Last Minute Updates

The end is here. With only two days left in our villages, there is a mood of stillness and hearts that are somber. The ministry we have been committed to is coming to an end, but it won't end. We have wonderful people who will follow up with the ministry and make sure those who were reached are discipled for some time. And we have an incredible God who has planted Himself in the lives of many, and He won't let go.

So, as we are preparing to leave, what has God done recently in some of the villages?

Lamosig: Cade, Kayla, Kelsey, and Meagan have been involved in the construction of a small church in their village. Blessed with supplies and land to build a church, they have cheerfully walked up the side of a steep hill to cut bamboo and nail it into place. They have even held worship several times in the nearly completed church. The young pastor, Angelo, and his wife are pouring their hearts out to the people of this area and want to see more make the hike to worship God every week on the side of the mountain. The team have been a great encouragement and tool for Angelo and his ministry. Now he is left with many contacts, a new gathering place for worship, and people who are ready to worship and give themselves to the ministry of Christ.

Kelsey has also been discipling a 13-year old girl in the community and encouraging her to study and memorize scripture. It's truly beautiful to see a team member making such a great effort to teach the people they are living with. The young girl continues to show up at the house where the team is staying and desires to learn and hear more from Kelsey.

Tud-Ol: Greg, Kate, Molly, and Lauren have won this village in complete love. As I entered the village with the team after team break, village residents came from their homes to welcome the team back and to deliver sweet hugs and kisses to each member as they made their way to their home. It was an incredible moment to witness—to see how much God has worked in this village, opened hearts, and lavished these people with love. They knew each other by name and no one was a stranger.

Greg and Vonn have been working with a young man in the community, to understand the importance of baptism and reason why Christ provided the best example of baptism. Just before I left on Sunday, a young mother began inquiring about baptism and had questions of her own. People are right there. They're at the door and they're knocking. Pray they will overcome these challenges of baptism and realize the truth of it all.

The team is continuing their evening bible story time, where they teach parables and Old Testament stories to the entire community in their meeting area. This has been one of the most exciting ministries because without ceasing people show up in the common area of the village in time for the stories. As they gather they all start asking about "story time" and soon the team starts and shares the next story. Asking questions as they go, they make sure people are listening and comprehending. One of the best responses Greg told me about was when they share about heaven and hell and clarified that purgatory was not biblical and the village priest admitted that it was only a way for the Catholic church to make money.

As the time comes to depart, we hand the baton back to the Filipinos who are working in these areas. Hopefully we are leaving them with cultivated ground, with areas to build even more ministry, with people to baptize, with people to educate and disciple, and with many people to love. We know we did not labor in vain. And we don't take any of the glory, but all is offered to our glorious Lord in Heaven. To Him be the glory. Amen!

How can you pray?

To finish out the summer, here are a few ways you can pray for our continuing ministry here in the Butuan area of the Philippines:

1. As we leave in a few days, please pray for Kuya (Brother) Bong as he has many ministry areas to cover as we leave. He definitely has a full plate of work to do, so pray that God blesses his follow-up. 

2. Going along with the first, pray that Kuya Bong would have people help him in his ministry and that he wouldn't be alone. 

3. Pray for those who never made a commitment to God while we were here but that they would always remember what was shared with them and that soon they would give themselves to God forever.

4. For those struggling with the issue of baptism, may they see the importance of being baptized and not let it stand in the way of their relationship with God. May it only increase the relationship and fortify it.

5. For believers in E.G. Montilla who need organization and maybe a place of worship. Pray they would gather together each week to worship God whether they have a church building or not. If they feel led to build a church, may God enable them to do it quick and grow in number.

6. Just offer a prayer of thanks for all our translators this summer—Bong, Balong, Vonn, Arlin, Jael, Jemil, and Cha. 

7. Pray for the local pastors in each area, that they would also help follow up with contacts we made and continue to disciple people. 

Looking through the lens

Some final pictures from the ministry in the greater Butuan area.

This is a road?

It's circumcision time. 

Building the church in Lamosig.

Meagan preached on Sunday!

