Christmas Sunday at the Beach

Early this morning as the sun rose, I stepped into the half light of the apartment where we were staying.  

I turned on the coffee pot and walked over to the sliding glass door and gazed at the beauty outside. When the coffee finished brewing, I poured myself a cup and added some cream from the refrigerator. Then, with the coffee cup warming my hands, I walked the few paces to the couch and sat down. I picked up the lighter and slowly lit the advent wreath, giving thanks to God for His unspeakable gift - a gift I needed far more than anything someone on earth could give me.  I breathed a prayer as I lit each candle.  "Thank You, God, that You became flesh and took on the form of a man so that I could know about You.  Thank You that You are Immanuel - God with us.  Thank You that You knew what I needed most this Christmas and every Christmas - a Savior.  Thank You for Your gifts of hope, peace, joy and love."  When I finished lighting the wreath, I nestled my body into the cushions of the couch and began to read from Galatians, "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son . . ."  I read on, once again touched by God's gift to us.

Every Christmas no matter where I am in the world, this is the way I love to start the day - lighting the advent wreath and then with coffee warming my hands and the Bible and prayer warming my heart, I give this day to the Lord.  But today we were in Florida, so after a few minutes on the couch, I slipped out to the balcony where I could watch the sun rise over the distant ocean.  A cool breeze stirred the palm trees and a fountain rippled the water in a pool below the balcony.  I marveled at the beauty around me.  Imagine, I thought, that the God who made all of this became one of His own creatures - a man.  The God who is so powerful that He spoke this world into existence became powerless - a baby who needed His mother for nourishment to sustain him.

After reading a while and praying, my coffee cup was empty and it was time to head back in.  Just then Charlie came out.  "Merry Christmas," he said to me and lightly kissed my cheek.  "Merry Christmas, " I replied.  He stood for a minute behind my chair and joined me in admiring God's creation of this new day.  Then we headed back in so that I could make breakfast.

Usually on Sunday mornings, I put on worship music while I am preparing breakfast, but I had forgotten to bring along any CD's on this trip.  Instead, I hummed, "O come let us adore Him" as I worked.  How glad I was that this Christmas fell on a Sunday.  It seemed especially appropriate to me to gather with other believers on this, His birthday.  Even though we would be visitors in church that morning in a church where we had never gone, it would be good to sing His praises together with other believers and read His Word with them.  

After breakfast and getting ready we headed out.  On the way to church, Charlie found a radio station playing Christmas carols and we listened and occasionally sang along.  When we arrived, we were greeted by several people and found our seats.  Before long the choir filed into the choir loft.  "A small choir this morning," a voice said behind us.  When the first notes of "Emmanuel" were sung, I breathed a sign of thanksgiving.  "Thank you, Lord," I prayed, "for good music and for believers with whom to celebrate You on this, Your birthday.  I have never met these people before, and yet they are some of the ones with whom I will spend eternity.  How appropriate that I meet more of Your children on Your birthday."  

The rest of the day included dinner with my sister's family, walks on the beach, watching the sun set over the ocean, and taking a drive after dark to look for Christmas lights.  It was a good day.  As I settled into bed that night, I thanked the Lord.  


"Thank You, Lord, for today," I prayed.  "It was a lovely day.  I really enjoy it when I get to be with Your people on Christmas Day, even when I don't know them."

Then I thought, "Lord, did You have a good day today?  We say Christmas is the day we celebrate the day You were born, so did You have a good day?  I hope so.  I hope that all of the worship that was lifted to You by Your children today made it a good day for You.  I know You are outside of our time zones and You don't experience days like we do, but You came into our world on this day many years ago, so You know what I am talking about.  Next year, when Christmas falls on a Monday and it is unlikely that I will attend a church service that day, then help me to be as conscious with my worship of You as I was today.  Help me to make sure that YOU are the One that I am honoring on that day.  Help me to make it a day that is pleasing to You.  Amen."  

The Castle of my Heart

The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.  Prov. 18:10

As a young girl, my mind always associated castles with princesses, princes, pageantry, and power. Scenes from Cinderella and other fairy tales colored my mental image, making it seem much more beautiful and elegant than my little ordinary life.  I could easily imagine it.  In the huge banquet hall, the tables were set with sparkling dishes, servants bustling in and out of the kitchen, bringing in platters of choice meat, fresh fruit from the orchards and vegetables from the gardens.  Candlelight filled the space with light, and a small orchestra softly played in the background.  Then, the music crescendoed and suddenly stopped, and the guests hushed their speaking.  A herald announced, "Bow before your King and Queen" as the two most powerful people in the kingdom stepped into the room.

