Vacation Postcards: Part 2

We had a wonderful time and even when in rest, were introduced and given the opportunity to share the Gospel with whomever was put in our path. It was truly a great experience being able to witness the Holy Spirit working in the group—as I turned around at the nail salon some of the women on our team were sharing the good news, and the same day the employees at the hotel heard the Gospel. I learned that no matter the moment, God may turn it into a beautifully written opportunity for someone lost to be found.   

Please continue to pray for our last week of ministry and that the days will be long, full of gladness and of spreading the good news! 

-- Skylar 

PH Summer Socorro Team, Media Intern

Is God Truly God??

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believer, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith."  Romans 1:16-17

As we mapped this past week, we spent time talking with several young women who shared they live with constant hopelessness & uncertainity. Because they have little education & few job opportunities, manny have turned to prostitution to survive. They also shared they rely on witch doctors for blessings & protection from curses.

As they spoke, it was difficult to hold back my emotions. Our national partners & I shared the hope of the gospel with them & encouraged them as best we could. After we left, I found a moment to just cry as I was heart broken. 

The lost used that conversation to convict me. I had started the day feeling tired and, if I'm honest, not excited about mapping. Yet here were women desperately searching for hope & truth, while I had come with a selfish attitude. In that moment, the Lord reminded me where my focus needed to be-- on Him alone. He is the One who sustains me & gives me the strength to do the work He has called me to.

The Lord taught me that lesson more than once this week.

Near the end of the week, my teammate & I received a last minute invitation to attend a youth conference for high school seniors. It was hosted by a Christian organization which intentionally invests in students across the country, helping them grow spiritually. As we arrived, I was asked to share a devotional--- that same morning. I immediately felt anxious, unprepared, and once again focused on my own inadequacies.

But through prayer, the Lord gave me peace & helped me share what He had placed on my heart. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to be used by Him and that He allowed me to share with so many students.

We had meaningful conversations with the leadership, shared our testimonies, & encouraged one another. It was such a sweet time of fellowship!

This was one of the harder weeks for me, but the Lord taught me so much. He reminded me again that He is worthy of my complete trust, faith, and obedience. Praise God that He is in control-- not me.

As I reflected during my quiet time this morning, not only on this week but on the past several months, I realized one of the greatest lessons the Lord has been teaching me: 

Quit limiting God's ability because of your inability. Is God truly God, or is He not?

As we head into our final full week of ministry, please pray:

• Pray against the strongholds of witchcraft & the prosperity gospel that have led so many away from the truth of Christ. 
• Pray we will continue to depend fully on the Lord, remain faithful & intentional in the work He has given us & serve with grateful hearts & open hands. 

-Shesa

Campus Evangelism & Discipleship

PH Summer: The Flower Woman

 

One way our team has been moved spiritually has been in meeting a variety of people. From the hospitality offered by a Lola to playing basketball with over twenty kids. We’ve learned that regardless the person we all need Jesus and have that in common. This motivates us to walk as far as needed, no matter the distance because that is exactly what Jesus would do for us. Even if it was the last house on the street.

I was going door to door with a few other members when we ended up at a “dead end.” It felt like our options had run out and it was time to head back. However, we caught sight of movement in the last house, where two women sat at their window fixing their eyelashes. When we introduced ourselves the first thing I noticed was the warm yellow-pink curtains and handmade flowers aligned on the shelves. They were so intricately made, and we found out that the woman whose eyelashes being done had curated the flowers by hand, and even so shared them with the rest of her neighbors.

“Have you ever made something and loved it?” That was the question I had asked her that led into sharing the Gospel, and oh the joy she had in her eyes as if they had lit up. When she begun to share her experience, she expressed that she was already saved and was starting to build a relationship with Christ. Some of the things she struggled with was the people’s judgement of her in the church, and that she didn’t have a Bible to read and study. Thankfully, our translator had one to give to her and we ended up setting a Bible study in the future. When we came back, she told us she had read and delved into the Word often, and after our study she wanted to share the same good news with her family in Manila. I was thankful that she was not only wanting to grow in her faith, but we had the privilege in witnessing the importance of spiritual support and mentorship when walking with Christ. That’s an important takeaway for our team, and in hope we may continue to support one another, and may go back to be there for the woman at the end of the street as well.

-Skylar 

PH Summer Socorro Team, Media Intern

Vacation Postcards: Part 1

This past week the group ventured off to Siargao Island to take a couple of days of rest from the ministry. With lots of memorable moments and jokes made, the group continued to grow closer. Here are a few postcards they are sending home to highlight their favorite memory!

Prayer Requests: 

• As the team goes back to Socorro, we may continue to build relationships with the people in the community whether that be in Bible studies, door to door evangelism, and through many prayers.
• That all the seeds we planted will continue to grow after we leave, and that we may finish strong in ministry. 

