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.

You can imagine my gasp as I glanced out the window and saw this magnificent butterfly. Grabbing our camera, I scuttled out the door and crept upon him mingling among the giant yellow trumpets behind the house. It just lingered there around the beautiful bush, seemingly for me to admire it and collect photo after photo.

It effortlessly lit upon the blossoms never bothered by my intrusion. I clicked away capturing this incredible sight, grateful for a moment of unexpected beauty. God planned a lesson for me that morning.

Viewing through the camera lens, I watched the beautiful butterfly haltingly stretch out his wings in a unique stance. Excitedly I thought, “Ooh, something different is happening!” I watched amazed as the wings remained spread and the butterfly seemed to float slowly downward from it’s blossom. I couldn’t quite see clearly enough through the lens but just kept clicking shots as the weird activity continued, convinced I was witnessing something exceptional of butterflies. Instead I was witnessing something of life.

And of death. ‘My’ beautiful butterfly twitched his last there in those lovely flowers. This carefree butterfly failed to distinguish the gorgeous spider camouflaged among the blossoms.

God reminded me real danger can appear appetizing. I remembered the warning found in Matthew 7:15. False prophets come disguised but in reality are vicious! Much like the spider disguised as a nourishing flower, false prophets inject poison that paralyzes the unwary.  God’s warning flashed bright red anew. Caution and discernment must be exercised when listening to messages masquerading as teaching from Scripture. False doctrines literally spew poison from so called Christian programming and unwary believers are snared. Friends, learn with me this lesson from the spider and the butterfly. Let’s study the Bible, our true authority on God’s revelation, and allow God to raise those red flags of warning when you hear anyone twisting the Truth.

Deceived

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.

Feeding the Awana Kids of Mt. Moriah

Awana! It’s amazing to watch 300+ kids line up for a delicious and nutritious meal after hours of running and jumping, screaming and clapping and, amazingly, quietly sitting to hear God’s Word for them.

Awana Clubs International brings the Gospel of Jesus Christ to kids. Lots and lots of kids. It’s a beautiful thing to witness and even more beautiful to participate. We visited one such club recently and the noise brought a smile to our faces even before we saw the room full of children. I stepped inside the vibrating building just to grab a few photos and video because we had a specific task to do. We were there to volunteer in the feeding of 300+ children after all the activity and teaching was finished.

God is using the directors, friends of ours since coming to the Philippines ten years ago, in such an amazing way and they serve tirelessly – well, that’s not correct. They are tired. But they are also extremely blessed to be able to reach these children before they are trapped in the path of poverty that leads to desperation that leads to crime and ultimately jail. Yes, you read that correctly. Children in jail.

The plight of street children of the Philippines is well documented in film and print for any that care to look it up. God urged this family to get out of the church pew and do something. They did. God built a tremendous ministry for them from seven children to 300+.. a proper count possible only in the bowls and cups of food as they politely file past the table for their serving. I prayed for them today knowing that there are countless others around the world giving the Gospel to children that their society ignores until it costs them – ranging from being a nuisance to causing harm.

The goal of the directors is to break the chain that drags them from abandoned or disadvantaged to jail. They want to allow God to make a difference before they become someone’s jail ministry. And thanks to God, He is making that difference. We are humbled to volunteer some of our time to help.  They encourage church teams to come for projects or even to do the program for a short time offering much needed break to the staff. Feel the need to build something? Plumb something? Teach something? Feed someone? You will return home blessed and enriched.

We’ll happily be a connection to the program if you’d like to contact us of the urge God has put upon your hearts.

Take a few minutes to go our photo page to see some of the pictures from that day. Click below:

http://blogs.ntm.org/chris-lynne-strange/photos/?album=1&gallery=26

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!