Street kids and Squatter areas - James 1:27

Jas 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Since my first trip here in 2005 it has been a burden on my heart to minister to the vast population of street kids here in Manila. Partly because I am a father, partly because it is hard in general to see kids in such harsh conditions and partly because of the passion that God has for these dear children and the burden to see them reached for His glory and their deliverance.

Before I ever saw a vast group of street kids I was introduced to their situation by the testimony of a man that was a street kid. In '05 I preached at Liberty Baptist Mission in Antipolo where Pastor De La Cruz shared his testimony to myself and the Perkins over lunch. To get to the point, he and his two brothers lived on the streets and it was there that a Christian man (not a pastor or missionary) showed them the love of Christ and invested in them. The result of that investment is that he and both his brothers are in full time ministry and have impacted hundreds of souls for Christ! This should remind us of the potential of everyone, the fact that you never know what God can do with seeds you plant and that there is a great need to minister to these great areas of need and not just within our comfort zones and daily travels.

With that being said, my burden for this trip almost as soon as I heard I would be going was to invest in these kids (and adults) on the streets and in the squatter areas. So being equipped with Tagalog tracts, gospel bracelets and homemade Christmas ornaments with scriptures, Brother Jun and I have been hitting the streets in the afternoons. The areas we have been to so far have not been the most impoverished of squatter areas but certainly have a tremendous need for the gospel. What I have learned quickly is that audiences are widely available for gospel teaching but we much use caution in how we go about giving anything to these kids.

These kids see that you have something and they literally mob you, pull on your clothes, try to climb on you, try to take the bag from your hands and there is no courtesy between the kids, the bigger will certainly take from the small as much as possible. While we have had some good audiences and attentiveness we will definitely employ a different approach next week as we use the rest of our bracelets and ornaments. The key will be to let them know we have something for them but they must listen to the teaching and they must promise to be orderly in the recieving of the gift and allow everyone to get one. What will happen later I dont know but this should ensure the most attentive and largest audiences. One thing that has been disappointing to me is that these kids have no grasp on english at all so my limited tagalog has been a real hangup. Both Jun and the rest of the Rock of ages staff will be available next week so we will be sure to have the gospel be presented in a way they can best comprehend. I have found success teaching from the bracelets as well as the Evangecube and next week I would like to employ our Abeka flash card series on creation and salvation that i brought with me. Please pray that we would see souls saved. We are encouraged that we have distributed more than 500 tracts, 200 bracelets and almost 200 ornaments. As we will be more organized next week we will also implement some candy and snacks etc.

The areas themselves sit off of the main road and are hidden by storefronts and various mga tindera (vendors). You really dont know where the people are coming from or until you look at the very narrow corridors between the shops. When you walk through the narrow dark area it just seems to go forever, turns to the left and right, paths everywhere to hundreds and hundreds of little rooms where entire families live. It would be very easy to get lost in there. The sanitation is horrible and the smells reflect that. Many of the people and children are very dirty and so by the time they got done grabbing and pulling at me trying to get a Pasko (Christmas) present (the bracelets and ornaments) - my clothes were filthy. The Philippine government reports more than 375,000 prostitutes across the country and and more than 250,000 streek kids in Manila alone. The density of children in this area is mouthstopping, once our bags were opened, what we had (three bags of materials) was gone in just minutes. It is clear there are some hungry kids and it has a survival of the fittest feel to it with the smallest of kids getting shoved and knocked over. Many of the kids and teens would call out, "Daddy, dont you recognize me, I'm your son/daughter, Daddy bring me home." As you can imagine, while there was some appreciation for the gifts, there was a lot of asking for money and there was quite a bit of hardness with the adults. They all took tracts for the most part but many of them we would see cast by the wayside on our trip back through. Unlike the states, the people usually will give you an audience. They are too polite to send you away and that is what is encouraging about the possibilities. I dont anticipate an immediate response in these areas that are wanting for many of the things we take for granted, with mixed perceptions of our true intent and not to mention that we are speaking against the idols and religious traditions that they hold so dear. I firmly believe that these areas will not be won until you win the battle of "they dont care what you know until they know that you care" and this will take repeated investment of time and energy to impact them. Step one though is certainly to give them the gospel and this is what we will continue to do. It has been a truly rewarding time, to not care about a smell or dirt or what they could offer a congregation were they to join one, to not think about demographics and target groups, to not be apathetic to teh value of their souls. As I leave a five star hotel - from the 13th floor where there is likely more wasted food from their breakfast buffet than would be needed to feed these kids daily to this area, it truly feels more like home, and I wouldnt want it any other way.

I have included the following link to view some of the pictures that I have taken so far. Honestly, taking a couple quick snapshots is about all I have cared to do, the pictures are not great and they cant tell the story by any means but there are a few faces there to give you a feel for the area.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=6m9eb6f.2mjwx2k3&x=0&y=-f16ur8&localeid=en_US

I also wanted to provide some education on the situation with street kids, both in manila and around the world.

The Following Statistics are taken from International Street Kids Ministry website

(I have substituted King James Scripture in this article so we know what God really said)

http://www.internationalstreetkids.com/statistics.php

Statistics on Abandoned Children
Over 400,000,000 abandoned children live on their own on the streets of hundreds of cities around the world. They subsist hand to mouth. They struggle to just survive the day.
UNICEF defines an abandoned child as one who:
Does not know where his or her next meal is coming from.
Does not know where he or she is spending the night.
He or she does not live with either the mother or the father.

This definition does not apply to every child that "lives" on the streets - in the next article on Manila there is a further desription of the different groups involved.
While defining a problem is helpful, no definition illustrates the plight of abandoned children as clearly as the following set of statistics:
Every 2 seconds, a child becomes an orphan.
Every 14 seconds, a child is orphaned by AIDS.
1,000,000,000 of the world's families live on less than a dollar a day.
Authorities estimate that child pornography is a $20 billion a year industry; too many abandoned children end up as victims of this deviant activity.
UNICEF estimates that nearly 1,000,000 children enter the sex trade every year.
Experts also estimate that nearly 10,000,000 children are working as prostitutes, with nearly 90% of them girls.
According to the World Health Organization, malnutrition is the single biggest contributor to child mortality rates worldwide.
Many street children use a number of inhalants (glue, gasoline, lighter fluid) and illegal drugs (marijuana, cocaine and heroin).
Street children are routinely detained illegally, beaten and tortured and sometimes killed by police in some countries.
Tragically, less than 1/10 of 1% of Evangelical resources go to reaching, rescuing and making disciples of these children. And yet, it was Jesus Himself who said,
Mat 19:14 Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. Dozens of times, the Bible commands us to care for the orphan and care for the fatherless. If we don't reach out to them, who will? Instead of asking, "Why me?" try asking this instead: "Why not me?"
"A Father of the fatherless...is God in His holy habitation." - Psalm 68:5

The end of this post will be the following article. I appreciate your continued prayer. Please lift up the trip to Baguio today for the weekend, that God would be glorified and I would learn many things about this region and its needs.

Below is the URL and the article on Street Kids of Metro Manila - I just found this yesterday and it was quite informative. One thing to note is the date of the article - from 1992. This is one of the main reasons why the statistics that it reports about the number of street kids and the number that the government reports and that other missionaries suspect vary so widely.

Also, for sake of time, I have cut out a number of portions of this three page document that I did not feel needed to be read to emphasize the situation on the streets

https://www.strategicnetwork.org/index.php?loc=kb&view=v&id=15778&fct=PHL&

In John 13:34 we are given what seems to be an unattainable command: A new commandment I give unto you: that ye love one another. Centuries later, God challenges us to obey this command amid the instability of Metro Manila. This is an instability not simply due to killer earthquakes (July 1990), volcanic eruptions (June 1991), typhoons, communist insurgencies, or frequent coup attempts. It is also seen in the 50,000 or more "undesirables" who roam the squalid streets of Metro Manila.
Statistics of Admonition
The nation's problems are most glaring in its sprawling slums, home to more than 15 million people-one-fifth of the total population. Here, amid squalor and disease, are the ugly realities behind the statistic that more than half of all Filipinos live below the poverty line, defined most recently as $730 per year for a family of six.
Manila's birth rate outside the slum is 33 per 1,000 persons, twice that of the United States. Inside the slums, the rate is 177 per 1,000.
Although juvenile delinquency and vagrancy among minors are not new, the number of teenagers and pre-teenagers actually working or living on Manila streets began to rise noticeably in the 1970s. By the 1980s, street children had increased to such an alarming level that they became a national concern. Not coincidentally, the growth of this group occurred during a period of rapid population growth, increased urban migration, intermittent economic crises, and increased poverty nationwide.
Street Children of Manila
Street children of Metro Manila can be classified into four groups.
1. The real street children. These are the children who actually survive on the street. They are out of school with an average educational attainment of grade three. They are orphaned or abandoned; some are runaways and others were driven from their homes.
2. The working children in the street. These children work to pay their school expenses or to help their parents. Most of these children are in school. Although most of them are very young girls, their average educational level is grade six.
3. The children of the slums and squatter families. They have nothing to do in their homes so they frequently roam the streets, returning home at night or at mealtime.
4. The children of poor families. These families work the street or engage in the underground economy as peanut, food, or cigarette vendors. They often have mobile stalls or pushcarts. These parents bring their children with them. This group also includes beggars.
Ministry to Street Children
A major Street Children Research survey was launched by ACTION in October 1990. We will examine three aspects of this research project and review methods used by three different Christian ministries that are reaching these children with the love of Christ.
Christ for Greater Manila (CGM): The research project began with questionnaires answered by street boys at the Christ for Greater Manila's Provincial Home Rehabilitation Center in Cavite.
Action International Ministries (ACTION): Using the information gathered from the pretest study, ACTION conducted a larger scale study among street children in two Manila locations.
Sampaloc Bible Church: In addition to surveying street kids, ACTION's Research Project located evangelical churches and agencies currently ministering to street children.

