Things are really starting to pick up here for our little TREK Team and friends here in Baguio...
We had a busy weekend full of Bible Studies, Youth groups, and leading worship services! With Ralph and Sean gone, two of our go to guys we had our hands full, but we were busy in the best sense of the word. Friday evening myself, Brittany, and Grace led a bible study with a bunch of the community kids which pretty much happened spontaneously. We talked about Peter and Jesus walking on water and by the end of it two of the older boys there decided they wanted to accept Christ! Niko, one of the kids even gave me a big hug afterwards haha.
Sunday was a day that I felt pretty close to being overwhelmed, but in the end it was so fulfilling. It started with me and Chris getting up early to set up the worship service. It seems Ralph and Sean prepared us well because we got things underway pretty smoothly. I had to prepare a morning devotion for the team, as well as prepare a few little details for the service. We then remembered that we had promised earlier in the week to go to Tita Liza's house to pick up her 17-year old son named Christian and (quite literally) carry him to church. They told us that he had autism but it seems more like Cerebral Palsy, regardless he's a cool kid. Cheerfully he rode on me or Chris's back in alternating fashion.... and we found out that going up is a lot longer than going down haha. We ended up getting back in timely fashion 10 minutes before service started, just in time to get changed into some dry clothes =)
The rest of the day was again awesome but tiring. Our team led the worship singing alongside Grace who was rockin out on the drums as usual. First at Balacbac church whose appreciation for us has been a very steady encouragement. And then after at Ambiong Church where we received an energetic message from Pastor Ambuang (?). After two services we were all pretty drained... but it was on to VBS Prep!
Ah... VBS
"WE ARE CHAMPIONS! CHAMPIONS FOR GOD! I'LL FOLLOW WHERE HE LEADS, UNTIL HE COMES FOR ME!"
Probably one of the worst "tune wedgies" I have ever gotten stuck in my head, with actions and everything. Anyways, Sunday night we frantically prepared materials for the ensuing week of VBS at Camp 7 Elementary School. We were all a little tired, nervous, and yet excited all at the same time. For a little while it seemed like we would be a very understaffed, but after some praying God found us some more teachers. This has been an exciting opportunity for the Camp 7 Redeemed in Christ Church (this is the name of the Church we are a apart of here, but we are working with the Camp 7 Branch this week) because this is the first time a public school has allowed a VBS Program to be held in the public school system in Baguio! We're praying that this will leave a good impression on the teachers as well as plant some seeds in the students, and open doors for the future.
So after Day 2...
To be honest I'm really surprised at how well the kids are behaved for the most part. We started the first day with an almost 1 hour long intro sessions with everyone standing in a line! We sang through some favorite songs such as "Champions for God" and "Tendon tendon... (You and Me)" and I got to demo some actions up on the big stage along with Cha and Pastor Eric. The rest of the program ran pretty smoothly with the exception of a few schedule changes. Its kinda funny to get greeted when you walk in the class with
"HELLO TEACHER! GOOD TO SEE YOU TODAY! MABUHAY!! (long life)"
Anyways, we're trying to dig a little deeper than the VBS materials go with the whole God's Champions thing (talking about the olympic games as well as the lives of Peter, Paul, Barnabas, John Mark, and Timothy). We're hoping we don't get run down by the end this week because April is going to be a much busier week. So far God has been faithful and I have no reason to doubt that He won't continue to be...
Until next time!
Tuesday 29 March 2011
Thursday 17 March 2011
Ponderings in the Pilippines...
So it's been about 2 weeks now since we first arrived here in Baguio City and man has it been a awesome experience. It's hard to sum up all that's been going on, but what I'll try and share are a few of my observations of ... well a little bit of everything. I'll try my best to present in a semi-orderly manner.
DISCLAIMER: This is sharing on my own life and may or may not relate with yours, although I hope it does or will at some point.
Gifts... in particular, musical-ness. Yes, musical-ness. People are so musical here! I think it's safe to say that the family and friends that we are living with possess, especially, musical gifts. Even so you can't help but notice that every other teenage kid can either pick up a guitar and fire off a riff off of guitar hero, or tap on something and put out a beat. Oh, and people can sing too! Like really sing, and do it with a ton of joy.