-- Skylar 

PH Summer Socorro Team, Media Intern

 

    

Meet the Team: Philippine Summer Butuan Kids

Meet Chielo

Hi I'm Chielo, and I am 21 years old. I am from the island of Bohol with the sea in my blood. Bohol is my home, the place with beautiful beaches. But right now God has planted me in Butuan to serve Him and His people. 

I always heard about God and Jesus when I was just a kid. But it didn’t really matter to me back then. I knew the names, but my heart was not interested. Then I was 13, the big earthquake happened in Bohol. After that, missionaries came to our place. They shared the Gospel with us. They also had Bible studies in our area. I was there listening, but still did not care much at that time. It took me 3 years to grow and really believe in Him. When I was 16, God finally changed my heart. 

One day I was riding my motorcycle home from school. The rain was very hard. There was thunder and lightening everywhere. I was so scared. It was dark that I could not almost see the road. I could only see the road clearly when lightening flashed in the sky. The thunder was so close. It felt like a big flashlight following me. I really thought I was gonna die because I could be hit by the thunder at any second. I cried and cried while driving. I prayed, “Lord, don't let me die today, please! I'm not ready. I'm not sure if it will go to heaven.”

Then I got home safely, but I was wet and still crying. I changed my clothes and went to my room. I prayed to the Lord for about an hour. I begged and cried. I said “Lord, please remove the doubt in my heart. I want to really trust you. Please change my heart. Please help me to trust you completely. I want to be in heaven with you. Please have mercy on me Lord. Please, Lord, because I'm scared.”

While I was praying I fell asleep when I woke up, I felt something new. I felt joy. I felt peace. I felt happiness. I felt renewed. Before I was scared. But now I'm free in the name of Jesus. That day I accepted Jesus as my Lord and savior. 

I just joined Nehemiah Teams as a translator. This is my very first time to do this work. I will be honest: translating is not easy. Some days the words get stuck in my mind. Some days the heat makes my head spin. Some days I'm afraid that I will say the wrong thing. Translating needs patience, prayer, and a lot of listening. But by the Grace of God He helps me grow and survive it. Each word I translate, each house I visit. God is teaching me to trust Him more. He is teaching me to be faithful even in small things. 

I am outgoing person with an adventurous heart. I love to talk and meet new people. I love swimming, exploring new places. I love saying “yes” to new experiences. Bohol taught me to love people and new challenges. 

I may be new at this work, but my goal is simple. I want to serve God. I want to love our people well. Even when translating feel heavy. I know His grace carries me. Life with Him is the greatest adventure. I’m learning it one word at a time, one conversion at a time. I pray and hope that the Lord will use me will the very last breath of my life.

Zechariah 4:6

Not by might, nor by power, but by His Spirit.

- Kylie

Philippine Summer Media Intern

Meet the Team: Philippine Summer Butuan Kids -- Bryanna

Meet Bryanna

My name is Bryanna, and I am 18 years old from Alabama. This summer, I got the opportunity to serve in the Philippines. For the past three years, the Lord has continually placed the desire for missions on my heart. After much prayer and seeking His guidance I felt Him leading me to step out of my comfort zone and serve overseas. 

A verse that has encouraged me throughout this time is Romans 10:14 “How, then can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” This verse reminds me why sharing the Gospel is SO important. And how without humbling ourselves and leaving our comfort at home - no one would hear the Gospel.

-Kylie

Philippine Summer Media Intern

Meet the Team: Philippine Summer Butuan Kids - Victoria

Meet Victoria

Hey y'all, I was born and raised in a small, Texas town. I grew up my whole life in a Christian household. 

My passion for missions started at a very young age. When my dad allowed me to “tag along” with him one Christmas to do missions in a trash-slum in Mexico. 8 year old me was broken when I saw young children, by the dozens, emerging from the trash in tattered clothing while I stood there shivering in my layers and jacket. That day changed me. I am forever thankful for my dad. And his example of “going” and “telling” to the nations that he has given me to follow. 

Growing up I continued to read missionary biographies and doing small missions trips across the border. At the age of 16 I began working at a Christian summer camp. I spent my whole summer there and grew a lot spiritually. I loved seeing God at work in people's lives. I dedicated 3 summers there before I picked up the command to “go.” So at 20 years old, I did a summer of missions with Nehemiah Teams in Guam. This greatly encouraged me to continue “going,” especially to places more lost and hungrier for the Gospel. 

The Lord placed the Philippines on my heart. Even though it wasn't the place “I” wanted to go, I remembered it wasn't about me. This summer the Lord has blessed me so much and I consider it honor to be apart of what He is doing here. 