46% of the kids interviewed have separated parents. 48% left home due to problems with their parents. 66% preferred to stay on the streets rather than go home. Their length of time on the streets varied from one day to ten years.
Here are the results of the survey, listed by category.
Lifestyle
Large public buildings were the most common places to eat and sleep on the street. Two-thirds said that they used cardboard or newspaper for sleeping mats. When the weather was bad, only a few were able to return home. About two-thirds of the respondents ate at least twice daily. Most of the boys bought their food.
Their daily incomes ranged from P10 to P200 (40¢ to $8). Common sicknesses included coughs, colds, fever, and headaches. Most bought their medicines. Cigarette smoking was common. Their primary activities were begging and getting high on drugs.
Solvent paint thinner was used by over half of the respondents, obtained from hardware and drug stores. Sniffing solvent is a cheap but a potentially lethal way of getting high. When one young lad was asked why he did it, he said, "It's like being in heaven!"
Educational Attainment
Two-thirds of the boys were not attending school at the time of the survey, but almost all indicated that they wanted to resume their studies. Most of the respondents had dropped out of school. The professions they most desired to attain included the military, police, engineering, and even the Christian ministry.

Spiritual Issues
Approximately 94 percent of all Filipinos are considered Roman Catholic. Only 3 or 4 percent are estimated to be truly "born again." The provincial home boys gave some encouraging answers. All the boys said they thought about God, and believed that he cared for them and was active in their lives. The majority believed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, or divine in nature. Almost all desired to study the Bible. They would study in a church, park, or on the sidewalk.
About a third indicated that they were aware of unexplainable demonic activities.

Gangs and Peer Groupings

Three-fourths of the respondents did not join a gang. They had a low view of them and did not envision themselves becoming drug-pushers, etc. However, when kids from other areas entered their turf, the majority of them became entangled in fights. The reasons given for these fights were that they were picking on each other, joking, sniffing solvent or rugby glue, or helping their friends.
Almost all said that they experienced fear. They were mainly afraid of beatings from their parents, police, and street and security guards. There are some police who scare them with their weapons and incarcerate them. However, the street kids themselves said that some police will help them because they don't want to see them on the street.
Needs and Aspirations
Most of the boys' needs and aspirations were for basic things like a home and a loving family. Necessities like clothing, food, schooling, work, care and a place to belong were frequently mentioned. The difficulty of life on the street with no hope for the future filled the overwhelming majority with discontent. With no alternative in sight, most felt they are conscripted to a lifetime of mere survival.
Our purpose in surveying street children was to give us an overview of the street children's plight in Metro Manila from a Christian perspective; to establish a profile of these children; to identify their basic needs, problems and characteristics; and to discover what appropriate ministries could be developed for them.
Surveys were taken at Araneta Center in Cubao and Monumento, Grand Central, and Light Rail Transit areas in Kalookan City. A two-page questionnaire in the national Tagalog language was administered to fifty-seven randomly selected boys and girls, ages 10 to 23, at these locations. The resulting data was categorized under the following headings. It gives us a glimpse of life among Manila's street kids.
The Family Situation
The majority preferred to live at home. Most in this group were boys, while some of the girls preferred the streets. The reasons given by those who preferred to live at home were: they would be with their parents; they would have a comfortable and safe life at home; and they would have regular food and guidance. Those who preferred the streets had many playmates; they were earning money; and no one was hurting them.
Most of the girls said that they were on the streets to work to sell things like sampaguite (fragrant Philippine flowers strung together on a string), sweepstakes tickets and plastic bags. Most of the boys said, however, that they had run away from home or had been driven away by their parents.
The sizes of respondents' families were relatively small by Filipino standards. Most of the girls reported that they had five siblings; most of the boys said they had only two or three. The majority also have siblings on the street.
The Lifestyles of Respondents
Their eating habits are somewhat normal. Half ate three times a day, while a considerable number ate twice a day. The majority buy their food, although some boys acquire their food by begging or finding leftovers or scraps. Most of the girls from Kalookan ate at home.
Half of the respondents pass the night at home. The rest said that they sleep under the monorail transit terminal, in parking lots, or on the streets. The reasons included, "We are living there"; "Our mother told us not to come home"; and "No other place to go." Those who sleep outside the home used cardboard boxes for mats or bedding. During bad weather, they took shelter in nearby buildings.
The majority derived their income from vending or working in the street. A number of boys earn by begging and one girl respondent said she was a prostitute. Most earn a daily income of between P25 to P50 ($1 to $2) while about one fourth of the respondents (mostly girls) earn daily between P50 to P100 ($2 to $4). Most respondents said they had no vices. A few of the boys sniff solvent. Some use drugs, sniff glue and smoke marijuana. They did this, they said, to ease headaches, to have a trip and to feel good.
Educational Attainment
The educational level of street children is very low. Most of the boys have only reached third grade, while the majority of the girls have reached sixth grade. Poor attendance was generally attributed to their parents' "refusal" for one reason or another.
About half of the respondents (mostly boys) wanted to pursue their education. The boys sought law enforcement positions. The girls wanted to take up nursing or teaching. The reasons given for refusing to pursue their studies included: "I don't want any more"; "I am lazy"; "I find it hard"; "I have children"; or "I am already married."
The Spiritual Encounter
The response regarding spiritual encounters was limited. However, the following is significant. They said that they had seen or heard about such things as "the white lady," ghosts, dwarves, evil spirits, and demons. Some of them are aware of the existence of a witch, quack doctor or fortuneteller. They also mentioned the rituals of occult practitioners who practice witchcraft, tell fortunes, get the hearts of children, chant, and imitate or copy people's faces.
Almost all said they "think about God." Some think about God when they are depressed, sick, or lonely. Other respondents said that he is the sustainer and supplier of their needs and that he is kind and helpful. Almost all believe that God cares for them. They said that the fact that they have survived is reason to believe that God cares.
Gangs or Peer Grouping
Peer grouping, or barkada, is the way to survive on the street. They hang around in groups, but three-fourths of the respondents maintain that they are not members of a gang or fraternity. The reasons given included, "It's bad"; "It's forbidden"; "I don't like them." Those who joined groups or fraternities said that they did so for protection and camaraderie.
Needs and Aspirations of the Respondents
Most of their felt needs are material. There is, however, a significant number who said they need parents, jobs, studies, health and the love of a brother or sister. Their needs included clothing, education and help to change their life.
When asked about their ambitions, the respondents said that they wanted a simple but comfortable life. They wanted to get a degree or profession and to have a family or be reconciled to their families.
Sampaloc Bible Church Street Kid Ministry
Various groups have rallied to offer physical and spiritual help to the despised street urchins. Part of ACTION's research goal was to locate these evangelical groups and begin to network with them. Sampaloc Bible Church, based in the center of Manila's University Belt, is quickly becoming known for its successful center-based ministry among street children. Beginning in 1974 under Far Eastern Crusade (now SEND International) as a Student Life Center, it evolved quickly. Under the competent leadership of Pastor Bob Sanchez, it is now a thriving church that ministers to street kids, as well as foreign and national students. With the help of various financial grants, a vision to help Manila's young people, and many man-hours, it has made significant progress in ministry. It now has a drop-in center for street kids eight to fifteen years old, which can serve a maximum of forty-five kids. It also has a temporary shelter which can accommodate fifteen kids.

Street Kid Outreach
Each week, a special team is sent out to needy areas in Manila where they offer food and fellowship, music and a gospel message to destitute street kids. When children express a desire to enroll in Sampaloc's program, they are required to sign a contract before admittance. For most of Manila's street-hardened kids, issues like stealing, quarreling, and stubbornness need to be dealt with. Despite a return to the streets by the "untouchables" or "hard-headed," Pastor Sanchez reports that over the years, the church has been blessed to see a fair number of reconciliations between street kids and their families.
A Call to Service
The Philippines was once known for its high, godly standards for family unity, especially between husbands and wives. Pakikisama, or smooth interpersonal relationships, was once a high priority.
Now, tempted by the Western world's materialistic pride, these qualities are toppling. Family unity is taking a severe beating. All this is compounded by political and economic crises and natural disasters. Coupled with the corruption in the government ranks, funds for relief and street kid organizations sometimes fail to materialize. It is no wonder that the street kid situation is becoming bleaker.
What is needed here, more than anything, is a turning away of "every man for himself." We need to go back to the Word of God, realize the corruptness of the inner self and reorder our priorities. As it says in Php 2:3-4 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Then these kids will get the help they need to escape from the bondage of their situation and to enter into abundant grace and freedom found in and through Christ Jesus.

I pray that some will take the time to read this and pray for these kids. Lord bless

New Year Tradition and Superstition in the Philippines

Knowing that this trip would include spending the New Year here I started to ask upon arrival what to expect as far as celebrations and traditions and was educated quickly. The first respons was a three word statement - many, many fireworks.