It was so easy for me to imagine.

What was not as easy for me to imagine was other days at the castle when a watchman on one of the high towers spotted an enemy and raised the alarm. Soldiers ran to put on their armor and went out to defend the castle against the enemy. Then the sounds of battle filled the air. Children screamed and ran to hide from the noise and smell of blood as men and horses fought to save their castle, and more importantly, their King and Queen.  

Luxembourg is a tiny country filled with castles and ruins of old castles.  We visited the ruins of Esch-Sur-Sure castle and the reconstruction of the Vianden Castle. It was easy to see why these spots were chosen to build a castle. They both sit high on a hill overlooking the valley below. Beyond the castle was a wall that encompassed the town, with defensive towers. Watchers in the towers would be able to see people approaching and know if they were friends or enemies.

A watch tower

Castles are not primarily for pageantry, but for protection.  When the enemy advances, there is protection within the city walls, and additional protection lies within the gates of the castle.  The stone walls stop the arrows and are impervious to incendiary devices.  

So when the enemy of my soul advances and troubles me on every side, I can run to the protection that the Lord has given me - His very own name.  His name represents his character. His name carries weight and power and strikes fear into the heart of his sworn enemy.  

Inside the castle of God's name,

The wall protecting the castle grounds.

• I find mercy because He is merciful and gracious and abounding in mercy.
• I find light in my darkness because God is light and in him is no darkness at all.
• I find joy because He is a god who delights in His people. 
• I find strength in my weakness because He is all-powerful.
• I find hope even when things seem hopeless because He is my hope.
• I find peace because He is the Prince of Peace.
• I find safety because He is my strong tower.

Now when I look at castles, I see strength and protection, and not just pageantry and beauty.

I am glad that God has given us Himself, His name, and His reputation as the perfect castle of protection for our hearts.

God is Good

September Newsletter

GOD IS GOOD.  We know this is true regardless of our perceptions, but lately it has been obvious in our ministry.

One of the VBS classes

GOD IS GOOD in Arequipa, Peru. In July, Joan traveled to Arequipa to conduct a children’s ministry VBS training.  Levi Schooley, also in the children’s ministry department of IPM, co-taught the class with her.  Almost as soon as the class was over, Joan lost her voice.  God was good to give her the strength to teach and then give her the chance to observe during the second week when she had no voice.  It was a very busy week with both a leadership conference and VBS going on, but it was a delight to see several children make professions of faith.

GOD IS GOOD in Guatemala.  A week after Joan left, Charlie left for Guatemala.  Giovanni Avendaño asked him to teach on finances in the Bible institute.  He taught each week in the institute, preached in the services, visited in homes, and taught Sunday school.  Joan arrived after he had been there 10 days, and she taught the children’s teachers, participated in children’s club, and visited with people.  During the time they were there, they were privileged to see the Lord of the Harvest bring saving faith to more than twenty people.

Charlie preaching in Guatemala.

GOD IS GOOD to provide for our travels.  One of the blessings of frequent travels are frequent flyer miles.  When we were booking our tickets to Guatemala, the travel account was dry, but we had frequent flyer miles we could use.  So instead of using financial gifts this time, we were able to use miles to book round trip tickets for Charlie and the return trip for Joan.

GOD IS GOOD when we cross paths with people.  As she waited for her flight in Lima, Peru, Joan met a young woman who had missed her flight.  Natalia needed to charge her phone, so she asked if she could use Joan’s computer to charge it.  This gave Joan an opportunity to share God’s love with her.

GOD IS GOOD in allowing us to go to Europe.  Last year, Joan’s brother invited us to go with him to Belarus on a mission’s trip.  Even though this is our work, Charlie thought it sounded like a great “vacation” too.  So we are flying out on September 10 to participate in a leadership conference there and get to know some of our Belarussian brothers and sisters.

On our return home, we will be stopping in Luxembourg where we will spend time with missionary friends, Tim and Kathy Heijermans.  They have asked us to do a children’s ministry seminar for children and their parents.  We have known the Heijermans for many years, and it will be great to see firsthand the work that they have been doing.

