-tied with this compliment, wondering if he was just being buttered-up, or not. So, he took the upper hand, quipping back, "Oh, it is not hard being a great teacher when you have such incredible students!" Applause, of course followed. "Jayiane, 6." Jayiane said, "#6: Research the job market. Okay, I want to be a housewife. But I am in only 6th grade & have no husband. Any offers?" "Last but not least, your turn, Kien, for #7." Kien quoted, "#7: Discover your core values… yeah. I like food….& there is also food, & then, did I tell you that one of my major core values is food?" Teacher Romnick was thankful that the students were having such a fun time on the project, & he then dove into the lesson on Career Development Skills, to equip individuals to take ownership in navigating their own career pathway. Career education is good for students! Not only that, but research shows that if students see the relevance & meaning in school, it results in improved interest in academic performance. Another student raised her hand. "Yes, Abby?" To which she responded, "I already have started earning money right here in class!" All heads turned to see what in the world she was talking about. Abby then went on to explain, "I am very excited about my great exam results because when I get a high score like these, I go home & sell my grades to my mom!" Romnick smiled. It seemed as though his students were teaching his class for him! He would have to fill-in some of the students with what they missed, since many were out with chicken pox. Huh, maybe they'd see this as a talent…raising chickens! Easter Sunday, a few days before, I had baptized a dozen new believers in the ocean…many were former BCA students. To each one I asked, "What will you do to help in the church?" Talents, gifts & skills…these are all things the Lord uses for His Glory. The greatest career path is to use our God-given gifts for the Glory of God. Until next time… Let the islands rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
Present Need:$302 for: $200 for BCA guest house: 400 paving stones, key shaped Etruria & $32 for Danze Soft 19" White Toilet Seat, BCA school campus: $48 for 6 $22 for fluorescent lightbulbs, Luminaire Zigmz Akari Lightbulb (set) Ongoing Construction Projects:
Upcoming (General) Schedule:
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| 4/4/2024 | Total solar eclipse (4/8). Please pray for wisdom in the Philippines as congregants mull over the messages of preachers across the archipelago who have presented on Easter Sunday the complete salvation supplied by Jesus at the cross. An illustration of the confusion that cultic leaders have presented is seen by a Filipino villager who has been nailed to a cross as a plea for prayer for world peace, for the 35th time, every year (minus covid yrs,) since he was 25. The nails are carefully placed to avoid fatally puncturing major blood vessels. Praise God that, another Christian school, from the other side of Mindanao (700 miles away) in Zamboanga, brought 20 teachers & staff to visit BCA! Praise God too that our kids, PJ & Abby, sang together in church Palm Sunday morning just 6 hrs before Abby had to fly back to Chicago since Abby's classes begin again Monday morning, at the end of spring break. The next day (Good Friday), Elvie drove to the school a few hours before me, to help set-up chairs & to bring sugar & palm fruit (some of the ingredients for bnignit, a Filipino sweet pudding Easter delicacy). Unlike the busy holidays like Christmas & Easter, the Philippines is like a ghost town on Good Friday, since almost all the businesses are closed. So as Elvie was driving across a major thoroughfare, there was not a car in sight. She waited for a lone motorcycle to pass, while the next motorcycle was a quarter-mile down the road. She got halfway across the street, & BANG! The guy slammed his motorcycle into the rear quarter-panel of our newest BCA school bus. The other driver crawled out from under the van as Elvie stepped down from her driver's-seat. The cyclist's bent mirror & broken signal-light was worse than the small scratch on BCA's hearty van. The other driver, Erel (in his late 20s), apologized profusely, explaining that he was trying to catch up with his buddy who had a head start on him (actually racing each other). Elvie was more concerned with the eternal destiny of this daredevil. "Friend, suppose you had not lived through this incident. Would you be in Heaven?" There, in the middle of the deserted street, with not another vehicle in sight, she prayed with this man as he grappled with his eternal destiny! Meanwhile, on the BCA campus a few days before the Easter break, Kindergarten Teacher Violeta was in the teachers' lounge, setting up her computer. Heavy rains had caused the Davao City government to shift in-person classes to online virtual classroom settings. This was not possible before COVID. But now that most schools are set-up with the capacity to "live stream," it is a veritable option for times of calamity, of which the Philippine Archipelago is replete (volcanoes, floods, earthquakes, terrorist alerts…) as a "regular customer". All the kids were able to sign on, either via a neighbor's cellphone, or even with a few who were able to get out to internet cafes (those which were still open even during heavy rainstorms). After a while online, Violy gave the kids a break. Too much time on-screen can make their minds wander & also hurt their eyes. So, she gave breaks for exercises &/or snacks, every 20 minutes or so. "Parents?" Violy made sure that none of the kids were alone. After all, they were just kindergarteners. The parents often enjoyed the lessons as much as the kids did. "Tomorrow," Violy announced, "In-person classes will be back in session (if it doesn't rain again) & we'll celebrate by having a pajama party!" Fortunately, the streaming was online, as the volume could be turned down while the deafening cheers went up by all the students. Back in the classroom the next day, the kindergarteners traipsed into a classroom that had been transformed into a heavenly dreamlike setting, with colored paper, lights & hearts on the walls & desks. A few weeks ago, Teacher Violeta had begun planning this special day. After hours, she planned & cut & glued together the decorations. Last night, she stayed awake at the school until close to midnight adorning the walls with twinkling fairy lights, colorful streamers, & whimsical decorations that would transport the kids into a world of wonder as they entered. Then this day, the kids themselves also looked different, compared with the older students, in their full BCA school uniforms. In their pajamas, these kindergarteners still began the day with the regular routine of singing the national anthem, prayer & greeting their teacher & classmates. After lining up to receive their gummy vitamins (donated by American friends-thank you!), there was a short quiz, & the room echoed with the soft sounds of pencils scratching against paper: a symphony of concentration. When the final quiz paper was turned in, this was the time when the real fun began. Violy had replaced the desks with blankets & pillows. Large, comfy cushions were scattered around, providing the perfect spots for the kids to lounge & enjoy the festivities. The kids left the classroom, formed a line outside the door, & then walked back in, receiving a personalized invitation to the PAJAMA PARTY. The invitations were adorned with playful doodles & promised a day full of fun, games, & surprises. The excitement in their eyes as they received these special invitations was exhilarating. The day highlighted bedtime stories, snuggling in cozy blankets, & lively discussions of the stories' plot themes. Snacks included popcorn & cookies, along with a scrumptious treat: hot cocoa! There was a pillow fort-building contest, developing teamwork in transforming the classroom into a fairytale city with tunnels, towers, & secret hideaways emerging from a sea of pillows & blankets. The day was a magical break from routine & the kids loved it. "Thank you!" quipped Josiah as he & his classmates received treats in their goody-bags given as they left the classroom & headed for their school buses. Just 5 days later, Easter Sunday arrived. Due to it being a 4am early Sunrise Service, the normal Sunday Morning Prayer Time was laid aside as it was still dark when dozens filed in through the gate. My message was entitled, "Don't look for a Friend in a Cemetery: Why Seek Ye the Living Among the Dead?" It was followed by the eleven new converts who would be baptized just a few hours later at the beach, giving their personal testimonies of faith. A 19-yr-old, Bea, actually presented the prayer of salvation for any present whom God might be directing to receive the gift of eternal life themselves! The previous week, on Palm Sunday after church, during the baptismal training session, one of the church elders shared, "A few candidates for baptism are not quite ready yet." I said, "We can easily fix that." What I meant was that we could clearly present this act of obedience which is an "outward sign of an inward change" in their lives. One candidate even prayed again for assurance of salvation. But to catch their attention, I joked, "Ok, I can easily get you ready for baptism. I will hold you under water, then pull you up & say, 'Are you ready? not yet? Okay…' then hold you under even longer, til you are gasping for breath, bring you up and… 'are you ready? Almost?' Hold under once more, then back up and "Are you ready? Gulp…yes! I am ready!" By the end of training, they all assured me, "Nope. We've got this." Until next time… Let the islands rejoice! Link for credit card donations: https://tithe.ly/give?c=6118435 TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
Present Need: $300 for (installment #3 of 6) $1,800 to build a "bodega" reinforced room (on the roof over the central part of the school) to house over a ton of preschool toys & supplies, donated by other schools for BCA's future Preschool wing. |
| 3/28/2024 | Barners' Missionary Prayer Diary: March 28, 2024. St Patrick's Day (3/17). Easter, Resurrection Sunday (3/31/24). Please pray for me (Paul) as I speak to around 200 leading Christian men in Davao this Thursday (3/28). My theme is CHOOSE, with the points, CHOOSE THE PLAN & CHOOSE THE MAN (Joshua 24:14-15) "We will serve the Lord." Praise God that, while Elvie was entertaining an Australian visitor, they visited a park in the mountains surrounding Davao. The gardener let Elvie have some seeds form exotic flowers there, which our orphans helped Elvie to plant & beautify the orphanage. Praise God also that the government permits are almost ready for the groundbreaking of BCA;s new multipurpose building. We'd had a glitch when the former construction company got tired of waiting for the permits and therefore quit. So we checked two other companies. We finally settled on the one which would allow us to give a downpayment of only 20% of the expenses for the 1st floor, and we can save money by purchasing the materials ourselves. "And now, light the Unity Candle…" At the wedding of Hahrby & Jane last week, Pastor Callem led the couple in many of the traditional Philippine customs: the Veil, the Cord, the Coins, the Bible , the Rings, & now, the Candles. The idea was to take their individual candles & to light to the one main candle, to represent both how the two were to become one, & also how they were both joined to Jesus. Yet since the candles had been lit for a long time, the wax had gotten them stuck in their holders. So, the Maid of Honor & the Best Man faithfully grabbed a few other smaller candles from a nearby box. Suddenly they found out why these candles had not been lit…they were electric! Anyway, they finally got the other two candles unstuck & continued the ceremony. 