TASK:
BLEND MINISTRY/MISSION
The God-given burden for our school’s mission is to
“Provide a Quality Christian, Values-based Education for the children of
Davao City” In carrying out this work, a unique blend of MISSION (purpose)
& MINISTRY (meeting spiritual needs of the community) has materialized.
We’re sharing the love of Jesus through weddings, prayer, fellowship &
discipleship.
Now, a school year has begun! Last month we laid-off
some of last year’s staff. On their last day, they were given despidida
(going away) party by parents of the sponsored kids, thanking them for
helping grow spiritually. The teachers also took those who were leaving to
the beach at Babak on nearby Samal Island.
After their picnic were the required summer government
teacher training seminars of Makabayan & BEC. The staff then got busy
preparing their classroom decorations, including those for the new science
lab, complete with freshly built tables & chairs. They checked the stock
of books for our new school year: counting notebooks, pencils & other
school supplies for the Sponsored Kids. Then on to buy cloth for the
school uniforms that the seamstress ordered. Finally, they submitted final
last-minute paperwork for the upcoming renewal of our business permits.
During this time 2 parents with their adult children
came to the office conferring about their desire to have their kids to be
wedded in the church/school. The families had transferred to Davao City
from Monte Vista & joined the Quibuloy cult. Now they were discouraged on
how that group treated their members. They expressed their desire to
worship with us in Laverna Hills.
On June 5 our OIC Dr. Ayoc solemnized the wedding of Roy
& Sarah. Pastor Ezer gave them a seminar on husband/wife relationships &
emphasized their relationship with Jesus. They now attend our church!
Parents of many sponsored children are now requesting extra 1-on-1 Bible
studies, in both AM/PM & on weekends after church, keeping everybody
hopping and active!
After Roy/Sarah’s wedding, 5 were baptized: Roem, (1st
gd teacher’s husband), Jacqueline (4th gd teacher’s daughter), Lyn-lyn,
Jenie (parents of sponsored kids) & Maricel (wife of one of the
construction workers for our new Elementary building).
We will be losing our assistant secretary, Nimfa (the mother of Rapunzel).
She was diagnosed with severe myoma & her stomach is getting bigger as if
she were five months pregnant. She cannot report regularly to the school
anymore, & needs her rest. She’s constantly crying since she's starting to
feel the pain in her abdomen. Thanks for your prayers for her complete
recovery. Ministry and mission: we’re a team!
Letters
Paul & Elvie (& PJ & Abby) –
I just wanted to let you two know that Jeff & I were very encouraged by
your visit.. I was especially impressed by your fervor and enthusiasm in
serving the Lord and doing His work in His strength and not your own. I
was challenged to get closer to God in prayer. I have been realizing that
I often do much more complaining than I do praying, and that is not good.
Thank you for sharing with the church and giving the
missions challenge. I feel that many people think there is not a ministry
for them, but that ministry is for people who are pastors and
missionaries, but there are a lot of jobs to fill-in in between. When you
pray for our church, could you please pray that God would help those in
our church to find a place/ministry to plug in their gifts so that they
are not neglected?
I am thankful to be a missionary candidate and be
serving in a church where visiting missionaries pass through. It is such a
HUGE encouragement to find people with a similar calling and to learn from
their (your) experiences. Sometimes I get discouraged because we are not
overseas yet, but I do realize that God is using this time to sharpen us
and prepare us for the next step. Thanks for helping me remember these
things.
It is an honor to pray for you and your ministry when we
see the things that God has done. Be blessed as you finish your furlough.
In Christ - Rebecca Jo & Jeff
Paul,
Can’t wait to see you. I just came upon 2 forensic
microscopes. They were donated but we have no use for them. The plan was
to let the auxiliary sell them at a yard sale, but I decided to buy them
instead for the boys. Frankly, they are pretty neat, but we don't need
them. So I asked if the auxiliary would give them to me for your school &
they eagerly agreed. What’re the chances that we would get such a donation
2 weeks before your newsletter petitioned for them?
Gotta be God. See you soon- Stephen
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