The Summer Summary (June 2012)

  

What a summer this was!!!

One of our motorized pump-boats heading across Tabaco Bay as a summer thunderstorm approaches.

Unlike the US summer that runs from June to August, the Philippine Summer runs two months earlier, from April – May. And what a summer this was!  Besides heat, heat and more heat, it was also filled with one activity after another.  In fact, so densely packed were the activities during those 2-plus months that few other things — including blog updates — had any chance of finding room in the schedule!

And yet in all the busyness of the Philippine Summer, it was really an amazing two months.  With youth activities, radio, agriculture, new building projects, and a Venus transit of the sun thrown in to boot, it would be impossible for me to summarize everything that happened in this one blog entry.  But here is the start, and I will continue over the next few weeks to keep adding bit by bit to the summary – hopefully before too many new things start happening!.

Here goes….

The front of our campsite, where a lot of the action happened this summer. Photo taken from across the channel on San Miguel Island.

Camps, Camps, ang More Camps!!!

Without question, one of the best places to start the summary is with one our our main activities during the summer months — camps!  All in all five camps took place at our Cagrarary Island Campsite during the past months. Three of these were our our own and two were led by other groups that also asked to use our facilities (although I spoke also in both).

Replacing campsite kitchen roof. Domingo and Cesar took charge of this problem.

The camping season began with a lot of  construction during the months of January to April.

During this time our construction workers put last touches on our newest guest house, multi-purpose conference center (not quite finished), landscaping, steps down to the boat dock, kitchen and small meeting cottage.

They also redesigned the interior of our old chapel/ministry center to become an office space, small group training room, and storage room for our agriculture and handmade greeting card supplies.

Campsite conference center. Just a few things inside that need to be finished, but fully functional. (Our radio room is in the room on the roof.)

The anahaw-leaf roof was replaced on our campsite kitchen, a new non-leak skylight designed and constructed on the conference-center roof, and our pathway railing painted as well.

Youth attacking the campsite cleanup.

To finish out the work, for two weeks the church youth attacked the campsite as well with rags, brooms, brushes and paint to do tidying up, cleaning of windows and walls, and repainting of the basketball court and galvanized roofs, and basically turn the camp from a construction project into a real center for ministry.

Edwin and “Hodlem” Joven attacking the stage wall on our basketball court.

What a huge blessing they were, and the campsite in the process truly got a facelift.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really thank Jonathan and Sherell Volante as well for their amazing coordination of 40 youth on a multitude of simultaneous projects.  Jonathan and Sherell are longtime staff with me here at the campsite.

After the clean-up the camps started.

Kids camp was an explosion of fun from start to finish for the kids. And when they are having so much fun, it’s so easy to share Jesus!

First was our Kid’s Camp. Fifty-nine elementary kids full of energy descended upon our camp for 3 days, and what a joy they were to have around. What made this camp a little different than past camps, however, was that six of the kids came from a Tabaco City Church.

Good food too! Each family was asked to cover $1.20 of the 3-day camp costs, while the ministry covered the rest.

It was our first partnership with a nearby church in a summer camp, and it worked very well. During the Kids’ Camp the kids learned about the out-of-doors and the lessons it taught about God. They learned about being a good steward of God’s creation but most of all about the importance of a personal relationship with the Creator.

I had the chance to teach them about different cloud types and a bit about the hydrological cycle and spiritual lessons as well from that.

Teaching at Youth Camp. The head in the front belongs to Anthony Solis who was running the projector.

Our Youth Camp followed soon after that. This was our largest youth camp in many years, with 55 total campers, 41 from our churches and the others from outside.

Hoisted between two trees – one step in the “Adventure Island” obstacle course at the youth camp.

The theme of the camp was “Moving On In God’s Plan – the Greatest Adventure.” The camp truly was an adventure also. For our last day we were able to locate some caves right there on Cagraray Island, which the youth — and with me leading the pack! — had a great time exploring!

Exploring inside the Mataas Caves. Jonathan and Rowell look on with amazement.

The best part of the camp, however, was listening to the testimonies of how the youth were impacted. One after another of the youth broke down in tears sharing how God had convicted them of various sins in their lives from which they needed to repent, and commit themselves to following God’s path for their lives. It was pretty amazing.

Roda, Cyrene, and Hanilyn. Cyrene accepted Christ during the camp. Hanilyn is continuing as one of our youth interns.

Though most of the youth were Christians a few were not, and we know of two who made decisions to accept Christ. Please pray for Cyrene. She is the daughter of our former foreman in our campsite project, and her decision to allow Jesus to rule her life has been very badly received by her mother, and Cyrene continues to struggle with this. Thanks.

Kuya Al Velasco making a point during the 2012 Family Camp

Our final camp this summer was our Family Camp.  Held the first week of June, the camp featured Al and Dely Velasco, two board members of Faith in Action and long time friends, who came down from Manila to pour out their hearts to the people concerning how to build strong Christ-centered families.

Dely Velasco sharing her experiences as a wife and mother at our Santicon Campsite Family Camp.

The people here truly love this couple and never get tired of their visits. This love was evidenced by the fact that, despite a typhoon passing by at the time, which brought torrential rains most of the days they were here, over 70 adults and 30 kids still made the trek through the rain and sometimes mud and high waves in order to attend the two-day fellowship.

God is good, and I truly thank Him for the chance to run these camps. Camps are a lot of work to coordinate and implement, but at the end of each one there is always so much evidence that God has done a lot more work than us.

NEXT WEEK I will continue this update.  Please stay tuned in! 🙂

Building His Church on the Islands (March 2012)

Looking across from Cagraray Island toward San Miguel Island. Jesus is building churches on both islands.