As I read the papers I read the history of 470 firework or stray bullet related hospitalizations in '08 - down from previous years. I read about a boy who was blinded yesterday because of a firecracker accident etc.
As we went to the squatter areas to witness and minister to kids and adults alike (will write of this soon), there were many firecrackers going off - sounding more like bombs than firecrackers

While it is a tradition that is held with fondness among the people along with midnight feasts with family supposed to insure plenty of food in the coming year, wearing circles on clothing for hope of wealth, jumping up and down for hopes of growing taller in the next year etc - it is steeped in superstition - being taken from the Chinese beliefs that the loud noises will drive away evil spirits. Just another sign of the spiritual blindness that these people are held captive in by satan according to his will (2 Tim. 2:26). All the more reason more labourers are needed to "in meekness instruct those that oppose themselves" that God might deliever them through repentance unto the acknowledging of the truth. Perhaps the following articles may be of interest to some regarding this culture and its celebration of the New Year. Thank you for your prayers and please continue to pray. We had a great, yet humbling day in the squatter area today that I will write of anotehr time followed by a service at La Loma Baptist church.

The new year has now been rung in here while I am at the call center. The booms from outside almost rattle the windows, the smoke in the city is causing slow going on the roads - taking about 3 times as long to navigate through all the smoke. The agents whoe are here are all enjoying a wonderful Lechon (pig roast) as they work through the night. Lord bless you all and happy New Year - May Christ be Magnified in it.

The following article is taken from this website http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/12/31/asia/AS-Philippines-New-Year.php

Philippines braces for bloody New Year's
The Associated Press
Published: December 31, 2008

MANILA, Philippines: Brandishing a surgical saw on national TV, the health chief warned revelers that amputations often result from firecracker accidents as the Philippines braced Wednesday for a violent New Year's Eve celebration.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque resorted to scare tactics to discourage the use of banned — but popular — powerful firecrackers. His department's Web site displays videos of mangled hands and other firecracker-related injuries.
"I have to be aggressive to really show what awaits the hard-headed," Duque told The Associated Press.
Many Filipinos, largely influenced by Chinese tradition, believe that noisy New Year's celebrations drive away evil and misfortune. But they have carried that superstition to extremes, exploding huge firecrackers and firing guns to welcome the new year despite threats of arrest.
Last year, 869 people were hurt, including 14 hit by stray bullets on and before New Year's Eve.
Firecrackers and celebratory gunfire wounded 165 people between Dec. 21 to Dec. 30, including eight victims who lost fingers. Doctors plan to amputate the right hand of a man after it was mangled by a firecracker in central Iloilo province, health officials said.
Duque said he hoped a forecast of rain later Wednesday off the country's east coast and the economic crunch would discourage the sale and use of powerful firecrackers.
Duque ordered 78 government hospitals nationwide to get ready for the expected injuries and toured hospital emergency rooms in Manila to check on preparations.
Sen. Richard Gordon, who heads the local Red Cross, said 2,400 blood bags were ready in case hospitals run out of supplies.

Wikipedia definition of New Years in the Philippines
New Year's Day, or Araw ng Bagong Taon is celebrated with the family in or outside the house. The year is greeted on the Bisperas ng Bagong Taon (New Year's Eve) with a lavish feast, called media noche (literally, "middle of the night"). Round shaped foods, sticky or glutinous rice based foods, and various 12 round shaped fruits for each of the months of the year are served. Traditionally, Filipinos, Chinese, and Spaniards stay at home, the latter serving parties lavishly, which almost always includes a lechon (suckling roasted pig). However, more and more of the younger generation and the recent immigrants such as Americans have popularized the celebration of the New Year in grand hotels, restaurants, in parks, and in streets. Children light firecrackers such as watusi or the sinturon ni Hudas (Judas' belt), while adults spend the night recollecting the year, and, in many families, involves a Bible reading..

One last article with some details on various superstitions and traditions here from the following site - http://www.123newyear.com/newyear-customs/new-year-customs-philippines.html

New Year Customs in Phillippines

In Philippines the families gather together at midnight on New Year and eat a midnight meal. This is believed by the people in Philippines would ensure plenty of food in the coming year. The children in Philippines follow a custom of jumping up and down 10 times to grow tall in the coming year. This custom is believed would make the children taller for the coming year. Fireworks are an important part of the New Year celebrations in Philippines. The people in Philippines set off fireworks as a symbol of happiness on New Year. The fireworks are seen as a traditional way to greet the New Year with joy. The preparations for the New Year in Philippines begin a few days ahead of New Year. Although the customs of celebrating New Year in Philippines may have changed a little but the spirit of the New Year celebrations remains the same among the people of Philippines on New Year. The custom of wishing everyone luck and happiness and seeing off the old year and welcoming the New Year is still prevalent in Philippines. Dance music and other amusements are the other customs that the people in Philippines follow on New Year.
Media Noche or midnight is an important custom that is followed. On New Year's Eve families in Philippines gather to have this midnight mass. This midnight mass is believed by the people in Philippines to symbolize their hopes for a prosperous New Year. The custom of making noise and merrymaking is not only meant to have all the fun on New Year but also to drive away evil spirits. The people in Philippines believe banging on pots and pans and blowing on car horns to be the safer methods of merrymaking on New Year. The wide populaces in Philippines believe displaying colorful fruit and wearing clothes with dots and other circular designs would be lucky as they symbolize money. Just like the New Year custom of other countries the people in Philippines believe in following the custom of eating 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight on New Year. This would bring them good luck for the coming year. Opening the doors during the first day of the New Year is a custom that is followed to bring good luck for the New Year.

Update from Manila - Day 2

Greetings from Manila,
I wanted to praise the Lord for being so good to me over the past two days. I have had some great time of fellowship with my Brother Jun and his wife, been able to distribute a wealth of gospel tracts and bracelets on the streets and see God answer the prayers of His people. My last update spoke of my lost luggage. I spent alot of time on Monday making calls to the airline and airport to get status updates and understand when I would see it. At about 8:30 pm (an hour before work) I was informed that 2 bags were delivered! Only one drawback, one of the bags was not mine and that left the airline perplexed about the status of my bag as well as who this other bag belonged to. While I was incredibly grateful to see my clothes arrive, I was not surprised when the one bag that did not arrive was the very one that was filled to the brim with tracts, bracelets, NT's, John/Romans and Christmas ornaments with Scripture. Lest we forget, we have an enemy that would not have the truth of our God who saves by grace through faith to be disseminated in this city. Spritual warfare then became the theme of the day as my flesh crept up on me while dealing with the airport for the second straight day when I would rather have been sleeping. When I did get out, I had my first runin with the Pulis (police) over here about tracts/preaching. I have always been in clear view of the many guards and police around the mall, hotel district called Ortigas center as I pass tracts, witness and preach but this day I had an officer on a motorcycle tell me that it was forbidden for me to pass out anything or interrupt the daily lives of the passersby in this 20+ acre district. I was respectful in stating my past experience here and also that I am staying on the sidewalks and streets. He told me that the whole area was private property and therefore it was all off limits. I asked if he could verify this considering the city was doing work on the street and sidewalk less than 100 yards from where we were standing. I told him I was not selling or asking for anything but proclaiming the truth of God's word and I offered to let him review the material for himself :). He agreed to check with his superior and would get back to me, He drove around the block and then let me know that he hadnt heard anything. I politely inferred that I was going to continue until he could demonstrate to me how it was illegal since so many other officers have observed this before without saying a word. Praise the Lord - He agreed. I stayed there for a few more minutes and then moved on. It was great to see how God wrought the victory. Just a few hours later, just before returning to work Tuesday night (day for you), my other bag arrived with all the tracts etc! Glory!
Tomorrow Brother Jun and I will be going to the poorest of squatter areas in the city to minister to the kids, preach and try to be a blessing with the ornaments etc. Pray the Lord would offer discernment and boldness with compassion as we talk to these people. New Years day I will join Bro. Jun in New Bilbid Max security prison to preach again and see our brothers that God has saved within this population of nearly 30,000 inmates. I sincerely appreciate your continued prayer.
Lord bless,
Bro Aaron Putney

Trip update ! - Arrived Safely

Magandang Umaga - that's good morning and since it is 1:48am I guess that works. I just got in not long ago, called my wife and girls on Skype and not am headed for some rest. The trip was long which is to be expected but this was the longest. Showed up at Roch airport at 4:15 in hopes of catching the 6am or 7am flight to Chicago (booked for 10am). 6 was questionable but when calling friday night, 7 was a done deal...until United substituted a much smaller plane because of difficulties and three ticketholders ended up not getting on...
So I go at 10am which did not take off on time and got to Chicago in time to to the big guy making a mad dash across a really big airport routine. I get to the gate and it says the flight is delayed until 12:50 (about 40 min late). Now if the flight status board I looked when I got off my plane at first said that I wouldnt have been running but that's ok I needed to stretch my legs.
So we board to Chicago. (Let me stop here and count my blessings - I am now in my hotel in Manila safe and I sat in an exit row seat all the way!) In Chicago we have a 747 full to the brim of people and find repairmen on it. It took them about an hour to get their work done on the PA system before we could take off. But then it was raining very hard and we found out that everyone was using the same runway and we were 20th in the queue! So we took off about 2.5 hours later than we were supposed to for Hong Kong - we spent more than 18hours on the plane when all was said and done - good times! By the time we got to Hong Kong - yep, I missed the connection to manila. However, a nice man was at the gate and had already worked out for me and another man going to manila to catch a later flight and assured us that our luggage would be moved to the new plane. Well, we made it to Manila but not our luggage.
So, as I lay my head for some highly anticipated sleep, I ask for you to praise God for getting me here safely, having his hand on my family and pray that my luggage would arrive. I checked 2 bags - one is clothes, my big Bible, etc and the other is filled with 300 Christmas ornaments with Tagalog scripture on them, close to 1000 tracts in tagalog and about 500+ gospel bracelets donated by Little Red Book. I pray these arrive early tomorrow. Lord bless and thanks for praying.
Bro Aaron

