Category: New Covenant Fulfillment Theology

The MNLF-Moro National Liberation Front is battling with the Philippine Army in the city of Zamboanga – they have taken about 160 hostages and 30 people have been killed in the fighting –  on the lower western side of the island. Although we are on the other side in the Davao region, the Mayor of Davao City and the State Department have issued warnings for tourists, foreign travelers and business people not to come to Mindanao at present.

Christians in particular are not under any special threats and our projects on the ground across the island are not currently in any danger. This is a long standing rebellion with occasional flare-ups, as the MLNF is demanding an independent Muslim state. Last year while there, if you read my previous report, I did have two armed officers with me for a portion of my trip and stay and felt completely safe.  The real concern is that even if a peace is negotiated, some extremists within the group may not be satisfied and could activate cells in other parts of the island.

So, we are watching and praying for the right time to re-schedule the trip and continue our hands on portion of the work there.

From Ernie:

I also have a concern with regards to the conference and for your security as well. Just this week, Zamboanga City – a City in Mindanao – is in a war against MNLF or the Moro National Liberation Front. Until now, the war is not yet over. The leader of the rebel group has not decided to retrieve its troops and continues to declare war. Their group is all over Mindanao. They want to own the island. They are even present in the Davao Region. Even in our place in Pantukan the presence of MNLF is observable. MNLF rebels that are residing in Davao region is just waiting for the go signal of their leader, NUR MISUARI, as to when they will attack this place. The Mayor of Davao City even plead to the foreign tourist as to not to come to Davao and Mindanao so that their lives would not be at risk. To this, I would like to propose that maybe we should cancel the conference for this year. I am just concerned with your security and safety. Any time now, the rebel group could declare an all out war if the peace negotiation would not go well.  Maybe we can continue the conference some other time next year. If this is ok with you!

I will be meeting with Ernie, our other pastors and 90 others from October 7-24. I arrive, with Paul Siebert from First Baptist Church, Newtown Square, near Philadelphia, where my good friend, brother and co-conference speaker at our Think Tanks, David Frampton, is the pastor, on Oct 4^th at 11PM in Manila for an overnight and then we fly to Mindano on Saturday the 5^th. Ministry begins on the 6^th preaching at one of our newer chruches in our home base of Patukan. Our first of three conferences begins on Monday the 7^th

We will have  30 in attendance at each location. our in country  Conference budget is about the same as last year…Approximately $2800.00… for three conferences with 30 attendees each. food, transportation, firewood, cooks, donations to 2 hosting churches (many across the island want to host us) and printing costs are budget expenses. This is all  provided at no cost for the attendees. If some have a longer commute, we also provide housing at the facilties where we meet.

So, it costs us about $35.00/ person for the conferences… depending on inflation… Not  a bad deal. If you would like to help, let us know.

Since the destruction of Hurricane Pablo, in the Compostela Valley, just a few months ago, which is right on the border of our property in Pantukan, we have been able to do some disaster relief under the auspices of Christian Aid Mission and have since planted a new work in that area. You can see pictures at our website on the blog page and Philippines Ministry page. Christian Aid has recognized the work as an Indigenous Ministry and channels support as there are needs as they raise funds periodically for various projects via their newsletter.

We have been involved in two major disaster relief projects over the past two years.

Oct. 3  Leave for Manila from Buffalo at 11:35AM

Oct. 4 Arrival at Manila and fly to Detroit to meet with Paul and fly to Manila International Airport-  arr. 11:50 PM

Oct. 5  Fly to Davao City, Mindanao on Saturday afternoon

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: Galatians and related themes

VENUE: Banaybanay

Oct. 6 – Preach in Bongabong Church

Oct. 7 – Conference will start at 1:00 PM

Oct. 10 – Conference will end at 12:00 PM

Oct. 11 – Visit Carmen ( one of our chrucges in the mountains north of Davao

Oct. 13 – Preach at Bongabong Church

VENUE: Maco

Oct 14 – 17 – Conference will start at 1:00 PM on Oct 14 and will end on                                  Oct. 17 at 12:00 PM.

Oct. 18 – We will visit our new church at Compostela. Paul leaves for home.

VENUE: Bongabong

Oct. 21 – 24 – Conference will start at 1:00 PM on Oct 21 and will end on Oct 24 at 12:00 PM.

