At the time of this writing, the family is relocated to Germany where Elias can be close to his surgical team and support physicians. Surgeons removed tissue growing on Elias’ brain but could not remove all of it. Tests revealed late last year that tumor tissue resumed active growth so they are monitoring his condition. Recent tests revealed the tumor has not grown significantly for any changes to be made to his treatment. We are all praising the Lord for this great last report!

Please pray for them as they work through the best course of treatment for Elias and adjustments to the many changes for the whole family. Pray also for their ministry opportunities and the future God has planned for them.

Many of you wrote asking about the storms and any news of the survivors. We saw for ourselves the damage only hours after it hit a nearby city. Our hearts went out to those walking around covered in mud and in shock and still I am haunted seeing a little child sitting all alone in the mud crying with no one around tending to her.

We rejoice in the love of Christ that has been shown to these desperate people. Amid the horror stories were true acts of sacrifice and kindness as God’s people immediately supplied clothing, food, water and shelter to hundreds and reportedly a thousand were still missing. This relief was not the effort of an organization mobilized from foreign dollars or internationally declared need, but Christians responding with the love of Christ to people around them in need. Hospitals and churches became collection centers and then delivery personnel distributed real help to real people right away. How refreshing. No waiting on institutions to send out pleas or nations to set up web sites and tv centers for millions of dollars to be collected – just God’s people obediently showing His love without delay.

Families are completely unaccounted for. Clean water is slowly being restored to many areas after almost a month. Relocating survivors with any relatives to be found is difficult. The shock is gone but the horror and pain lingers. Please continue to pray for families to look to the Lord for comfort. Pray for those still helping them relocate to safer housing.  We could not bear to take pictures of the suffering but we’ve found photos from the internet if you care to see the images from the storm. We looked up Washi Tropical Storm and Philippine Storm on google images.

Please continue to pray that many survivors will come to know Christ and that people will find their hope in Him alone amongst the ruin.

The Clarke's from New Zealand

Saying, “Goodbye.” Sigh.

We often complain that it seems since we entered the mission field, our most difficult words are “Good-bye!”

In life on this earth, we all face challenges with changes. It seems they happen with increased frequency once we entered the mission field. We leave family behind, knowing that some we will never again see until our eternal home and others, never. We leave security in our country and home cultures. We leave jobs, relationships, churches and community. We leave comfort and plenty.

We face another very shortly.

We’ve known the Clarke family almost as long as we’ve known the Philippines. They were here in 2001 when we visited to help during a break in our training. They began their language study along with us and shared the blood, sweat and tears that go along with learning a language at an, ahem, advanced age (though not so advanced as us). They moved into village service the same year we moved into our village. We even suffered injuries or illnesses about the same time and frequency! So much so that folk began to playfully accuse us of timing our health issues together just so we could visit in town. We vacationed together, lunched together, grabbed coffee together every chance we could when we were all out of our respective villages. We shared experiences that are best left out of a public forum involving allergic food related reactions on a very LONG bus trip. In short, we shared the joys, tears and heartaches, the victories and defeats – together. We’ve shared life!

It’s not coming to an end, but we will adjust to share our lives long distance just like we do with our family. The Clarke’s are returning to New Zealand to carry out ministry in their home country.

We missionaries come home very different than we left. It’s not always easy but it is always exciting! We ask you to pray with us for the Clarke’s transition into a new ministry and lifestyle. They return to full time grandparent-hood, a traveling ministry representing tribal missions, grown children, and changed home culture. We ask you to pray for us as we feel the distance stretch between us. Pray for their tribal friends and co-workers that will feel the loss too. Pray for the Philippine field and Mindanao as yet another missionary family leaves their ministry here. Pray for those who are eagerly awaiting their arrival in New Zealand, including their incredible children (dear to us as well). Pray for those whose hearts God is already preparing to hear their message and answer His call to service. Pray for their adjustments to ministering at home and for their financial support for life very different than what they grew accustomed to here.