Only One Reliable Navigator

Yep, Only One Reliable Navigator - that would be the KJV and not GPS!
As we left for Deposit NY on saturday (on the Delaware River near PA) we had our trusty GPS plugged in and telling us when and where to turn. I cant say enough good things about the GPS for all the driving we do. The hours it saves in not getting lost, not plotting everything into mapquest as well as having it recalculate how to get yourself unlost after you dont follow its command is a big help.
No, I'm not going to parralel the Bible with a GPS system into a little devotion although it does work quite well, I simply want to say that as of now I can say that the GPS has let me down but my King James Bible still has never been wrong.
As we drove all the way to the road that Pastor Dewey Stewart lives on we had no problem, but when going to the house, the GPS took us to a farmhouse. I didnt expect that but still, no worries, until we found out that it wasnt Pastor Stewart's home - the GPS was wrong. Since it was dark, house numbers were not easy to see but fortunately a woman walking her dog immediately recognized the name of the Pastor and pointed us to the right house.
I would say that while the fellowship with the pastor was sweet, the food was delicious and the accommodations for our family were outstanding - things didnt go all that smoothly on our end. Despite our blunders, the Lord saw fit to give us a great time of fellowship and good services on Sunday. We praise the Lord that West Branch Bible Baptist Church has committed to pray for us and they will be deciding this Sunday on whether they will partner with us financially. To God be the glory!

As we arrived home we received great news that the dear sister I wrote about on thursday got her initial tests back and there was no cancer found! Not only that but her son showed some initial signs of progress over the weekend. Keep praying!

Prodigals and those that fast for them

Luk 15:17 -24 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

Yesterday morning I communicated with a dear sister in the Lord about her wayward son. This is a woman that only days ago had a procedure done and is awaiting the results of whether what they removed is benign or malignent. Yet it is not anxiety over test results or the desire for relief of pain for her faithful husband who is recovering from joint replacement that is heavy on her heart - she is rejoicing with confidence in her God to give them the grace to get through whatever they face. Her burden is for her son, a young man that has made wrong decisions that have taken him down a dark path of sin. She calls out to God with fervency and frequency to do whatever it may take to break this young man that he might humble himsef before God and return to the fold. She beseeches others to lift him up as well.
I praise the Lord that my testimony is one of God's abundant mercy, in pulling me out of the mire of sin, reconciling me with the Lord Jesus and restoring me into the fellowship of the family of God. I know that there is hope for her and all parents out there praying for their children that are in sin because God answered the prayers of those that were beseeching Him on my behalf about 6 years ago. For me it was about 12 years that it took but praise God, he is longsuffering that loves the lost sheep far more than even their physical parents do. As I shared with her my testimony and some of the things the Lord did to get my attention, how He brought scripture learned in my youth to mind at moments of decision, put circumstances in place to make me consider my ways, put people in my path that encouraged me that I would be accepted back with open arms and so much more I really had no idea that this would be a theme of the day that only the Spirit of God could orchestrate.
Last night as we went to a meeting at Old Paths Bible Baptist Church, (a wonderful church that we have been to many times in the past for various special meetings, conferences, graduations etc.), I was invited to pray with a brother in the church. This brother informed me how many people in the church pray and fast every wednesday for their prodigals that are in the world right now. They know their names, they share this burden as a church family and beseech God in prayer and fasting (even many of the children in the church) that they would in fact turn from their sin and back to the Lord. As he prayed this list of names from memory and with such sincerity, I was moved with compassion just thinking of the many times that people had done just the same on my behalf. I rejoiced in the goodness of God in my life and look forward expectantly to the thought of many of these parents being able to rejoice when God does the work on these children so He may be glorified all the more in their return. During the service I shared a bit of my testimony as the Lord made it clear that this was the pressing issue on hearts. I praise the Lord that God was able to use the message in some small way to refresh and encourage the people to wait on the Lord and trust in His goodness and care for their lost sheep. Nothing causes a preacher to rejoice more than to know that what you may not have known about or intended to address in your prayer, study and preparation - God can put together and use for just such a purpose - it is wonderful as it is so blatently obvious that it was so far from being me and so much the Spirit of God in answer to some prayers that made any difference. Now I eagerly await to hear of God getting ahold of these dear children. We also are grateful to the family at Old Paths for their warmth and hospitality they showed us and are rejoicing to know that they are partnering with us in bringing the gospel to the Philippine Islands. If you are reading this, would you spend some time praying today for some of the names that had been shared with me - Nick, Angela, Jeff and Nathan and generally for others that have been lured away by the enemy. May the goodness of God lead them to repentance and would God receive the Glory that is due His Name.
Lord bless

In everything give thanks

It is so true that God is worthy of our thanks, adoration and praise at all times, whether we are enduring some form of adversity or in the times of abundance. We praise the Lord for the encouragement that we have received in the past couple weeks as the news of another trip to Manila arrived and we have had excellent meetings with churches, the last two of which have partnered with us in the work in the Philippines! For the first time this past Sunday, I had to go to a meeting without Stephanie and the girls which was disappointing. On friday the baby got sick and by Saturday night, 3 out of 4 were under the weather. Yet, Grace and Truth Baptist church of Amherst was warm and understanding. I thoroughly enjoyed the teaching of Pastor Cesar who is a man that loves the King James Bible and knows it well. The Lord has blessed them with a TV ministry called Search the Scriptures, a Bible institute and a tru heart for outreach and evangelism with a street ministry that goes to the University of Buffalo every week to preach the gospel. It is a privilege to be partnered with such a zealous church and we praise God for all of His goodness to us. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and may God be magnified!

November Prayer Letter

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus, November Update

We trust this update finds you firmly trusting in the promises of God and laboring in the fields that are so precious to Him. The Putney family has enjoyed a great month of meetings all over the state of New York. We have established some great new relationships and are thrilled to see God working in the lives of people. At a recent meeting we had the privilege of ministering in both Sunday morning and evening services. In the morning there was a strong response at the altar but rarely in our short stays do we get to see any immediate impact. This Sunday, when we returned for the evening service a woman started the service by praising God with tears in her eyes for giving her boldness to finally witness to her whole family at an afternoon get together, it thrilled our souls to see the burden she has for them and the victory won in her life. it is a testimony of the working of God and the faithful investment of the local church in her life.

As November and December progress, we are excited to meet the church family in Depew that has been faithfully supporting us for months as well as establishing new relationships at churches inAmherst, Deposit, Holley, Watertown and more. We are praying that the Lord would use these meetings to encourage these churches to continue to be zealous for God's purpose in missions and Lord willing see them gain a burden for the work in the Philippines as well.

Finally, we have a wonderful blessing to report. I am being given the opportunity to take my fifth short term trip to the Philippine Islands through my employer. It is amazing to think that God has made a way to send me to the field of our calling this many times at absolutely no expense to us! While we are thrilled that God would open this door one more time before I leave the company, we also realize how much we need God to work powerfully during this time. The dates are 12/28-1/17. Please join us in praying that God would comfort, protect and encourage our family as we are apart, strengthen my wife as she ministers to our four girls, strengthen me as I work every night and minister by day, that souls would be impacted for God's glory, that I might be a blessing and encouragement to my fellow labourers in Manila and that I would have opportunity to travel to Baguio on one of the weekends to get more familiar with the area we will base out of when we get to the field.

As always, prayer for more meetings throughout 2009 and God's glory in them would be appreciated. We are eager to get to the field in the earliest possible timing that the Lord will allow.

Because He Lives,
Aaron, Steph, Autumn, Anna, Sarah and Emma Putney
Ephesians 3:20-21

Calvary Heights Baptist Church

Last night we had the privilege of being with Pastor Nuijens and the church family of Calvary Heights. We were blessed by their preparedness in getting us set up and situated. They made it very easy for us to be ready for the evening which allowed us ample time to interact with the members prior to the service as well as after. The church family is very warm and hospitable, their words of encouragement and sincere interest in the work in the Philippines was wonderful. It was a blessing to hear the testimonies of so many about how they were saved, mission trips they have been a part or just about life and family in general. They had great wednesday night attendance and really were a blessing to us in every way possible. We praise the Lord for missions minded churches like this and pray that God will continue to bless this church in its zeal for souls.

Happy Birthday to my wife

I praise the Lord for giving me a wonderful wife to serve the Lord beside. Stephanie is softspoken and not one to speak in public or dominate a conversation, she is meek and quiet in spirit and I am very grateful for this. Sometimes the busyness of life and ministry will keep us from having a daily conversation about our quiet time etc but then I will see her journal opened up next to her Bible in one of her favorite spots to sit and read and get such a blessing as I read the testimony of how God is working. She has a way of expressing on paper her heart and walk with God in a beautiful way. She is a tremendous mother to the girls and I know of no better example for them to model after as they grow up. My wife may not play a piano, sing solos or have two college degrees but the Lord has gifted her as a wonderful helpmate, mother and friend. She is sincere in her love for God and ready to take part in bringing the gospel to the Philippines. She has stood by me, encouraged me and prayed for me for many years now, her faithfulness and consistency are treasured. I am just as glad that the fashions of the day, the vanity of this present world and culture and the accepted behaviors of this modern era do not move her, she is a standardbearer and example to the next generation of Christian ladies. It is not favor or beauty that move her but the fear of the Lord, and for that her husband praises her.