20 years ago Hahrby & his little brother had come into BCA as preschoolers. Their parents, Rey & Lucy, were unbelievers at that time. However, one of the requirements to receive free schooling at BCA is to attend church & discipleship meetings. In these meetings both Rey & Lucy accepted Jesus into their hearts as their personal Savior. They became involved in the church, & eventually we hired Lucy as BCA's nurse. Families, friends, neighbors & relatives entered the program & also accepted Jesus. After awhile there were so many new believers from that neighborhood that we started a house-church there. Now, the group is making payments on a nearby property to build a church, maybe five or six years from now. Lucy is now in the last stages of cancer, & it was a miracle that she held on long enough to attend her son's wedding…with or without candles! Meanwhile at BCA, Chaplain Melvin was painting his new office. It was just a storage room for nearly a decade, but the dads helped him throw away the trash and rearrange the remaining items around in the school, scrubbing the walls of their mildew. He treated the walls with a chemical so they would be ready for painting. This is his 2nd coat of paint, then he'll be ready to move in…after we install and air conditioner/filter, that is, so the mildew doesn't return. Meanwhile, until his office is ready for occupancy, Melvin is sharing BCA's main office with the staff. But dads don't want to tell about confidential information when everybody can hear them. Instead, Melvin requests the dads to come back after hours or on Saturdays. Since Melvin leads Sunday's worship team, he is at the school for practice on Saturday afternoons already anyway. Marco is a dad who has a problem with forgiving his employer. Melvin prayed with him. Frederick is challenged with an inferiority complex. Melvin shared the Bible story of Joseph & his total dependence upon God in all situations. Since Jeff had a problem with being angry at his brother, Melvin was able to share about Joseph again. They prayed together for God to grant the blessing of forgiveness, as well as the understanding of what forgiveness really is. After Melvin led Sunday's worship, & then brought the church youth group to the home of BCA's Nurse Lucy whose cancer has made her bedridden, he headed over to the basketball court, since there is a church competition next month, & he is a star player. Monday morning Melvin was right on time (even though his motorcycle had been repossessed) for work. He was to preach at church the next week, & also had to finish the Spiritual Report cards of BCA's male students. He did not have to work on the girls' cards, since that is Chaplain Eunice's responsibility. Wednesday and Thursday brought a 2-day discipleship seminar called WIDER, which did not end until 10pm. So, since Melvin would miss BCA's Wednesday morning parents' prayer meeting, he asked for a sub to take notes. We are so very proud of Melvin. Although BCA has had over 4,000 students over the past 30 years, Melvin was BCA's very first sponsored child as a preschooler, way back in 1998. And now he is a pastor. We have known him so very long, through thick and thin, over the decades, that we almost feel like his parents. As he continues to mature in Christian leadership, I am sure that we will not be able to "hold a candle" to his abilities (neither electric candle nor wax…) Until next time… Let the islands rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
Present Need: $300 for (installment #2 of 6) $1,800 to build a "bodega" reinforced room (on the roof over the central part of the school) to house over a ton of preschool toys & supplies, donated by other schools for BCA's future Preschool wing. |
| 3/21/2024 | Palm Sunday (3/24/24). Pi Day (3/14). Ides of March (Day Julius Caesar died: 3/15/44BC). European Discovery of Philippines (3/16/1521). Araw ng Dabaw Celebration (3/1-17/2024), Araw ng Dabaw Day, commemorating when Magellan landed in the Philippines and was beheaded by tribal chieftain, Chief Lapulapu (3/16/1521). Please pray for our nephew JP (Jesael Jr) this next Sunday, whom we will be joining in the city of Panano, with Elvie's nine other siblings, as he practices the Filipino custom of "pamalaje", when he asks the family if they agree to him marrying his sweetheart. Please also pray for me (Paul) during Easter week. I will both be preaching at the Sunrise Service & a few days before that (on Thursday), be preaching a different message for a few hundred men & their pastors from all across the city. The theme will be Joshua 24:15, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." The BCA campus will be hosting the event. Praise God that this week, Elvie was able to bring some of the BCA staff to 8 of our daughter churches this week, to replace children who have graduated or moved away with new preschoolers, introduced into the BCA sponsorship program. Praise God as well that, when Dr. Francis, our Filipino dentist, broke his leg in a car accident the day before he was to pull Elvie's tooth & give me a crown, he was able to assign another dentist to do the work. Although I got a temporary crown, it only lasted 4 days before I broke it while chewing bacon. "I'll take off my training wheels just before the race!" Since bumpy, uneven Philippine roads are often "death" to bicycle tires, I requested the bike shop to fill the tubes with sealant to decrease the probability of flat tires. "…but not on my racing tires, as sealant is outlawed in many venues." So, removing the wheels from one of my old bikes, the "tube filler" will be in the "old tubes" while just air will be in the "new tubes": OLD for training, & NEW for racing. Hence, removing my "training wheels" just before the race…sounds like I just graduated from riding a tricycle, huh? My next 70.3-mile Ironman triathlon race is half a year from now, this next September. Meanwhile in the USA, our daughter Abigail's bus had just left Chicago. As a star member of the MBI (Moody Bible Institute) Spring music tour, she played her French horn & sang at 3 locations: Wheaton Bible Church (3 performances) in Chicago, Moody Theological Seminary in Lansing, Michigan, & Plymouth Christian Academy, near Detroit. Their music included "Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus", King of Kings, In Christ Alone, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing", 10,000 Reasons, Emoji Suite, Hoedown, Star Wars (the director used a light saber instead of a baton), You Are Good. & Yet Not I But Through Christ in Me". The team also enjoyed hiking, visiting the Indiana Dunes, & sleeping on the bus, exhausted from completing their midterm research papers & exams. And on the other side of the world at the BCA campus in Davao, BCA's Teacher Jovi decided to help her 5th Graders by having a "Catch Up Friday" (C.O.F.) - a day carved out of the week solely dedicated to catching up on tasks, projects, & commitments that have fallen through the cracks. Today's 1st C.O.F. activity was entitled, "Drop everything and read". Jovi grouped the students into threes & asked them to form 3 lines. Every group must have their representative to get & paste what she asked them. The students had a lot of fun & became active because they wanted to be the winners in that particular game. In the first time around, Group 2 was the victor. The 2nd game was "Spelling with a Twist". They were to spell each word using their things they could find on-hand, such as pencils, school ID, shoelaces & everything in their surroundings, but not to write per se, rather to shape the items into letters. Jovi was amazed with their initiative, as they helped each other. A few students cried because they felt left out in their particular groups. Jovi sensed this as a teacher, & that it was up to her to keep her students calm. She asked Ashley, "What's the problem, Ash?" As soon as Jovi mentioned the student's name, the others in the group could see their error amidst the excitement, & immediately included her in the project. Tears disappeared & excitement was once again the modus operandi. For C.O.F. Activity #3, Jovi asked them to sit on the floor & let them read on their own to improve reading comprehension skills. Lunch, then in the afternoon, time for learning games again. This time, Activity #4, "Message Relay". Everyone was involved in this particular game, & their memories had to be quick & alert so that they would not forget the word. The person at the front of the line was given a message which they whispered to #2, & on down the line to the very last person, at the back of each line, who came to the front & wrote the word on the board. It was hilarious what some of the groups came up with. In Group #3, Matthew was at the beginning of the line, & quickly whispered the phrase to Jhon, & then from Jhon to Mhike, right on down the line to the very last: Febby. Febby ran up to the board. Grabbing a piece of chalk, Febby wrtote "Goliath was a mouse with COVID." Matthew signed & then everybody began to laugh hysterically. The original phrase was "Goliath was a giant killed by David." How a giant became a mouse was anybody's guess! C.O.F. Activity #5 was the game "Read & Spell". Asked to read the word first, they then spelled it through going up & writing it on the blackboard. This worked on their memories as well as their letter recognition. Everybody was a winner. After a nap & recess was the last game of the day, C.O.F. Activity #6, the "Bomb Game". Teacher Jovi put random words, written on papers of various sizes & colors, on the floor. She turned on some upbeat Praise music from her cell phone, & the kids danced (Filipinos LOVE to dance: That is why TicToc is so insanely popular here). When the music stopped, the students chose which words they wanted to go to. Jovi then said, "the BOMB is in the word…..", the kids who stepped onto the word that she uttered were out of the game, & sat to read short stories to the rest of the class. These 5th graders are learning skills at this tender age. Perhaps one day some will excel like Abby singing in Chicago, or maybe preach like PJ, the pastor in New York. Either way, they'll definitely be putting away those training wheels! Until next time… Let the islands rejoice! Link for credit card donations: https://tithe.ly/give?c=6118435 TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
Present Need: $300 for (installment #1 of 6) $1,800 to build a "bodega" reinforced room (on the roof over the central part of the school) to house over a ton of preschool toys & supplies, donated by other schools for BCA's future Preschool wing. 3 Ongoing Construction Projects: Upcoming (General) Schedule: American short-term work teams: June, 2024: Texas, Arizona & Guam. July, 2024: Pennsylvania. August, 2024: Beginning of Paul & Elvie's 15-month, 28-state & 4 country, 2024/2025 USA Speaking tour. September, 2024: Paul's 16th 70.3-mile Davao Ironman Race (9/29/2024: Augusta, Georgia USA). This Spring, (between January & June, as the seamstresses complete them), BCA kids are receiving a 2nd uniform. They already get one a year, but now they'll have 2! NEEDED: $20 x 600 = $12,000. Received: $11,045. Barner Family 2024-5 USA TENTATIVE Speaking/Singing/Visiting Tour: AUG- NY/ SEP-NY,GA/ OCT-FL,SC / NOV-NY,IL,MO,IN/ DEC-NY,TORONTO,KY/ JAN '25-NC,AL,TX,AZ/ FEB '25-MEXICO,CA/ MAR '25- UT,KS,OH,NY/ APR '25 NY/ MAY '25 WA,AK,Saskatchewan/ JUN-AUG '25 PA,VT,NY,CT/ SEP '25 WI,NM,AR,TN,NY/ OCT '25 NY,NJ/ NOV '25 NY,IL,Davao. BCA church MPM: "Midweek Prayer Meeting" speakers (9:30 & 10:30am): Mar: Spkr: Tabasa/ Music: Beter. Apr: Spkr: Paciente/ Music: Meneses. May: Spkr: DeJolde/ Music: Chung. June: Spkr: Mr. Viray/ Music: Mrs. Viray. Preaching themes by month for Davao Church: March: EASTER/RESURRECTION, April: FAMILY, May: KING DAVID, June: PETER, July: WORK, August: EVANGELISM, September: STEWARDSHIP, October: MISSIONS, November: ESCHATOLOGY, December: ADVENT/CHRISTMAS |