Is that the bamboo we're using, Meagan?

Building more on the church.

Circumcision is about to happen.

Balong chopping bamboo for us.

We met Bong's parents, the Dacanay family!

Village Ministries

Finally spent time with two of the four teams I haven't spent much time with all summer. I ventured out to their villages, experienced their ministry, participated and helped lead, and also encouraged as I saw God making specific details clear and their mission being increased. Let me provide a quick overview of what's occurring in each of these two villages and the ministries they are leading.

Consorcia: Team members—Ross, Loren, Rachel and Melissa. As soon I showed up to their place of residence and area of ministry, they quickly filled me on what what God was doing with their team. The most exciting ministry they were all gleaming about is their children ministry. They noticed the large amounts of kids hanging around the medical clinic where the team spent much of their time. Immediately, they realized what God was placing before them—a great opportunity to share the love of God with children.

The next market day, or day spent in the city, Rachel purchased a kids book with 100 Bible stories. So, as they returned, they began inviting the kids to come to the clinic in the evening and listen to the stories. The kids showed up! And not just a few, but around 15 or more were in attendance and continue to attend. They sing songs before they get started and every child sings and does the motions. It's quite inspiring to see their excitement and joy for the bible story time. They even laughed at me as I danced along with them.

With their attention focused and lips sealed, they listen to every word of the story, in English first and then translated into Cebuano. Arlin, one of the team translators, does a wonderful job of translating the story so it's exciting, humorous and serious for the kids. They love listening to her.

I told the team I was greatly encouraged by the ministry and they should be as well. If all they are able to do this summer in Consorcia is build the kids ministry, then it's been worth it for sure.

E.G. Montilla: Team members—Nate, Markie, Amy and Debra. One of the first things brought to my attention when I arrived here was the possibility of building a church for the believers of the community. Nate mentioned how a man in the village was willing to donate land for a church to be built, so it was only a matter of time and prayer for the church building to be constructed. 

It seems as if there are several believers here in the village already, but the main problem is organization and gathering. They don't have a good central place to gather and worship, and they aren't getting organized as the body of Christ to develop a place to gather. So, the team is focusing on getting those believers together, discussing their possibilities and helping them to get a location for worship.

In just the few days I was there, God answered prayers. The last night I was there, Mom Arlin, the sweet lady who has adopted the team as her own children, mentioned that land had already been donated for a church and now it is a matter of time until they build the church. God is moving and being faithful to those who are asking for things to happen in His will. So, it seems that God desperately wants these people to have a place to gather and worship His name.

"Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor is not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:58 

Photos from rural Butuan

How can you pray for us?

No mission is easy, we have learned this to be true. However, every mission is joyful in some way and we learned this to be true as well and we take pleasure in the moments of joy. Our backbones are strong because we sense the presence of prayer from home. People always remind me how they are praying from thousands of miles away and let me tell you—I feel those prayers. God listens to every word spoken and every thought you have about us, so continue your support because we are experiencing your faithfulness to uplift us.

Here is how you can pray specifically:

1. Teams are going to their villages for 2 weeks and need encouragement and boldness every step of the way. Pray that they don't become restless for the 2 weeks.
2. Health is always a concern. Pray for the health of all team members, American and Filipino. If they experiences sickness, may it be mild and not conflict with their ministry.
3. Pray for unity among the group. Satan prowls around on each and everyone of us, trying to tear us apart. Don't let him do such a thing among us as a team. May we be abounding in love.
4. Pray for the people of the village. May they be receptive and encouraged by our ministry. For those who are seeking God, may they find Him and begin their relationship with Him.
5. Ask for patience in our ministry. May we continue in faith even if we don't see fruit or any harvest because they may come at a later time. May we be joyful in what we do accomplish, or rather, what Christ accomplishes through us.

Help from home

We received a little taste of home when the medical team from Ft. Payne came to help us with our medical mission in the villages. It was nice to see other Americans for a week and have a glimpse of home. Don't get me wrong, we love it here and we love the Filipino people dearly.