Jesus said in Matthew 16:18 that He would build His church, and since the beginning of the ministry here on the islands that has always been the hope to which I have clung.  Truly through the years we have seen Jesus’ faithfulness to His promise in many many ways, and we continue to watch Him work.

Location of the three churches Jesus is building on San Miguel and Cagraray Islands.

Yet, though Jesus is the One who builds His church, He calls us to work alongside Him in the process.  We are not to lead, and in a sense we are not even to plan (at least in our human wisdom), but rather we are to seek to stay in the flow of what He is doing and what He is building, with Him in the lead and with Him as the focus.  The Lord has shown me many times that anytime we try to build something apart from Him it doesn’t last very long.  We are called to work with Jesus according to His call, not for Jesus according to our ideas.

Keeping this in mind, in the past months we have seen Jesus’ leading for us to build with Him in His church projects in a number of new ways:

First there has been the physical facility aspect of building.

Helping put the anahaw-leaf roof on the new Maliktay chapel. (At least I think I was helping!)

For the past three years, we have continued with three church buildings and one Sunday school room.  All are constructed of concrete, though the roofs are in most cases anahaw palm-leaf.  Only in our most northern San Miguel Island church has a galvanized iron roof with a Sunday school room with cement  slab as a roof.

In Maliktay, the children have been surviving by meeting in the community center for Sunday school.  However, such has not proven ideal, since sometimes this has meant that they have had to meet outside, and there is no place to put their supplies and projects afterwards.

The Maliktay, San Miguel Island Church compound. The new in-construction chapel is in the foreground with our old building for Sunday School in the back.

This year we felt God call us to change that, and so we embarked on the construction of a second building.  This building will actually become the new chapel for the adult service, while the kids will meet in the original building, which can be divided into two rooms for the two classes.  Faith in Action gave budget to the church, while the men donated their time and expertise to the construction.

Teaching at a Maliktay Sunday Service

This month we hit a milestone by finally installing the new anahaw-leaf roof!  It took over 2000 leaves to waterproof the roof, but it looks great (except perhaps the part I helped with, which showed  a good degree of “creativity”)!  We were so happy to finally get the roof installed that, even without the walls, we still decided to move in right away and start holding services there, allowing the kids to take the more complete former building.  It’s a joy to see the progress, and the kids are as excited as anyone to have their own building.

Brethren listening to Sunday morning teaching in our new wallless chapel.

The Cagraray Island church still lacks a Sunday school room as they decided to use their budget to purchase the land, which had previously been owned by one of the church members.  So, Lord willing this will hopefully be an upcoming project.

Some of the Sunday School kids in their new room. Hanilyn, their teacher, is standing in the back.

In addition to the actual physical church building, building has also taken the form of a new series of trainings the Lord has led me to start.  Begun the first week of March, these trainings include:  Basic Christian Life, Doctrine 101, Evangelism, Techniques of Bible Study (Inductive Bible Study), and Fundamentals of Teaching God’s Word.  A total of 13 people have enrolled in the classes, which are being held some on San Miguel Island and some at our campsite on Santicon.  The trainings are being held as part of providing ways for interested brethren to grow in their faith and hopefully step into ministry.  “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.”

Saturday morning training in Maliktay, San Miguel Island.

The third way in which we have felt God leading in His building program is to change the structure of the church leadership.  For the past three years, I have been rotating with the elders in teaching in the services in order to give these men the chance to grow in leadership and become accepted as potential future pastors.  Now we are taking it one step further.  While I will continue to handle one of the churches, I am placing the two elders/assistant pastors primarily in charge of serving as the Lord’s under-shepherds in the other two churches.  I will still teach in these churches but only once/month.  The assistant pastors will also be responsible now for heading the monthly church leadership meetings and setting vision for the churches.

Although in one way I wish I could turn over all three churches rather than just two, I am learning that I cannot always take the steps as fast as I wish.  Truly I am grateful that the leaders are willing to handle the two churches, since it is a significant step for them.  That does show growth on their part.  Yet I am still diligently praying for the day when all three churches can be fully in the hands of local leaders.

Posing with the two elders / assistant pastors. Rudy Bueno is on the left and Leo Bolante in the center.

Please pray that the Holy Spirit will use the three of us in the church ministries over which He has placed us.  Please lift up as well those serving in other church ministries such as: Sunday School (7 teachers), youth ministry (3 leaders), home fellowship groups (4 leaders), and worship (5 persons).  Above all please pray the we will always stay in step with the Holy Spirit and His plans for His Church, and that He will be glorified as we submit to all that He wants to do!  It is after all His work and not ours. Thank you so much!

** In following blog posts I will share other ways God is leading us to build. Stay tuned!

Happy New Yeaunion! (January 2012)

The year 2012 has come, and with it a lot of mixed feeling around the world.  The Mayan doomsday predictions for the year 2012 greeted most of us, a nice follow-up to two predictions of the end of the world in 2011.  It’s good to know that all is in the Lord’s hand, and whether this is the year He returns or only one more year to occupy until He does, I believe that the Lord always wants us to look forward to expectation.  God is never the God of the anti-climax, and the greatest things He wishes to teach us and do in our lives are still ahead.

For me 2012 has truly started as a big yeaunion for me.  What do I mean by that?  I mean simply that it’s a year with God bringing a  lot of reunions into my life one after another.

Getting ready to start the Christmas party - people strung out around our campsite conference center

Church youth performing a special number at the Christmas Party

The first has been the reunion with the Philippines. After 3 ½ months in the US, at last I am back on Philippine soil, and there is always a sense of arriving home when I land hereSunday school students enthusiastically executing their Christmas performance.