| 3/14/2024 | USA Daylight Savings Time (3/10/24). USA St Patrick's Day (3/17). BCA 4th Preliminary Exams (3/19-21, 2024) SPECIAL NOTE: ABBY'S SOLO AT Wheaton Bible Church in Chicago, Sunday March 10, 2024: ABBY's SOLO! 1:28:47-1:34:40. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab3sd7A0aYU blckids@yahoo.com, www.barner.org Please pray for BCA's Nurse Lucy. This past week her cancer hit hard & she is severely bedridden, with pain & difficulty breathing. However, she really wants to attend her son's wedding next Monday (3/18/24) Please pray too, for one of the work teams which had planned to come for a few weeks to help us in ministry here. There are four teams left this year: Arizona, Guam, Pennsylvania & Texas. Also, a college student from New York is considering a brief visit. The Arizona team was due to arrive this past week but postponed until June due to the late return of the passport for one of the team members. Please pray for the re-scheduling of the team for the revised arrival date in June. Please also pray for our Good Friday service this year. BCA's chaplains are choosing 7 relatively new believers, who have never preached before, to each preach a 3-5 minute message about one of the seven last phrases of Jesus while He had hung on the cross. Also please pray for next month's governmental inspection of the BCA school campus to allow it to open 7th grade. First howeer, we must clear out over a ton of boxed preschool supplies, which are in storage along the hallways for a few years until we raise the funds to build BCA's new, $60,000 2nd-floor preschool wing. These thousands of preschool items were donated by institutions that have either closed or are downsizing. We will only pass inspection if this ton of boxes are moved. We will be relocating the 100+ boxes of preschool supplies, toys, etc into a special storage room which we are building for just that purpose. We'll have to raise $1800 to build this reinforced room (on the roof over the central part of the school). Praise God that our daughter Abigail had three special musical performances at Bible College in Chicago this past week. First, she helped lead worship for the MBI (Moody Bible Institute) International Students Community Night, and then on Sunday morning she performed with the orchestra & singing team at Wheaton Bible Church (link at the top of this email)! Praise God too that, instead of a root canal, the dentist decided to pull the tooth that Elvie was having pain with. Unfortunately, he also determined that my (Paul's) rear molar needs a $400 crown. Praise God also that an Australian friend bought a much-needed air conditioner which we installed into BCA's new computer lab, to keep the 16 computer units cool. "Dear Jesus, please come into my heart as my personal Lord & Savior!" Adrian was just one of 4 BCA students who had prayed today with BCA's Chaplain Eunice to start their new lives as followers of Jesus, with all their sins washed away! Eunice gave each of these 4 new Christians a pin that says, "Today I became a Child of God!" She then spoke with the teachers about excusing each child for a 1-on-1 Bible study for 10 minutes each week for the next month. Chaplain Eunice also gave a mini lesson to the entire class on how to share their faith with others. They paired off, practicing the "EE3" Evangelism presentation, with "two diagnostic questions" which guide each person to consider his or her spiritual destiny. Together, the class sang "Bible Verse ABCs". It's one of the students' favorite songs, with a Bible verse for every letter of the alphabet. Since Eunice is trained in voice, she divided each class into parts (Soprano, Alto, Tenor & Bass), preparing them to sing in church after their parents on Sunday. The parents had practiced, during Wednesday morning prayer meetings with Melvin, Crelene & Hazel, the hymn, "God with Us… Emmanuel has Come" When she got back to her office downstairs, Eunice collated that class's SDPR (Spiritual Development Progress Report Assessment & Evaluation forms) & then headed back upstairs again to BCA's sponsorship secretary Orbina, to include these reports in the next letters to go to the students' sponsors. Back in her office again, Eunice texted the Sunday School teachers Cly, Michiko, Kathleen & Bea to give them a heads-up on the parallel of weekly lessons with weekend ones. Eunice then pulled out her cellphone to call her husband, Caleb. "Dad, what do you think of the idea of us conducting Family Home Bible studies, with women from the church?" Caleb responded, "Great idea. But what will we teach?" Eunice glanced at the book on the edge of her desk & read the title out loud, "What On Earth Am I Here For?' It was a perfect choice, for each of the parents had been studying this book with the group, making personal journals on each week's lesson. "We could also give certificates of completion every time a lesson has gone through each 10-week course!" Eunice gave a sigh, expressing a personal desuire she had. "Many of these families are so poor that they could never afford to have a Filipino wedding, so their kids are illegitimate. What if we train many at once, & ask Pastor Paul to host a group wedding, with half a dozen couples all at the same time, with al the trimmings, including lechon baboy [roast pig]?" She and Caleb brainstormed on follow up of these new married couples, with baby dedications & baptisms & church membership. Eunice was about to head home but 1st shut & locked the door to her office before getting on her knees, along with her prayer journal. She prayed for her counseling sessions: A mom had fits of depression due to misunderstandings she was having with her husband, Then there was an argument between a student & his parents. Finally, there was the last on the list, an older mom who had disagreements with her own mom, the kids' grandmother, on how kids should be raised. "Whew, Lord. They are all in your hands now." She peeked up at a poster on her wall that had a runner about to head up a very bug hill. The caption said, Isaiah 55:8-9… God's Plans for you are BIGGER than your plans for yourself. Until next time… Let the islands rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
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| 3/7/2024 | BCA Homeroom Meetings (3/1/24). Araw ng Dabaw citywide anniversary Celebration (3/1-17/24) Please pray for Augustine, "graduating" from BCA's orphanage. He now has a graveyard shift job at a mango juice processing plant, 4pm-1am, although he still is applying at local colleges. For the time being, he is now has his own apartment (in a boarding house), which is closer to his workplace. I asked him, "How was your first day at work?" Good, enjoys his coworkers. I paraphrased for him King Solomon's wisdom in Ecclesiastes 5:18-20: "If you enjoy your work, your work is play and you get paid to play." Please also pray, as BCA's engineer informed us that the construction crew designated for our multipurpose building backed out (fortunately no deposit was made), and now there is a new one firm willing to discuss the plans with us. Please pray for Doug, a retired missionary whose visa was compromised and thus cannot return to the USA until it is categorically renegotiated. Please also pray for the 3-person work team coming this weekend form Arizona. They will meet-up with another 3-person team from Northern Philippines for a 2-week join work crew, to work with our orphans. Praise God that our son PJ had the privilege of preaching on "God's Grace" this past Sunday at the Auburn Alliance Church in Auburn, NY. One very accurate statement he made during his message from Titus 2:11 was, "God gave you everything. Thus, He can ask you for anything." Praise God too that, one day this past week was Parents' Day at the high school & elementary school which our orphans attend. The theme was "Maskara," (Mask Festival). Of our 12 orphanage kids. 1 is in college, 1 has graduated & lives in a Davao dormitory & is working, 1 has graduated & is paid to work at the orphanage, and 9 are still in school. During the Parents' Day, we are thus parents of 9 kids. The kids performed in both boys' & girls' cheerleading contests, while the other parents competed in Zumba for each grade level. All were dressed in various colors and costumes for the parade. In many ways, it was like a New Orleans Mardi Gras festival. The Mindanao group focused on the tuna fish industry in Dadiangas, dressed in aqua colors and as fish, boats, coral & fishermen. Three of our kids came in 1st place for the 2nd year in a row! "In three days, I will rise…" Sunday was the 1st of our resurrection sermons for this year's Easter month of March. As an illustration for my John 2:13-22 message on "Easter Sunday Christians in a Good Friday World," I shared, "While driving from Samal Island where we introduced our orphans to our Australian visitor, the police gave me a traffic violation for Elvie not wearing a seatbelt." During the sermon, I explained the dilemma; that the officer demanded we present supporting documents within 72 hours in our defense. We drove half an hour to the other side of the island that afternoon to the motor vehicle office, but they had not yet processed the violation. Thus, Day #1 was already gone. That night I received a copy of the violation online and it included that our pickup truck had not been registered (a $200 fine!). But the papers I had showed the officer who had stopped me showed clearly that the registration was still good for another month and a half. Yet if I did not get the paperwork to the police station within (now only 48) hours, I'd lose my license. Added to this was the fact that Davao City's annual anniversary was to begin on March 1, and the LTO (Dept. of Motor Vehicles) would be closed Friday. Now my 72 hours was now less than 24. Could I make it? By now we were back on the mainland, and getting back to the barge required a 4-hour wait (2 over and 2 back). I asked some close friends to pray, and thankfully, our fine, instead of being nearly $250, was just $40. Lesson learned. In Sunday's message, on Jesus clearing the moneychangers out of the temple, I shared that, even when Jesus did raise form the dead, if He did it a little too early (maybe 2 days instead of 3) or a day later (4 days, as He did with Lazarus), then He would not fulfill prophecy & therefore not qualify to be our Savior. We live by the resurrection of Jesus. He is perfect in all His timing, whether we realize it at the time or not. God has His own sovereign timetable, which we may or may not appreciate. But His way is always best, so we re-align with Him instead. In short, we live as "Easter Sunday Christians in an unbelieving, Good Friday world." After church we filled the BCA bus with people from the church for the 6th anniversary of one of our church plants: Communal. Then the next day (Monday), BCA's Teacher Espenosa (who had led the prayer & sang a solo in church on Sunday) challenged his 2nd graders, "The greatest thing in life is to have Jesus. This is why every day, before I start my work, I always seek God first by reading his word and prayer." He then quoted for his students, Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you''. Right off the bat, Teacher Epse could see he was going to have problems today with 2 students, Jay & Jadael. It started when Espe began his English lesson. Espe really favored this particular lesson, since it focused on the creativity of the kids. "Real & made-up stories…how can you tell the difference?" Suddenly Jay burped. Not softly or discretely, but really, REALLY loud. The students giggled, and Jadiel, who was seated behind Jay, exclaimed, "Karabaw ka!" (You are a water ox!). To prove the point, Jay started burping the alphabet. Espe took the "bull by the horns" by calling both students to the front of the classroom. Ignoring the previous infraction, He gave the boys a situation: Noah's Ark. Jay was to make up a story about Noah, while Jadel was to reveal the real story. Fortunately, this particular saga was so familiar that all the kids knew of Noah's Ark. The approach was so effective that you could cut the attention of the students with a knife. After completing the lesson, Espe thanked the boys and brought the students up to the computer lab to review the story of Noah's Ark online with a movie. Then, since there is a book series in the library with enough copies for all the students to read one for themselves, they headed off to the library to read. To practice their vocabulary, Espe assigned each student to write a paragraph to test their capacity in reading. Heading back to the classroom, it was time for Art, and they drew pictures of Noah's Ark, with all the animals inside it. Espe was happy to see their faces, obviously enjoying being students with big dreams in life. He reflected on the lives of these very poor students within his charge. "They are like art without color. Through my teaching and their learning, lives will become…colorful! As their teacher it is my part to put color into the lives of my students!" Glad to see his learners continue believing in themselves, with foresight, he changed them: "Students, like Noah, YOU TOO can do the impossible!" The whole day was great and full of learnings not just for his students but, he learned also from them. Closing the class day, he prayed, "Yes, Lord. We will seek first Your kingdom, and also Your righteousness…because You, our Sovereign God, have determined and established already the future of every single student here...even if he or she sounds like a carabao!" Until next time… Let the islands rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