I remember Thanksgiving of 2006, I was in Manila and I had spent the entire day with two missionary families - the Avery family and Bro. Paul Perkins who is now my Pastor in Ocean Springs, MS. We had a great day of fellowship and food. We played basketball at the foot of a mountain in the tropical heat and I really overdid it. I had to go to work that night to train a large group of agents for 8 hours. I was taken back to the hotel with only about two hours before I had to leave for work. I got cleaned up and then laid down, knowing it would not be good after having not slept in probably 30 hours to try to rest for one... I was right, when I got up I was feeling quite exhausted and ill. I closed my eyes in the taxi for the 30 minute ride to the call center and then upon arriving the first thing I did was call my wife. I let her know how foolish I had been to play ball and that I was suffering the effects of a lack of sleep and dehydration. Here is why I wrote all this, because my wife did not question what I had done and the lack of wisdom behind it, what she did was said that she loved me and that they would start praying for me immediately. I praise the Lord that He answered those prayers and within an hour of that call I was feeling much better and was able to perform my responsibility to my employer. It is good to know that my wife has access to the Lord of Glory!

Pro 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
Pro 31:11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
Pro 31:12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

Pro 31:26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
Pro 31:27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
Pro 31:28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

Pro 31:30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

Oswego

Sunday we spent the day in Oswego, NY with Pastor Paul Walker and the church family of Bible Baptist Church. We had a great time of fellowship around God's word and were greatly encouraged by the outpouring of love that we felt by the brothers and sisters there. The Sunday school hour where we presented our ministry was very well attended as was the morning and afternoon service. We enjoyed a great meal with the church family and were able to get to know some wonderful people. There was a sincere interest in the furthering of the gospel in the Philippines by the people and we had a good session of Q+A for people to inquire more about us, the Philippines and church planting. What blessed me greatly in this meeting was the testimony of so many members speaking to how much they love their pastor. I heard story after story that demonstrated love and servant leadership. It is obvious that this is a catalyst in the growth of the church and we will be excited to hear how God continues to move in that community as a result. Once again we praise the Lord for the opportunity to share our burden.

Thursday in Chittenango

We praise the Lord for the opportunity to join Pastor Ashton Nelson and his family at North Madison Baptist Church last night. We had some great fellowship at dinner with them and a wonderful missionary family to Papua, New Guinea. The only problem was that the response time at the restaurant was a little wanting so by the time we got our food and inhaled it we had 10 minutes to drive back to the church because that is when the service was to start! It went something like this...Steph wipes hands and faces and tells me of the various diapers that are in need of changing, i have to reply with a fatherly veto. We get back to the church with the pastor at T minus 3 minutes and counting - the members patiently awaiting our arrival. I scramble for the laptop and projector, Steph grabbed the kids and the diapers...the piano is playing, the laptop is booting and we begin the service. Pastor Nelson was great and we had a lot of fun with it. He let us know that while they are serious about God's word, they are informal in areas like this. We had a great service and fellowship after. My kids had a great time playing after the service with some other MK's and that was a blessing. We praise the Lord for the good meeting and the opportunity to once again share our burden for the Philippine Islands.

October Prayer Letter

Greetings to our brothers and sisters in Christ,

1 Cor. 1:4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ. We count ourselves truly blessed and praise the Lord for so many of you who have prayed for, encouraged and supported us along the way. It has been a wonderfully encouraging month as we have heard testimony of protection through the hurricanes as well as a great revival going on at Grace Independent in Mississippi, we have seen a number of new meetings scheduled, had opportunities to preach the gospel in various venues and made significant progress in some roofing on our home which we trust will improve its marketability. We also praise the Lord for the amazing testimony of a pastor who called us to tell us how God orchestrated for the rental space they use for their midweek service to be given to them for free thereby allowing them to partner with us! We serve an awesome God, amen!

We are also grateful to have a pretty full calendar this month with meetings in places like Chittenango, Oswego, Elma and Waterloo, NY. It has been a great blessing getting to know so many pastors at various levels through these meetings, personal visits and phone conversations. The years of ministry experience along with their different backgrounds and situations significantly contribute to our growth and the opportunity to build friendships with them has been wonderful.

This month we will celebrate the fourth birthday of our daughter Anna and that of my wife Stephanie as well. Few times do we see or think of Anna without being reminded how God spared her life when she was less than a day old. It was a moment I will not soon forget and I praise God for such mercy in saving her when things seemed grim. Every day we recognize her as a living testimony of the grace of God in our lives. Anna is a treasure and we pray that she will grow to be a godly young lady. The other kids are growing fast, Sarah is working hard at memorizing the books of the Bible, Autumn is getting better with her cursive writing and Emma is crawling around freely now and pulling herself up on whatever she can. We have had opportunity to spend a few hours this past month working on Tagalog learning which thrills us to be doing knowing that there is a coming a day in which we will be able to implement it in the ministry of the gospel.


Prayer Requests:
o That God would allow us to be a blessing at the meetings this month and that He would impress upon others His burden for the Philippine Islands
o Progress on the transition of selling our home and having the support needed to leave work o That the Lord would put us in the path of the churches He would have us partner with and that the calendar would continue to fill
o For many opportunities to witness at home and on the road


For the glory of His name,

Aaron & Stephanie Putney - Autumn, Anna, Sarah, Emma

God's heartbeat for mission - another testimony

We want to praise the Lord for a young church plant in Buffalo NY that just partnered with us in bringing the gospel to the Philippines. The pastor is a wonderful man that was recently ordained to the ministry. The church is young and may be small in numbers but not in faith and heart. There is a fire for God and for missions there that wont soon be quenched. He is working full time and holding services on Sunday and Wednesday. He has seen God already do incredible things in the establishment of the church and this testimony is no different. He contacted me and shared the story of how they were burdened about beginning to support some missionaries and that to do that, it might mean foregoing the rental space that they use for the Wed service. They felt they could meet in a home on Wed and just rent the space on Sunday in order to support missions for now. The Lord blessed this missions heart by orchestrating that they get the same space they have been using on Wed night free now as long as they keep renting it on Sunday. Praise the Lord. We are excited to hear what God continues to do in that work and the relationship that we have with them in the gospel ministry.

September Prayer Letter

Greeting to our brothers and sisters, September, 2008

Acknowledging the privilege that it is to preach the gospel, we press toward the mark of of God’s calling for us in the Philippines. We praise the Lord for the great summer He has given us and are eager to present our burden at more churches. We are looking forward to the upcoming meetings on our calendar and about finishing the repair work on our home. We will be replacing the roof soon which should be a real help in getting it sold. Our family is doing great and we appreciate your prayers for us tremendously. Autumn enjoys memorizing and reading and the younger girls can be found playing and discovering the wonders of God’s creation at every turn. What a joy it is to watch them grow and learn and yet such a humbling responsibility also. We have started our home school year already so there is an excitement and anticipation for us and the girls alike.

Prov. 15:22 - Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established. We appreciate so much the wisdom that we have been able to glean from so many of our elders in ministry. Just a couple weeks ago we had a fellowship with three veteran missionaries of more than 10 years each on the field. They poured out their hearts and experiences with some of us that are just beginning and it was a great blessing and encouragement. Coupled with the instruction from Pastor Paul Perkins, we praise the Lord for the great practical advice we gain from the experience of those who have preceded us in this calling.

The Lord was very gracious to us on our first road trip with the travel trailer for a number of meetings in NYC and Delaware. It towed well, suited our family fine and at 6’8” I can even stand up in it! The Lord has provided every need along the way and we express our gratitude to Him for using so many of you to be the conduit of that provision. While there has not been an abundance of meetings in the summer months the Lord has still graciously increased our partners in prayer and financial support.

Prayer Requests:
· Upcoming meetings – that the Lord would have His way in the hearts of the lost to be saved, the Christians to be encouraged and our burden for the Philippines to be contagious to all.
· Our family as we begin homeschooling again, that we will use our time wisely in balancing the many aspects of family life and ministry.
· For more meetings to fill every possible time slot along the
way and progress us to the field as soon as the Lord will allow.

For the glory of His name,

The Putney Family – Eph. 3:20-21

Good news from a far country

Brother Jun Monderin is a dear friend in Manila who faithfully preaches the gospel to men, women and children alike in the jails and prisons of the National Capital Region of Luzon.


I rejoice at the news that he was ordained this past week at the church that trained him - LaLoma Baptist Church. I have preached there on a number of occasions on my trips and rejoice for Brother Jun as he has now been recognized by biblical standards as being fit for ordination.


His family is a blessing and he has devoted workers that faithfully minister with him in the jails and prisons. Take a moment to pray for the Lord's blessing on this man's continued work for the Lord, for his family (wife Joyce - daughter Betsy) and for health, provision and spiritual victory over the satanic opposition he faces while proclaiming the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

12 Years!

Just wanted to publicly praise the Lord for blessing me with a wonderful wife and 12 years of marriage. We are grateful for God's mercy on us and the guidance He gives through His word that enriches and stabilizes our marriage.
So much has happened in 12 years that when reflecting back over the weekend, we were stunned. To see where the Lord has brought us is amazing and to look forward and together know how much growth we still need makes us eager to seek the Lord more and more. We praise the Lord for our four daughters and soberly approach raising them in this present evil world. We are grateful for their sakes that God has seen fit to reveal Himself to us and that our desire is that they may be raised in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
My wife is a treasure to me. Neither of us will fit every mold that others may desire to put missionaries into but we are grateful for the clarity of His call, His destination for us, His criteria put forth in His word that we seek daily to endeavour to walk worthy of and the joy of fellowship and love that we share. I praise God for Stephanie.

