Photo Slideshow

This has been my first opportunity to do a sort of the images taken in Manila, Baguio and San Fernando La Union from the trip this month.
The pictures in the slideshow are not in chronological order unfortunately and it will be most obvious when you see alternating pictures of the mountains of Baguio and the the Ocean in Sanfernando. I have added titles to some of the pictures to provide a little explanation.
Here is the link

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ViewSlideshow.action?&collidparam=14406734103.140171168603.1232568786832

There is a link in the shortcuts on the left side of this blog also. I make no claim at being an accomplished photographer.

January Prayer Letter

Greetings,

Lam 3:22-23 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. No matter what seeming uncertainties are taking place all around us and the concern and fear that often they provoke to a world without Christ,it is wonderful to know that even today as you read this, God is compassionate and faithful toward us. The world still spins because of the longsuffering will of our God that none would perish but that all would come to repentance. It is a blessing and a privilege that God would allow any of us to be a partin His redemptive plan to reach the world.

We have had a great couple months of encouragement and growth as we progress closer to the field the Lord has called us to. In November and December we were blessed to see a number of newchurches partner with us in the proclamation of the Gospel in the Philippines. We then had a short break to spend time with family and loved ones and reflect on the birth of our Lord Jesus prior to my departure for Manila. The trip itself was one of the most profitable that I have taken in many ways. Primarily because of the amount of people we were able to bring the gospel to on the streets. Day after day we saw groups of varying ages and numbers gathered together and attentive to the message. Thousands of tracts and wordless bracelets were distributed as well as three hundred hand made bellswith Tagalog scripture attached to them. We saw a number of people respond to the message overthe two week trip and we praise the Lord for every last one while praying that the planted seed would take root and grow in the rest. In addition, I had the privilege to preach again in New Bilibid Maximum security prison as well as during the survey trip to Baguio on the weekend. Much was learned in the visitto Baguio, Bauan and San Fernando La Union. Being able to see first hand some existing works in Baguio as well as the densely populated cities on the coast that are in great need of churches, it allowed me to understand better the needs and to begin to pray about those areas. While I did not have much exposure to understanding the various tribes and their level of engagement, the geography lesson helped me to understand that access to the mountains is about the same from either area. The Lord answered so many of our prayers for this trip and accomplished more than what I anticipated, to Him be glory!

It is good to be back with my family and I am grateful for the encouragement and prayer that was offered on their behalf. Autumn is turning seven this month and is doing a great job with school, especially reading. She faithfully reads her Bible to us twice a day and has already completed many books of the New Testament. We will be turning our attention to a series of meetings in the South East soon and look forward to seeing what God does there. We appreciate your prayer still for the sale of our home and for meetings to fill up on our calendar throughout this year. Would that Christ would be magnified and that we would grow in our knowledge and walk with Him.

Because He Lives,
Aaron, Steph, Autumn, Anna, Sarah and Emma Putney

Islamist Terrorism in the Philippines

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On the streets

Jun, Jack and Nanette presenting the gospel to one of many groups of listening kids today

These teens gave me their undivided attention for a good 20 minutes. The reality of the brevity of life combined with their lack of assurance regarding their eternal destination brought a change of countenance to their faces as the gospel was presented.

Bro. Jun witnessing to Jimmy - an excon that the Lord brought to Jun as only He can.

Sister Nanette beginning to teach a group of kids and onlookers gathered on the street

Bro. Jun talking to another group in a different area, Sister Nanette finished the session by explaining the gospel using the wordless bracelet

The Rock of Ages Prison ministry staff (and kids) all together after dinner. Eating out is a very rare occurence for them and it was a blessing to be able to fellowship with them after a day on the streets.

Presenting the gospel yesterday wednesday at a small park using the Evangecube as a witnessing tool

How good it has been to be on the field for these two weeks, to be engaged in the work, to have the blessing of seeing God move in peoples lives and working side by side with faithful brothers and sisters. While I long to see my family, I would rather it be them coming to the Manila airport rather than me returning to Rochester. I will return and we will continue to pray for God to bring us here in His earliest acceptable time. Deputation has afforded relationships we look forward to seeing grow, challenges that we pray we learn and grow from and a realization of just how great the need is around this country and world which should in turn bring us to a whole new soberness and fervency.

I want to praise the Lord for the great day we had in the streets today. Jun and I were joined by Bro. Jack and Sister Nanette. We went to a number of different areas in the La Loma community and presented the gospel to many groups of varying sizes and ages. Sister Nanette is very gifted with the children and we had plenty to teach. It thrills my heart to see how they will gather round, listen and find enjoyment in things as simple as giving five, comparing their height to mine and asking questions. I had a great time at our first stop having the kids helping me with tagalog - we reviewed numbers, colors and animals. One thing I notice more and more about the language is that there are words that are incredibly similar in spelling and pronunciation but radically different in meaning. At New Bilibid prison on thursday I saw the word Dalaw on the wall and immediately assumed it to be some grammatical form of Dalawa which is the number 2. It actually means visitor... Then I learned that the word for Duck and the word for Rice cake are very similar also. Not to mention that how fast you say a word can mean the difference between the number 7 and the word for whistle. I certainly have a lot to learn.