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| 2/29/2024 | Leap Year Thursday (2/29/24) Please pray for the 12 kids at BCA's orphanage. As the school year is coming to a close in the next few months, they are catching-up with their classmates through working together on their studies. In the past, some kids did fine all year long, but then their grades dropped down when their final research reports were found lacking. Yet this past Sunday, Elvie & I rewarded them by bringing them from their island to the mainland to enjoy the festivities of our church's 27th anniversary. The kids even graced those in attendance with the song, "He Is Faithful". Before bringing the twelve kids back to the island in the evening, they came to BCA's guesthouse & played Skip-Bo over diner, ice cream & popcorn. We had to combine 2 desks to get everybody in the game, but the excitement built into a crescendo, with everybody egging him on, as CJ, one of the youngest of the kids, actually won! I also gave them each their Toblerone chocolate bars in reward for performing well in school. Elvie & I will be attending their PTC: Parent-Teacher Conferences this weekend. Praise God that during December & January, you gave through Christian Aid Mission the following gifts: $45 for BCA's Children's Emergency Medical Fund// $8,451 for BCA student sponsorships (teachers' salaries & school electric & water bills)// $27 for Birthday &/or Christmas gifts for students// $72 for BCA's Jericho Free-Lunch Program// $1,000 for classroom teaching materials & shipping// $2,500 for transportation// $500 for training food, transportation & materials for "Child Evangelism Evaluation Seminars" for the pastors in our ministry to fill-out the students' "Spiritual Progress Reports"// $1,275.80 for food, clothes, etc for BCA's orphans// Total: $13,870.80. Praise God too that I (Paul) finished reading the Bible this week, from cover-to-cover, my 84th time. My lifetime goals are: by age 75 (in 13 years): 150x; by age 100 (in 38 yrs): 300x & by age 120 (in 58 yrs): 500x. "God is transforming you!" This past Sunday Pastor Joy, from one of our church plants, was the guest speaker for the 27th anniversary of when Elvie & I started this 1st church in February of 1997. The church secretary had asked me a month or so ago, "What will be the theme of the message for this Church Anniversary Service?" Since last year's theme was "Jesus brings us Hope," I racked my brains to follow-up on what the hope of Christ means to us today. Yes, we have hope of Heaven. Yet because of that Heavenly surety, our everyday lives right here & now have confidence & direction & empowerment, beyond what temporary perks we might otherwise enjoy from day-to-day. Suddenly, the Bible verse from 2 Corinthians 5:17 burst into my mind, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" GOT IT! "When you get up for work in the morning, do you say, 'Good Lord! It's Monday!' or instead, do you say, 'It's Monday, Good Lord!'" Pastor Joy quipped. Place a victorious believer next to a hopeless unbeliever at work, & there is an obvious difference in their countenances. When an unbeliever stubs his toe in the warehouse, his whole day is ruined. When a believer does, he's thinking, "Well Lord, You have a purpose for everything. I am really, really curious as to what You are teaching me through this ouch-pain in my foot right now…but y'know what? Thanks anyway!" Then the next day at Barner Christian Academy, Monday morning in Teacher Donna's 3rd-grade classroom, the door opened & there were Elvie, me & a visitor from Australia, whom we had just picked up from the airport. In unison, the class rose & recited, "Good morning classmates. God morning, Pastor Paul, Madam Elvie & visitor. We are glad you are here today!" Hundreds of students & their teachers smiled as we visited classroom after classroom, taking lots of "selfie" pictures. After we left, Dona continued the lesson she had prepared for her 30 Third-Graders. Various prechosen objects had been placed on the floor, & the lights were turned off. A flashlight was shown through each object to evaluate the behavior of light through various materials. Students observed how light travels through different materials & investigated its behavior. They explored whether light travels in straight lines or exhibits other behaviors (like changing colors) when interacting with various substances. The students recorded their observations & findings, writing down what they observed, & then explained their observations in class, discussing the patterns & phenomena they observed during the experiments. The students developed their skills in observation, data collection, analysis, & communication while also deepening their understanding of the principles of light & its interactions with matter. To solidify their understanding, Dona assessed their comprehension & reinforced the practical application of punctuation rules in their writing through the next really fun adventure… Instructing her students to each grab a whole sheet of paper, this next activity brought a thrilling twist as she aimed to enhance their writing skills. The room buzzed with curiosity as Dona paired them up, & the inevitable question emerged: "Why did you pair us, Teacher Dona?" With a reassuring smile, she explained it was for a special activity, urging them to await further instructions. Once pairs were established, the day's task unfolded: crafting letters for their assigned partners, blending both formal & informal styles through emails, explaining what had transpired during the Science "light refraction experiments". The challenge was based on their developing abilities to infuse handwritten letters into email formats, later in the computer lab, where they would type their letters using Microsoft Word. Dona set a target of 150 words for each letter. She intentionally established this word count, understanding that some might opt for the bare minimum if left unrestricted. Without a standard, they might settle for writing only 20 or 50 words. By setting this word count, her aim was to stimulate their creativity & imagination, encouraging a more comprehensive & thoughtful expression in their letters. The activity not only became a writing exercise, but also a platform for them to explore & expand their ideas. After the students completed writing their letters, they typed them on the computers in the lab & then sent them to each other's addresses. Oh, the joy as each student heard the "Ping! Ping!" of the messages they received from their partners. Just as with the transformation that God makes in our lives, occasionally we notice the "Ping! Ping!" of understanding why our Sovereign God does-what-He-does every moment of every day of our lives. Until next time… Let the islands rejoice! Link for credit card donations: https://tithe.ly/give?c=6118435 TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
Present Need: $320 for 2 "weed eater" nylon-string, 4-stroke, gas powered grass cutters for the orphans to keep the grass down at BCA's 5-acre orphanage.
Upcoming (General) Schedule: American short-term work teams:
This Spring, (between January & June, as the seamstresses complete them), BCA kids are receiving a 2nd uniform. They already get one a year, but now they'll have 2! NEEDED: $20 x 600 = $12,000. Received: $8,730. Barner Family 2024-5 USA TENTATIVE Speaking/Singing/Visiting Tour: AUG- NY/ SEP-NY,GA/ OCT-FL,SC / NOV-NY,IL,MO,IN/ DEC-NY,TORONTO,KY/ JAN '25-NC,AL,TX,AZ/ FEB '25-MEXICO,CA/ MAR '25- UT,KS,OH,NY/ APR '25 NY/ MAY '25 WA,AK,Saskatchewan/ JUN-AUG '25 PA,VT,NY,CT/ SEP '25 WI,NM,AR,TN,NY/ OCT '25 NY,NJ/ NOV '25 NY,IL,Davao. BCA church MPM: "Midweek Prayer Meeting" speakers (9:30 & 10:30am): Feb: Spkr:Budo/ Music: Praca. Mar: Spkr: Tabasa/ Music: Beter. Apr: Spkr: Paciente/ Music: Meneses. May: Spkr: DeJolde/ Music: Chung. June: Spkr: Mr. Viray/ Music: Mrs. Viray. Preaching themes by month for Davao Church: February: LOVE, March: EASTER/RESURRECTION, April: FAMILY, May: KING DAVID, June: PETER, July: WORK, August: EVANGELISM, September: STEWARDSHIP, October: MISSIONS, November: ESCHATOLOGY, December: ADVENT/CHRISTMAS |
| 2/22/2024 | 27TH Anniversary of Faith Fellowship Church (2/7/97- this Sunday's Davao celebration) Please pray for the Philippine Government to approve BCA's application to once again offer high school grades. While we taught all grades about 15 years ago, it became too overwhelming & we cut back to preschool & elementary. But now with our new principal, & also with added classroom space, (as well as the increased library size & computer lab), BCA is likely able to handle the larger student body once again. Praise God that this year's "Teacher Appreciation Day" (held on Valentine's Day) at BCA brought hundreds of students to the stage, one-by-one, to give gifts to their teachers & also to sing & dance for them, giving handmade cards with messages like, "I love you, Teacher Rosel!" The follow-up, four-day Teacher's Retreat will be in a few weeks, when we bring our staff into the mountains about five hours away for a time of spiritual encouragement & fun. "Could you please jump-start my truck?" When the battery died on our pickup truck, we realized to our dismay that we'd left our jumper cables back home. A little guy, must've been in his early twenties, offered to help. His friend took his own battery, carried it over to ours, & held two metal wrenches with his bare hands, against the terminals of both batteries. And it started up right away! I'd never heard of such a thing, where somebody jumps a car without cables but with their bare hands. Huh. I guess that would "preach": What we couldn't do because of our sin, Jesus did with His bare hands, when His hands were nailed to the cross for us. Meanwhile at BCA's Orphanage, our twelve kids were receiving awards in school for their performances in class this year. One however, was not really that advanced intellectually, just yet. So, the teacher, always wanting to encourage even the slower learners, gave this student an award that stated he was the "Bravest" student in the classroom! Maybe brave due to his willingness to try & give answers even when he knew they were likely not accurate? That evening, our oldest orphan, Juvy, was the one tasked to lead the Bible lesson "Family Devotions". Her passage was Hebrews 11:40; "God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect." She said, "We are each far from perfect, but let's look at God's work in our lives & dream about what He might have in store for us. The best is yet to come!" Who wouldn't be brave with such an incredible, loving God like ours who has planned our lives?
TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
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| 2/15/2024 | Chinese "Lunar" New Year (2/10/24). Brother-in-law John's Memorial Service (2/10/24). Valentine's Day (2/14/24). BCA Teacher Appreciation Day (2/14/24). USA Presidents' Day (2/19/24). BCA 3rd Periodical exams (2/19-21/24). Philippine EDSA Revolution Anniversary (2/25/1986). Faith Felllowship Church's 27th Anniversary Celebration (2/25/24…THEME: 2 Cor. 5:17… "God Is Transforming You!") Please pray for the survival of our orphanage's 1,050 new "fingerling" catfish, installed into our orphanage's new 10,000 gallon cement fishpond. We also installed a pump to circulate the water so the tiny fish could "breathe". About 2 dozen didn't survive the 80-mile trek (from the mountains) in plastic bags in the back of our pickup truck last week. BCA's fishpond flows down a raised manmade aqueduct stream to the duckpond & then into the garden. Please also pray for the hundreds of teens who heard the messaage of salvation last Sunday when BCA hosted a "Hearts Banquet" for Valentine's Day. Both believers & unbelievers invited their friends for the enjoyable formal evening. Even our twelve orphans were bussed-in from out on Samal Island, to participate in the event. BCA's church youth group music team had been practicing for this since January, & the adults at church pitched-in to prepare, cook & serve food for all the guests. Praise God that the youth group from a Baptist church in Guam is considering a short-term missions trip to assist our Davao ministries in June! Praise God also that our son PJ clearly presented the message of Christ's salvation during the memorial service for my sister Ginger's husband John. He both emceed the event & gave the Bible challenge. "Adidas? Yes. Wrangler? Size? Yes. Calvin Klein? Size? No…" Elvie's sister Anilyn was in BCA's used-clothing giveaway area, searching through hundreds of garments & announcing to Elvie the brand, etc. to ask if it was ok to give to the survivors of a devastating landslide & flood last week, near Tagum, just an hour outside of Davao. On the news, one child mentioned that he had gone down the street to the chapel to charge his cellphone, & suddenly saw huge trees swaying on the hillside. He ran & ran, while looking back, as the enormous mountainside just collapsed onto the village, burying his family alive. He was the only survivor, as his small home had collapsed under thousands of tons of gravel, dirt & mud. A father grabbed his 8-yr-old: one of his four daughters, but his wife & teenage daughter died. Miraculously, rescuers dug up his 3-yr-old, caked in mud yet alive, two days later! A woman was in a jeepney, after it stopped for people to use the bathroom. When the bus-like vehicle was flipped over by the landlside, she stayed inside, & then it was buried in the gravelly mud. She was the only survivor. Although the lady was buried for three days in dirt & mud & gravel, she wiggled her fingers to grab a small stone, & banged on the metal roof of jeepney (which was now under her) until a rescue party heard the noise & gingerly dug down to where she was. Amidst this devastation, Davao's mayor cancelled school until the heavy rains subsided. Back on the BCA campus when classes resumed, Teacher Rocel prepared the classroom for her twenty-two 4th Graders. It was good that she had arrived early, since the metal roof over the back chairs & desks had a leaked & standing water made the floor slick. Still, as her students arrived, they helped her with rags & pail & basin to sop up the water & mop the floor. A little while later, BCA's school nurse Lucy brought in gummy vitamins (which had been given by the Utah team) to distribute to the kids. Lucy's cancer causes her great pain, & since her legs are weak, she now uses a cane. But the woman is undaunted, desiring to serve God boldly until He grants her that last breath this side of Heaven. Even though the classes had been cancelled the day before, Rocel had online classes for her students, so that they could keep up. This year there will be virtually no Sumer vacation, since: #1, After the pandemic, the government changed the school year to be in sync with the USA, & #2, it didn't work, since the classrooms at that time of year are so hot. So, Philippine schools are reverting back to the former Philippine school calendar. So the day before yesterday, Rocel had taught her students through an online class using the "Google-Meet" platform. It was a tad choppy, as the internet connection was not strong during the storms. The 4th Graders were enjoying the follow-up research after a recent missions team had visited the school in January. One of the Utah team members, William, was a very tall man, & he grasped their attention while explaining the basic geography of the planet, opening the kids' eyes to God's vast handiwork which extends far beyond the boundaries of this Philippine archipelago. Teacher Rocel continually referred to the world map which William had given to the class as a gift. Another favorite activity during this school day was in Mathematics. She lined up the class in two lines & hosted a QUIZ BEE. First up was Ariana.
The kids were incredible sportsmen, & even helped each other along with hints for each other. No winners or loser today…or rather, EVERYBODY was a winner! At the end of the day, before dismissing her students, Teacher Rocel prepared homework for the healthy kids to bring to the sick kids who had stayed home due to fever, colds, cough, & flu from being outside in the heavy rains. Until next time… Let the islands rejoice! Link for credit card donations: https://tithe.ly/give?c=6118435 TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
Present Need: $300 for: (installment #4 of 5) to purchase and install a 2,000-gallon water tower for the orphanage to have enough water supply for the animals, fish, gardens, clothes washing, bathing, etc. $190 remaining. 3 Ongoing Construction Projects:
Upcoming (General) Schedule: American short-term work teams:
This Spring, (between January & June, as the seamstresses complete them), BCA kids are receiving a 2nd uniform. They already get one a year, but now they'll have 2! NEEDED: $20 x 600 = $12,000. Received: $8,703.34 Barner Family 2024-5 USA TENTATIVE Speaking/Singing/Visiting Tour: AUG- NY/ SEP-NY,GA/ OCT-FL,SC / NOV-NY,IL,MO,IN/ DEC-NY,TORONTO,KY/ JAN '25-NC,AL,TX,AZ/ FEB '25-MEXICO,CA/ MAR '25- UT,KS,OH,NY/ APR '25 NY/ MAY '25 WA,AK,Saskatchewan/ JUN-AUG '25 PA,VT,NY,CT/ SEP '25 WI,NM,AR,TN,NY/ OCT '25 NY,NJ/ NOV '25 NY,IL,Davao. BCA church MPM: "Midweek Prayer Meeting" speakers (9:30 & 10:30am): Feb: Spkr:Budo/ Music: Praca. Mar: Spkr: Tabasa/ Music: Beter. Apr: Spkr: Paciente/ Music: Meneses. May: Spkr: DeJolde/ Music: Chung. June: Spkr: Mr. Viray/ Music: Mrs. Viray. Preaching themes by month for Davao Church: February: LOVE, March: EASTER/RESURRECTION, April: FAMILY, May: KING DAVID, June: PETER, July: WORK, August: EVANGELISM, September: STEWARDSHIP, October: MISSIONS, November: ESCHATOLOGY, December: ADVENT/CHRISTMAS |
| 2/8/2024 | NOTE: 2023 donation receipts for gifts to this ministry have been mailed out to you. If you prefer as well to receive a "soft copy" via email, I will send it to you asap. Just give me the email address you would like for it to be send to, at this address: blckids@yahoo.com. Also, if you notice any mistake I may have made, please also give me a heads-up & I'll send the corrected version. Thank you! Please pray for our Philippine FAF church youth group. It will be hosting the young adults from 20 different churches in a six-hour afternoon "Love Fellowship" Valentine's Day worship banquet, Biblical speaker & concert this next Sunday, February 11. Please also pray for the students in Davao & Davao del Norte. Due to constant, heavy rains this past week, students were not able to get out through the muddy paths around their homes to their school campuses. Some roads became small rivers, with boats carrying aid to stranded families. In one ten mile stretch of road, due to severe flooding, cars could move neither direction for 24 hours! In a mountain village, the paved highway could only be traversed by motorcycle, since the road itself dropped down 3 feet in a 20-ft section. And another area lost a bridge entirely. So, dozens of local mayors & governors agreed together to temporarily cancel classes in all 400 public & private, tertiary, secondary, graduate & postgraduate schools throughout the entire area of Central/Eastern Mindanao on Wed, Thu & Friday. Pray that the online classes will prove advantageous during this time. A few years ago during COVID, Parents complained that, without face-to-Face interactions between teachers, students & classmates, the students could not keep up in the ZOOM-type classes. This was often due to the unstructured distraction-filled home settings, where kids had challenges keeping up in their studies. Praise God that during PJ & Briana's return flight back to New York (after their 6-week missions trip to Davao), they left the airport in Taiwan to visit the park & many sights in that country during their 14 hour layover. They rode many miles through the country, even though they were kind of on their own, since everybody there spoke Chinese. Praise God as well that Dr Bill, an octogenarian friend in Pennsylvania, has offered to tutor a crash course online, for some of BCA's teachers in the Bible curriculum of his Christian Literacy Foundation. "A+!" What could be more exciting for a dad or mom than to see the bright red perfect score on the quiz of their little angel in preschool, elementary or high school? With yet another bright idea brewing in my mind, I visited the office of Orbina, BCA's sponsorship secretary, to evaluate how to enhance the communications between the students & their sponsors. "How about mailing out one of the kids' quizzes? It'd be in crayon or pencil or pen, depending on the grade level. The sponsor, in Canada or California or Kentucky, could post it proudly on their refrigerator door!" We still have to present the idea to the teachers, as BCA has hundreds of students, in various grade levels. Such a one-page-quiz would be a project which should represent a microcosm of the type of lessons taught in all subjects (at that grade level)… not an endeavor to take on lightly, yet adventuresome nonetheless! And speaking of various grade levels, Teacher Jannah, whom we'd hired as a substitute teacher, was teaching this past week in the nursery classroom (before the rains, that is!). She began with an "energizer song & dance" as the kids sang, "Lullalulaley". After the 2nd song, (which is their favorite Christian song) "Sing High & Low" she asked, "High & low. Are they the same, or different?" Matthan Raised his hand, "They are different, Ma'am!" Correct. And why are they different? Matthan answered matteroffactly, "Well….because high is high & low is…well, low is low." Teacher Jannah couldn't suppress a giggle, but since all the students considered this a totally obvious answer, Joannah didn't dwell on it & pressed onward with the day's lesson of things being the same or different. She passed out papers pre-printed with dotted lives, straight lines, curved lines & so forth. "These are different types of lines. Now please take your crayons & trace the lines, just like they are on the paper." As she drew each example on the board, she explained the line's name & description. This activity developed both their writing skills & their fine motor skills.She then called various students to the board to draw the lines as she evaluated & corrected how they