GOD IS GOOD to give us the energy to do what He calls us to do.  Whether it is battling laryngitis in Peru, a stomach bug in Guatemala, or bronchitis in Minnesota, God has enabled us to keep going. We are blessed.

GOD IS GOOD in providing people who pray for us and support us.  Thank you.

Yes, it’s true.  GOD IS GOOD – all the time.

Thank you for your prayers,
Charlie and Joan Farley

A Guatemalan Harvest

I stepped off the plane, glad to be back in Guatemala again.  Ever since I lived there many years ago, Guatemala is a country that is close to my heart.  The people are friendly; the scenery is beautiful; and the weather is like an eternal spring.  Then, two years ago, my heart bonded with several of the people in the church where we worked, and I was looking forward to seeing them again.  Yet this time it was even more special because Charlie was already there, waiting for me.

On the two-hour ride back from the airport to the small town of Cerro Alto, I saw the corn fields, tall, tasseled, and ready for harvest.  We passed a market where the vendors tables were piled high with garden produce.  I looked longingly at all the fresh fruit and looked forward to sinking my teeth into guava, papaya, and lychees.  Flowers, ready for export, grew along the way.  The abundant gardens gave tribute to a mighty God who was providing for the Guatemala people.

Yet along the way, Charlie told me of an even more important harvest that was happening.  The previous Sunday, eight people had come forward to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.  I was impressed. In a church of less than one hundred people, that it a significant number.  I rejoiced at the wonderful work God was doing there and excited at the prospect of meeting these new believers.

I knew, from our previous visit, that newcomers to this church do not always realize that they need to make a decision to follow Christ.  Their religious background has led them to believe that they are fine.  After all, they were baptized when they were young, and they have tried to do right.  Then, after attending for a while and hearing the commands of Christ to repent of their sin and follow Him, they realize that they need more.  They need to surrender in faith and ask Him to save them.  Eight of them had done this on a single Sunday!

If only those eight had accepted Jesus as their Savior, I would have been impressed by the rich and bountiful spiritual harvest, but God was not done.  The following Sunday, the pastor preached a strong sermon about sin and the hold it has on people.  At the end, he asked if anyone there realized they needed Christ's redeeming work to save them from the power of sin.  Six more people walked to the front!  Now the church was really rejoicing together.  Warm hugs and hand shakes reached out to welcome these new believers into the family.

On the third Sunday, Charlie taught Sunday School.  For some reason, the pastor thought he should follow the lesson with an invitation to receive Christ as Savior.  This time a husband and wife walked forward and asked Jesus to save them.

The birthday girl

On our last Friday night, we gathered in the home of one of the members instead of holding the usual Friday evening service at church.  Their daughter was having a birthday, so they invited the whole church for supper.  Once again, the pastor gave an invitation and a ten-year-old girl raised her hand.  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a 9-year-old boy had done the same.  He invited them forward.  Then another four children came forward as well.  The pastor spoke with them and they professed their faith in Christ to save them.

The last Sunday afternoon we were there, we traveled to a nearby town where a new church plant has started.  A man arrived late to the service.  Most of the seats in the small auditorium were taken, but there was a row of empty seats in the front row.  Together with his little girls, he made his way up there and listened intently as Pastor preached.  Charlie whispered to me, "He is not yet a believer."  I nodded and began to pray for him.  At the end of the service, Pastor asked, "Is there anyone here who is ready to ask Jesus to be His personal Savior?"  The man stood to his feet.  That night one more man was born into God's family.

It was amazing to watch what God was doing in this corner of Guatemala.  I felt as though I was back in Bible times when it says in Acts 2:47, "And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."  Almost every time the church met, someone else was being saved.

Missions: Growing in Latin America

In the early years of working in other countries, sometimes North American missionaries made the mistake of not emphasizing the Great Commission in every church.  It is, after all, not easy for a pastor who is not supported financially by the church to encourage the church to reach out further than the immediate area.  Local church planting continued to happen as young men and women were trained for the ministry and sent out, but it was unusual to hear of missionaries being sent by their local churches to other countries.  When it did happen, they often went to the United States to raise their support.

That is now changing.

Every Sunday morning in Arequipa, Peru, the people of Alto Selva Alegre rise to their feet to say their mission statement together:

The Baptist church of ASA exists to worship God and to prepare workers who will carry the gospel from Arequipa to all nations and thereby glorify God.

A ladies' meeting focusing on serving God.

