Ed & Nick taking the team on a local tour

Mission Teams, veteran missionaries, new missionaries, pastors, teachers, evangelists, seminar leaders, families, just to name a few have all kept the Martin Burnham Mission Center buzzing with activity almost nonstop. One of those mission teams was a group of law enforcement officers from mostly California who came and ministered to the National & local law enforcement officials here in Manila. Ed and Nick were able to take them on a tour around some of the poor sections surrounding the Mission Center. It was a great opportunity to meet some of our local officials.
Along with all the guests and teams coming through we have had some bigger projects to coordinate in the midst of the exciting ministry activity. One of the projects that we have just completed was connecting our two buildings with a hallway. Lucas and his father-in-law, Roy, did most of the work on this wonderful new addition.
Another big and ongoing project is the re-surfacing of the older Guesthome building. The building has a cement and pebble finish (about 30 years old) which is coming off the face of the building and some chunks have already fallen, so we are removing the bad areas and replacing it with new.
Of course there is always the need for the general maintenance, like washing machine repairs, fixing emergency lights, the water filter system, and ice machine repair(just to name a few)
Please pray for safety for the workers we have here to do the re-facing of the older building.
Debbie’s mom needs to wait for more tests since she is having other physical issues before they can take care of the heart valve. This is stressful for all of us. Pray for peace and calmness as she awaits more tests and then the results.
Please continue to pray for the mission center, we are here to assist missionaries as they continue to evangelize, disciple and plant churches. Praise the Lord another people group is currently being taught God’s Word in their heart language – The Brook’s Point Palawanos.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being a part of the ministry with us!

ahh yes a job well done

Things are somewhat back to normal after the flood, especially for us here at the Mission Center.  We still have many guests coming & going all the time which keeps us busy.

We have completed 7 queen size bedspreads and 13 twins size out of all that fabric we showed in a previous update.  We are also working on reupholstering furniture.  With 34 guest rooms there is lots of furniture to make, refinish, recover, etc.

What in the world does this have to do with Church planting, the Gospel and Bible translation?  It shows that we are all part of the team.  There are missionaries, language consultants, mission teams, family members of missionaries, pastors, doctors, training personnel, all staying with us at the Martin Burnham Mission Center for various reasons such as medical, dental, travel, some may be here for training seminars, well you get the idea all kinds of people using the Center.  Yes, we are all part of the team planting churches among unreached people groups.

Taltak & his mom Kilsit - Taltak needs surgery on his face

For example the picture attached of the boy Tatak and his mom are from a village where the missionaries will begin teaching God’s Word early next year, in the tribal language.  He was here for 6 weeks trying to get medical attention for the growth on his face (actually to find out the source of the growth).  He will be back in January to have this taken care of.

Thank you for being a part of God’s team with us in reaching the lost.

Nick (works with Ed), had the radio playing in the workshop and a song came on in English which sang about being “blue” and he asked “what mean blue, the color blue?”  and Ed told him malungkot (sad) and proceeded to tell Nick that is how we are feeling now as Thanksgiving and Christmas approach because we miss our friends and family back in America.  So please pray for us as we do MISS YOU!

People in the village soon to hear the gospel!

Prayer Requests:

Please pray for Tatak, his and the many others in his village that God would continue to prepare their hearts and minds to understand and receive the Gospel.

Pray that we can encourage those the Lord brings through the Mission Center to continue on serving as we do not know how long we will have the freedom to spread the Gospel in this or any other country.

Pray for Debbie as she will be having some major dental work done Thursday night your time (4 old crowns redone) they are decaying underneath.

We do Praise the Lord for the health and strength He gives us to serve Him.

Thank you for praying!

May God richley bless you!

Tropical storm Ketsana besieged the Philippines capital city and nearby provinces with a nine-hour deluge that left some places under 20 feet of water. It is said to be the heaviest rainfall since 1967.

“NTM’s leaders in the Philippines reported. “Relief operations are under way across the city with many missions and individual missionaries involved.”

Several thousand people were rescued from rooftops and stranded cars. At last report, the government estimates there are more than 435,000 people displaced and at least 140 dead, with the death toll expected to rise as the flooding subsides.

The houses of several NTM missionaries were flooded. Belongings were destroyed or washed away, and vehicles were submerged. However, none were reported injured and all of those who were in precarious situations are now safe.

Pray that NTM missionaries can be a blessing to those who have lost loved ones and property.

Please pray for us as we return to the Philippines in the beginning of January 2009.  Smooth trip and transition.

Pray for packing, sorting and shipping things we need in the Philippines.  We are  gather things that are hard to get in the Philippines and ship them over.  Thank you for your donations!

Pray that our final visits with friends and family would be special.  They were! BUT now we miss you again:-(

Pray for Brianna as she starts a new school when we return to the Philippines.  She did Very well!

Pray for Eddie and Ashley and us too, as we leave them here in the United States.  Great job Eddie and Ashley!