grasped the chalk in their little fingers. After snack & nap "Quiet Time", was a ten-minute "Story Time". The story was entitled "Eli, the Elf" which introduced the short and long sounds for the letter Ee. They then colored the letter Ee on their papers & wrote (as a review) all the letters learned thus far from A to E (capital & small). They then recited in unison the long & short sounds for each letter. When they were to color the letters, the capital letters were to be traced with blue & the small with red crayons. "Now, what letter begins the word DOG?" Eunah responded, "Dog starts with the letter B!" Jannah did not want Eunah to feel bad, so she gave her another chance. "Class, please pronounce the sound that B makes." Bah. "And now, the sound that D makes." Dah. Immediately Eunah realized her mistake and corrected herself with "Oops Teacher, I mean D!" Jannah then showed pictures & had the class recite the first letter of each item. Jannah then had each student put a red crayon in their right hands & blue in their left, raising the red for short sounds & lower-case letters, while the blue was for long sounds & upper-case. More than identifying the sounds & shapes was the overall lesson in things being the same & different. So to close the lesson, Teacher Jannah challenged the preschoolers, "You all did very well memorizing your Bible verse today. Let's recite it again together…" Slowly & with clarity, they quoted from memory, "Matthew 5:8… Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Prompted to raise the red crayon in their right hands for the things that are the same & the blue in the left for what is different, Jannah asked, "These two things…a pure heart & a pure God… are they similar or different?" A sea of red crayons all over the classroom could be followed down to right arms from all 15 seated students in the midmorning session of class…& then one crayon shot higher in the air as Eunah stood up in victory & did a victory dance singing "Sing High & Low" & crying out, "No OOPS this time Teacher Jannah! I got it RIGHT!" Until next time… Let the islands rejoice! TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
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| 2/1/2024 | Groundhog Day, USA (2/2) Please pray for a church in Schenectady, NY which is postponing their April, 2024 Philippine Missions Trip to 2026: that they will have God's foresight in the planning for this work team's visit. Praise God that, yesterday PJ & Briana got on the plane safely for their trip back to New York. These past 6 weeks have been extremely encouraging to PJ & Briana's "kababayan" (compatriots: fellow Filipinos), as they preached twice, sang, assisted in BCA's gift-giving for hundreds of students, & mixed cement at the orphanage (while meanwhile having lots of fun with the kids). Praise God as well that Elvie & I supported a civic club with their June-planned "Waste Clean Up" community outreach downtown near the city hall, as well as planting trees in barren areas outside the city. Praise God too that Trish, a friend in Arizona, represented BCA's Philippine ministry at her church last Sunday & a friend there paid for the re-digging of the well at BCA's orphanage! "WAKE UP!" Elvie drove the school van onto the "cross channel" barge, enroute to BCA's orphanage on nearby Samal Island for a few days, since the kids were on semestral break from school. But in the morning at 5am when the kids were supposed to be doing their daily chores, they were all fast asleep. So, Elvie their "mom" became their "alarm clock". Within minutes the kids were pulling weeds in the vegetable garden, feeding the animals, raking leaves, scrubbing their clothes, chopping wood for the cookfire & making their beds &/or breakfast. A half hour later before breakfast, Augustine (the 3rd-oldest of the orphans) led in the daily morning devotional from 1 John 4:8, "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." Augustine explained, "Not only does God love, but love is part of God's essential nature. Love is who & what He is, forever & always. Since we follow God who is love, we also should make a point to reflect God's love." Elvie added, "and you showed your love this morning by helping your brothers & sisters at the orphanage." The next day at BCA, since the break was ended, school was back in session. Teacher Jerry-Ann began her class with, "What day is today?" Kiarah piped up with, "It's Tuesday, Teacher!" To which Jerry-Ann said, "Yes! And yet so much more, for TUESDAY is CHOOSE-Day!" A quizzical look crossed Kiarah's small, cherubic face as she thought out loud, "chewzday? We can chew gym in school today?" Teacher Jerry-Ann clarified, "It is choose-day. Today we CHOOSE to smile…we CHOOSE to be happy…we…" An unnamed voice perked up from near the back row with, "CHOOSE…" to which Jerry-Ann replied, "…to love…we…" And now the rest of the class joined in the chant, "CHOOSE…" Now again, "to be a blessing…we…" & lastly, a resounding kinder-response… CHOOSE…" to be kind. Since the class was alert now, Jerry-Ann led, "Good morning, Tuesday!" After the opening prayer & exercises, she then dove into her lessons for the day. "Today we will discover the vast universe: the Milky Way & particularly our very special solar system, which we call home: the 8 planets which revolve around our very own star, the Sun." The discussion took an unexpected turn when one curious student asked about life on the other planets. In a playful moment, the teacher jokingly mentioned aliens living on the 7th planet, which led to a mixture of surprise & fear among her students. It seemed that Jerry-Ann's attempt at humor had an unintended effect, as the Kindergarteners became reluctant to continue the discussion. Oops! TEACHING: 101. It's a reminder of the delicate balance between education & keeping things light in the classroom. So she then embarked on an interactive journey through space, exploring each planet's unique characteristics & discussing their significance in our universe. As the activity unfolded, they embarked on a creative endeavor, coloring preprinted images of the planets. There seemed to be a sense of connection & wonderment among the students. Jerry-Ann then ended the discussion & decided to let the stgduents play outside, because it was almost time for the class to end anyway. One of her students was looking down at her lap, wondering why her skirt was wet. Jerry-Ann suggested that maybe the girl had spilled water from her tumbler. Then the student's face got that "Oh yeah" look as she said matter-of-factly, "Oh I remember! I peed when you scared us about those man-eating aliens!" Well, Jerry-Ann had said nothing about aliens eating people, but the kids' active imaginations had filled in the blanks. What should she say now? "Ah, today we will CHOOSE to love everybody!" On her way out the door for exercise in the gym, Kiarah said, "aliens included!" And Jerry-Ann's response: "Psalm 143:8, 'Lord, I am trusting you…Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you…& next week is our pajama party!!!" Teacher J-A thought silently, "Ah Lord, 'Cast your cares upon the LORD & He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken…Psalm 55:22'; cast your CARES….& your SCARES" Until next time… Let the islands rejoice! |
| 1/25/2024 | Please pray for January 28 (this Sunday), which is Missions Sunday at a church in Arizona, where a representative from their congregation will share about God's ministries here in Davao. This church is sending a work team to assist at our orphanage for a few weeks in March. Please also pray for our Davao church's CMT (Church Ministry Team) as they carry-out the goals and plans for 2024, including evangelistic outreaches and benevolence and Bible training. The focus of messages are: January- Goals & Plans, February- Love, March- Easter, April- Family, May- King David, June- Peter, July- Work, August- Evangelism, September- Stewardship, October- Missions, November- Eschatology, December- Advent. Praise God that a high school friend (from 45 years ago) gave $70.30 ($1 per mile) for BCA's new multipurpose building/chapel (via my September Ironman race). The memo on his check said: "Go Ironman: Health for Paul: spirit, soul & body". Also a New York church thrift store which we had visited last year gave $100 for the BCA students' uniforms! Praise God also that Augustine, one of BCA's teenage orphans, when challenged by my triathlon competitions, trained and won 1st place in a 50-mile bicycle race on mountain trails, versus 50 competitors. "Raining? Again?" PJ, Briana, Elvie & I stayed out on the Island at BCA'S orphanage for just under a week, working on construction, painting & planting projects & training the kids to swim. Yet the rain hit so constantly & so hard that the mayor closed school on Tuesday. While the kids were indoors, Briana taught them to paint blue & purple shaded watercolor sunsets with mountain & palm tree silhouettes. Incredible artists, they are! We prayed that God would make it not rain, & yet it rained harder. Finally, the mayor of Samal Island closed school for the elementary students, but not the high schoolers. I told the kids, "The president is higher than the mayor, & I say, school is cancelled tomorrow!" Just joking, I did make the point that I am a president (of BCA). Yet sure enough, the mayor cancelled high school classes as well & also God stopped the rain! We all had a fun day together (after washing their clothes by hand) fine-tuning our swimming skills, at the beginning of this four-day weekend. After getting only a half night's sleep (due to the incredibly loud, baritone bullfrogs competing with the tenors all night long), on the way back to the mainland, we had just fixed the flat tire in the van, but the pickup truck's tire went flat. Since the spare tire was left back at the school on the mainland, we drove around the island & found a motorcycle repair shop that just happened to have a used tire that fit our pickup truck! Awesome. On Monday at BCA on the mainland, Teacher Romnick's 6th-Grade students were enjoying the brand-new computer lab that a recent mission team had installed. The day's hands-on computer activity was an online typing test. Romnick recorded all the details of those who still need to improve their typing skills. Some students type quickly, while others need more time to familiarize themselves with the keyboard. After the test, Geneford asked, "Can we stay here for the next period's lesson?" Teacher Romick replied, "Of course. Actually, since the lab is vacant the next hour, I have already prepared a fun project using both computers & Philippine History!" Romnick had the kids look up on their units a video designed to help them remember the events in the history of the Philippines. Ashley raised her hand to ask, "Why do so many foreigners want to conquer the Philippines?" Romnick said, "The Philippines was colonized by three countries: Spain, America, & Japan. They colonized the Philippines, because they wanted to become an empire, & to expand more. They wanted to expand to have more lands, power, resources, more production, & especially more money." Another question came from Abby, "What were the reasons countries wanted to colonize?" Their teacher replied, "Based on my research, historians generally recognize three motives for European exploration & colonization in the New World: God…Gold…& Glory." Rommel asked, "Teach, I thought you said we'd have a computer project?" Rightly so, agreed Romnick. He then assigned Kian & Carlo to pass out papers which Molly read to the class aloud. Parts were assigned to five students, as they enacted