Everything tasted better, smelled better, and sounded better when I got back than before I left, meaning I had been missing it a lot.  I joked with some that even the Manila smog smelled good when I got back!

What's a Christmas party without some fun - and we had some hilarious games this year. (The milk bottle game was one of them!)

After landing in the Philippines, the first big reunion was of course with the brethren in Bicol.  I arrived just in time for our church Christmas joint service and Christmas party.  This is always a joyful time for everyone, and a great time for bonding in a fun way, and it was one reason I didn’t want to miss it this year.

The weather on Christmas was horrible – with strong winds, rain, and waves.  Nevertheless, a big percentage of the three churches still made the trek to our Santicon campsite to share in the joy of remembering Jesus’ birth, meditating on the new things He wishes to “birth” in our lives in 2012, and simply enjoying one another.

Sharing at our leadership planning meeting between Christmas and New Year.

Following immediately on the heals of this service were two leadership planning meetings (one also preceded the Christmas fellowship), as we look to the unique work God wants to do in 2012.  Again the weather was terrible, and yet again the leaders in the churches still battled the elements to attend the afternoon discussion and prayer.

One week after we all joined together again at our northern San Miguel church for the New Years service as well as afternoon of prayer for the coming year. That is always one of my favorite times during the year.  It is so good to commit everything to the Lord right from the start of the year

Leaders doing group study during church leadership planning meeting.

Immediately after New Years I was whisked away to Batangas, a province just south of Manila for yet another reunion, this time with part of the ministry I first worked with in the Philippines called PACT (Practical Assistance in Christian Training.) This ministry, which the Lord allowed me to lead for 5 years, was designed to help motivate and prepare Filipino young people for missions work.  Many of the participants were not able to make the reunion but for those who was, every one of them was an encouragement to me that the labor of PACT so many years ago was not in vain.

Minda and Oscar, our two PACT staff in yesteryears. Minda is now leading "Bridge to the World," an organization that sends out Filipino missionaries; Oscar, inspired by his first use of a computer with PACT, has now become one of the top computer programmers in the Philippines in certain areas.

Because of God’s encouragement to the PACT workers, one of the participants is now ministering in Afghanistan, one in Germany with outreach to Muslim nations in Africa and the Middle East.  Two have spent time in Thailand, while another has started a new ministry south of Manila for reaching out to kids, their families and communities.  Another is actively serving the Lord in Mindoro an island south of Luzon, another the president of Batangas State University, and Minda, our former staff with PACT, has pushed on with the vision, forming a new group based on the PACT system that has sent out workers to numerous countries in Asia.  It is so amazing to watch what God has done!

Just like old times - though a few years older than before - we all fell right back into the old close friendships we had during the days of PACT.

Returning back to Bicol, it was reunion again with the ministry in Bicol – so much of it!  It is really impossible for me to even begin to get a grip on everything that has to be done.  So I am taking it step by step.

My primary focus right now has been revamping the radio ministry.  With another battery for our transmitter plus charger, we are now in much better shape to endure the repeated brownouts (power outages.)  We have also installed a home weather station so that we can give up-to-date weather information for the people on the islands.  New teachings and other recordings have also filled much of my time since I have returned.  By God’s grace we are making progress with the radio ministry.

Back in position before the radio mic, computer, and now weather station as well! It's nice to be back!

Reunions can be wonderful reminder of the past, a testimony of  how God has continued faithful through the years, and an inspiration for the future.  The year 2012 holds many unknowns, here in Bicol ministry as well as around the world.  Yet there is a confidence that the God so faithful in past years will be likewise in the years to come.  So with that we can look forward with expectation.

Happy New Year to you all!

Pressing On In My Absence (November 2011)

Getting cooled off in the US during furlough

September – December are my furlough months – months of visiting friends and family, sharing in churches, rounding up materials for the ministries in the Philippines, and trying in-between it all to get a little rest (sometimes with moderate success only on the rest part!)

 

It’s also been a time for a few new old experiences, like wearing boots in the snow and sleeping with layers of blankets (both unheard of activities in the Philippines!)  During my months in the US, my furlough is taking me to six states, and so is a bit of a whirlwind of travel as well!

Churches left behind on the island (our last joint fellowship before I left)

 

However, while I am here in the US, the ministry in the Philippines presses on, and I am encouraged by the reports that are filtering in.

Rudy Bueno sharing

While I am gone there all of the ministries are continuing at full blast.  Rudy Bueno and Leo Bolante are heading up the three churches  on our two islands of San Miguel and Cagraray.  At last report all of the services are going well, and even new visitors are showing up.

Youth share a tract with one of the San Miguel Island men

All churches have also engaged upon a project to reach with the gospel every home on San Miguel and the three communities where we ministry on Cagraray while I am in the US.  They are doing this primarily with tract distributions as well as personal sharing the gospel to those who are interested.

 

It’s a big task to reach 10,000 people over 3 months, when the only transportation around the islands is walking, but they seem to be wholehearted about the task.  Meanwhile we are using the radio ministry to help follow-up those contacts who are interested in learning more.

Watching a film as part of the youth outreach, "A Journey Home."

 

Youth ministry is being headed by Jonathan and Sherell Volante as well as Emmylou Hallig, a friend who is working with Tiwala Ministries in Legaspi City, but who also gives her time each weekend to assist with the Sunday youth group in one of the churches.

 

 

On November 1 the youth held an outreach fellowship called “A Journey Home,” which drew 65 youth from the islands, almost half of them youth who had never heard the gospel.  The youth have also been very active in outreach in other ways around the islands in my absence.

