New country... first impressions: Andrew

This is a fascinating city... yet it is quite lost. One of the most disheartening aspects is the widespread idol worship. So many people are searching for peach & hope, but have placed their trust and hope in things created by human hands. You can hardly walk 100 feet without encountering a shrine or spirit house.

People are very friendly but there is a great language barrier. While they may not always understand us, showing a genuine love for them & their culture will often reward you with a warm smile.

-Andrew

NT365 Participant

Ministry Update: Grace

Our team's work is focused around talking with students who are currently studying English. We've already had the opportunity to begin good relationships with some here. Many of those we work with are Muslim and not open to the Gospel. However, I had the opportunity to have deep spiritual discussions with one person from the English class. She says she is looking for truth... both from the god she serves in her religion and from the God we serve as Christians. 

Please pray as we continue to have these conversations.

Pray the Holy Spirit will speak through me & that He will reveal Himself in miraculous way to this young person.

-Grace

NT365 Participant

New island... first impressions: Daniel

Before coming to the island, I had the impression it would be a hard place for ministry. The pastor told us to be prepared to fetch water daily since it hadn't rained for three months. God shattered that right away!

The day we arrived... it rained... and it has rained everyday since. The people are friendly. We easily connected with people, including some government official who play basketball at our nearby gym each week. Honestly, I now think that God may use us to do something incredible here!

-Daniel

International AOT

New country... first impressions: Cambree

I love this country!! the culture is very similar to the Philippines... the people we meet are so kind & welcoming! It has been so nice to be in a new place & be involved in different types of ministry. 

Our schedule is flexible... when students aren't in class, they come to our house & hang out. We play games, talk about school, play sports, and have been doing discipleship & teaching some evangelism methods.

There will be so many opportunities to share the Gospel while we are here. Please pray for our team to be bold & take every opportunity we have to share. 

We are serving in a community where the lostness is very visible... we hear the prayer calls 5 times a day. It is very heartbreaking and eye-opening to see & hear this, but it helps me realize even more how much pople need to hear about Jesus. 

Pray that eyes, ears & hearts will be open to hearing the Gopsle and that the truth will set people free in this city!

-Cambree

NT365 Participant

New country... first impressions: Jessica

Our city is very diverse with many tourists. Most people are kind but they seem to keep to themselves. In every corner of this beautiful city, shrines are displayed with food & drink offerings dedicated to idols. It has been heartbreaking to look out across a place full of millions that have never found the hope & joy that comes from knowing Christ. 

While missionaries have been in Thailand for centuries, the people have been hard hearted toward the Gospel, living their lives in spiritual darkness. Most of our ministry has consisted of mapping areas around the city to help give a better understanding of the culture & possible entry points to begin ministry. We'll also have an opportunity to be involved in campus ministry later in the month.

I have already grown to love the city & am excited to be a part of God's work here!

-Jessie

NT365 participant

New island... first impressions: Zuriel

We had mixed feelings about our one month assignment. Our journey from Davao to the island took over 15 hours. It's a beautiful island with kind people. 

During our first few days, we bonded with kids from our barangay (village), often having a group of 5-10 join us during prayer walks. We also met young people who had left a local cult & are now believers. They shared heartbreaking stories of their life before. Yet, they greeted us with big smiles, grateful to the Lord for rescuing them. One of them even brought a friend who accepted Christ after hearing the Gospel that very evening. Moments like these remind us what is means to be "World Christians." To God be the glory!

-Zuriel

International AOT

New Country... first impressions: Geoffrey

Bangkok is a very beautiful city with tall skyscrapers & busy streets. The people, while sky to those they don't know, are extremely nice... especially in the Muslim communities. But none the less, it's a very spiritually dark place.

Spirit houses, miniature houses from the size of a microwave to an oven, are on every other street. Shrines dedicated to the Buddha & Hindu gods are everywhere. The people themselves are always going quickly, trying to get to their destination as fast as possible, all the while staring at their phones. 

Our host team is fantastic & we're excited for the work we're helping them with... but it's not easy. The enemy has a stronghold on this place... but we won't be discouraged because our God has already won the battle. Our victory is assured.

-Geoffrey

NT365 Gap Year

See ya later... in Heaven! - Lydia

When we had attended & helped lead the recent youth fellowship, I absolutely loved seeing young, brave people go up to the front after the message to be prayed over by the pastors & to receive Christ. I did cry tears of joy because of what the Lord was doing & how He was moving.

Following the fellowship, our team went back to our weekend ministry church for the final time. On Sunday morning there were tears shed, hugs given, and prayers prayed over us and over the church. We did not say goodbye… we said, “See you later in heaven!”

I may not see my beloved youth & kids and the wonderful Ates (older sister), Nanays (mothers) and Tatays (fathers) on this side of heaven; but I know that because Jesus lives, I will see them again one day.