What really gets me excited however, is how these gifts can be used to worship the Lord. In fact, we've been planning away for a series of 3 Evangelistic Concerts over Holy Week. (In the Philippines Easter is celebrated over the whole week, sweet I know.)
I know, I know...It sounds fun, exciting, all those things, but what really gets me is that people are using their gifts for GOD! This phrase is not unfamiliar, but how often do we put said words into action? It has really challenged me a lot to ask myself... How often are we totally and abundantly blessed by God and yet failing to take the things entrusted to us and investing them? To further welcome in the Kingdom of God?
Let me ask this...Do we want this response:
"Evil and lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I didn’t sow and gather where I didn’t scatter?Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received my money back with interest!"
OR this one:
"Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master."
(Matthew 25:14 - 30)
I realize that often times we want to make sure that it IS in fact God's will that we are going ahead with this decision or that. However, how often is God's will for us so blatantly obvious, and yet we fail to respond or even acknowledge it because of some cowardly excuse? I'm not saying that we should rush headstrong into any or every situation with guns ablaze, but that God is working in us and through us all the time and our yielding to this is what will allow us to be "good and faithful servants". Whether it's a call into full-time ministry, to share the gospel with that non-christian relative, or even if God is calling you to be patient and grow in character and maturity. We should be living as if,
"...whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Col 3:17)
*deep breath*
This brings me to my next thought... Evangelism. Ack.. scary I know.
Anyways, it feels as though in my 2 weeks here in the Philippines, that I've heard more stories about people sharing the gospel with someone, and PTL recieving Jesus as their saviour and Lord, than I have in the last 2 years back at home! Let me put this into perspective... God and all the angels are rejoicing up in heaven when this happens, partying better than we know how to, when a single soul is saved!
For example, I'll tell the story of a brother I've been blessed to meet here named Ralph. I think he has the gift of evangelism. Anyways, he shared with me yesterday how as he was walking home after a final exam (Oh yeah, shudder all you university students. This was during the all-consuming EXAM PERIOD, where nothing else matters except studying and losing sleep.) As Ralph walked by a couple of beggars, one who is blind and one who is an amputee, he felt a great prompting to share the gospel with them. A few days later he decided to bring them some food and he sat down with them and shared the gospel with them. They accepted. In tears. Par-tay.
Now think for a moment here, and I can say this because I myself am guilty of this (or well not really anymore cause Jesus died for me on the cross and took away all my sins), what is more Christ-like? Sitting down and sharing who Jesus is with a poor beggar (probably with bad hygiene), or sitting in the cubicle in the corner of a library, or office, or wherever you spend the majority of your day and telling yourself "well people will see what a nice person I am and somehow know I'm a Christian, and somehow God will reach out to them!"
I know what you're thinking. Different cultural contexts, or different calling in life, or "well, Moses is on a missions trip... of COURSE he feels the need to share the gospel with people." I recognize these things too, but what I'm saying and realizing is this. If we believe that there is power in the name of Jesus Christ, it has to come out of our mouths at some point! "We are Christ's ambassador's, as if God were making his appeal through us" Let's appeal people. It cuts me to the heart, that I haven't had very many oppurtunities to "party" like it happened when those 2 beggars were saved.
These next couple weeks we will be doing Community Bible Surveys in the hopes that we can determine who in the community has a bible, reads it, and actually believes what it says. We will then hopefully be able to arrange times to have Bible Studies with those who are willing and share the gospel with them. I'm excited.
Are you?
DISCLAIMER: This is sharing on my own life and may or may not relate with yours, although I hope it does or will at some point.
Gifts... in particular, musical-ness. Yes, musical-ness. People are so musical here! I think it's safe to say that the family and friends that we are living with possess, especially, musical gifts. Even so you can't help but notice that every other teenage kid can either pick up a guitar and fire off a riff off of guitar hero, or tap on something and put out a beat. Oh, and people can sing too! Like really sing, and do it with a ton of joy.
What really gets me excited however, is how these gifts can be used to worship the Lord. In fact, we've been planning away for a series of 3 Evangelistic Concerts over Holy Week. (In the Philippines Easter is celebrated over the whole week, sweet I know.)