a play about conditions & situations of Filipinos during Spanish & American Colonialism. They recorded it & edited it as a classroom project, with videos & pictures from the internet dubbed in for effect. When a blackout destroyed the unsaved work, the kids didn't to mind, since it had been so much fun. Before heading back to class, Romnick had the students look up on Bible Gateway.com the Bible verse; Joshua 1:9. The class read it together in unison, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong & courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Abby quipped, "the Christian Filipinos must have relied upon that verse a lot during the hundreds of years of colonization!" When they arrived back in the classroom, to Romnick's surprise, Principal Pernes was there, giving an unannounced evaluation! He was downright nervous. But in his mind, over & over again he consoled himself with the verse,,, "Be strong & courageous!" The subject was Science. Stammering, Romnick instructed, "We now will st-tt-tudy Evvv…vapppp…vap…oration…evaporation." To Romnick's horror, he noticed that the oral recitation of the students was terrible. Even though they became participative during the discussion, he wasn't really satisfied, as he really expected perfection. However,Ma'am Pernes was still pleasantly amazed at what they were doing. Romnick counted off the entire class into 2 groups. Each group had its task. Group 1: observe why the water disappears when clothes are soaked in the sunlight. Group 2: mop the floor, & observe why the floor becomes dry after mopping. After 10 minutes, Ma'am Pernes left & the nervousness in Romnick's heart disappeared. He assessed the kids' performance with a quiz, which they all aced. Though stressed, Ronick stood before the class as they headed home & announced, "You guys are GREAT! A tad slow on catching up, but I can say that, you guys did your best this day." Then Kian & Carlo collected papers from their classmates which Romnick hadn't noticed before. As they handed the papers to Romnick they announced, "And Principal Pernes actually had us evaluate you too! YOU TOO, Teacher Romnick, have aced the day!" With a priceless look of shocked surprise on his face, Romnick was tongue-tied & that look on his face was so precious that suddenly he and the entire class burst out laughing! "Yup, Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Until next time… Let the islands rejoice! Present Need: $350 for: (installment #2 of 2) to re-dig up the pump for the orphanage deep well, since the recent earthquake caused a fill-in and the kids were without water for a few weeks. They had to bathe in the stream, a mile away down a dirt road. We also reconnected to city water, which is sporadic. |
| 1/18/2024 | Paul & Elvie's 28th "Paper-versary" (1/15/96: 1st-signing of our marriage certificate) Please pray for the following medical challenges: BCA's Nurse Lucy: breast cancer// Juvy (college student at BCA's orphanage): goiter// Lasang students: extensive dental challenges (some missing ½ their teeth through root-rot). Already Elvie & I have contacted 2 dentists who are willing to join a dental team to the Lasang location. Please also pray: Once again, the groundbreaking for BCA's new Multipurpose Building has been delayed by Davao's Office of Government Engineers. Since Elvie signed the (once again revised) blueprints this week, the construction team prioritized an alternate project before ours. Thus, they cannot promise when the groundbreaking will actually take place. Pray that it be soon. Please pray too that our work at the orphanage on the boys' new cottage (painting the walls, building beds, installing tiles & ceiling, etc), will be done by Saturday so the kids can move in before we return to the mainland this weekend. Praise God for the Surprise! Late at night, before leaving the house for our daughter Abby's midnight Sunday/Monday flight back to Chicago (& college), 15 from the church youth group came to the house to serenade her with songs, prayers & well wishes…even a few games! Praise God too that the Layton Hills Baptist Church, upon completion of their 2-week missions trip to the Philippines, planned with us a continuance of their medical outreaches, by naming BCA's medical branch, the "Layton Hills Clinic," initiating annual checkups for each of BCA's 600 students (plus some of their siblings)! This will be a branch of PMBMI's DSO (Davao Strategic Outreach), whose main goal is the presentation of Christ's Gospel, encased in strategic empathy. Praise God as well that our daughter Abigail arrived safely, while traveling alone halfway around the world to Chicago, just 15 or so hours before her Tuesday morning class at Moody Bible Institute. Praise God as well that our daughter Abigail arrived safely, while traveling alone halfway around the world to Chicago, just 15 or so hours before her Tuesday morning class at Moody Bible Institute...from 95 degrees Fahrenheit to -6 in 2 days! "Say Cheese!" Last year we started an annual tradition of bringing our 12 orphans to the mainland from their village nearby on Samal Island, to take a professional style "Family Picture". This year was especially nice, as the 5 Barners (Paul, Elvie, PJ, Briana & Abby) were in the picture with them. It'll be posted on the orphanage wall when the studio is finished printing it next month. Abby flew back to Chicago for college Sunday night, & the other 4 of us are at the orphanage for the rest of the week, teaching swim lessons, doing cement work, Bible studies, painting, & spending quality time with the orphan kids. Meanwhile at BCA, Teacher Veoly began her Morning Greetings: responded by a Symphony of Smiles as she entered the kindergarten classroom. With giggles & morning greetings, the students, with backpacks almost as big as themselves, eagerly greeted each other & their teacher. The atmosphere was electric with anticipation; a promising start to a day of exploration: Circle Time…Songs, Stories, Subjects, & finally, hours later; Shared Moments of the Day As the Day was ending, one of her kindergarteners, Zeon, had a special request: "Teacher Veoly, we are finished early in our spelling lesson!" After Veoly congratulated them, Zeon continued, as a representative for his classmates, "Sooo……do we get a star?" Veoly could foresee this budding politician in her midst & responded, "Why yes, of COURSE, you ALL get Reward-Stars today!" YAY! As Veoly presented the students with their homework assignment, she reflectively & poetically considered, "Ah, the heart of the kindergarten classroom: where joy bubbles like a playful stream, & curiosity sparkles in eager eyes! Today I have embarked on a delightful journey: spending a day with the energetic & imaginative world of kindergarten students! Whimsical escapades & heartwarming moments have unfolded during this magical day…" She then quipped, "…and during gym period tomorrow, we will have a community outreach." YAY again. Then Flora asked the question on every kindergartener's minds that Monday morning: "What is an OUTREACH?" Teacher Veoly explained that Tuesday, the students & teachers, side-by-side, would be going outdoors with little plastic bags & plastic gloves, to pick up trash & better their community. "Acts of Kindness" showed God's hope through small gestures (like this) of goodwill. Violy watched Venz & Kishagen exit the classroom. They were excitedly chatting together about the fun outreach that tomorrow would bring. Through their smiles, they inspired one last reflective thought: "We are the teachers:the architects of our collective future!" Until next time… Let the islands rejoice! Link for credit card donations: https://tithe.ly/give?c=6118435 TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
Present Need: $300 for (installment #113 of 400) $120,000 3-story, flood-proof (9-foot-high backfill) raised parking garage/ school chapel & teachers' apartments next to BCA's present building. $56,000 remaining. 3 Ongoing Construction Projects: 1- SUBASTA Tribal campus ($250,000): $78,397. Still needed: $171,603 2- DAVAO Bus Garage/Chapel ($120,000): $64,000. Still needed: $56,000. 3- SAMAL ISLAND Orphanage Cottage & Chapel ($150,000): $18,000. Still needed: $132,000 Upcoming (General) Schedule: American short-term work teams: March, 2024: Arizona BCA library & pour cement orphanage driveway. April, 2024: New York (team #2) build orphanage church. July, 2024: Pennsylvania further church construction. August, 2024: Beginning of Paul & Elvie's 2024/2025 USA Speaking tour. September, 2024: Paul's 16th 70.3-mile Davao Ironman Race (9/29/2024: Augusta, Georgia USA). This Spring, (between January & June, as the seamstresses complete them), BCA kids are receiving a 2nd uniform. They already get one a year, but now they'll have 2! NEEDED: $20 x 600 = $12,000. Received: $4,483.34 Barner Family 2024-5 USA TENTATIVE Speaking/Singing/Visiting Tour: AUG- NY/ SEP-NY,GA/ OCT-FL,SC / NOV-NY,IL,MO,IN/ DEC-NY,TORONTO,KY/ JAN '25-NC,AL,TX,AZ/ FEB '25-MEXICO,CA/ MAR '25- UT,KS,OH,NY/ APR '25 NY/ MAY '25 WA,AK,Saskatchewan/ JUN-AUG '25 PA,VT,NY,CT/ SEP '25 WI,NM,AR,TN,NY/ OCT '25 NY,NJ/ NOV '25 NY,IL,Davao. BCA church MPM: "Midweek Prayer Meeting" speakers (9:30 & 10:30am): Jan: Spkr: Embaan/ Music: Tamiana. Feb: Spkr:Budo/ Music: Praca. Mar: Spkr: Tabasa/ Music: Beter. Apr: Spkr: Paciente/ Music: Meneses. May: Spkr: DeJolde/ Music: Chung. June: Spkr: Mr. Viray/ Music: Mrs. Viray. |
| 1/11/2024 | Martin Luther King Jr Day (USA) 1/15/24. Abby & Utah team return to USA 1/14/24. Please pray for PJ & Briana, as we focus the last two weeks they are with us, on training the orphans in swimming & also helping them in cementing flower planters around the perimeter of the property. Please also pray, as the Utah team flies back to the USA, for the remaining three American work-teams arriving between now & July, from Pennsylvania, New York & Arizona. Please pray too for a seamless transition, as the BCA teachers utilize the brand-new 15-unit computer lab in a schedule that meshes with their lesson plans. Praise God that one of our youth group teens, who got pregnant with an unbeliever in her neighborhood during a time of spiritual uncertainty, delivered her baby boy this week, & was still welcomed by her church buddies with whom she grew up. Since the baby is a 7-month preemie, he's being incubated until he gains his strength. Praise God also that Christ's precious plan of salvation was clearly presented last week by many well-wishers who attended the 2nd wedding ceremony of PJ & Briana, & also at the second & third wedding receptions, here in Davao City, Philippines! "Computer savvy…" Brad, one of the seven Americans visiting from a Baptist church in Utah, came to the Philippines for a few weeks to set up a 15-unit computer lab & then hosted a three-hour internet & computer training seminar for our eight teachers at BCA. Multi-talented, Brad also donned makeup & a colorful outfit, along with a few other clowns to present the Gospel in a unique way for our orphans & the hundreds of other students from poor areas of Davao City. The team presented medical checkups, Geography & Bible lessons, revamped & disinfected the school clinic, & even cleaned out a storage room, transforming it into an annex for the ever-expanding library of Barner Christian Academy. That particular storage room had been filled with new & used clothing to give to the poor. While refolding, recategorizing & transferring these mountains of clothing to another room at BCA, our twelve orphans decided to make it fun by hosting a fashion show! Sweatpants from Alabama on Jonas, & a superman t-shirt from