-Lydia

Group photo from the youth fellowship

The Treasures of Heaven - Zuriel

We met a Nanay (mother) who welcomed us with a big smile. She was 60+ years old & cares for her 7 grandchildren. She’s also very sick. I led a Bible study on her porch about the woman with the bleeding disease. She had very good insight such as, “I only trust in the Lord now, just like that bleeding woman. Especially now that I feel my days are already numbered.” (Many Filipinos will trust in saints or idols and even praying to spirits for healing.)

When I asked her, “Are you sure that you are going to the Father/Creator when you die?” She said yes, with a big smile and teary eyes. She had been crying for much of the Bible study. I asked her why she was crying, and she said that it’s been over 15 years since she had a Bible study in her home. The last time was with an IMB missionary who was doing ministry in her area. Before we left, we prayed for her & gave her a Bible.

We obey God for moments like this. I believe that the more we mature, the more we realize that God indeed rewards us for our work (effort) but not necessarily with the things of the world, but rather with moments like these. Moments like these, I believe, are the treasures of Heaven. Nothing can ever be as rewarding as meeting the people you minister to in Heaven someday.

-Zuriel

Island Deployment: Camille

I met a young lady named Kate while at the school on the island. She was so sweet & friendly. She told me she learns memory verses & her favorite is Proverbs 3:5-6. After our group performed the program at the school, Kate indicated that she had asked Christ to be her Savior. Coming from a Catholic background, this is a big step for her.

Please pray for Kate. Pray she will continue to listen to Holy Spirit. Pray also she will get connected through the follow up that is done at the school by the local believers.

-Camille

*NT365 students recently spent a week on another island, coming alongside a national church planter. They were involved in house to house evangelism, shared the gospel in a local school through drama, music & testimonies.*

Reflections: Cambree

Lately the Lord has been showing me that He is in control & He knows best. He is omniscient and that takes the pressure off me to try to figure out what I am doing with my future, etc. 

I can rest and obey, even when it doesn't make sense, because God knows what He is doing. This really helps me step out in boldness and faith because God is in control of the outcome. It doesn't depend on me or what I know, but on God and HIS sovereignty and power. Praise the Lord!!

-Cambree 

Reflections: Geoffrey

Patience is something I have learned about God in a new way. I learned when I was saved that His patience is constantly calling me to a relationship with Him, even though I continually rejected giving Him everything. I would ignore His convicting me even when that very day I had asked Him to convict me.

What I learned is His patience in teaching me the same lesson I had already learned before. I have struggled with not seeing results, feeling like I'm not helping, but once again, I called out to God, wanting to know why. And God gently just told me, "I've already taught you this before. Remember and trust I will use it for my glory again."

It's amazing how lovingly patient He is when I forget what He's already taught me.

-Geoffrey

Farm Week Thoughts: Geoffrey

One of my favorite parts of farm week was hearing the training staff, who are all pastors, talking about their specialities in Community Development, Agriculture and goat herding. 

One was talking about renewing the land using the SALT (Sloping Agriculture Land Technology). The trainer naturally moved into talking about how God is the great agriculturalist, the great farmer. That trust in Him is really the most important thing. While the farm can feed the body, God is the only one who can feed the soul. 

It was so natural that at first I didn't even realize it was a Gospel presentation. It's just so cool how they just flow from talking about their work to sharing their faith.

-Geoffrey

Reflections: Andrew

I've recently been reflecting on & learning about the holiness of God. During my quiet time, I just finished going through Leviticus. Leviticus, in the grand scheme of things, is about God's holiness and our sinfulness and brokenness. 

All the laws God prescribed were there due to God's holiness & our sinfulness. A phrase that is repeated throughout the entire book is, "You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy." It's reflecting on this which makes me even more grateful for Christ's atoning work on the cross. For on my own, I would never be able to meet the holiness requirement to stand before the one Holy One.

-Andrew

Farm Week Thoughts: Adrielle

My favorite part of farm week was the last day when we learned about worms & using goat manure as fertilizer. It made me think back to being a kid & digging in the dirt for worms! But it also taught a neat analogy...

We are like the manure, dirty and useless by itself. But, when we accept Jesus into our life, it's like adding the worms to the manure. They help turn it into good soil which can be used for planting seeds that will eventually grow.

-Adrielle

Reflections: Camille

I have been reminded that the word of God is completely unified! From Genesis to Revelation, it tells the same story, pointing to one person-- Jesus Christ-- and it is complete.

God's word does not contradict itself and is not divided. God is trustworthy and the God of clairty, unity and perfection. He does not contradict Himself. Because of His love and grace for His children, He has given us His word which is inspired by Him and worthy to be trusted.