Pro 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
Pro 31:11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
Pro 31:28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

Thank you to all who pray for us and our family, truly we know that it is not a vain exercise. The enemy would love to destroy marriages and publicly shame God's people, by faith and prayer we all can overcome his attacks and be the light that God would have us to be.

July Prayer Letter

Dear praying friends, July, 2008

Psa 97:1 The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.

God is not just a national God for America but desires to be the center of worship and attention in all nations. It is our prayer that the multitude of the isles would multiply its believers and the country of the Philippines as a whole would gain the blessing that comes with being a nation whose God is the Lord. On June 22nd a powerful typhoon ripped through the central Philippines, overturning a ferry carrying 700 passengers and killing many others. Our prayer goes out to those impacted and we desire that God would use this event to stir the hearts and consciences of those in that area to consider their ways and seek the Lord while He may be found. May God’s people minister and witness amidst this grief.

Here in the states, we just finished a busy month on the road. We had a blessed time on our trip to Pa, De and NYC. We made many new friends and prayer partners along the way and our kids really adapted to life on the road well, praise the Lord. Our month began in Hastings, NY where we had a great missions conference with our brothers and sisters there. We are grateful to see God’s hand on us through our travels and we can certainly say that we learned many lessons in different areas.

We have no out of state meetings this month so we will be close our home in Rochester as we prepare it for sale between meetings. Repairs, painting and organizing will keep us plenty busy. We appreciate your support and continued prayer for our family. We would be grateful if you would beseech the Lord for us for continued meetings on our calendar, that the Lord will raise up those that He will have partner with us and that we would have many opportunities to share the gospel on the road and close to home. May the Lord bless you this summer.



For the glory of His name,

The Putney Family
Aaron, Stephanie, Autumn, Anna, Sarah, Emma

Eph 3:20-21

www.PutneysforChrist.com
585-298-3807

Home, Safe, Blessed

We praise the Lord that He saw fit to allow us to take our first deputation road trip with little problem. Our truck was able to pull the trailer effectively, we arrived at all our meetings on time and safely and did not experience any vehicle issues. For those things and many other blessings we praise the Lord and appreciate your prayer on our behalf.

While not problematic, it does not mean it was not uneventful as we learned our share of lessons over the past 8 days. From setting up and using a travel trailer to closing and maintaining it I found myself busy scratching my head, parking and unhitching just slightly too far from my services (lesson learned) and learning things about holding tanks, chemicals, awnings etc. It was a good learning experience for all of us and we enjoyed every minute (well most of them).

The girls had a great time, they did perhaps better than expected on the long rides having to stop only once in 6+ hours on the way there and back. Each of our meetings required a shorter drive and they did great with them also. Of course we found that a 2 and a 3 year old are not ready to sit through a full service after just getting out of carseats for the past 2-2.5 hours... So that left mom busy a couple times - lesson learned for next time. Proverbs 31 speaks of the virtuous woman by saying that her children arise up and call her blessed, her husband also and he praiseth her. I appreciate my wife tremendously. Four girls, six months to six years, require patience, love, organization and prayer. My wife wonderfully balances these very things in allowing me to focus on setup, presenting, preaching etc. She is a blessing.

The big fear was "what important thing will we forget with all this packing?" Praise the Lord, we had everything we needed on the way - it was the way back that was the issue. It was 90 in Smyrna, De on Sunday after a great service and a wonderful lunch fellowship. Steph was gathering kids and I was breaking down the display table. Well, sure enough we left something behind. We are grateful to Pastor Cereghin and Grace Baptist for their graciousness in mailing it home since we were a few hours down the road before it was recognized as missing... lesson learned - have a checklist.

The meetings were great, three churches in three cities - one in a home, one in a storefront and one in a building - all excited about the things of God and all missions minded. It was great to fellowship with each family, share testimonies and make connections to shared acquiantances.

It is not uncommon in the Philippines that I am asked to dunk a basketball while I am in a shirt and tie at a jail or school or whatever but I cant say I expected it on deputation. Sure enough it was requested, made me feel like I was back in Manila. That was Rockland Bible Baptist Church and the other wonderful experience there was that many of their members are Filipino. It was a good time for us to learn more and be encouraged. The presentation turned more into a game of Jeoparday and I would ask the members how many islands, what is the population or when were they given their independence etc... it was a lot of fun while at the same time helping the body of Christ to lift up their eyes and look on the fields that are white already unto harvest.

Again, we appreciate your prayer that God would continue to open the door for meetings on a consistent basis and that the Lord will impress upon those He will to partner with us in bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Philippine Islands.

Work of faith and love - a testimony

Let me start with an update on our travels. We appreciate your prayer as our family looks forward to a series of meetings in NYC and Delaware next week. It will be our first journey with the trailer so many new lessons will be learned i'm sure. We had a real blessing the other day when a pastor in Delaware that I had reached out to originally in April and then left a message for in May contacted us just a few days ago asking about meeting as we pass through that area. We praise God that he has invited us to present/preach next Thursday, that was an unexpected blessing.

I also wanted to share a testimony/blessing that I just learned of last night that touched my heart in a great way. My family has a history of working in bus ministry - my dad drove buses for years, my uncle Dave and aunt Dee are still faithful to the bus ministry to this day and my late uncle and his wife Elaine also worked in bus ministry for many years. So I got a call from Elaine last night and she was just thrilled to share what the Lord was working in her heart about. In her years of bus ministry, she always loved doing the "little things" (which we know are not little in God's eyes) to touch the lives of inner city/poverty stricken kids for Christ. Singing songs, story boards, crafts, candy etc. - things to show the kids her love for them and more importantly - the love of Christ for them. Well for years now she has been making various handmade ornaments etc to be a blessing to people and she wanted me to know that the Lord impressed upon her to start making them in abundance for use in ministering to kids in the Philippines when we go! If you have never worked with kids in an inner city or third world country, it is an incredible and humbling sight to see them brought to tears over something as simple as a piece of candy, an article of clothing or a small toy. From Juarez Mexico to Zambia Africa to Manila Philippines - the reaction is the same. To realize that someone loves them, that they would get a blessing they otherwise would not have touches their heart and opens their ears to the Source responsible for the love that was shown them. My aunt went on to share with me how she wants to put John 3:16 on each of these ornaments and that he already has nearly 50 of them made, what a blessing - every one of them made with love and prayer. Until glory I doubt that any of us will know the true eternal impact of the softened hearts, willing hands, creative minds and prayerful lives of many saints like this who have a burden for the souls of others. Praise the Lord for the example that is to all of us, amen?

About five years ago I heard a message on being creative for missions. The preacher gave testimony after testimony of all the ways in which God has touched peoples lives in different areas for missions. There were stories of people giving up certain activities or foods or trips or hobbies in order to do more for missions, stories of those who sold off many belonging and others of people finding creative ways to contribute more to the work of the gospel. I was rebuked and challenged by it and shortly after had the opportunity to challenge the Sunday school class with this concept of "getting creative" to raise money for Bibles to go to Africa. The Lord worked on hearts and a class of about 60 kids and their counselors through prayer, creativity and work raised nearly $5000 in just 3 months. It was because God was in it, He got the glory for it, His purpose of getting His word to Africa was being done and the faith of those kids were increased that this happened. God has taken many of those kids now and grown them into teens that are serving God. Some of them will be in NYC next week preaching on the streets, witnessing and ministering to kids. Be it going to a foreign field, giving "sacrificially", being creative for the comission etc - it is a privilege to serve our worthy King and it is for all of us - our Reasonable Service.

Souls are on their way to hell all around the world and God's will is that none would perish - what more can we do before the harvest is past?

Wednesday

In an effort to conserve vacation time, we have gone back and forth a few times this week. Wednesday we left off plenty early and headed to Hastings. We made it about halfway when it became apparent that the alternator wasnt working and before we reached the next exit, the truck lost power and stalled. While we were discouraged to miss the last meeting of this great conference and have opportunity to spend more time with the people, there were many blessings that came of this. We were on the side of the road counting our blessings for this taking place. Here is some of what we came up with then and a few that were realized since
1) we had a cell phone - allowing us to call the pastor...and a tow truck
2) it was daylight - no power, no light, little girls - dark, side of the highway - would have been scary for them - grateful it was still light
3) when the power died on the truck we safely got to the side of the road
4) it was not our night to present/preach - that was Sunday, so at least it did not put the Pastor in a tough spot.
5) I had roadside towing service so that was covered
6) the garage we towed it to was literally next door to a Days Inn hotel
7) We had a cooler with some cold drinks and some snacks to keep the kids occupied.
8) The garage got to work on the truck early in the morning and it was done by checkout time so we didnt have to sit around at the garage waiting with the girls
9) Pastor Zopff was very understanding - we got back to the church, got our display materials and was even treated to lunch - what a blessing.
10) arrived home safely thursday afternoon
11) work has been very accomodating and understanding as well
12) When we picked up the materials from the church we found that one of the members bought us a box of diapers and left it for us - always a blessing, amen?
There are many more that we likely didnt consider or I am not thinking of now.

It has been a good week. Praise the Lord!
Pray for the Central Baptist Church - they will be building a new church building on 50 acres of land they obtained likely starting this summer. Their pews are full now and they are excited to see God putting all this together. They love missions and God is growing them so they can grow their impact in all the world - praise God!