Our latest campsite project - a guest house to hold 36 campers. Now workers are focusing on smaller "finishing" projects.

Campsite construction continues under the guidance of Jonathan Volante and in late November the campsite was used by two outside groups. We hare hoping that by next year, when we finally start to make it known to outside groups that we have a campsite, use from other churches will increase.  At present we have beds for 90 campers and floorspace for a lot more! God has been amazing in the way He has provided for the construction of this campsite!

Bebet on the roof tending the Pechay harvest - part of our agricultural test project.

Moms making handmade cards as part of our livelihood initiative.

Agri and livelihood development also presses on.  Not only is planting continuing on both San Miguel and Cagararay, but Christmas card sales this year, estimated to hit near 2000 cards, have kept six people on the islands fully employed for the last two months. This has been a huge help financially to five families as well as a boost to helping support other ministries on the islands.

And finally the radio ministry continues strong, with Hanilyn Boneo, one  of our youth interns continuing to DJ as well as oversee programming, backed up by a group of others.  From the US I continue daily to record and send my programming to the Philippines as well.

 

It’s a great thing to watch the local leaders and Christians pick up the mantel in my absence.  Since the day that I set foot on San Miguel Island some 15 years ago, the clear goal from the Lord was always to see the ministry eventually turned over to local leaders, and this period of my absence is a test to see how close we may be to seeing that goal realized.  So far the results are hopeful.

 

Thanks to all of you who have been praying for this ministry and for God’s work on the islands.  You play a big role in seeing His Kingdom come a little bit more to a group of people desperately in need of the hope that only Jesus can bring!

Mid-Heaven Ministry (August 2011)

“And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people.”  (Revelation 14:6)

This verse from Revelation concerns that last days – the days when “time is basically up,” when God will be pouring out his wrath on the earth, and yet as a last act of grace continue to beckon people to repent and turn to Him before the close of the age.

Those days will be hard indeed, and yet how much better to hear and receive the Lord’s invitation now before such woes come to pass?

Sitting in front of the mic in our Santicon radio room

It is for this reason that we continue to be so encouraged by the opportunity that God has given us this side of the tribulation to also be His angel to share the Good News – and from midheaven as well!  The way He’s doing it is through 18-watts of  FM power  broadcast right from our campsite on Cagrarary Island — 88.5 on your dial (if you happen to live nearby)!

Island Breeze Radio actually ran its debu broadcast during Holy Week 2010.  Unfortunately, soon after that we began to run the station, we also began to run into problems with the transmitter.  First it began shooting out spurious signals that interfered with the few nearby TV’s on the island, thus forcing us to  cut back our broadcasts to off-peak hours.  Then, further problems with the transmitter power limited how far the signal could reach.

Our antenna and solar power set-up. The solar power is needed due to the multiple power-outages that strike us nearly every week.

Through the help of some great brothers in Christ in the US last December, however, the problem was solved, and this year we are now  back on the air stronger than ever. With a new stronger transmitter, a small array of solar panels, a redesigned antenna tower that pushes us up to 72 ft, and an actual somewhat sound-proofed radio room, we have found the radio ministry now able to  cover not only nearly the entire island of San Miguel and much of Cagrarary, but also penetrate three towns on the mainland, and the outskirts of a fourth as well!  We were shocked when we began receiving text messages from listeners in areas we never thought the signal could reach!

Hazel pointing out some key points about Christian radio programming. Three of the nine trainees sit at the left.

As the potential for this type of ministry has become clearer and clearer to us, during the past month we have begun delving a lot more into developing our own programming.  With the help of Hazel Alvarez, a friend and one of the top Christian radio trainers in the Philippines, this past month we were able to send eight persons from the island (including myself) through a one-week training, which included theory behind Christian broadcasting and techniques of developing effective programming.

Conversing over the air with Cecil Amog , FEBC staff and DJ on One-Radio Tabaco City, as part of our July radio training. The girl at the left is Hanilyn, one of our youth interns from the island who is also becoming our key DJ on Island Breeze Radio.

The last event of the training involved taking the whole bunch from the island to a local radio station in Tabaco City to experience the “real thing.”  Cecil Amog, a staff of Far East Broadcasting Company (an international Christian radio ministry) and who also DJ’s on a local commercial station, led this part of the orientation, and gave tips on how to conduct oneself live over the radio.  The trainings were fantastic and really have helped us get a better grasp on how to manage this amazing tool God has given us to get His word out.

With the help of these trainings, some dedicated staff, and perseverance that can only be from the Lord, we have at present been able to maintain a broadcast schedule of 17 hours each day (on a pretty consistent basis), which include 14 programs, the gaps between which are filled with a mixture of Tagalog and English Christian music.

Jonathan, also from San Miguel Island, has been on ministry staff for many years. Now, besides helping run our campsite and the student ministry at one church, he is also our newscaster.

At present I do an early-morning devotion, another devotional commentary (aired twice each morning), and a Bible reading and question/answer program that airs in three sections during each weekday.   The Sunday morning message is also rebroadcast every Sunday evening.

Entrance to our campsite radio room. The tower is located just to the left. Our rooftop garden on top.

Besides this God has also allowed us to work up news broadcasts three times each day, a children’s program each evening, song requests two times each day, a prayer time for those who send in requests, and Bible-verses-of-the-day, broadcast hourly.

We have all discovered that putting out radio programming is a huge task requiring amazing amounts of work on an almost non-stop basis.  The task of producing programming is made even more difficult by having to deal with simultaneous technical problems and power outages that seem to hit us with unrelenting frequency.

Inggo, our campsite foreman and local radio daredevil, hangs silhouetted against the coming rainclouds as he makes adjustments to the top of the radio tower. Inggo has actually clocked quite a few hours in midheaven as we continue to work on getting the kinks out of the tower!