We praise and thank God for the time He has allowed us to grow close to these dear friends and co-workers, who have become family. I admit God had to deal with a complaining heart as I muse this morning about those feelings of loss and change. He reminded me of something my tribal “sister” told me . When we knew we would not live among the village believers daily and only be visiting from month to month, my dear Banwaon sister said, “It’s only a short time before we are together for eternity! We won’t remember this small separation then.” I confess I’m short-sighted. Please pray that my vision expands to grasp the reality of her words.

As you pray for Chris and I to work through the good-byes and loneliness, pray for others facing change and loss. Maybe you are in a similar place. All the separations that feel heavy or difficult now pale in light of eternity. I know it in my mind but admit I do not feel it in my heart today. Pray that His eye-sight replaces the vision problems in our own. It is His right to work these changes in our lives for His glory. He is worthy of our trust and submission to His superior plan.

We so thank God for our prayer supporters. There is much power in that work you do for Him.

Ages 12 - 29!

The youth group from the little mission church we attend in town has a wonderful problem!

It’s too big!

From the humble beginning of the fellowship of four young women, the group has grown to 30 in number. Teaching became difficult as many of the younger people that are coming haven’t yet placed their trust in Christ for His work on the cross. Ages span the huge gap from twelve to twenty nine and an even broader gap of understanding and need. Pretty wonderful problem for us, huh?!

We’ve just received permission from the church leaders to split the group to a more manageable range of age twelve to nineteen and a second group of single college and professional people. Due to limited time available from our other ministries, we must alternate the meetings.

We ask you to pray with us for these times together with the youth. Pray for the salvation of these young people. Pray for real understanding and growth. Pray that nothing hinders or distracts them from what they are learning in church and the fellowship. Pray for us to be real before the Lord and them and to live out our lives that show Christ among them.

Our dear friends in the village report a poor harvest this year. The heavy rains and earth tremors that ruined our airstrip are a joint threat to their harvest. We barely had a dry season this year which translates into a late start in burning and planting the land and a poor growing season.

Recent text messages have been spotty because the signal is very weak in our village. The news there has been difficult to hear as we wait here for a trip into the high mountain area. With that in mind, we are investigating a new way and would appreciate your prayers along those lines. I can’t give too many details here but it would be a brand new travel experience for me (Lynne). The communication to get that worked out has been difficult. The activity among those that wish to harm is high just now. While that news doesn’t cancel the plans for my going in, it does increase the need to have all the details ironed out as much as humanly possible.

We also heard a friend has had to make the difficult trip to the hospital because he was very weak and getting weaker. Amay Brayan was admitted into the hospital in a nearby city with a diagnosis of cirrhosis of the liver. Our hearts go out to the family and we count them as close friends. Our plan is to visit very soon to check on him and his family.

Please pray for Amay Brayan and the doctors that are treating him. Pray for the village and people in the surrounding jungle as they do the best to store and protect their meager harvest of rice. Pray that they might find other food abundant in the jungle to support their diet.

The beautiful expressions of our friends regarding their trust in the Lord for each difficulty they find in their lives glorify our Father. They simply said, “There are difficulties here and we are missing you very much. Our trust is in the Lord for everything.”

Lisa's first Christmas and Christmas Tree

Christmas decorating starts in September here in the Philippines. We eagerly joined in by decorating our house along with our neighbors. When we decided to drag out the decorations from years in a box (we didn’t decorate for Christmas in the village) Liza’s eyes danced! Liza stays with us on the weekends to go to church since she is the only believer in her family. Before we could start, Liza quickly inserted Christmas CD’s  into the player and sang at the top of her voice with them all. It’s exciting to observe Lisa as she is learning about her new Savior and his love for her.

Afterward we were sitting around with smug looks on our faces that we got it all up before midnight. Her voice was little more than a whisper as she shared, “This is the first time I’ve ever decorated for Christmas.” We each felt a deeper joy realizing that Liza is just learning the amazing love Christ has for her. The firsts of many firsts with Christ. We say it often, Christ makes all the difference. Decorating for a season may be a simple activity but when we contemplate the One that came as the Gift for the sin of the world then that makes all the difference. Pray for Liza to learn of him with joy that deepens with maturity.