Central Baptist Church

Hastings, NY - This has been a wonderful week for us. Pastor Michael Zopff is a great brother who is being used of the Lord to grow a great work here just north of Syracuse. It is a great blessing to hear the testimonies of souls saved, encouragement in the midst of difficulties and growing excitement about God's work from the people as well as the pastor. The church is about 7yrs old and this is their 6th missions conference. We praise God for the opportunity to have an hour to present our ministry and field questions on Sunday morning and then preach in the second hour. The people are excited about what God is doing and desires to do in the Philippines.

Another great blessing for us is that the keynote speaker is Pastor Eddie Wyatt from Happy Valley Baptist Church in Villa Rica, GA. He has preached many times at Youth Ablaze in Rochester as is a a wonderful Spirit-filled preacher. Monday night he preached on the cross and how the first three statements Christ made were for others - forgive them, today, you will be with me in paradise and then speaking to John of Mary. His message was on love of others and was a great challenge and encouragement. Monday we stayed in Syracuse and then had time to fellowship with Bro. Wyatt, Zopff and the Thrum family - missionaries to New Guinea. Take a moment and pray for all these servants of our Lord. Tuesday was another hot day and a lightning storm took out power at the church all day - from about 11:30am until oh, 6:30! The Lord is good, we were scrounging for generators and extension cords etc and the Lord showed us that He would be the source of our power for the night!
Pastor Wyatt preached on the excuses of Moses and challenged us not to limit God and not to doubt a call that He has placed on us, another great message.
Wednesday, well that is another post :)
We have had a great conference, we have met pastors from other churches, we have been blessed with encouragement and gifts from the church family and even enjoyed a great church picnic at a nearby park Sunday afternoon, it has been a full and blessed week!

Blessing from inconvenience

Praise the Lord that we were able to obtain a trailer this past month. In picking it up, it became obvious that the truck was sagging in the back from the weight of the trailer. The suggestion was to go to a spring shop and have the back end built up with helper leaves. So I took it in with the trailer attached so they could see what it needed and help line up the hitch and trailer as well. This was unexpected but necessary to ensure safety in travel. So friday I got the call that they were finished and that I could pick it up, I asked when they closed so I could leave work early enough. My coworker took me over 40 minutes before closing time (after I had said I would be there that afternoon) and the place was completely locked up. I looked all over and no sign of people. The truck and trailer sure enough were locked up all weekend. We are grateful that we didn't need the trailer. Well, monday rolled around and we were in the midst of a great missions conference. It is near Syracuse so we have been driving back and forth so I can work by day. I called the place and they apologized and said they would knock $75 of the price. It is not worth arguing about the price when God holds a hearts of people in His hands. By the time I got to the shop the man said the owner heard what happened and how I was left for the weekend without the vehicles. He decided instead of a $75 discount to instead do the whole job for free. We praise the Lord for this blessing and the savings helped defray the cost of the light truck tires we needed to put on and the a/c that had a leak. All glory to the Lord!

June Prayer Letter

Dear praying friends, June, 2008

We are encouraged to report to you of God’s blessings and answers to many of your prayers as we transition into deputation. We have a full month of June with a missions conference near Syracuse, NY early in the month and some meetings in New York City and Delaware later. With each passing day we can see some sort of progress in our preparations and it reminds us of Christ’s promise to continue to perform the work He began in us until the day of Jesus Christ.

Our family is doing well and is healthy and excited about the upcoming meetings. Autumn just finished Kindergarten via homeschooling and we are blessed to see how well she is reading and that she measures how well she is doing by how good she can read the Bible. When we sit down to do family devotions, she is eager to read the scripture for us and we pray that will always be the desire of her heart.

The Lord blessed us this past month with a vehicle for deputation. By way of testimony we want to praise the Lord for bringing it to us in a way that had His orchestration written all over it. It fits our need to tow a trailer and we were able to obtain it for a great price. We have also been blessed this month by obtaining a trailer that we will call home on the road once our house is sold. In the meantime, we are cleaning the house, departing with clutter and getting it ready for sale. We look forward to leaving work, selling the house and being able to devote all our efforts to the work of the ministry, be less restricted on where we can travel for meetings and to have time to invest in learning the Tagalog language through a software course we have.

Your continued prayer is appreciated in a number of areas. We would ask for prayer for our girls as they will see their first stretch of life on the road from church to church this month and also that we would be a blessing to the churches we visit. Pray that the Lord would have His way in our lives and others during this time. Our desire is to see others yield to God’s will for their lives regarding missions, in whatever role that might be. Prayer for more meetings, partners in ministry and knit hearts for the burden God has given us for the Philippines would be appreciated.

For the glory of His name,

The Putney Family
Aaron, Stephanie, Autumn, Anna, Sarah, Emma

Eph 3:20-21

Update

Praise the Lord, the last few weeks have seen many meetings scheduled. June will be pretty full with a missions conference in Syracuse and some meetings in NYC and Delaware. In the meantime we continue to work on filling our schedule and getting our house in order. We have been cleaning and organizing so we can sell our home in Rochester and are looking to get a travel trailer for life on the road. We are excited to see h0w God orchestrates all these details along with the time when I leave my employer. He has blessed us with a vehicle to tow the trailer with this past month, good health for the kids, many answers to prayer and a tremendous amount of encouragement from our many dear friends here in Rochester. News from the Philippines is good with people getting saved and personal growth in the jail ministries. Prayer for Brother Jun Monderin and Sister Joyce as well as the rest of the prison ministry over there for provision would be appreciated. We eagerly anticipate the day that we can land in the country God has called us to but in the meantime we are excited about how God is growing us and impacting others by the testimony of the work and opportunities in the Philippines. Lord bless, Aaron

A great night

May 3rd was our formal and extended presentation of our testimony, call and objectives for the Philippines. We had a great turnout for a Saturday night that included quite the rain storm. Many of our dearest friends, family members and spiritual mentors were there and we all had a great time praising the Lord for his mercy and plan for the world to hear the gospel. A wonderful time of fellowship and encouragement were had by all, some dear friends shared some godly music, we were able to thank the many people who have invested so richly in us over the years and so we praise God for a great night.

Homegrown Missions Conference

We had a great time this week with many of our heroes of the faith. The conference at FBBC through whose ministry I was raised, saved, trained etc was focused this past week on the 27 individuals and families that were trained at FBBC and are serving or preparing to serve on fields all over the world. 13 of these families were present this week.

It was a blessing to be able to stand in front of so many of our dearest friends, brothers and sisters in Christ and share with them how their investment in us is just one more indication that our labor is never in vain in the Lord. We praise the Lord for the amount of encouragement and prayer support that families have offered us. We knew that many we have been close with for years would be by our side but we were humbled by all those that we dont know well in this large church who are taking an active part in the Philippines by beseeching God to do a work there.

Autumn with Grandma

Autumn joined me at Men's prayer meeting on Tuesday night after the service. It has done her well to be around all the older Missionary kids this week, they have such a sweet spirit and have encouraged her in the Lord. She will likely not understand what to expect on the field of for the next many months of deputation but she is excited that God is in control and has been amazed at the many answered prayers we have seen already! Praise the Lord!

April 08 Prayer Letter

Dear praying brothers and sisters, April, 2008

It has certainly been an eventful month or so for us. March began with my fourth trip to the Philippines. It was a fruitful trip as God allowed me to be a part of the ministries of a local church through bus (jeepney) visitation and preaching. Being over there this time without an American missionary on this trip gave me opportunity to get more of a feel for the many modes of public transportation by riding buses, jeepneys, taxis and motorbikes. I spent quite a bit of time on the streets passing out tracts and talking to people. Brother Jun Monderin was once again willing to allow me to have part in his jail and prison ministry giving me the privilege of preaching the gospel and encouraging existing believers (both men and women) in the city jails and New Bilibid Prison’s maximum security compound. We also took quite a walk through the Manila north cemetery. I never would have thought that a cemetery would be the site of a children’s extension class but that is exactly the case as many people live in this massive graveyard (the largest in the Philippines). The Lord again showed Himself strong and faithful in taking care of my family and in giving me strength on the trip. The only feeling of disappointment felt on the trip was that the reunion with my family after the trip was to be in Rochester NY and not in Manila, Philippines. Needless to say, we are eager for the day that God allows us to land over there long term.

Upon returning we were able to have a couple days of wonderful family time before getting ready for our first Missions conference. The church was Antioch Bible Baptist Church in Lockport, NY and it was a tremendous blessing. They were a wonderful church family, which were a true blessing to us. We had great opportunities to share our burden and our four little girls did pretty well with a busy schedule during the week. We are glad that we will always be able to look back at the first set of meetings as a time when we were encouraged and God was glorified. The following week was a homecoming for us as we were part of the missions conference of First Bible Baptist Church, the church that Aaron was raised and saved in, that Stephanie was saved through and that trained and encouraged us in ministry. There was a focus on the homegrown missionaries of the church. There are currently 27 families that have been trained and/or sent in the 40 year history of this church.

So now that there is a slight break after the trip and conferences, we look forward to seeing who God will put us in contact with for meetings. Our prayer requests at this time would be that God would allow our calendar to fill up and that the churches we contact would be used of the Lord to join us in prayer for the declaration of the gospel in the Philippines. Thank you for your prayer and interest in the great commission. May we all be passionate for the things that matter most to our Lord Jesus Christ

For the glory of His name,
The Putney Family – Aaron, Stephanie, Autumn, Anna, Sarah, Emma

First Missions Conference!