And yet, though a lot of work, the radio ministry is also a great blessing as we repeatedly hear how God is using it, not only to help strengthen the brethren but also touch people who don’t yet know Christ.  Almost every week we hear reports of new people who are listening.  At the same time local island Christians are getting the chance to learn a type of ministry few even in the cities ever get to experience.

God is good, and we thank Him for this midheaven ministry opportunity!  Since you can never see who is actually listening, you never really know what impact is being made, and so truly it’s a ministry of faith!   And yet, if God is going to use midheaven as a platform for proclaiming the gospel in the end, it can’t be too bad of an idea for us to use it now as well.

God’s Divine Donuts and a Lunar Eclipse (June 2011)

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him?” (Matthew 7:11)

They come in lots of different colors - just like God's blessings.

God is a good Father. He has a lot of great qualities that I really like, but one characteristic that is particularly neat is the way that He sometimes just likes to drop nice little surprises in our laps, maybe like a father does for his children when, coming home from work, he surprises them with a new toy or a bag of donuts that he knows his kids will like. Nothing really huge, but just something special to see his children smile.

Posing with Moy in our first years together.

Sometimes I see God do that in my life as well. Like the time I heard about the monkeys that used to live on our island, and that night mentioned to the Lord it was sad that they were no longer around.  How shocked I was when the very next morning I woke up to the knock of an island boy outside of my room wishing to sell us a monkey he caught on the other side of the island!  This monkey, who we creatively named “Moy, subsequently provided us years of joyous entertainment. Moy was one of the donuts Father brought home.

 

The variety of fish from around the island

Or the time I was returning home by boat from a Bible study late at night and noticed a few fish jumping ahead in the distance. Just speaking my thoughts to the Lord, I mentioned how it would be cool if one would just jump in the boat and provide us dinner.  Almost immediately I was hit right in the stomach by one of the leaping fish. A fishy donut that was!

Photo taken almost in center of totality from outside my bedroom window. It took a bit of a time exposure to get this. A star on the left can be seen tracking during the exposure.

The most recent “donut”  Father brought home was on June 16 Philippine time.  It was in fact one of the three longest total lunar eclipses of the century!  Since a child I have loved astronomy and grew up dreaming of working for NASA. Though the Lord’s call to a Philippine mission superseded my original dream of a moon mission, my love for astronomy never went away.

My heavenly Papa understood this, I think, and so when the morning of the eclipse arrived, the weather, which had been constantly overcast for days (and clouded up one day later as well) cleared just long enough to give us a perfect view of this latest total lunar eclipse – definitely another donut answer to prayer.

The blood-red totally eclipsed moon hanging over San Miguel Island early morning Thursday.

 

This was actually a double donut for me, however, since last December I was given by the Lord an unexpected chance to visit the US for Christmas, and so just happened to be there when the December 21 eclipse took place – again on a night of perfectly clear skies!  Two total lunar eclipses within six months.  You can’t beat that!

This last eclipse, however,  brought even one more blessing.   As it turned out, because of the specific timing of the eclipse in the Philippines, and because of my unique location on Cagraray Island, I had the chance to watch the eclipse throughout it’s entire totality phase, but also got to watch it exit totality almost exactly at sunrise. This meant that I was afforded the amazingly spectacular view of the totally eclipsed moon setting just north of  Mayon Volcano.  I honestly think that I had one of the best  seats in the house for this eclipse!

I was able to snap a few photos of the whole thing, and as it turned out, one photo I took was liked so much by the editor of Space.com (one of the main astronomy/space news websites), that he actually chose it to feature in their main internet article on the event!  I was amazed!  They also chose 2 other shots I took to include in their photo gallery as well.  That was definitely a jelly-filled donut!

Our God is a great Father – strict at times, holy and with high standards, but also loving and with a bent to give donuts once in awhile to His kids. I really thank Him for His recent donut surprises to me. 🙂

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HERE ARE A FEW MORE SHOTS OF THE ECLIPSE FOR THOSE INTERESTED:

.Heading Toward Totality:

Moving toward totality 3:16 am...

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3:21 am ...

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3:25 am . . .

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3:35 am (Just into totality)

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.Totality Phases Sequence:

Sequence during totality in universal time on June 15. (Add 8 hours for Philippine time)

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Moonset (Around 5:00 am)

Moonset next to Mayon Volcano. Steam can be seen issuing from the Cone of Mayon. (This is the photo that Space.com published)

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The still totally-eclipsed moon hanging over a cloud as daylight approaches at 5:00am..

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Heading for the horizon - a truly photo-finish race between the end of totality and moonset, and the clouds won out. This was the last I saw of the eclipse of 2011.

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Camps Away! (June 2011)

Rachel Mae & Cyrene - two of the cuties who joined the island Kids' Camp this year at our Santicon campsite

Well, the summer is over, but in our minds live the memories of one more year of camps at our Santicon campsite.  I remember when we first started on the islands and when we wanted to hold our camps, we had to settle for tiny one-room beat-up beach cottages at pseudo resort areas along the mainland coast.  At night we would go to bed listening to drunken neighbors lullaby us to sleep with their blasting karaoke sing-a-longs until 2 in the morning!  Clearly it was not the best atmosphere for helping the island youth focus on the Lord and get their lives right with Him!

Our campsite conference / all-purpose center (our largest project) and main building now for all camps.

