PHILIPPINE UPDATE FEBRUARY 18TH, 2011

Greetings to all our supporters and friends to this our first Newsletter of 2011. As I report I trust that you will be just as encouraged as I have been as have read the contributions from our Pastors and workers.

ORO BIBLE COLLEGE

Rev Jeff Walsh reports

“The church planting work is going on in the Buena Oro section of Cagayan de Oro. The fourth year and first year students are all involved directly in the church planting work. The first year students, with their NSTP program, are going to Buena Oro every Saturday. They are conducting a feeding program as well as teaching Bible lessons to the local children. The fourth year students are attempting to canvas the neighborhoods and develop Bible study contacts. As of today they have been able to form six weekly Bible study groups with a total of twenty-six persons attending.<
One parent (whose child was involved in the feeding program by the first year students) became very interested and is now attending one of the Bible studies.”

QUOTES FROM THE FOURTH YEAR STUDENTS:”They are thirsty for God’s word.”

“Our goal is to make disciples who will be disciplers.”

Mm FE MENDOZA

Mm FE MENDOZA was suitably acknowledged for her sixtieth birthday at the beginning of February. Mm Fe Has worked for OBC for her whole working life having been asked to undertake the office work, after her graduation, by George Teshera. It is a legal requirement that those who work for the government or government recognised institutions retire at 60 years of age. Mm Fe has been involved with every Kiwi Work-team that has been in the Philippines at OBC, Cagayan de Oro. We thank he for the support that she has given to these teams.

REV JEFF and RHONDA WALSH

As well as preparing the family to leave the Philippines in May, Rhonda has to finalise the Mission Accounts and all that entails. Rhonda also has about fifty children come to the house every Wednesday for the weekly muffin handout. Pray that after the family has left the Philippines the neighbourhood children will remember the things that Rhonda has told them. This time will also be a big adjustment for the family as they return to the USA. Jeff also reports that the Baseball ministry continues. The coach from the local school has been attending most Saturdays and this has proved a great help. Pray that he will continue after the Walshes leave in May.

PASTOR ROY ROCHA

PASTOR ROY ROCHA reports that the work at Novaliches, is going well. Between Christmas and New Year eleven people were baptised. At the time of writing Roy and family were away at a college retreat which Roy said was going well and all were enjoying a cooler climate. Roy also reports that Keziah’s operation for the removal of the cyst behind her ear was successful. Roy’s colonoscopy was negative. We give thanks for both of these successful results. Pastor Roy will graduate Master Theology in Leadership on April 2^nd.

PASTOR JONATHAN NAVACILLA

PASTOR JONATHAN NAVACILLA reports that the church’s outreach at Umapad, another barangay in Cebu City, is very encouraging. The ministry with the children continues to be well attended. The children have to sit on mats on the street. The leaders are praying that they will be able to get a place in which to hold this outreach. This ministry has led to an adult Bible class being commenced. About twenty five people attend now having started with twelve. The attendees are mostly women as the men are usually away at work on Saturdays. By a kind donation of Bibles every attendee of the Bible study group was given a Bible. The Basketball Clinics continue but the emphasis is on the church membership at the moment. The congregation believe that they need to really get their “House in order before they try to clean someone else’s”.

PASTOR BENJIE RAGAS

PASTOR BENJIE RAGAS was very encouraged when he asked the young people of his congregation to invite their friends to a special revival service. About one hundred young people attended with many shedding tears of repentance and hugging each other in forgiveness and reconciliation. Earlier Pastor Benjie wrote

I’m still doing my work as an adjuster of an insurance and there are so much work to do for the claim of the insured. My ministry is still doing very good because there are many new people come during Sunday service and most of them are young people. The status of my ministry now is focusing on discipleship particular on the lives of the young people because this is the strength of our church as of now. And now I’m studying what are the exact methods to use for our discipleship meeting. My life now seems so busy doing the work and the ministry but I’m glad that I still have the opportunity to share the word with my co-workers here.

PASTOR RENIEL COMAJEG.

Pastor Reniel decided, after advice, to cease his fulltime study at CGST because of Felany’s health. CGST allowed him to complete the unit he had commenced by correspondence. He will be able to complete his degree during summer schools and semester breaks. He is also considering undertaking a doctoral degree this coming school year. This will be done in CDO. He will therefore be studying and working for two degrees at the same time as well as lecturing at OBC. It will be a very heavy work-load for him. Felany is keeping well with the baby being due within the next week or so.

BPACCI

Pastor Eleazar Comajig wrote

“The meeting of pastors and workers of Macajalar Bay District last Saturday February 12 was a successful one. The district is planning to have two activities this summer, one is for the youth and the other one is for the pastor and his wife. These activities will happen before our biennial conference on May 17-19,2011 if God willing. Please pray for my travel tomorrow to Naburos,Baliangao,Misamis Occidental,about 8 hours travel buy bus excluding boat ride to the island.I need wisdom on how to comfort the family of one of the pioneer members of the church that died last Saturday. I will be handling the funeral on Friday. (19^th Feb)”

PRAYER POINTS

Pray for the safe delivery of Felany and Reniel Comajeg’s baby. Pray that they will be given wisdom and strength as they nurture this precious gift from God.
Pray for Jeff and Rhonda Walsh and family as they conclude their service in CDO at OBC and prepare for returning to the USA.
Pray for both Jonathan Navacilla and Roy Rocha as they graduate this month and April, respectively.
Give thanks for the good health reports for both Roy and Keziah Rocha.
Pray for the work, led by Pastor Jonathan Navacilla, as the Banilad congregation minister to the children and adults at Umapad. Pray also that their own “House will be put in order”.
Give thanks for all the young people who attended the recent service as they sought forgiveness and reconciliation. Pray that they will continue to grow in the Lord and with each other.
Give thanks for the dedicated service that Mm Fe Mendoza has given over so many years at OBC. She and her husband, Toto, are the leaders of the ministry at Libertad, CDO. Pray for them as they continue in this service for the Lord. Knowing Fe, she will not be spending her retirement will not be a time of sitting back and relaxing.
Pray for Grant Aldridge as he returns to the Philippines for a few weeks. He will be preaching at Banilad (Pastor Jonathan’s church) twice on Sunday, 20^th March and at the OBC Commissioning Service on Thursday, March 24^th. He may well be invited to preach at other services while in the Philippines.
Pray for the OBC students as they are involved in outreach ministries at Buena Oro and as they have exams during the second two weeks of March and prepare for Graduation, March 25^th.
Give thanks for the success of the BPACCI meetings last weekend and pray fofr the planned activities.
Pray for safe travel for Pastor Eleazar Comajig as he travels to Naburos Island to conduct a funeral. The journey is long and the island remote.

Thank you again, to all our supporters and friends, as you all continue to serve our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Please continue to pray for the work in the Philippines particularly at OBC and the outreach ministries that all are involved in.

May the Lord bless you all.

In his service

Grant Aldridge