We praise the Lord for the response to the gospel we have seen almost every day we have been out as well as for the crowds of teens and adults that made their way into the audience today especially. Brother Jun had a great extended witness with a young man that spent some time in prison and he was very receptive - please pray for this man Jimmy and all those that have made professions of faith and have heard the gospel. The wordless bracelets were a wonderful tool to use in presenting the gospel and then having candy/goodies and handmade ornaments to share with the kids was in some small way a demonstration of love toward them that I hope will in their minds be associated with the message they heard of the perfect love that God commendeth toward us through the gift of Christ.

It has been a privilege to minister with my brothers and sisters here, they are living proof that the richest of people in this world are often those that have nothing of material and vain value but are rich in faith, diligent in their labour of love and filled with the Holy Spirit. Please pray for Jun, Joyce, Jack, Virge, Gemma, Nanette and Yoli as they minister in the jails, prisons and on the streets of Manila.

I have more pics and testimonies that perhaps I will share in later posts. God truly has been amazing.

Praise and request

As I finish my last few days here in Manila and eagerly anticipate being reunited with my wife and daughters, I rejoice at all that God has done and taught me through these two weeks. Today I preached at New Bilibid max security prison with Bro. Rex Galfo, a Filipino man who has surrendered to go to India with his family. He is a wonderful man who has planted two churches here and been in ministry for 10+ years. It was a blessing to fellowship and learn from him as we spent nearly three hours on a bus together just getting there because of an assortment of delays (traffic violation by the driver, windshield wiper failure repair, traffic etc). It was absolutely pouring here today and so we were strategically placing chairs and the pulpit between the leaks in the roof of the pavilion style church there. The Lord gave us a good turnout and we praise Him for the receptivity of the men. Bro. Jun is doing a great work here at Bilibid.
On the streets God has been blessing wonderfully. We have gone into many poor communities in the city and been able to be a blessing and encouragement to the kids with goodies as well as present the gospel again and again to groups of all sizes. It is amazing to see how God provides the groups of people and then overcomes the distractions of people shouting and sometimes mocking in order to touch the hearts of the humble. We have seen many bow their heads and call on the Lord in the midst of the distractions this week! While some may just be doing what their friends are, we take extra time to explain how serious and personal this decision is and how it differs from the practices and religious exercises they are used to. We have intentionally held back a portion of our tracts, ornaments and bracelets for tomorrow when we will go out with a larger group of workers that have been out of town until now. We hope to gather them into larger groups, sit them down and spend adequate time in the presentation of the gospel and have workers to deal individually where opportunity arises. Please pray for conducive weather, softened hearts and souls to be delivered to God's glory.The trip to Baguio and San Fernando over the weekend went very well, much was learned about the area, existing works, needs etc. We have much to pray about! Thank you for all your prayer and encouragement, please continue to lift up Steph and the girls as I am away - Maraming Salamat Po (many thanks)

Back in Manila

Spent the weekend on a survey trip to Baguio as well as San Fernando La Union. From the breathtaking mountains and winding roads of Baguio to the rapidly growing ocean side city of San Fernando, there is a tremendous amount of natural beauty that is being inhabited by souls taken captive in the bondage of false religion. While I have much to write, I have little time. It was a good time of fellowship with my friends that accompanied me and new contacts were established there. It was a privilege to preach at Victory Baptist Church on Sunday and I learned a tremendous amount about the region in the short visit before returning for work. Without expounding, I praise the Lord for the many things He has given me to seek him about concerning the work He is directing us toward. There are so many souls. Pray the Lord would get us here just as early as He would see fit. More detail on these cities, existing works, needs etc to come. Thanks for your prayer for safety and a productive trip, it accomplished that and more. I also rejoice that upon my return I heard of a dear sister reaching out and being a great encouragement to my wife while I was there and unable to contact her. So many of our friends have been so supportive and it has been wonderful to see how God has touched their hearts about different aspects of encouragement - a burden for the street kids we have been with, an encouragement to my wife, those that are ready to lend a helping hand, those who have contributed helpful witnessing tools and of course so many praying. The Lord has blessed us far beyond our expectation! As this week will include street work, prison, church and more, pray that the Lord will continue to strengthen me, that souls would be impacted and He would be glorified.

Psalm 79:11 Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee...

It has been a humbling experience to work with Bro. Jun and Sister Joyce here in Manila these many times. They have become wonderful friends and they have a sincere love for Christ. It is even more of a privilege to have had many opportunities to preach, teach and give the gospel in the city jails and New Bilibid Prison with them. Men, women and children alike occupy these facilities and Christ is being glorified as His transforming salvation has its way in the lives of these inmates. Truly it is by the mercy of God that any of us have recieved so great a gift and that blood was shed as much for these prisoners as it was for you and I. It is an unpopular ministry for sure but then again God didnt call missionaries to be celebrities. This family and the rest of the ROA staff here work with diligence, by faith and for the pleasing of God alone. I thought it fitting to share the video of their ministry. The mission board behind their ministry has restructured leaving this family to walk by faith more than ever. They have given up professional careers to work with what many would call the "least" of society. There will not be churches established inside jails and prisons that will have the provision to support the work. Bro. Jun is now travelling to churches across the Philippines on deputation to provide for the continued work and very modest needs of his family. In the meantime he is excited about possibly starting works in even more city jails - bringing them to as many as 10 they will minister in with the limited staff they have. Please pray for Bro. Jun, Sister Joyce, Nanette, Yoli, Jack, Virge and Gemma.