There is an excitement in the air.  This church realizes that they are responsible for their part of fulfilling the Great Commission.  Young men and women are considering the call to missions.  One young man has been raising his support to go to India.  The Peruvian churches who are supporting him are praying that his visa, which was denied once, will be granted so that he can go.

Not only is this church aware of their need for missions, but other churches in Arequipa are sending out workers as well.  A leadership conference, held in Arequipa while I was there, highlighted two missionaries every night - one with ministry within the country and one with ministry outside of it.  A missionary to Turkey asked for prayer in language learning.  He needs to learn Turkish in order to effectively reach out to neighbors and friends, but he and his children also need to learn English in order for them to go to school there.  Another missionary talked of the great things God is doing in Venezuela in the midst of the economic difficulties in that land.

In Bolivia, we met a missionary who is part of a group that is praying that God will raise up 100 Bolivians and send them around the globe.  We also spoke with a pastor whose desire is to see his church plant many other churches throughout Bolivia and go on to send out many missionaries.

In other countries, missionary fervor is growing as well.  In Uruguay, we talked with a man who is considering becoming a missionary to Israel.  In Guatemala, the church where we were has several missionaries they are already supporting and want to increase their missionary budget.   We spoke with one man who realizes that the U.S. is in spiritual trouble, and they are considering the possibility of sending missionaries here.

I love how we all have a part.  I go there, and they come here.  God is sending His people around the world.  Their paths cross each other along the way so that one thing may happen - more people from every tribe, language, and nation will one day gather at the throne of God and worship Him as one mighty throng.

Whispers

A teenage girl leans in to a close friend and whispers about the boy she likes.  A child reaches up and pulls down his dad's head to whisper his desire for ice cream.  Husbands and wives whisper their love for one another in the darkness of night.  During a concert, a proud mother whispers to her guest that her child has the next solo.  

Whispers are for two people.  We do not speak in whispers when we want others to hear.  We might speak quietly if we want only a small group to hear, but we do not whisper.

Yet this week I am learning about another kind of whisper.  Friday night I lost my voice.  After that, only whispers escaped my lips.  Any attempts to vocalize caused pain.  I have lost my voice before, and it has usually returned in a day or two.  This time is different.  Four days later I am still without a voice. I can only speak in whispers.

Whisper a prayer in the morning.  Whisper a prayer at noon.  Whisper a prayer in the evening to keep your heart in tune. 

So goes the song.

Yes, I have whispered my prayers all through the day.  Whispered prayers are as effective as those I have prayed with a loud voice, and maybe even more so, depending on the state of my heart.  My inability to communicate with others has given me more time for prayer.  Whispers work in my prayers to God, and I love the fact that He can hear my whispering heart even if everyone else is crying out to Him with a loud voice.  Whispers work in my prayers.

But there are so many times when whispers do not work well.  When I am out on the street, desperate to catch a child's attention because of an oncoming vehicle, a whisper will not do.  When I am in church and everyone around me is lifting their voices in praise to our Almighty God, my little whisper is not enough.  When I am out on the street inviting children to Vacation Bible School, parents eye me suspiciously when they hear me whisper to their children.  Yesterday, in a large group of people, I wanted to chime into the conversation, but a whisper is not heard over the buzz of friendly banter.  I cannot even give directions from the back seat of a vehicle.  Obviously, I cannot teach so long as I am voiceless.

I am sometimes called a quiet person, yet I am realizing how vocal I really am.  Everywhere I turn, I find that I miss using my voice.  I want to be able to call out a greeting to a neighbor on the street, thank a child effusively before she runs off again to play, and join in the conversation around the table.  But most of all, I miss being able to sing, to lift my voice in praise to the God I love.

For that, whispers will not do.

Miles Apart but United in Purpose

Outside my window a blue sky beckons.  It has not rained here in months, so a light haze covers the city.  The consistent weather patterns are part of reason that Levi Schooley, IPM’s children’s evangelist, and myself are here in Peru right now.  Vacation Bible School usually falls during their long break in January and February.  However, those are the rainy months here, and after years of having difficulties caused by the weather, they decided to have their VBS this year during a short break in the middle of the school year.

Last week Levi and I presented “Lost in the Desert,” a curriculum based on the wilderness wanderings of the Israelites.  Next week, the three churches who participated in the training plan to put on their VBS.  On Monday they will distribute flyers, and then on Tuesday through Sunday they will hold their VBS.  Pray that many children would come, that souls would be saved, and families would be reached.