I know, I know...It sounds fun, exciting, all those things, but what really gets me is that people are using their gifts for GOD! This phrase is not unfamiliar, but how often do we put said words into action? It has really challenged me a lot to ask myself... How often are we totally and abundantly blessed by God and yet failing to take the things entrusted to us and investing them? To further welcome in the Kingdom of God?
Let me ask this...Do we want this response:
"Evil and lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I didn’t sow and gather where I didn’t scatter?Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received my money back with interest!"
OR this one:
"Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master."
(Matthew 25:14 - 30)
I realize that often times we want to make sure that it IS in fact God's will that we are going ahead with this decision or that. However, how often is God's will for us so blatantly obvious, and yet we fail to respond or even acknowledge it because of some cowardly excuse? I'm not saying that we should rush headstrong into any or every situation with guns ablaze, but that God is working in us and through us all the time and our yielding to this is what will allow us to be "good and faithful servants". Whether it's a call into full-time ministry, to share the gospel with that non-christian relative, or even if God is calling you to be patient and grow in character and maturity. We should be living as if,
"...whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Col 3:17)
*deep breath*
This brings me to my next thought... Evangelism. Ack.. scary I know.
Anyways, it feels as though in my 2 weeks here in the Philippines, that I've heard more stories about people sharing the gospel with someone, and PTL recieving Jesus as their saviour and Lord, than I have in the last 2 years back at home! Let me put this into perspective... God and all the angels are rejoicing up in heaven when this happens, partying better than we know how to, when a single soul is saved!
For example, I'll tell the story of a brother I've been blessed to meet here named Ralph. I think he has the gift of evangelism. Anyways, he shared with me yesterday how as he was walking home after a final exam (Oh yeah, shudder all you university students. This was during the all-consuming EXAM PERIOD, where nothing else matters except studying and losing sleep.) As Ralph walked by a couple of beggars, one who is blind and one who is an amputee, he felt a great prompting to share the gospel with them. A few days later he decided to bring them some food and he sat down with them and shared the gospel with them. They accepted. In tears. Par-tay.
Now think for a moment here, and I can say this because I myself am guilty of this (or well not really anymore cause Jesus died for me on the cross and took away all my sins), what is more Christ-like? Sitting down and sharing who Jesus is with a poor beggar (probably with bad hygiene), or sitting in the cubicle in the corner of a library, or office, or wherever you spend the majority of your day and telling yourself "well people will see what a nice person I am and somehow know I'm a Christian, and somehow God will reach out to them!"
I know what you're thinking. Different cultural contexts, or different calling in life, or "well, Moses is on a missions trip... of COURSE he feels the need to share the gospel with people." I recognize these things too, but what I'm saying and realizing is this. If we believe that there is power in the name of Jesus Christ, it has to come out of our mouths at some point! "We are Christ's ambassador's, as if God were making his appeal through us" Let's appeal people. It cuts me to the heart, that I haven't had very many oppurtunities to "party" like it happened when those 2 beggars were saved.
These next couple weeks we will be doing Community Bible Surveys in the hopes that we can determine who in the community has a bible, reads it, and actually believes what it says. We will then hopefully be able to arrange times to have Bible Studies with those who are willing and share the gospel with them. I'm excited.
Are you?
Wednesday 9 March 2011
Some of the sights...
 |
| Current home! |
 |
| Baguio Market |
 |
| First Balut in the Philippines! (Partially developed duck egg ... mmm) |
Monday 7 March 2011
In the Philippines!
Wow where to begin...
It's been a crazy ride so far! It couldn't have been a more seamless transit over here from Vancouver to Manila! From getting a whole aisle to ourselves on the flight to Taipei, to the check-in guys cutting us a lot of slack for our "overweight carry-on"!
Upon arrival we pretty much walked through immigration and found Pastor Sam and Art without too much problem. We ended up hiring a Van for our ride all the way to Baguio which was more expensive, but gave us a little more flexibility in our 6 hour ride from Manila.
First impressions of the Philippines... it's very interesting. For one, the people are definitely friendly and hospitable! It's almost like a mixing pot of a lot of other cultures i've experienced. Predominately a mix of latino and asian cultures I think , but I even see a bit of the Congo and China.