It is for this reason that I so often thank the Lord for the campsite that He, through the help so many people and churches, has allowed us to construct in Santicon, Cagraray Island.  After a decade of construction, God has amazingly helped us transform a hillside sloped jungle into a very functional center for group activities.  In addition to serving as a place for camps, though, the facility also now functions as our mission base for the two islands.  Every time I think back to what the place looked like when we arrived, I can’t help but worship the Lord afresh for His faithfulness.

 This summer the campsite got a good workout.  Besides two church family days (Valentines and Easter) earlier in the year, as well as the monthly joint services for the churches here, in May we were able to host two camps – one for our elementary-aged kids and one for our youth.

KIDS’ CAMP

Nene demonstrating a project to the kids

Kids singing at our 2011 Kids Camp

The Kid’s camp, held at the beginning of May came only days after we were hit by Typhoon Bebeng.  The campsite was littered with debris as a result of the typhoon, and we were out of power for almost one week, but with the help of our army of youth, the place was cleaned up in just a couple days to accommodate 63 kids from our church, and power was restored on the 2^nd day of the camp.

Chow time!

Kids learning some dance steps 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The theme of the camp was “The Armor of God,”  and the camp focused on helping the kids learn how to win over temptation, live a life of faith in Jesus, stand in God’s Word, and live in obedience .  Of course it was also full of games, projects, songs, and other fun activities for the kids.

Sharing at Kids Camp graduation

Kids listening during graduation

On the last day of the camp we held a graduation in which parents were invited to attend. Not only did this give them a chance to affirm their children in following the Lord, but also gave us the chance to share God’s Word with them as well.  This year I

Some of the campers performing at the graduation ceremonies

encouraged the parents to believe that the Lord could do amazing things through their children, if they simple released them to the Lord.  Lives of children like Samuel, David, and the boy who gave the bread and fish to Jesus were three examples of children in the Bible released to God, and who became parts of amazing miracles as a result.  God loves to use the weak things of the world to shame the wise.  It’s good if we who are “wise and strong” understand that enough to let Him do it!

 

 

YOUTH CAMP

Camp staff this year -- Gladys, John, Me, Than, Rowell, Shie, and Emmylou (a great team to run with!)

Just four days after the Kids’ Camp, we blasted off with the Youth Camp. This was our fifth youth camp to hold at our campsite (though others preceded this in other places), and it was clearly blessed by the Lord.

Rowell teaching an outside session on disciplining oneself for the race

John teaching on the obstacles of a good race

 

 

 

 

 

All in all 36 youth attended, many of them for the first time. This was a big encouragement to us, since we lost a lot of our youth last year due to schooling or work off of the islands, and so this group represented a replenishing of our youth ministry.

Going all out in the eating contest!

Focused on Hebrews 12:1-2 and titled, “Running the Race . . . To Win,”  this camp focused on the fact that each one of us has been given a race to run by the Lord, and it is critical that we understand what that race is, focus our hearts on the Lord and His plan, and run that race with all of our might all the way to the end.

The Blindfold Boat race - one of the unique - and rather hilarious - races in our camp Island Olympics

Besides eight teaching sessions and one workshop, there were also a lot of activities, plus one fieldtrip to Legazpi City (many of the youth never get much of a chance to get off the islands, and so we always include a trip).

Our last session in Legazpi -- running the race to bring people to Christ

 

 

 

 

During the camp we also emphasized small group discussions.  This gave that the campers a chance to openly express what God was doing in their own lives and encourage them to support one another.  A bonfire on the last night concluded the camp, at which time the youth were given the chance to share how God had changed their lives during the week.

Last night sharing around the campfire - what better way to end a camp?

It was a great experience, not only to see the youth further encouraged to run for Jesus, but also to be personally encouraged in the race that God has set before me here on the islands.  I realized that a race is never meant to be easy.  It is, after all, a race, and a race requires energy, stamina, and perseverance.  Thus, it shouldn’t surprise me that the work that God has set before me here on the islands also requires good daily doses of all three of those ingredients!  Yet, since it is a race God has set before me, I can also trust Him to be faithful to supply all that I need to run it well.

Typhoon Lanes, Inc. (June 2011)

Typhoon Chedeng barreling down upon us in May. We are the little green spot right in front of it!

They call it the “Typhoon Belt.” That’s where I have the privilege of living – right in the middle of it.  Of course what it means is that we are on the main track of incoming typhoons.  They usually start somewhere east of us and then come barreling in.  Over the years I’ve learned what if must feel like to a bowling pin with big round spiraling balls  thundering down the lane toward us.  We can never be quite so sure where they will hit.  We hope for a glance off the side, or better yet a “gutter ball” which misses the whole country. Direct strikes are hard to take!

Typhoon Reming in 2006. This photo was taken out of my bedroom window.

Being able to predict where these balls of wind will impact is very important in an area where many houses are only bamboo and nipa, and where a good percentage of the residents live near the seashore.  A slight mis-calculation of the path of Typhoon Durian (Remeng) in 2006 had many people confident that they wouldn’t get hit, only to be blasted the next day by the worse typhoon in living history here.  We were among them.  Perhaps ¼ of the homes on the islands were destroyed, and we spent 5 months in relief work helping rebuild some 150 of those houses.

Sister Mercy's house -- or what used to be her house -- after Typhoon Reming in November 2006

A cow grazing at our campsite after Reming. A downed coconut tree (a common sight after the storm) serves as the backdrop.

Plotting Typhoon Chedeng this past May. The pen is pointing at its closest approach - 180 miles - as it thankfully turned north. The initial path, however, was straight for us.

With the importance of needing to predict accurately the route of typhoons, we decided to get involved a little bit this year.  Already equipped with a radio station for disseminating information, as two typhoons approached both in the month of May this year and each initially heading straight for us, I was able to tune into 4 websites carrying information, three from the Philippines and one from Japan.