This is cold season here.  Pastor Araujo and his family were all battling colds when we arrived.  Naturally, Levi and I both caught colds as well.  One day I felt quite sick but hid it from my hosts as I knew I needed to teach that night.  Then the other days were a little better.  Last night I could not sing because the cold had robbed my singing voice.  Today when I awoke, my voice was gone completely.  How good it is that we were able to finish our teaching.  Praise God with me for His sustaining power.

While I have been here, Charlie has been at home in Georgia helping with our church’s VBS.  It ended on Thursday evening, and on Friday he flew to Guatemala.  He has jumped into the ministry there, helping today with visitation and speaking at a men’s event tonight.  Tomorrow he will be teaching.  Pray that his ministry there in Guatemala will be effective.

Levi teaching through a translator

Tomorrow Levi will be preaching here.  Pastor Araujo has asked him to address the issue of children getting saved.  Evidently it is common here to think that a child below the age of ten cannot get saved.  Pray that Levi would be able to biblically encourage the church and the parents to lead their children to Jesus.

It will be ten days before I see Charlie again.  This is the first time since we joined IPM that I have left him at home while I traveled for ministry.  It has felt strange to not have him here, and I rejoice that we are together in ministry.  This is also the first time that we have been separated on our anniversary.  I am glad for modern technology that allows us to stay in contact with texts.  Praise the Lord with me for 18 years of being united in our purpose of serving the Lord together.

Tomorrow as Christians around the world lift their voices in praise to God for His amazing work on our behalf, I pray that you too will join the 24-hour chorus of saints who exalt him together.  Even though I am far from you and cannot hear you, God hears us all and is delighted by our praise.

Cultural Differences that Let You Know You've Been Abroad a While

We were gone too few days to experience what some would call 'reverse culture shock,' but we are finding ourselves amused by some of the differences we are noticing now that we are back.  It started as soon as we touched down in the airport in Miami and has continued all week.

So let me put it this way.  You know you have been abroad a while when you:

Protected trees in the middle
of a Bolivian street.

• get excited about how inexpensive something is and then realize that the price is in dollars. 
• find that seat belts actually work and you are expected to use them.
• lean in to kiss the cheek of someone who has offered you a hand shake. 
• look for fresh milk at the grocery store in one-liter plastic bags.
• see a blue-eyed person and wonder what country they are from and how long they have been here.
• cannot find the bill you need to pay for your items because they all have green on them.
• wonder why the driver stopped for a red light when there was no oncoming traffic.
• say "Muchas Gracias" to the clerk who has been speaking to you in English.
• think it strange that so few properties have fences and walls around them.
• automatically toss your toilet paper in the trash can instead of the toilet.
• wonder why people are watching baseball when there surely must be a good soccer game available to watch.
• miss the shade of the protected trees in the middle of the streets, sidewalks, and parking lots.
• are surprised by how few forty-year-old cars are on the road.
• wonder if the tap water is safe enough for you to use it to brush your teeth.
• think it is normal for a taxi ride across town to only cost a couple dollars.
• see a construction site and wonder why they would spend money on a porta-potty.

Since we were only gone a couple weeks, it is not taking us long to get back to the way of doing things here.  However, I am grateful for the tapestry of cultures that we get to enjoy, and we look forward to going again where there will be new things to learn when we go, and thing to unlearn when we return.

A Church's Gift

Every church is different.  Some are friendly, and no newcomer leaves feeling unwelcome.  Some are reverent, and a quiet awe pervades the worship services.  Some are joyful and exuberant as they lift their praises to the Lord.  Some are evangelistic, and they are excited about sharing their faith with friends and co-workers, and they revel in their own salvation.  Some are prayerful, and prayer meetings are well attended and considered to be one of the most important aspects of the week.  Some are seen as theologically deep or mature, and their pastors and teachers enjoy going deep into the Word of God.  Some are missions minded, and their reputation for giving to missions is noticed even by visitors.

One of the families that fed us.

On this trip, we found something in this Cochabamba church that we have seldom seen.  We found a church with the gift of hospitality.  In all of the trips we have taken, both in the U.S. and abroad, we have not
been welcomed into people's homes and lives the way we were here.  Every day, for both lunch and supper, we were fed by the people of this church.

When I mentioned this to Jacky, the pastor's wife, she said to me, "Well, we know the verse in Hebrews that says "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."