Getting to know Pastor Sam and his family has been so good. Well first of all we're living in their home... which is also the Balacbac church... which is also where about 7 other family members live. Oh yeah, the whole living-in-community thing didn't end with training haha... But yes, its been such a blessing to get to know Pastor Sam, his wife Auntie Evelyn, and the rest of his family as well as his church family.
We got a chance to sit down and discuss the ministries we will be involved in and we're getting excited. From the looks of it, we will be doing community bible surveys and bible studies, a few VBS programs with ENTIRE schools, planning and playing in evangelistic concerts with the local youth, and who knows what else to come. Yeah, God is definitely working and theirs lots of prayer that's going to have to go into these next few months, but we're excited.
Anyways, that's all i'm going to get off on this post before my jet-lag overtakes me. But here are a few pictures of our home for the next 3 months! Enjoy.
Sasusnod!
It's been a crazy ride so far! It couldn't have been a more seamless transit over here from Vancouver to Manila! From getting a whole aisle to ourselves on the flight to Taipei, to the check-in guys cutting us a lot of slack for our "overweight carry-on"!
Upon arrival we pretty much walked through immigration and found Pastor Sam and Art without too much problem. We ended up hiring a Van for our ride all the way to Baguio which was more expensive, but gave us a little more flexibility in our 6 hour ride from Manila.
First impressions of the Philippines... it's very interesting. For one, the people are definitely friendly and hospitable! It's almost like a mixing pot of a lot of other cultures i've experienced. Predominately a mix of latino and asian cultures I think , but I even see a bit of the Congo and China.
Getting to know Pastor Sam and his family has been so good. Well first of all we're living in their home... which is also the Balacbac church... which is also where about 7 other family members live. Oh yeah, the whole living-in-community thing didn't end with training haha... But yes, its been such a blessing to get to know Pastor Sam, his wife Auntie Evelyn, and the rest of his family as well as his church family.
We got a chance to sit down and discuss the ministries we will be involved in and we're getting excited. From the looks of it, we will be doing community bible surveys and bible studies, a few VBS programs with ENTIRE schools, planning and playing in evangelistic concerts with the local youth, and who knows what else to come. Yeah, God is definitely working and theirs lots of prayer that's going to have to go into these next few months, but we're excited.
Anyways, that's all i'm going to get off on this post before my jet-lag overtakes me. But here are a few pictures of our home for the next 3 months! Enjoy.
 |
| View from the balcony! |
 |
| Me and Heart! |
Sasusnod!
Tuesday 1 March 2011
And so it ends/begins. . .
So departure time is immenent... And the training phase has been one heck of a ride. I can understand why TREK alumni have said that they would have paid for the training alone. God has really stretched me and grown me in this last month and a half and it's been a blessing to live in community with some awesome people.
A quick recap of (some) of the things we have learned...
- Hearing God's Voice
- Personal Holiness
- Spiritual Authority
- Team building and conflict resolution
- Evangelism
- Cross cultural ministry
It's hard to sum it all up... iand t's also hard to describe how excited we are! Its funny that today we talked about expectations... the ones we should have and the ones we may be unrealistic. I'm expecting to face a lot of challenges, but also that God is going to be doing something amazing. In each of us as disciples, but also in our ministries... regardless of how different they all are.
We know we're gonna miss each other here at TREK, but the way I see it... as corny as it sounds... it's almost like we're all on the same team, but just covering more ground. These last 2 months have been a real blessing, and I know that next 3 will be as well.
Until next time folks...
A quick recap of (some) of the things we have learned...
- Hearing God's Voice
- Personal Holiness
- Spiritual Authority
- Team building and conflict resolution
- Evangelism
- Cross cultural ministry
It's hard to sum it all up... iand t's also hard to describe how excited we are! Its funny that today we talked about expectations... the ones we should have and the ones we may be unrealistic. I'm expecting to face a lot of challenges, but also that God is going to be doing something amazing. In each of us as disciples, but also in our ministries... regardless of how different they all are.
We know we're gonna miss each other here at TREK, but the way I see it... as corny as it sounds... it's almost like we're all on the same team, but just covering more ground. These last 2 months have been a real blessing, and I know that next 3 will be as well.
Until next time folks...
An awesome day around home...
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