With the help of these websites, a longitude/ latitude map of the Philippines, as well as a friend from an area of the Philippines affected some number of hours in advance of our location, we were able to get  accurate up-to-date plots on the path and speed of the incoming typhoons, and even do a bit of our own predicting.  In this way we were able to provide information not normally shared on the public radio – information like the exact distance of the typhoons from our islands (not normally featured in national news), and prediction of local wind speeds at those distances.

Broadcasting during the typhoon by solar power. I was also joined by our refugee tomato plants from our roof garden!

It was a lot of work to be hourly plotting the storm, particularly during the critical period just before it turned north to miss us, but it was simultaneously a lot of fun to learn the process, and a joy to know that we were providing an important public service.  Of course in the process there were also a lot of chances to share God’s words of hope over the radio as well.

By God’s grace the typhoons missed us, though they did still buffet us with strong winds.  But now, unlike before, we have a record of exactly how it did so, and have a document of God’s continued grace.

God is good, and I constantly stand amazed at how He continually gives us new ways to serve the people here in Jesus’ name – right here in Typhoon Lanes, Philippines!

Resurrected! (June 2011)

Yes, believe it or not my blog site is alive once again after a year of lying lifeless in the grave of WordPress!

My apologies to all of you who have been repeatedly checking and checking my blog this past year only to find the same old news.  Part of it was a problem with slow Internet here on the island, which discouraged me from attempting updates, some of it a very heavy ministry schedule which kept me away from my computer, and some of it was simply my knack of always prioritizing the work before me above communication to others about the work before me!

However, now at least it has been resurrected from the cyber-grave, and will hopefully remain alive and kicking for some time to come!

A month ago we also celebrated a Resurrection – a much more important one than this blog site.  Of course it was the resurrection of our Lord Jesus.   As the years go by and as I grow in my relationship with Jesus, more and more I appreciate what He has done for me – for all of us – when He died on the cross.  This life holds so many treasures that can be ours if we seek them.   And yet truly what surpasses them all hands down is the treasure of Christ in our hearts, knowing God has a plan for our lives, and be assured of where we are going after this life.  I think being so far from my earthy roots both in distance and culture has been a major instrument God has used to draw me closer to Him and to appreciate the one Thing that never leaves me – Jesus Himself.  All else comes and goes, but He’s been there steady since the day I asked Him into my life, and I know will be forever.

Looking out over the Pacific at one our our Sunrise Services -- it wasn't our first but one that followed soon after in 2002.

This past Easter was a reminder to me of this wonderful gift we have been given in Christ – but not only the grace of knowing God Himself, but also the gift of others in the unity of His Spirit.  Our Easter celebration was amazing, for we experienced both gifts.

Usually we start Easter with a sunrise service.  All meeting together on the waterfront to praise God while watching the sunrise is always a memorable experience for me.  I still cherish my first Easter on San Miguel, when our tiny church of eight people gathered at the side of the ocean to welcome the new day.  The sun had not yet risen but the first rays sneaking over the horizon were painting the rippling eastern clouds a deep crimson over the dark quiet ocean water.  It was that day that the first six Christians were baptized on San Miguel.  It was also the morning I heard God’s clear call to stay on the island and keep teaching His Word, a call that would change my life.

That was 14 years ago, and here I was last month still on the islands for my 15^th Easter celebration – amazing.  This year, however, we decided to do the celebration differently.

The eight new baptized believers last Easter. Rico is the man in dark blue in front. Leo, one of our elders who assisted with the baptism, is standing in back with me.

Because the Christians on San Miguel and Cagraray were rather spread out over a 7-mile stretch, and because few had any transportation besides their feet, an Easter sunrise service would have required some brethren to get up as early as 2-3 am to begin 2 hours of travel walking in the dark and then riding a small boat to our campsite.  Wishing to spare people the difficulty and make Easter a joy rather than a difficult challenge, we decided this year to hold instead a joint Easter service at the regular time, and then a family day all afternoon after the service.  And it was clearly the right decision, for the day was blessed from start to finish.

The afternoon began with a water baptism of eight new Christians, a reminder of that first Easter Sunday 14 years ago.  Most were young people.   However, one who candidate for baptism especially encouraged me — Rico, one of the newest Christians in the church.

The infamous paper-ball spoon relay

Rico actually began attending service at the invitation of his neighbor, Lito, late last year.  After this he asked for a Bible study for he and his wife in their home, much to the displeasure of his mother-in-law (a common problem here).   A month or so after this we accepted him as a construction worker on our campsite project, where we knew he would have the chance to hear daily devotions from God’s Word to further encourage his spiritual growth.    And now, after these months of follow-up, discipling, and investing in Rico, it was such a joy to see him standing ready to declare through baptism his new faith in Christ!

Tiyo Ernesto a little tuckered after one of the competitions!

After the baptism the day continued with a slew of odd and unprecedented games in which families were pitted against each other in fierce by hilarious competitions.  The goal was not only to provide some fun for everyone, but also to foster family unity by developing games in which everyone — large or small, old or young – could play an important role.  What a laughter-filled afternoon!

Ramir Burce & family take the prize for Best Family Portrait competition

Our time of fellowship concluded that afternoon on a more serious note – communion.   And yet this was not our normal communion, but was rather a “Sedar Supper,” a Passover feast something like the Jews did it, with 4 cups, bitter herbs, unleavened bread, and a number of other items.  Linking the symbolism to Christ, it gave us all a whole new appreciation for what Jesus did when He died on the cross, as well as an appreciation for the Jewish culture from which our Christian faith arose.