"That's true," I replied.  "But you know us and you know that we are not angels.  We are just people."

She laughed and agreed.  Yet somehow this group of people really took the gift of hospitality to the maximum and made us feel so loved and welcomed.  As we joined them at their dinner tables and heard the stories of their lives, it made us feel so much more a part of them.  Some felt unable to have us into their homes, but they showed hospitality to us by taking us out to dinner.  There, too, we heard their stories of faith and family and came to love and appreciate them.

Pique Macho

"What is the typical food here?" we asked when we arrived.

"Oh, Cochabamba has many foods.  We do not have just one."

So through the weeks we were there, the church tried to make sure that we tried many of their typical foods: Pique, Silpancho, Api, Charque, Pollo a la Brasa, Steak, and so much more.  They checked with each other to find out what we had already had so that they could let us try something new.  On our last day there, we were invited to join the college-age young people at a steak house and were able to get to know some of them. 

The church gave us some mementos as going-away gifts, but to be honest, the best gift they gave us during our time there was themselves through the gift of hospitality.  Through that, our hearts were bound to them.  We understand those families better and have an appreciation for their lives.  Had they not chose to share their lives with us in this way, we would not have gotten to know them nearly as well.  As a result, we found we did not want to leave because they had become so precious to us.

We look forward to going back.  Perhaps next time we will be able, in some way, to extend hospitality to them as well.

God Answers Prayer

God answers prayer

Some prayers were spoken in terms of simple desires.  "Lord, it would be nice to go to the Philippines to see the work of MEBSI and participate in that ministry."  We thought the door for us might be closed there, so it was more of a spoken desire than an actual request.  Yet God heard us and answered.

Some prayers barely left our lips before we saw the answers.  When we arrived at the airport, we discovered that our plane was delayed and we would miss our connection.  "Lord," we prayed quietly, "please help us."  A very helpful airline agent found another flight for us.  We got our tickets and then waited in an extremely slow security line.  Once again our prayer was, "Lord, please get us there in time."  We passed through security and ran for the gate, arriving just in time to board.  "Thank you, Lord," we breathed as we walked on.

We prayed that we might be a blessing along the way.  On the very long flight across the Pacific, Charlie sat next to a man who was on his way to reunite with his wife.  Charlie had the opportunity to talk with him about his faith and explain the gospel to him.

Joan teaching.

We prayed that we might be effective in our teaching.  We knew that our students had learned English as a second (or even third) language and there could be a significant language barrier.  For the most part, the students were responsive and enthusiastic about what they were learning.  We have been invited back again, and this time the students and faculty want us to spend some time observing their ministries after the classes are over.  That was another answer to prayer.

After classes and graduation were over, we headed to Manila where we were supposed to bard a bus to Baguio, a popular tourist town up in the mountains where many Filipinos escape the summer heat.  We headed to the bus station but were told they were all full.  "Lord, direct our steps," we prayed, when we saw that our plans were not working.  Within a few hours we received a call from Pastor Livioco who told us he had managed to get us seats on the overnight bus, and we were once again on our way.

Charlie preaching on Easter Sunday.

"Lord, let us be a blessing to Foundation Baptist Church," we prayed.  Charlie participated in a Q&A time and I shared part of my testimony in family camp.  Then on Sunday, Charlie preached in the morning service.  A number of people openly responded to his message.

There were also unexpected blessings.  First there was the blessing of music.  I taught the college students a new song to go along with the VBS curriculum.  When they got to the chorus, they broke out into four-part harmony.  What a surprise and pleasure that was.  Then on Easter Sunday, the church amazed us with their mini-cantata.  Their music ministered deeply to our souls.

Charlie's class - the MEBSI faculty.

Then there was the blessing to getting to know some of God's people in the Philippines.  Our hearts were bound to the Namocs and Liviocos and to others working with them.  We began to understand the unique role each of them has in God's work, and we really appreciate what God is doing in and through them there.

God answers prayers - all kinds of prayers.  We are grateful for the many prayers God's people prayed on our behalf because we know He answered those as well.

Thank you, God, for answering  prayer.

Scenes from Cagayan de Oro

What a surprise it was to arrive and find a big banner across the front of the auditorium announcing the coming week's DVBS seminar.  A smaller one hung in front of the building.  I spent some of the time teaching on general principles of ministry to children and the rest of the time getting the students ready for their summer ministry of holding Vacation Bible School in churches throughout the area.