It is such a blessing to have begun formally presenting the call of God on our lives at churches. The first conference of course will be a memorable experience simply because it was the first one but we are blessed in that we will always look back at this conference as a true joy. From March 30th-April 2nd we were in Lockport, NY at Antioch Bible Baptist Church. The conference included a music school during the day in which we learned how to sing the great hymns of the faith in four part harmony. This was an educational experience for me and while I have much learning to do yet, I undoubtedly profited from this experience.

Pastor Steve Pawley was a gracious host to us, he allowed each of the missionaries ample time not only to present ministry but to preach and to present a charge to the youth. The church family was wonderful, they showered us with blessings, love and hospitality - we were humbled by the sweet spirit of this group as well as the love and nurture that they have for each other in the congregation. Pastor Ron Ralph from Cornerstone Batist in Carthage TN preached a spirit filld conference and it was great to see how God brought all of the messages together and the response of the people in attendance. It was no coincidence that the conference was blessed as the church as a family all spent significant time of prayer and fasting in anticipation of the conference. We praise the Lord for Antioch and for the wonderful experience.

As you can see, Anna enjoyed her violin lessons

Every wall of this church shouts out the love and burden they have for world missions. All of their missionaries are prominently displayed year round. It is heir parents, pastors and missionaries that the kids of the church look at as present day examples. With this atmosphere I have little doubt that Antioch will see some young people yield to God in the future toward ministry and missions.

A couple other blessings which were not coincidental nor minor were that the Barone family was there with us. To be able to share our first conference with friends who have invested in us and shared their wisdom gained from experience was a great blessing.

We were encouraged to meet one of the missionary families - the Youngs to Australia considering that she is a filipina! There were also many other like blessings and testimonies that we could share of how great God has been through all of this but I dont want to add to my reputation of writing too much.

Lest we forget...tell someone of the the Lord Jesus today!

Home

Very glad to be back with my wife and four girls, it is always a wonderful moment coming into the receiving area of the airport after a 30+ hour day of travel (12 hr time diff.) and seeing those little ones jumping up and down because Daddy is home.


The truth is that this was the hardest time I have ever had leaving the Philippines. I would much rather have preferred to see my wife and kids getting off at the Manila Int'l Airport instead. I expected these feelings to some extent as every visit has made me yearn more and more to be there full time but I truly felt overwhelmed by the need that is there, the lack of laborers, the abundance of souls at every turn and the open doors that abound in just about any arena in which the Lord would lead you to minister. We look forward to the growth, learning and relationships to be established in the months ahead on deputation but when time is short, the work is great and the need is immediate - there is a strong desire to be able to just go now.


I have not visited a place in the Philippines that was just saturated with the gospel - where anyone could say - "ya know brother, we have this pretty well under control, the streets are preached on, the doors are all canvased, there are solid churches within close travel distance for these people, the jails are covered, the schools are taught in steadily, the new believers are being effectively discipled and nationals are being trained and sent out. Not in Cavite, not in Makati, not in Manila city, not in Cebu City, not in La Loma, not in Batongas, not in Quezon City, not in Novaliches, not in Mandaluyong City, not in Muntilupa city have I seen even a fair sprinkle of baptist works for the droves of people that inhabit these areas. I would not say that any of these areas have absolutely no works or witnesses - I do know of some and praise the Lord for what they are doing and I certainly dont know everything that is going on by any stretch of the imagination (everybody say Amen now :). I do know this, the Christians I have worked with all speak of the incredible need and overwhelming population to be reached, they all speak of how there are open doors here, here, here and here but there are only so many of them to do the work and only so much time to go around. Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest...



I was amazed this trip when I was introduced to a couple places that I never would have expected to find an abundance of people.

1) the Manila north cemetary - The largest cemetary in the Philippines. It was one procession after another lined up this afternoon we went there.

But it is not just funeral traffic. This cemetary is HOME to MANY, MANY people - they live in the cemetary, sleep next to the cement enclosed coffins and cook, do laundry, sell their wares etc inside this monstrous facility. Their is a huge wall that goes on forever along the road next to the cemetary and as we walked along it to get to the gate we could see people climbing the wall and jumping over.
Child asleep outside of a burial place in the cemetary


Here you can see how these little memorial spaces are mad into homes.
Kids playing in their "neighborhood". There is a group that comes in and holds an extension class on Saturdays here in the cemetary. Praise the Lord. Could there be a more appropriate place to talk of the certainty of death and the hope of eternal life through Christ.

2) Sunday, after preaching at New Bilibid prison, we caught a motor-trike and then a bus to LaLoma. When we arrived, it was nearly time for those who go out on the Jeepney routes to pick up people - they go get kids/adults in the afternoon and bring them to the evening service. As we walked to what looked like a few living spaces and businesses in a plaza type setup we walked through a narrow corridor through to the back of this plaza.Upon coming out the other side I was amazed to see a huge community of people - hundreds of kids running around playing in the mud, climbing on things or playing basketball.



I had no idea this place was even there as it is not visible from the road.
As you can see, gathering a crowd is very easy when you are an American, a giant, have a camera and smile!

nothing like basketball in a shirt and tie at about 85 degrees, amen?

While we had alot of un, the situation is serious - both in the states and in the Philippines.

This isnt about tribal peoples specifically, it isnt about being sure that a person is going just to an area that has never been engaged (although this is vital work and I believe something God would have us be a part of in the mountain regions in the future), this is not just about people groups, it is about God's will and God's will concerns people. Every one a soul for whom Christ died, a soul whom Christ desires to be saved, a soul that will spend all of eternity somewhere, a soul that God deserves the glory due upon their conversion. Many churches here in the states likely have a thumb tack for the Philippines on their map, a few prob have one for Metro Manila. The city is 12 million in population - swelling to 18million during the day - the country - close to 1,000 inhabited islands, 91 million souls and a high population increase rate. The government just reported that more that 27.6 million live in poverty (by Philippine government standards - not US standards). There are 500,000 souls in jails or prisons in the country. The bulk of the population are youth under 25. Only 2.8 percent of the country is considered evangelical (consider what that may include). Catholicism has a strong foothold everywhere.


The need is incredible and the opportunites seem endless. If invested in with laborers, churches, Bible schools and the facilitation for sending nationals out, I do believe that multiplication of witnesses can take place to reach the country and be an ever growing presence as a sending agent to the unreached in Asia and the world. It is happening to some extent in some places and surely we alone will not be the difference - but God can do above all that we can think or imagine so I will think as big as I can and pray for God to exceed those expectations for His Glory. You can see from the group above that gathering a crowd to talk to about Christ is not difficult. I praise the Lord that I am a giant in this land if for no other reason than that people want to say they stood next to a giant and only came up to his elbow or whatever. If God allows that to be the means of them hearing about Christ then, praise Him - I will be a fool for Christ if he gets glory and they get the gospel, amen?

We believe strongly that God has intentions for us to be a part of training and sending nationals to unreached tribal areas in the north and Lord willing elsewhere but when you walk the streets for hours and see the abundance of people - when you blow through your 500 or 1000 tracts in an hour or two, when you see overcrowed jails, schools, squatter areas, neighborhoods, malls, streets and villages - your compassion for their soul is not rooted in the question of "is there at least one baptist work in this city" - it is more - has this child heard, has this man or this woman heard...

This is a burden that we all must seek God to increase our zeal for no matter where we are. We ought not be content with status quo because God is not (1 cor 15:34) - hordes of people around us and around the world have not so much as a gospel tract presented to them once in a while. You should see how humbly these brothers and sisters live, every peso they have is invested into transportation fare so they can get to another jail to preach another message...it always challenges me on what God's true intentions for stewardship is for us...

I am grateful to be a 6'8"american going to a country where basketball is the favorite sport and the average height (according to some chart on Wikipedia anyway) is 5'4" for a man and 4'11" for a woman allows me to gather a crowd of children and adults alike with little difficulty. I am eager to have a grasp of the language so that those fun moments of people wanting to measure themselves up to me or shake my hand could become more effective chances to transition to the gospel - perhaps with a story of how it was not the men of stature that were impressive to God (Saul, Goliath) but...


Thanks to all for the prayer regarding the trip. Can I plead with you now to pray for

• The Rock of Ages Staff in Manila
Little Betsy with Brother Jun, Sister Joyce, Sister Virge (with kids - Jon and Cameel), Sis. Yolli, Bro. Jack, Sis. Nanette (edited into the pic) and Sis. Jemma. They are a blessing and can use prayer. There is tremendous spiritual warfare in the jails and in the perception that jail ministry often receives. Support, encouragement and good health in these very unsanitary jails would be good ways to pray in addition to being Spirit led and for souls to be saved.

• For the Putney family - that we would be well prayed and prepared for the months ahead, that God would lead us to the churches He would have us be at, that He would be glorified and that His people would be moved concerning the need in this land and that as soon as God sees fit that we would be able to get there.
• For the Philippines

There are many other testimonies and thoughts regarding this trip - perhaps another day. Thanks so much for praying. First and most importantly, we saw a number of people respond to the gospel - pray that they fully understood and will grow in Christ. My family was safe and healthy here, I was able to do my job with the energy and dedication needed, i learned many new things, was blessed to have a part in ministry at jail, prison, streets and church and was encouraged by and Lord willing an encouragement to my dear friends in the ministry there.

All glory to the Lord Jesus Christ for hearing and answering your prayers and allowing even the most most unworthy to be used in His service. He pdovided the means, the messages and the motivation.