Explaining the "Matzah" (unleavened bread) during the Seder Supper, our last event on Easter Sunday

When it was all over, and the sun was starting to head down over the mountains across the bay, our boat filled up with tired by happy brethren making their way home.  It was a great way to end a very full day of fellowship and worship.

Praise the Lord for Resurrection Sunday — and for the resurrection of this blog! Both are acts of His grace in my life this past month!

We’re on the Air! (April 2010)

        Holy Week is always an eventful time here in the Philippines.  Families re-unite, the Catholic Church begins a lot of extra activities, lots of rosaries and statues of the saints come out, and a group in the northern Philippines even nail themselves to crosses thinking that’s the way to pay for their sins.  So much religion but sometimes not a lot of understanding of what Jesus death was even all about.

How this world needs to know what Jesus did!   Jesus said in John 12:32, “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.”   Yet, even on a small island like San Miguel and the adjacent island of Cagraray it seems hard to get the word out to everyone and lift up the truth about Jesus before them.

This year, however, God has granted us a fresh new way to lift up Jesus on the islands — Christian radio!  But not

The transmitter in its entirety -- it all fits in a small suitcase. It can also be hooked up to solar panels, a big help in an area where power is very inconsistent.

just any Christian radio.  This is our very own station broadcast right from our campsite in Santicon!    How did that happen?  Well, in a very unexpected blessing, a couple months ago we received a low-power transmitter from a brother in Christ in California for the purpose of helping “spread the word” a bit faster.    Taking some time to work out the kinks and to get proper permits for broadcasting, at long last on Holy Week itself, we were able to hoist the antenna up  65 feet at our campsite using GI pipes and a bamboo pole, and begin broadcasting!

And what a blessing it has been!  Even with the very low 15-watt signal  brethren in the northern areas of San Miguel Island have been able to hear the broadcasts (though quite choppy in some places there).   The transmission has also been able to be picked up at the pier of one of the closest towns on the mainland and nearly

Using a small sight/surface level to create a rought topographical map of the southern portion of San Miguel Island and locate best potential broadcast locations.

to Tabaco City as well (about 7 miles from our campsite).  In fact only a couple of the Christian families on both San Miguel and Cagraray Islands were not able to receive the signal well!

As I mentioned, this new radio ministry began when a brother in Christ in California, Tony Randazzo, learned of our ministry through a mutual friend, David Hinchey, also ministering here in the Philippines.  Having an electrical engineering background and being himself led to Christ through Christian radio, he felt God calling him to use his skills to bless others with the chance to hear the gospel in areas where they might not otherwise hear.  And so, one day, after a few e-mails, the transmitter showed up at our doorstep (well not exactly at our doorstep – at the Tabaco shipping office.  NO ONE delivers to our doorstep!).

The results of our mapping of SW San Miguel Ilsand and a bit of Cagraray (at the bottom)

After this we had to test the transmitter in a number of locations both on Cagraray and San Miguel Islands.  It involved first drawing up an elevation map of the southern part of San Miguel Island using a rather crude sight/surface level and a lot of pacing off between landmarks, then selecting a few potential spots for transmission.  Next it required a little creativity to determine how to get the antenna to the highest elevation possible for the test transmissions.  However, it was also a lot of fun trying – especially since I got to watch others do all the climbing!  We would then send people around the island and out on boats  to check radio reception from different locations.  In the end we settled for our campsite since, though a bit lower than other locations, the convenience of broadcasting here far outweighed the disadvantages.

Preparing to erect antenna on our Santicon campsite

Licensing is still a long and in some ways uncertain process. The rules are such in the Philippines that the congress has to actually vote on whether we can begin a broadcasting franchise even before the licensing process can be started.  However, in the

Jonathan steadying antenna pole from roof while support lines are tied down. (In the background you can see our rooftop test garden)

meantime God’s hand of grace has been evident in that we have been able to attain both a community and mayor’s permit to broadcast while the licensing is in process.

And so Holy Week was our debut.  We began with broadcasting for a few hours at noon and then in the evening, mostly Christian music, but also 2 half-hour teachings I did on the seven last words of Jesus on the cross (appropriate for Holy Week, and an experience which refreshed in my own mind how amazing was the work Jesus did for us when He died and rose again).  Since there is no Christian radio in our entire province, to have such an opportunity is truly a blessing from the Lord.

Broadcasting from our Santicon campsite (the laptop is to help automate the broadcasts)

As of now we don’t yet have anyone who can dedicate the time needed to really get the station up and running full-time. However, little by little we are putting together thoughts and ideas, and hope to be able to expand the broadcast to mornings as well, include a variety of Tagalog teaching – some recorded from our services here, some done specifically for the radio ministry, and some simply read from Tagalog Christian books .  We also have a “Talking Bible” which we plan to use to simply broadcast Scripture.

The radio antenna at full-mast -- another of God's heaven-sent gifts

Please pray for this ministry – both on our local level and nation-wide level.  David Hinchey and I are both very keen on seeing a franchise developed that can cover the entire Philippines and thus open the door for more small rural churches to set up their own broadcasting stations.  Pray for Dave who is spearheading this process.  On the local level we are praying that, besides being an encouragement to brethren on the island, a local island radio station can generate enough interest in the community to attract the attention of non-believers as well, and thus open up the door for more to hear the gospel.

Thanks for your prayers!  God is good and continues to open doors beyond our expectation!

PRAYER REQUESTS FOR RADIO MINISTRY:

1.  Wisdom in setting up the programming and the necessary resources to do so. Also enough time to keep up with it!

2.   God to direct the right people to listen and change lives through the broadcasts.

3.  Favor with all government officials needed to secure the Congressional Franchise and the eventual radio license.