The boys sat on one side of the room, and the girls on the other.  So when we broke into discussion groups, it was usually a group of all boys or all girls.

Do you need to go somewhere that is too far to walk, but not on the route that the jeepneys and buses travel?  Then you need a bicycle with a side cart.

These vehicles are actually a small van body built onto a motorcycle.  They usually travel the smaller streets and have regular routes.

Do you need to have something carried?  You might be able to hire this young man to do it for you.

Security guards abound.  Every store and shopping mall has at least one.  They inspect your bags and purses when you walk in.  If there is a perceived threat, you might have to leave your shopping bags with them while you shop.

When we think of reaching out to Muslims, we do not always think of the Philippines, but Mindanao has many Muslim faithful who live there.  I encountered these ladies in the mall, and they graciously allowed me to take their picture.

More Than Bravery

Mindanao, the southern island in the Philippine archipelago, is known for trouble.  An active rebel movement called the New People’s Army has kept the Philippine army busy for decades.  While we were there, they killed eight soldiers in a town not far away.  In addition, an extremist Muslim group, Abu Sayef, periodically makes the news with its activity.  Years ago they captured New Tribes missionaries, Martin and Gracia Burnham, and held them for ransom.  When the army tried to set the Burnhams and the other prisoners free, Martin was killed in crossfire.  We were grateful that Abu Sayef was quiet that week. 

IPM has a missionary family there, and we wondered what they would be like in person.  There were things we already knew.  We knew that Glen Namoc and his wife have a burden to reach Mindanao and other parts of the world for Christ.  We knew that 31 years ago, they began a Bible institute to train young men and women to become missionaries, church planters, pastors and other church leaders.  We knew that they call Mindanao their home.

In other parts of the Philippines, people think that those who live in Mindanao are either trouble or brave.  The Namocs know about the reputation of Mindanao, but they do not feel brave.  Mindanao is home to them, and just as you and I would deal with difficulties in our homeland, so do they.  Yet even though they do not feel brave, we found something more compelling than simple bravery.  We found a profound dedication that we do not often see, not just in them but in the others who stand with them in their ministry.  We found students eager to learn and to find ways to serve.

Where in the U.S. would you hear stories of:

• a husband leaving his wife behind for four years in order to plant five churches in an unreached part of the island?
• students eager to finish their education in the city with all of its amenities to return to the primitive village lifestyle in order to plant churches and share the love of Jesus with their neighbors?
• a willingness to go hungry in order to attend Bible college?  We heard of one student who often went without lunch because he did not have the ten cents he needed in order to pay for lunch.
• farming families willing to give up their children’s labor in order for them to attend Bible college and go into the ministry?  (Imagine what it would be like if a farmer in the U.S. gave away his combine to further the gospel.)
• a willingness to go into areas known to be infiltrated by terrorists in order to preach the gospel?

  

  This year's graduates singing at graduation.
  White robes signify a 1-year certificate and black robes a 3-year degree.

• being told to leave your motorcycle helmet off so people know who you are and do not attack you?  It also lets your friends know where you were last seen.
• selling a plot of land you inherited in order to buy a motorcycle so you can reach into the mountain villages?

As we heard more and more stories like these, Charlie asked Glen, “What are you doing in this ministry to encourage this kind of dedication?” 

He shook his head, apparently dumbfounded that we thought he was doing it. 

We finally realized something.  Wholehearted commitment is not something you can program into your students.  It is, instead, a work of God.  Although they are doing all they can to encourage the student body toward wholehearted dedication to the Lord, the credit is due not to him, but to the Holy Spirit who is at work in the students’ hearts.

February Highlights

Looking back, these are some of our blessings from this month.

Twice a month our church goes out into the neighborhoods to visit those who need encouragement and to share the gospel.  In February, Charlie was the prayer partner as one of the men in our church led a young man to the Lord.

We attended a Valentine's Banquet in our church.  In addition to a fine dinner served by the teenagers and an excellent message on marriage, there were also some games.  Charlie and I won the word game and came home with a prize.

Charlie flew to Iquitos, Peru, and from there took a boat downriver to Mazan where he and a couple other men from IPM held a pastors conference.  While they were there, God answered these prayers:

The town of Mazan

• Safety for the men when their boat hit a log at full speed and had to pull over for repairs.
• Encouragement and growth for the pastors who attended.
• An ability for Charlie and the other speakers to complement each other in their teaching, thereby giving more in-depth understanding of the subject matter.
• God is growing His church in the Amazon.  One church Charlie attended was almost double in size from his previous visit last summer.