Romans 10:14-15

How then they call on the one they have not believed in. And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 

-Kylie 

Philippine Summer Media Intern

Let the little children come...

Butuan kids team has been blessed in our ministries. We are doing house to house sharing each morning and have the privilege to disciple two new believers.

We are also adored by the many, many children here... so that has been opportunities for opening doors. We finished the final days of our version of VBS earlier today. The kids earned stickers for answering questions about the stories we shared on previous days... they were excited to get this small gift!!

The rest of our time is filled with tutoring sessions with the kids, more kids community outreach, youth Bible studies, Sunday Bible studies (no church in our village) and weekday Bible studies with the moms of many of our students. 

Pray for the Bible studies to go beyond evangelistic studies to ones that will see fruit in the lives of those we've been meeting with.

-Victoria

Butuan Kids Team

Finding the People

Our Explorer team has been going great in one of the South Pacific islands. Research has bee
n going strong.. we've covered 6 unengaged unreached people groups (UUPGs) and have potentially identified 2 previously unidentified UUPGs and I "unmarked" UPG. 

During our time, God has opened doors to gospel conversations and we've seen God's hand over our research. He has provided persons of peace, homes to stay in during travel, doors into the community and plenty of spiritual conversations with members of the groups we've visited.

We are seeing a lot of spiritual idolatry, witchcraft and sorcery. Please pray for those who claim to be believers, who might even profess with their mouth but don't truly understand the freedom and power of accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

-Brett

South Pacific Explorer Team

Student 2 Student: Philippine Summer

We have been meeting with some local high school students. We meet at the school once a week. We do a Bible study with them, pray together, and then simply spend time hanging out and getting to know them. In many ways, it looks a lot like a youth group you might see in America.

Don't let anyone despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.   -I Timothy 4:12

• Pray for our team as we get to know the high school students better. Pray that we'll be sensitive to their needs & be bold as we share Christ with them.
• Pray for the beginning of a church in this village.

-Kylie

Philippine Summer Media Intern

Daily Rhythms in Guam

We have found ourselves in a steady rhythm here in Guam in both ministry & daily life. Recently we spent time connecting with local pastors & their youth groups. This has given us a base to continue to build relationships for the summer of ministry.

We also started a backyard Bible club for local kids... 11 kids have join us which has been a really sweet & exciting start to the ministry.

For the past couple weeks we have also been doing market evangelism. We seek out those to start conversations with & share about Jesus in everyday settings. 

Join us in praying for:

• open hearts, 
• wisdom in navigating cultural & religious context, and
• continued unity & strength as a team 

-Callie

South Pacific Summer: Guam

A new sister in Christ: Philippine Summer

Our team had the privilege of doing a Bible study with Ate A. We walked up to her house hoping she would invite us in so that we could share the Gospel with her. We ended up doing a complete Bible study with her!

She knew we were in the area because her niece attends the school where we are staying. Her niece had told her there were Americans in their village & she welcomed us into her home. We studied the story of the two criminals on the cross with Jesus. After the Bible study, we spent time answering her questions. At the end, we asked if she had ever decided to follow Christ like the criminal did, and then if she wanted to make that decision herself.

She said she did!

In that moment, she put her faith in Christ. She accepted the free gift of salvation that God offers to us, the gift that Jesus died a sinner's death to provide and then rose from the grave to secure by conquering sin and death.

A few days later, we went back to continue studying with Ate A. When we arrived, her whole family was there, and honestly, I was excited. I thought we were going to get to do a Bible study with her whole family and that everyone would have the opportunity to hear the Gospel. 

However, when we asked if we could come in, we were told no, so we had to leave.

A few days later, we tried again. This time, only Ate A was home, and she gladly welcomed us inside. We sat down and had another Bible study with her. At the end of our study, she asked if we had a Bible that she could have. We were more than happy to give her one. We even marked the Gospel of John so she would have a good place to begin reading on her own.

But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name.   -John 1:12

• Join us in praying for Ate A. Pray that she continues to grow in her faith, and pray that her family's hearts would be softened as she shares her new faith with them.

-Kylie,

Philippine Summer Media Intern

Sharing through English

The Lord has been gracious to provide many opportunities to share the gospel with our new friends. A couple friends have joined our Bible Translation class where they can learn high level English while studying God's word. We've also had the privilege of being invited to multiple campuses to teach English, share our testimonies, sing songs & share Bible stories. 

God has opened the door for us to minister to dorm students. We teach the boys English, play sports with them, and have recently started to lead them in a Bible study. Many of these are young Christians but all come from Buddhist families.

• Pray for the "dorm boys" as we spend time with them, developing relationships which we pray will lead to more discipleship.

-Dylan

Evangelism & Discipleship via English

Southeast Asia