MARCH 2008 UPDATE

Hello. It’s summer time in the Philippines . This means, aside from the warm weather, it’s time for schools’ closing, church fellowships, retreats and youth gatherings.

At Asian Institute of Church Planting and Church Growth, (AICPCG),we closed the semester with five full-time first year students and two apprentices. Four of our full-time students have been with us since the opening of the school. And so we hope that in one more year they will complete a two-year course, an Associate degree. For two more years they will be trained to do church planting.
One of the five full-time came to us in the second semester. (His congregation helps to support him partially).The other two came from another school but need more training and more Bible subjects. So, we made arrangement with Imus congregation for them to work as apprentices in their congregation while they are enrolled in three subjects at AICPCG. We hope to have new students in the opening of school this June if we get enough funds from supporters. We also hope to move into another temporary place this June. We’ll keep you updated.

At the Philippine International Bible Institute-Batangas, (PIBI-B), we closed the semester with sadness because one of the teachers, Jules Ryan S. Jones passed away unexpectedly. He died of heart attack on March 10 and was buried on March 15. (Please read my attached article about him).
Sixteen (16) of our eighteen (18) students survived the semester. As far as I know they are all willing to continue if we pass them all. They are all going to spend two-month fieldwork with congregations in the area. The school is being supported through bro.Charles Smith who directs four of this kind of school in the Philippines .

Last March 19-22, we had our Metro-Wide Youth Bible Camp. This time, ten congregations served as hosts. We divided, responsibilities among the congregations. It’s easier. I ended up as a driver for the camp and chairman of the logistics committee. Also, I spoke twice during the camp, first was to college and young professionals and later to high-schoolers.
It’s expensive to send our youth to the camp but we’re happy we managed. (It would have been easier if we have sponsors for our youth).

On March 21, in the middle of our Youth Camp, I had to escape, travel for more than an hour to be able to speak to another group of brethren. I was a speaker too of a regional fellowship. I was told they had 400 registered attendees. I tried to finish the day’s program and then went back to the camp.

Coming back to Manila was another experience. One of the vehicles used by our youth had problems. And we had to assist them through out the journey. (My whole family was with me through the Camp and the ordeal of traveling with defective vehicle).

One thing good after the camp is the news of young people being baptized in their congregations. Five were reported to have been baptized in Taguig. Also, our youths are fired up in organizing activities for this summer. (Our son, Shervin helps organize inter-congregational basketball games)

I finally brought inside National Penitentiary the materials for the cooperative store of the brother-inmates. We hope they will be successful in running a store inside.

I guess, this is enough news. It’s hard to type using just my left hand. I had one little accident last night, I crushed (or smashed) my right ring finger when I closed the vehicle’s door. Nail is badly damaged. I had three injections. ugghh. I was also advised to go to an orthopedics for possible bone damaged in my finger. But I didn’t, and I am still okay. I stayed home the whole day, and finished my report. Wow!