While Charlie was gone, I went through the small neighborhood where we live and invited the ladies over for a morning coffee.  Six women and one teenager came, and it was a good time of getting to know each other.  When they left, I handed each one a rose.  It is my hope that this is beginning of some lifelong and eternal friendships.

Our church held a missions conference while Charlie was gone.  By the end of the conference, they came within a few hundred dollars of meeting last year's goal, and they decided to raise their faith promise giving by 28%.  This is a huge blessing to the missionaries who attended who are raising support to go abroad.  They can now add our church to their list of supporters.

Charlie arrived safely home on Sunday afternoon, in time to celebrate together with our church on their victory of raising their faith promise goal.   

January Highlights

Looking back over the month, here are a few highlights:

1. At the beginning of the month. we went to Minneapolis.  When I walked into my brother's living room, four of his five children got up to give me a group hug.  One of them had just flown in from Kuwait and another was getting ready to return to England.  I was able to see the fifth the next day.  It is so seldom that those five people are in the same location at the same time that I knew I was blessed when I got to be there then.
2. I was able to catch up with a few friends in Minneapolis while Charlie attended classes at Central Seminary.

   

   Amazon River, Peru

3. A photographer friend agree to take pictures for our new prayer card.  
4. We are participating in the children's ministry of our church here in Georgia.  
5. Details for Charlie's trip to the Peruvian Amazon came together, and he is now booked and getting ready to go. He will be teaching in a pastors' conference.
6. I attended the funeral of my friend, Char, via live-streaming.  What a godly example she was to me throughout the years that I have known her.
7. I am working on the children's ministry class I will be teaching in the Philippines. 
8. I am almost ready to send the "Lost in the Desert" curriculum to the printers.
9. On this, the last day of January, we walked into a church to give some Spanish materials to them to take on a missions trip to Nicaragua.  When the teacher of the ladies' Sunday school class saw me, she asked to share the Word with a ladies' Sunday school class. I did not go expecting to teach, so I looked back at the things the Lord was teaching me this week in devotions and shared from Psalm 18.
10. Then tonight I got to hear my husband preach.  It was a good end to a good month.   

Christmas Card Blessings

I took the Christmas cards down today.  I decided to leave them out longer this year than usual.  We were gone for the first two weeks of January, and when we returned, there were some Christmas cards in the mail.  I just could not bring myself to let go of them when I had only just received them.  So they have continued to decorate our house long after the other decorations came down.

We received a fraction of the number of Christmas cards we received in previous years.  I understand some of the reasons for this.  Postage rates have climbed so high at the same time that gasoline prices drop that I feel I should visit people rather than send them a card.  Okay, that is not practical.  I would have to drive the entire country and even to other parts of the world.  Still, it is expensive and social media greetings are so much easier and quicker.  After all, with one "Merry Christmas" on Facebook I can reach out to hundreds of friends.  Or can I?

When I read a "Merry Christmas" on Facebook, I do not assume that someone is thinking about me when they posted it, but when I receive a card in the mail, I know that a friend took the time to think about me and send me a card.  I received a tangible expression of that person's care for me when I picked up my mail that day.  Then, when they took the time to add a note or include a newsletter, I also get caught up on their news.  That, too, is a blessing.

As I pulled the cards down off the door frames where they were hanging, I reread them.  Here are some of the special blessings I found in them:

• Memories we shared during the year.
• A desire to get together in the new year.
• Photos of children who are growing and friends whom I have not seen in years.
• Expressions of commitment to pray for us.
• A couple cards included gifts for our ministry which we submitted to IPM for our overseas travel expenses.
• A reminder that we are privileged to be a part of a huge body of Christ.

One card stands out.  It read, "We are sorry that we cannot commit to your ongoing ministry.  We have more than 100 ministries which we support which makes it hard to give a lot to anyone, but sometime in the new year, you will receive a gift from us."  One hundred ministries!  Wow!  And this dear couple included us in that 100.  What a blessing it is to me to know them, especially since I know they pray for us as well.

The Christmas card tradition may not last.  Hopefully, it will be replaced with something even  more meaningful.  But I, for one, have been glad this year to enjoy the gift of Christmas cards once again.