Florida on Jonjon, were competing against a pink knit winter cap from Alaska on Lycka &, with roaring laughter from the rest, a full camouflaged army outfit from Kentucky on Christine…accompanied by a cowboy hat (from friends in Texas, of course) …everybody won the contest! Watching our dear kids enjoying their project, I commented to Elvie, "While Jesus had His 3-12-500-5000: (3-Peter, James & John), 12 apostles, 500 & 5,000, we have our 3 kids: PJ, Briana & Abby; 12 orphans; our 600 students; & our dear 5,000 prayer warriors & sponsors for students from churches around the world!" A few days later in her BCA classroom of 5th graders, Teacher Juvy was preparing her 5th graders for an upcoming exam. Grouping the class of 30 students into 6 clusters of 5 each, they had brainstorming sessions, trying to remember the subjects taught in class & also imagine what questions might be asked on the test. Juvy then called each of the 6 groups of students up to the blackboard (one group at a time) to answer the practice questions which she had prepared. Group #1's topic was PLANTS. #2 was POLITICS. #3 was MUSIC. #4: ETHNICITY. #5: ART & #6: BIBLE. Group #1: "What are the parts of a plant?" The other five groups applauded their correct answer, as one-by-one, each of the 5 members took turns drawing & passing-on the chalk to the next, for the flower, stem, leaves, etc. Group #2: "What are the geographical divisions of Davao City?" This group also was applauded as they drew the city with its sections of de Oro, Del sur, & so forth. Group #3: "Give the hand signals for the respective musical notes". The rest of the class hummed along as Group #3 sang & signed "do-re-mi-fa…". Group #4: "Show how people of different occupations interact." A drama was created, where a housewife asked her businessman husband for money to pay the plumber who would come to fix their dripping sink. Tied into this, a second drama showed the ethnical grouping typical for each of these professions, with parents training their kids in skills they had themselves learned from their predecessors. Group #5: "Display & explain your color wheels." These 5 students held up the round pizza-like papers, with the primary colors in slivers of red, yellow & blue, with their blends in-between, forming secondary shades. You'd think that all the wheels would be identical, yet some used darker shades, while others used pastel or neon hues.Also, the tools were varied: markers, crayons, colored pencils & watercolor paints. Groups #1-4 had reps come to categorize Group #5 into an incredibly blended mosaic "Rainbow of Promise". Kian called out, "It's like we are the animals in Noah's ark, looking out the window at God's Rainbow!" Teacher Juvy held her tongue, though tempted to compare deeper the similarities of her students with animals: a nipping alligator here, & a chattering toucan there… Finally, Group #6: "Please recite yesterday's Bible memory verse, one-by-one." All were word-perfect…that was…until the last one, dear Brix. He just could not fit the memorized words together, &, stumbling & mumbling, finally burst into tears. Juvy quickly assigned another student, Mae Ann, to distribute a worksheet to the others to work on. Juvy kindly called Brix to a chair next to her desk. "I just can't do it," mourned Brix. "I get a few words together & forget the rest. I am such a failure!" Tears streaked down his 5th-grade cheek. Using the back of her sleeve to gently wipe away his tears, Juvy lovingly explained, "The purpose of making mistakes is to learn how it is not done, & then by process of elimination, to try another approach. Otherwise, you are just wasting good tears! I will now help you." She wiped away his newly formed tears & now with fresh, dry rosy cheeks, they worked on it together. Ten minutes later, to a resounding standing ovation, Brix recited the short Bible verse, almost word perfect. Juvy explained to her class, just before the bell rang & she collected papers from her students while they paraded out the door, "Quitters never win & winners never quit." And into Brix's ear so nobody else could hear, she whispered, "And you, my dear one, spoke God's very words today for the entire class. God is smiling upon you, for you are His palangga [dear, dear, loving child]." Brix came into the class that day an unsure 5th student & left as a prince! Until next time… Let the islands rejoice! Link for credit card donations: https://tithe.ly/give?c=6118435 TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
Present Need: $350 for: (installment #1 of 2) to re-dig up the pump for the orphanage deep well, since the recent earthquake caused a fill-in and the kids were without water for a few weeks. They had to bathe in the stream, a mile away down a dirt road. 3 Ongoing Construction Projects:
Upcoming (General) Schedule: American short-term work teams:
This Spring, (between January & June, as the seamstresses complete them), BCA kids are receiving a 2nd uniform. They already get one a year, but now they'll have 2! NEEDED: $20 x 600 = $12,000. Received: $4,019. Barner Family 2024-5 USA TENTATIVE Speaking/Singing Tour: AUG- NY/ SEP-NY,GA/ OCT-FL,SC / NOV-NY,IL,MO,IN/ DEC-NY,TORONTO,KY/ JAN '25-NC,AL,TX,AZ/ FEB '25-MEXICO,CA/ MAR '25- UT,KS,OH,NY/ APR '25 NY/ MAY '25 WA,AK,Saskatchewan/ JUN-AUG '25 PA,VT,NY,CT/ SEP '25 WI,NM,AR,TN,NY/ OCT '25 NY,NJ/ NOV '25 NY,IL,Davao. BCA church MPM: "Midweek Prayer Meeting" speakers (9:30 & 10:30am): Jan: Spkr: Embaan/ Music: Tamiana. Feb: Spkr:Budo/ Music: Praca. Mar: Spkr: Tabasa/ Music: Beter. Apr: Spkr: Paciente/ Music: Meneses. May: Spkr: DeJolde/ Music: Chung. June: Spkr: Mr. Viray/ Music: Mrs. Viray.
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| 1/4/2024 | Happy New Year, 2024! Goodbye to 2023…Epiphany Sunday (1/6/24) blckids@yahoo.com MON 1/1/24- New Year's Day: Utah Work Team Arrives In Davao. PJ, Bri & Abby work team at orphanage, PJ & Briana's 2nd wedding 1/5/24. Please pray for the frequently-postponed groundbreaking ceremony to take place this next Monday (Jan 8) for BCA's new multipurpose building. While the permits' requirements have been submitted, the construction team will be meeting this weekend with the BCA administration to determine the details of road closures, etc. before they start digging for the cement & steel foundation. Praise God for the work team that is with us 2 weeks from the Layton Hills Baptist Church in Utah, USA. They are helping us distribute hundreds of Christmas gifts to poor children as well as presenting Christ's plan of salvation through drama & skits. They also are teaching & preaching, plus building a computer lab & a library annex for BCA. Also cementing with PJ, Bri & Abby at BCA's orphanage. Thank you Lord! Praise God too that PJ, Abby & Briana sang/signed for hundreds of youth at a multicity youth conference in Camp Kawayan, Davao, with over a thousand youth attending! "180 students today?" Our visiting Utah team was preparing the first series of 600 bags of Christmas gifts for the kids in 6 of our 31 churches. Some were very remote: on muddy, deep-puddled dirt roads, & scattered over about a hundred heavily trafficked miles, between hours of driving our BCA buses. In each church, after the children performed well-practiced Christmas songs, "Mr. Trouble & Grandma Cuddles" (two clowns) gave Bible-based skits & illusion tricks. One-by-one, the kids were taken aside by the nurses for cursory medical checkups. They were weighed, their heights measured, & teeth, eyes, noses, & ears were checked. Notations on index cards were made for regular future checkups, for the children, most of whom had never visited a doctor or hospital in their young lives. A few days before the team arrived, our family had visited BCA's orphanage, out on nearby Samal Island. I asked one of the girls, "Leah, I see the encyclopedia set & the CS Lewis series, Bibles, hymnals & six other series, but where are the Christian Amish romance novels?" Filipinos do not read books much. Libraries in the Philippines are almost nonexistent. Yet with our twelve orphans, as well as our 600 sponsored students, I really, really want them to start enjoying reading, & carrying books around with them every day. But it just doesn't happen much. A few days ago, we visited the orphanage to exchange Christmas presents, & when I asked Leah (top honors in her 8th grade class) about the missing series, she blushed a bit & led me to the girls' dorm. There, she reached under her pillow & pulled out not one, but three of the thick novels. Four of her "sisters" in the room also reached under their pillows to show the novels they are reading whenever they have some "downtime". I was so proud of these girls, that on their own, they already have expressed a love for reading! Meanwhile back on the mainland at BCA's main school campus, the boys' & girls' chaplains Melvin & Eunice planned the students' return to classes for the 2nd week of January. At each Wednesday morning & noon prayer meetings, different parents were scheduled to lead the songs, prayer & Bible reading. They also were thrilled to give their personal testimonies of God's blessings that week. Each day, the chaplains had hour-long noon Bible & prayer times with the students: Monday: preschool thru 1st Grade, T-2nd, W-3rd, R-4th. Friday-5th & 6th. They recited memorized Bible verses & books of the Bible & Bible characters. Throughout the week, Melvin & Eunice would take each student aside to evaluate spiritual aptitude for his or her semiannual CSDPR (Child Spiritual Progress Report Card). The two chaplains also interviewed the kids' parents one-on-one, in Bible & counseling sessions. The chaplains gave away over 100 Bibles in the parents' languages. Chaplain Eunice had confronted a Christian pharmacist who develops medicine from the delicious, tropical dark purple mangosteen fruit, and he considered it a privilege to donate funds for these Bibles, as well as another hundred to the Bible study leaders for their home groups. Using these books, they counseled couples, both married & not yet. Eunice, during her one-on-one counseling times, was thrilled to lead 3 of her pupils to accept Jesus into their hearts, at the rate of one each week! Even as I am thrilled that Leah & her sisters at the orphanage are reading of positive role models in Christian novels, I'm also ecstatic that our 600 students & their parents are reading and understanding their brand-new Bibles! Until next time… Let the islands rejoice! Link for credit card donations: https://tithe.ly/give?c=6118435 TOOLS FOR PERSONAL CHRISTIAN GROWTH:
Present Need: $300 for: (installment #3 of 5) to purchase and install a 2,000-gallon water tower for the orphanage to have enough water supply for the animals, fish, gardens, clothes washing, bathing, etc. $490 remaining.
Upcoming (General) Schedule: American short-term work teams:
This Christmas, BCA kids will receive a 2nd uniform. They already get one a year, but now they'll have 2! NEEDED: $20 x 600 = $12,000. Received: $3,364. Barner Family 2024-5 USA TENTATIVE Speaking/Singing Tour: AUG- NY/ SEP-NY,GA/ OCT-FL,SC / NOV-NY,PA/ DEC-NY,CANADA/ JAN '25-NC,AL,TX,MX/ FEB '25-CA,NY/ MAR '25- AK, UT/ APR '25 WA,AK,KY/ MAY '25 IN,KS,MO/ JUN-AUG '25 VT,NJ,NY,CT/ SEP '25 OR,NM/ OCT '25 WI, CANADA, IL/ NOV '25 FLY. BCA church MPM: "Midweek Prayer Meeting" speakers (9:30 & 10:30am): Dec: Spkr: Siawan/ Music:Rosal. Jan: Spkr: Embaan/ Music: Tamiana. Feb: Spkr:Budo/ Music: Praca. Mar: Spkr: Tabasa/ Music: Beter. Apr: Spkr: Paciente/ Music: Meneses. May: Spkr: DeJolde/ Music: Chung. June: Spkr: Mr. Viray/ Music: Mrs. Viray. |
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