If we hadn't already made an impression in the villages, by turning heads as white people enter the village, we surely did when 11 other Americans joined us. The team, made up of several doctors, a dentist, a pharmacist, other helping hands and teens who assisted their parents, provided free medical care to any residents who showed up. Most villages were packed with people and hundreds of people were helped and will hopefully live a healthier life.

How many hands do you need for one person?

Stations were set up for registration and vital signs to be recorded. As people funneled through registration they were seen by several doctors and nurses and provided medicine for any symptoms they had. After receiving medication, they made their way to the dentist to have teeth examined and pulled. The dentist was all the buzz. In every village, people crowded around the area or room where the dentist was working. For them it was a new experience and quite exciting. Still trying to figure that out since teeth really bother me and some of the other team members.

For those who weren't administering medical help, like myself, we played with children, managed the crowds, carried equipment from one station to another and shared the gospel as people waited. There's always something to do, you just need to look for the needs and act. Also, some of the teenagers who were on the medical mission team shared several dramas which explained salvation and other key biblical truths in a modern and artistic fashion. You should have seen the crowds they drew. One thing about Filipinos is that they typically watch every move of Americans, which is great when you share about Christ. So they had hundreds of eyes on them everyday. 

"He said to them, 'Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.' And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them." Mark 10:14-16

We all want to thank those who came, gave up their time and stepped away from their practices in America to come serve and offer care for those who are in desperate need of medical attention. Many people were helped because of your efforts and now we can follow up with the households and make sure they are receiving what they need both physically and spiritually.

Such an intense way to weigh children. 

The great part of this mission team is that they enabled us, the Nehemiah Healthcare Team, to enter these communities with great respect and help for the people and show them how much we care. It's just one way God opens doors and allows our mission to be successful and fruitful. Thanks for all you did and helped us do!

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." Matthew 25:35-36

Crowds of people waiting to register.

Preparing the medicine for distribution.

Knock, and it will be open

They were about wash their dishes after dinner. It was already dark out and they were preparing to have a devotional time before bed when they heard a knock on their door. They opened the door and there stood several, young Filipinos. They started saying "BP...BP," which means they wanted their blood pressure taken. They proceeded to take their blood pressure, but they quickly learned the Filipinos weren't there for blood pressure. No, God had orchestrated a perfect plan to bring Filipinos straight to their door for the gospel.
Through Vonn's translation and understanding, the young Filipinos had practiced their English before approaching the house, because they wanted to be ready before they spoke to Americans for the first time. So they sat and listened to the team as they shared their testimonies and spoke the gospel to them, and before the night was over, 6 of the Filipinos accepted Christ. Can you believe it? The team didn't even leave the confines of their small house. God brought the broken and thirsty to their doorstep, and tested the team to see if they were faithful. Well, they were and Christ received all the glory. From an interest in Americans, to sharing testimonies, to saving grace—people are changed for eternity. The team is going to continue bible studies with the group, so the relationship doesn't end.


Please pray for these new believers as they learn to walk with God and share their few found faith with their friends and family.

Where you go, I'll go

Quick video with clips and photos from the past week here in the Butuan area with the Healthcare team. The work here is unbelievable, the people are hospitable beyond belief and God has made a family out of our group. We love reuniting after going out to our villages. Continue to pray for our work, for encouragement, for those those who are lost and depressed, and for truth to be revealed at all times. God loves these people, and so do we.

Testimony from Ross

I know many people hear wonderful things about mission trips and I completely agree that there are amazing blessings. Surprisingly doing God's work everyday does not mean one feels Spirit-led everyday. Let's be honest, and reveal some truth. The adjustment to a new culture is hardly the hardest part. Spiritual warfare remains strong. Satan does not like what we are doing one bit. He would love to have us think that God has abandoned us. He wants us to question our beliefs. He also wants to distract us from achieving our goal. Simply put, he wants us discouraged and less powerful. I have even wondered how I could stand to do this again. I cannot! Only the Holy Spirit can compel us to stick out the persecution, discern the tricks of the devil and allow us to rejoice in our heavenly Father.