Liza is part of the young folks fellowship. We are currently studying the Scripture portions and prophesy surrounding Christ until the New Year. Each week we examine what God revealed to us through His Word long before Jesus’ birth and the eye witness reports while he walked this earth.

God urges the most incredible questions from them as we study these  truths – many of them hearing about Christ for the first time from a Biblical perspective. We pray that after the fellowship their minds will churn over what they hear from the Bible and compare it with traditional thinking.

Pray with us for them to desire a deeper relationship and read in their new Visayan-language Bibles – another first for them. Pray for Chris and I to be clear in our sharing in two languages and that when understanding is shaky they will keep the questions coming.

Chris Teaching 4th Grade

Once a week Chris is greeted enthusiastically with “Good morning Pastor Chris!” by approximately thirty little 4th graders. It’s a highlight of our week when we volunteer as substitute teachers for a Bible Story and singing at a small school in the area. The children are attentive and eager to hear about the stories God has preserved for us in the Bible. They love hearing about the giants and the mighty things people did when they obeyed God. Singing is loud and joyous and we get to learn new ways to act out the “sweet sweet love of Jesus.” Many of these little ones come from extremely poor homes. The most malnourished receive a special meal after the teaching and treatment for tuberculosis while the others play outside. We understand that for those, it’s their only nutritious meal of the day.

God stretches us to serve in ways we never dreamed when we trained and came to the field ten years ago. The most repeated phrase during training was, “be flexible.” Sometimes we feel like we are shaped like pretzels inside! Yet we look at the faces so eager to hear what we have come to say about our Father, God, and marvel at what He must be doing in these hearts. We pray for them to take in the truths of the stories and songs so that one day they respond to the gospel. They are so grateful for that hour that we give to themand we are grateful to have the opportunity to be a small part of their lives.

A financial blessing from a North Carolina Women’s mission group provided pens, pencil holders and paper for the students and erasers and chalk for the teachers in this little school. The box of supplies are on the way from America as I type this. Thank you so much for being willing to sacrifice for them.

It might be heaven before you actually meet any of them but we trust God will urge you to remember to lift these little ones that are just hearing about Him. Pray that nothing will snatch away the enthusiasm so evident in their eyes to learn new things about the God that loves them so much and that soon their eternity will be secure in His salvation. Their riches or circumstances on this earth may never be at lot different from what they now know, but with Heaven in their future – well, He makes all the difference!

Our chief pilot, Martin Burnham and his wife Gracia served the Lord here and among their captors until his death. Since that time the NTM flight program in the Philippines was grounded. God answered our prayers by sending over pilots and their families and we are full of praise to God for each region has functioning NTM flight programs again.

This wonderful tool helps missionaries travel to and from our remote locations. Some have not been able to return to  villages in over a year. Land is getting almost impossible to obtain permission for airstrips in new locations and expenses are quickly prohibitive in some of our established locations. God has enabled the northern region of the Philippine field to use a helicopter to meet that need.

Two helicopter pilots and four fixed wing pilots are flying or preparing to fly in the very near future. We thank God for them and ask for prayers for these families that were challenged to serve the Lord here. Our locations are not easy and the risks are high. We are certainly grateful when we look up to see the familiar “red and white” dotting the skies and now we have this new silhouette to rejoice about!

Inay Tilma's Exam

A recurring theme here in our blog is how man can make their plans, but God directs the steps. A medical missionary team was heading to another country for 14 days and just as they were finalizing their trip, word came that the government would not permit them to enter the country. So what do you do when you have a 30 member team with scheduled time off, packed and ready to go?

God worked some amazing connections out for that team to minister right here in our neighborhood! We caught wind of their willingness to help indigenous people so a quick phone text to our friends there in the village was the catalyst to begin an arduous trip out of the jungle into town and back. Seven patients were able to make it out of the jungle to join 3000 people needing help. We hoped that patients with cataracts would be the ones making the trip, but the screening process broke down. However, we trust God had just the right folk to make it all the way into town.

