What an awesome privilege it was to minister to the beautiful children of the Philippines! Last week, through the ministry of Shiloh Bible Training Ministries, we brought SonForce Kids Vacation Bible School and touched the lives of over 70 children.

We began first with a VBS for Pastor Millet Buenafe at her pioneer church at Christian Development Centre. Although this church just began 2 months ago, about 20 children participated in this 3-day VBS.

Our second VBS for Pastor Mao Hernandez’s church was a 5-day VBS. Pastor Mao sent his jeepney out and brought in children from all around the city, and each day they came to sing songs, play games, make crafts and listen to God’s Word. Through the lives of Moses, Esther, Daniel, Jeremiah, Joshua and Caleb, our Bible times ’special agents’, they learned to 1) Trust in God’s plans for their lives, 2) Unite with God’s people, 3) Train for God’s service, 4) Follow in God’s path, and 5) Lead others to God’s promises! Each day they came, not wanting to miss out on their badges and shiny ID tags displaying each day’s mission and memory verses. I will never forget the sound of their voices singing, “Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise” (Prov. 19:20), or repeating their memory verses one at a time to Mama Opal! The joy and delight on their faces as they sang and danced (hmmm…maybe they were laughing at my dancing!) is something that will remain with me always, as well as their faces as they said goodbye, they will miss me, touching my hand to their foreheads in blessing (a filipino sign of respect). Please pray with me that the seeds that were planted in their hearts will bear good fruit and that, God willing, I will return to the Philippines and see them again!

As soon as Pastors Simeli, Junior and Phil arrived here in Tagaytay, we began our leadership conference at Pastor Mao’s church. The presence of the Lord was obvious from the beginning. Worship was good and most of our graduates from Shiloh Bible Training Center were present, coming from Manila and Marikina and even further. The new students were also there. Pastor Phil began the conference speaking on fatherhood ministries. Pastor Junior taught on the kingdom and leadership, encouraging the leaders to continue in their ministries. Pastor Simeli also taught on leadership. On Saturday morning, we prayed and laid hands on each of the leaders. It was an incredible presbytery! Personal words were given for each and every leader, and there was much emotion as we prayed and rejoiced together. Our people were built up and encouraged and there was much excitement that day as we prayed and God was with us. There are many discouraged leaders here and it is good and very necessary that we encourage and lift up one another in these kind of conferences. Thank you to the men of God from the US and Fiji who are willing to come and share their gifts of encouragement and bring the Word of the Lord to the filipinos!

It was especially rewarding to me this last month, to have my daughter Judy come with me to this country. God used her to teach on prophecy to our students here and I truly love having my family minister with me!

Our eyes have seen it! Since Judy and I arrived here in Tagaytay, it seems God has blessed every where we have been, starting in the classroom of the school here in Tagaytay, where our students listened as we shared God’s Word, and enjoyed fellowship with them. On Sunday, we saw the pleasure of the Lord in Pastor Millet’s brand new church at CDC (Christian Development Centre). We praise God for a growing group of her workers and their families. And then, we have also seen it in Pastor Mao’s church here in Tagaytay.

This past weekend, we flew to Baggio City where we ministered in Pastor Ric Chen’s church. I was so happy to see them! We missed them last October because of a typhoon in that area. I have heard “Go” from God about the school in Baggio. They are saying that ‘08 is the year of new beginnings. Is it a coincidence that this word came on the 8th day of the month of the 8th year of 2000?

Before I was awake this morning, I heard the Lord say, “You are beginning this work here. Take heed how you build. See that you make it according to the pattern.” He is letting us know that we are instructed to begin with prayer…..community prayer once a week, and daily prayer in the house.” Of course, the school is coming, but we begin with prayer.

God is also speaking to us about surrounding countries and pastor seminars…..lifting up the hands that hang down. One of the major words we hear here is ‘discouragement’. My heart hurts for the pastors because many are discouraged. I don’t want to see them quit. I want to give them materials, strengthen them and equip them for their ministries.

We are in the middle of ministering to the children in the churches here in Tagaytay and will write a report of this ministry in the next post. We will also report on the recent Pastors’ Conference here in Tagaytay with Pastor Junior, Pastor Phil and Pastor Simeli soon!

Tagaytay Conference and Graduation:
Pastor Matt Stoehr was the opening speaker for the conference. The Spirit of the Lord was on him and there was tremendous worship. Many of our students were there and God blessed in a beautiful way. Pastor Clarence Houser followed and the anointing was on him. There were not as many pastors as last year, but the room was full and the people were rejoicing.

Sunday morning, all the ministers were invited to different churches. There was a flowing in the Spirit as we moved to the end of the conference. On Friday evening, we again gathered in CDC for the graduation, our first in the Philippines. Fifteen students marched down and received their diplomas. I was overjoyed as four of them are already pastoring. Four more have Bible studies in different Baranguys (small villages) here in Tagatay.

Nasugbu Bataanaus
Our second Pastors’ Conference with Pastor Erwin was held in this city. You may remember that I have asked many of you to pray for him last year. He has a weak heart and has a difficult time breathing. But when I saw him, I knew he had been touched by God. His color was good and he was breathing better. Keep praying! Some of the symptoms are still acting out. We met a new pastor who pastors the largest Pentecostal church in Nasugbu, and we have an invitation to speak there sometime.

2008
Can it be? As I look back at 2007 and realize how much was done, I am amazed at how God has kept His Word of three years ago when He spoke to us to ’stretch out the tent stakes and enlarge our borders, to spread abroad to the right and to the left.” Last year, our two schools became five, with two in Fiji, three in the Philippines. In 2006, we began Pastors’ Conferences in Tagaytay and Nasugbu. Again, this past year, God met us in a wonderful way and pastors and workers met and were refreshed by the presence of God and the teaching of anointed speakers, giving of their time to join us in Tagaytay in encouraging and ministering to the servants of God.

This past summer, I was blessed to have my daughter Miriam and her two daughters join me in Fiji. For three months, they went from island to island, holding Vacation Bible Schools, five days of ministry for over 300 children. This year, God willing, they will do the same throughout the Philippines and again in Fiji and as God permits in Vanuatu, another Pacific Island not far from Fiji.

Well, we have spread out and God has graciously given us laborers to help in the spreading. Some from Texas, some from Indiana, some from California and some from Idaho. The scripture says that He sets the solitary in families, and our family is growing!