I can go through the rest of my life believing in and trusting God's word, knowing that it will never fail me. God will never fail me, and His Word is visible proof of that and a reminder I can see every day. God's word is my foundation and I can rest assured that it is trustworthy, unified and complete. I feel like God's word alone points to His character. It is a picture of who and what He is.

-Camille

Farm Week Thoughts: Cambree

My favorite part of farm week was the gardening. We learned how to weave baskets & plant vegetables in them. This will actually be very useful on the mission field. Now I can teach others what I have learned & help them with their gardens... helping them provide for their families.

-Cambree

Reflections: Lydia

The characteristic of God I have held close this past week has been His OMNIPRESENCE. The fact that God is omniscient & Satan is not.

God being omnipresent is such a gift to me. It is a comfort to know that in the waiting & the silence, God is still there, holding me with His righteous right hand (Isa. 41:106).

-Lydia

Lydia recently celebrated her 18th birthday!

Farm Week Thoughts: Grace

Recently, we had the opportunity to work a bit on the demonstration farm where we've been living during AOT. We we were able to milk, castrate & dehorn goats. My favorite part of this day was at the end when we were helping feed the goats and one of them began to give birth!

One of the newborn goats was struggling to survive. I was told to hold it as another team member bottle fed it. Through this experience I learned a very important lesson.  

Life is messy. 

After I set the goat down, I realized I was covered in every fluid that is a part of the miracle of life. In the same way, the miracle of a new life in Christ can be messy. When a new believer comes to Christ it can appear like a messy process. They have a lot of questions and they need a lot of guidance. During this time we can do one of two things. We can leave the baby Christian alone to take care of his own needs OR we can pick him up and teach him how to live the Christian life. As a missionary, it is important that I never leave a new believer on their own. I must equip them for their new life in Christ.

-Grace 

Reflections: Emma

God is so patient with me. This has been a constant reminder for me this week. I get tired, or I don't feel well, or I'm frustrated, and I immediately lose patience. However, no matter how insecure, doubtful and weak I am, the Lord is always patient with me.

In my quiet time I have been reading through Numbers and Acts. In Numbers, God is constantly PROVIDING for the Israelites. In Acts, god's Holy Spirit PREPARES the way for Paul to share the Gospel, and He PROTECTS Paul. 

God is so good to me! He is patient. He always provides. 

In my weekend ministry, the Holy Spirit has been PREPARING hearts to hear & receive the Gospel and God's comfort. And through it all, I can fear nothing. I can rest in the knowledge that God is my protector. I can have complete PEACE in Him.

-Emma

Prayer Requests: Cambree

I am grateful for your prayers for the following:

• Pray I will have boldness to share the Gospel no matter where I am or who is around.
• Pray the people we will be meeting in our upcoming deployments... pray for open hearts toward the Gospel.
• Pray for our team to continue to be unified & focused!

-Cambree

Prayer Requests: Zuriel

As we're nearing the end of AOT, i've been thinking about our Filipino churches. I catch myself feeling the burden of mobilizing the young people who are part of MVBYF (Mindanao Visayas Baptist Youth Fellowship).

I pray the Holy Spirit will sustain the fire in my heart, even after AOT. It's easy to be a "World Christian" when we talk & study about missions all the time, surrounded by many who aspire to be full time missionaries. 

Pray for our Southern Baptist churches here in the Philippines, especially the youth, to have the heart of the Lord revealed to them.

-Zuriel

Reflections: Grace

Last week at AOT we learned about the Holy Spirit. This is the part of God that actively lives in every believer. Because I have given God a place in my heart, I need to clean up my hearts because it is now His home.

-Jessica

Farm Week Thoughts: Andrew

My favorite part of "farm week" was working with the goats. We experienced so much from milking to more advanced skills such as dehorning & castration. We learned how these skills can be useful on the mission field. In partnership with small farmers, teaching them goat maintenance which meets a physical need and sharing the Gospel which meets their greatest need.

-Andrew

Prayer Requests: Adrielle

Please pray I will have more boldness to step out of my comfort zone. I know since I have been here, I have already been growing in that... but there is still lots more room to grow!

-Adrielle

Farm Week Thoughts: Daniel

The 'farm week' has been my favorite week so far. I've always dreamed of trying farming, so I really looked forward to this week. My favorite day was the final workday, when we helped with the vermi-composting process. We helped prepare a new trench. We also dug through an older one to separate the dirt, fertilizer & worms. Playing with the dirt was fun!

All the technologies we were exposed to will definitely be useful on the mission field. When working with farmers to grow better crops, I can show them the love of God. While working with them, I can also share the Gospel with them.

-Daniel

Reflections: Daniel

I am learning that God is faithful. He has promised to forgive us & to purify us if we confess our sins. He keeps this promise faithfully as I came to Him time & time again to confess my sins. Because of this, I have begun to confess & repent of my sins almost immediately.

-Daniel