One surgery was required for the oldest patient (a dear lady over 80 years old, as best as we can guess). There were old stitches working their way out of her eye from a previous surgery as well as encapsulated lens. She was very happy to have better vision immediately after they removed her eye patch. The rest of the patients were given exams and corrective lenses. My good friend pictured here only has one eye. We so hoped a surgery would help her regain her vision again in her good eye. After her exam, the doctors felt surgery could put her at risk of even more reduced vision, so they fitted her with bifocals. Anyone making that adjustment can attest how frustrating that can be! She felt miserable.

We printed out a page of her Scripture so she might practice using them. The last night of their stay, she was thrilled to tell me how wonderful it was to be able to read Scripture again in her own language! She had practiced that evening until she found just the right spot to have the words focused, allowing her to read again for the first time in years.

We praise the Lord for all He is doing in physical help as they wait for their New Testament. He provided some funds for their long trip here and back as well as some promised funds to help cover their expenses here in town and the trip back. The doctors and team themselves gave to help rent a van one way as the buses were packed due to holiday travel. Splitting this group up for 10 additional travel hours would not have been a good option.

It was wonderful to see their faces as they could see clearer again and realize God is using many people to enable these folk to travel for this help. We are grateful as are our Banwaon friends. Please pray. The Medical Missionary International team is asking the Lord about bringing a team back in the future to operate right in our village. Beautiful to witness God’s love,

Why and How to Pray for Missionaries

Prepared by Dr. Ed Watke:

First, A Short List:

Pray for the Power of the Holy Spirit upon them, and their ministry. Ask Him to grant zeal, passion and vision in the winning of the lost. Ask Him to impart wisdom in sharing the gospel in difficult language situations.

Pray for God’s Protection over their lives, for health, strength and well-being… in driving, in ministry and daily living. Many live in difficult climates and cultures, danger may abound.

Pray for God’s Provisions. Many are where the loss of the dollar’s buying power means a constant growing loss of their income. Pray for increased support while gone from the U.S.  So pray for their daily needs — provisions for ministry, buildings if need be, personal & family needs.

Pray for the fulfillment of God’s Purposes in their lives. Ask Him to give wisdom in knowing God’s will, in ability to work with others, and understanding of the nationals with whom they work.

Pray for Progress in labor. That they will know how best to work with the unsaved, in discipling the new believer and in training nationals for their ministry. Pray for courage, insight and wisdom in the work. Pray for the opening of the hearts of the lost — Satan’s defeat in their bondage!

Pray for God’s direction in the Pace of their labors. Not to over-work, to be faithful in their devotional life, and to get adequate rest. Not to labor harder, but smarter … knowing God’s directive and power for each day.

Short, Pithy Directives In Praying for Missionaries

• Be specific, systematic and steadfast.
• Agree in prayer with others.  Matthew 18:19-20
• Practice saturation praying – covering many aspects with many brief requests.
• Pray as for yourself. Any problem you have, the missionary may also have, but it will be magnified by situation and circumstances — include their family, marriage and concerns.
• Pray for the power of the love of God upon their person and work.
• Pray for the missionary to be faithful in his own intercessory prayer life.
• Pray with the authority you have in Christ, binding the strong man. Matthew 18:18; Mk. 3:27
• Trying using a passage of Scripture when you are praying for your missionary: examples are: Ephesians 1:15-23; Colossians 1:9-14 or Ephesians 3:16-21; (for open, effectual doors)

Someone has said: “Better, far better, do less work, if need be, in order that we may pray more; because work done by the rushing torrent of human energy will not save a single soul; whereas work done in vital and unbroken contact with the living God will tell for all eternity.”

No doubt we, we would all heartily agree with this — the trouble, of course, are to actually put it into practice.

Why do they say: “Brothers and sisters, pray for us”? There are many reasons, including those listed above.  The full-time missionary must have the “intercessory missionary” working with him on a regular systematic basis. They cannot work independently in the salvation and training of national leaders for they need prayer partners.

May God help us to all learn to be real, true intercessors! (cf. Rom. 10:1-4)