-Ross

A first for many

I had no idea circumcision was going to be a part of my summer, but it is. On Friday, we conducted a free medical clinic for young boys in the area who weren't circumcised. It's a matter of helping people live better, cleaner lives with improved hygiene. So we set out to meet physical needs here in Butuan.

Here are a few photos from our clinic.

"No" becomes "Yes"

We made the split into our 4 small team for an overnight visitation of churches in villages. Each team getting off the jeepney at different moments to go and share the love of God. As we departed, we encouraged one another and cheered for the mission. The scene was a reminder of stories from Acts. As the apostles and followers continued their service in different areas in small groups, so did we.
I (the media guy, Trent) happened to be with Greg, Molly, Lauren, and Kate for this short stay. As soon as we arrived in our designated area, the pastor wanted us to go door to door and evangelize. Vonn, our translator, said the pastor had an incredible passion for door to door evangelism in his area and wanted us to join. So we did.

Our first stop was with a man by the name Nonoy. He was a gentle man, with a white beard and a kind laugh. He was quite interested in our journey here in the Philippines and asked about our purpose. He complimented us for taking interest in his people and thanked us for coming. You could see his thanks in his eyes. Nonoy couldn't believe Americans had come and was perplexed that we were going to stay in some of the most rural tribes. After small talk and breaking the ice, we asked if we could share a bible story with him.

His response wasn't a firm "no," but he used the excuse of his wife not being present and he wanted her to be around when we shared. We agreed not to tell the story...for the moment. We continued sharing about our lives, and soon we started sharing bits and pieces of our testimony. And little did we know, God was ushering us into the door to present the gospel just as we had planned. Soon enough, we asked Nonoy if we could share a bible story, and he agreed without hesitation.

See, a "no" for us may be the end of a moment. It may be what hurts our ministry and turns us away from opening up, but for God it's a time to work miracles. It's a time to test the patience of His people. And it's a time for Him to get the glory and not us.

We all realized what happened. God was in the middle of the entire situation and knew Nonoy needed encouragement and prayer. And here we were to offer the best encouragement. All we had to do was wait and let God turn a "no" into a "yes."

Always wait for God to act, because He will. And it's best in His time.

How did it go?

After your conducting your first circumcision procedure, how did it go?

The body of Christ

As we ventured to church on Sunday, we had to cross a river with the use of a canoe. Quite different than how we travel to church in America, but nonetheless it was adventurous and refreshing. As we arrived on the opposite shore, we journeyed through the countryside and rainforest to small, remote churches. Some located on the side of dusty roads, constructed of hand-carved wood with a few nails. These churches are beautiful because of the simplicity and joy they embody. The people don't have much, but their hearts are big and open to the Gospel. They lift their sweet voices to God without instruments and dance without worship bands. As we worshiped at one of the four locations, I was reminded of a story from Acts 5.

Gamaliel, a Pharisee, orders the apostles to stand outside while they discuss their fate. Gamaliel speaks about how other movements began, the leaders were killed and the followers were scattered, and each time the movement was crushed. Then he goes on to explain how they have killed Jesus and scattered his followers. Here we pick up in verse 38—"Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."

What a bold statement. And I contemplated this passage as I sat and worshiped with 20 other believers. What Christ did was not by man, but by God. It has not failed but reached the rural villages in the Philippines. Villages you must take a boat to reach. Can you believe this? What Luke records in Acts expresses the wonderful might of God. How He desperately wants His people and will go to any extreme for them. The task God began will never fail.

So, we are all encouraged by the great faith and continued worship these Filipinos express in their villages.

Take a peek into rural Butuan

Arrival in Butuan, riding the jeepney

Amy and our translator Arlene

Cade playing tag in a near village

These girls followed Melissa and others the entire day 

Quiet time in hammocks. Become the hammock hang out fast.

Throwing bags on the jeepney

Nate preaching as Bong translates. The church was small but passionate.

Boat ride to get to church. Never do that in America, do we?

Molly showed up the guys and climbed the highest

Trent and Filipino boys near the river we crossed.