Your prayers and financial help last year have helped us get much done with little resources. We need $5,0000 to finish the building project in Patukan, which will complete the extra housing for 20 Bible School students, an enlarged classroom area and guest room and will be able to be used for our free public school, both of which we hope to start in the coming months, at more than one of our churches We do believe in the One who is able to do exceedingly beyond all we can ask or imagine. We are working with indigenous pastors who have very little support among their (mostly poor) congregations and who usually cannot find other work. Our commitment is to help to train these men theologically and practically at no cost to them and to provide a free eduction for children. A dear church has helped us to start the children’s fund to support 10 students at a cost of $120.00/ child. We will keep you updated.

I leave for Manila on Friday the 25^th.I will overnight in Manila and on Saturday the 26^th I have been asked to teach a half day conference, north of Manila, sponsered by Ray Rodriquez, where he serves as an elder. I leave for Buffalo  from Manila, via Nagoya, Japan and Kennedy at 8AM on Sunday the 27^th.

This past year we have been able to provide some support and basic health insurance for all 5 of our pastors because of a family’s generous donation. We send the funds on a quarterly basis. Our pastors do not expect this support, and what was given would last about a year paying $100.00/month plus $20.00 for basic health insurance. We have funds for one more quarter and are praying for the means for this to continue.

These are pictures of our distributions in Compostala Valley. So far, we have been able to help 135 families. The folks in the black teeshirts are from our church in Davao City-Roxas. You can see that there are people in temporary shelters.

Joe, Herein are the pictures taken during the distribution of the relief goods for the 2nd and 3rd batch. Before we give the relief goods to the people, I conducted a preaching service to each batch and this also serves as a way of giving instructions to them as to how the goods will be distributed. I’ll give the explanation for each picture; PICTURE NUMBER 1 – me, preaching and giving instructions to the typhoon victims. PICTURES NUMBER/S 2 – these are the recipients for the relief goods. They are the second batch. You can see the difference between the 1st to the 3rd batch because we impose a color coding system. The 1st batch received the relief goods packed in blue cellophane. the 2nd batch in red cellophane while the 3rd batch in yellow cellophane. PICTURES NUMBER/S 3 – this is the site of the evacuation area. This is actually the municipal ground. these are the victims wherein they don’t have a house and lot of their own. Since they don’t have a house and lot of their own, they are not the priority of the government – for now – to be relocated in the bang-house and the tent-city. they must wait till the government tells them that they now have a place of relocation for them. A total of 124 families is still living now in this evacuation area. All of them are living before in the flood prone area and does not own any property. PICTURES NUMBER/S 4 – this is the distribution of the relief goods to the 3rd batch (in yellow cellophane). All in all, if we add the total number of families – who received the relief goods – from 1st batch to 3rd batch, we were able to give to 135 families. We continue to pray that these families will continue to join in our bible studies and church worship service every Sunday. We do hope that the LORD will continue to bless these families and the ministry there in Compostela. please pray also for the opening of new work in New Bataan.

Brother Joe,

On February 20, 2013, we already distributed the relief goods for the victims of the typhoon Pablo. I would like to ask for an apology for the delay in giving the relief goods because we conducted a bible study for 4 sessions before we gave the relief goods. At the fourth session, we gave the claim stub for each family so that we may be able to know as to whom we should give the relief packs. We decided to distribute the relief goods in batch basis. For the first batch (feb. 20, 2013) we gave 45 relief packs for 45 families (as shown in the picture).There were a number of families who came to get some relief goods but we only have 45 relief packs for the first batch. What we did is that we just assured them that there will be a second batch of relief packs to be given. Those families who received a relief pack in the first batch will no longer be included in the distribution of relief packs on the second batch.

Distribution of the claim stub was done two days after giving the relief goods. I personally handled a bible study session and after that I gave the claim stub. We are now preparing and repacking the 2nd batch of relief goods and me and my family will be distributing this one in the coming days. We will just look for the suitable date- where most of us along with the volunteers – are not busy. Attach also to this email are the pictures taken during my bible study and the distribution of the claim stub for the 2nd batch. I’ll keep you updated regarding the said activity and will send pictures after we have made the distribution of the relief goods.

In Him,

Ernie