Lance and Laura Ostman Helping to equip the Higaunon People of North Central Mindanao Posts Tagged ‘Church planting’
Airstrip Repair
Posted by Lance and Laura Ostman on Monday, June 13th, 2011
Saying good-bye…
Posted by Lance and Laura Ostman on Monday, May 16th, 2011Check our pictures from our last two days in the village.
Returns and Rejoicings…
Posted by Lance and Laura Ostman on Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011
Returns and Rejoicings
I had a wonderful time with Nicole, Olivia, Jacob and Owen. Being there with them for those weeks met the desires of my “mother’s and grandmother’s heart.” Thanks again for praying for us both, especially during the time I was away, through my sickness, and for my return to the Philippines.
Our son-in-law Justin returned from his trip to Asia before I left their home. He came back excited about the work that is going on and which they hope to join by early next year, the Lord willing. Justin & Nicole continue to do pre-field ministry and their support level is now at 72%! This is cause for rejoicing. Please join us in prayer for the remainder of their support, for the contacts and meetings to see more partners in their ministry. We rejoice in those who have already joined their “team.”
Psalms, Proverbs and Pogong…
Posted by Lance and Laura Ostman on Sunday, January 16th, 2011
Pogong teaching
Pogong and his family
Thank you so much for praying for Lance’s work on the Psalms. He’s really been enjoying recording each chapter with Pogong, his translation helper. However, last week and this week he’s had to lay that aside as Pogong is away on a ministry trip.
Pogong has lived with his family in a village for a number of years where He has been teaching God’s Word to about 100 people. Last year he started living here more often then there handing over the responsibility to the people there. As Pogong and his wife phase out of that village, they will visit from time to time to check on the church’s progress. Their heart’s desire is to move to another village that needs the gospel. (more…)
an outreach with bones!
Posted by Lance and Laura Ostman on Wednesday, November 17th, 2010This week the Higaunon church is hosting a seminar for the Bible teachers. They have come from several outreach villages.
This picture has several stories behind it that we want to share with you.
Starting from the right –
Langan 
came here in the late 80’s because he had heard that the “message of life” had come to our village. He wanted to be taught so he could be saved and take the message back to his village so that others could hear and be saved. It happened just the way he wanted (and more so since he married Iyi, our neighbor’s daughter). Today there is a church in their village with about 100 men women and children in regular attendance. Langan and Iyi sat on our porch yesterday sharing how God has blessed the ministry. Unbelievers in their village are surprised at how well things are going for them, especially since they don’t get a salary; they live on the little the church gives them and what they get selling produce from their garden.
It’s Harvest Time!
Posted by Lance and Laura Ostman on Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010
It’s harvest time here in the mountains and people are busy bringing rice in from their fields!
This year has been a particularly good harvest for which they are all very thankful. They have had just the right amount of rain and sunshine at the right times to ripen it. The village is often empty during this time of year because people are working to get the harvest in before it rots with the oncoming rains or the rats get it. It’s important to get it in while the getting is good. (Speaking of good – it is delicious! Wish you could be here to enjoy it with us!)
I am a jealous God!
Posted by Lance and Laura Ostman on Friday, October 8th, 2010
Two Visitors
We had two visitors at the house the other day. The first one was all about “everyone is persecuting me!” Our neighbor was rather upset by the way he perceived people were treating him. We told him he needed to go see the church leadership. It has been many years since we have taken any kind of teaching/leadership role amongst the Higaunon. Our job is to provide teaching materials and translation of scripture. Not that we mind hearing what people have to say… not at all… like Alice who came later in the day. (more…)
I stand rebuked!
Posted by Lance and Laura Ostman on Friday, February 5th, 2010Is God Awesome or what!?
One of our neighbors stopped by wanting change for a thousand peso bill. That’s the largest denomination available and is difficult to change here in the mountains. Consequently we don’t like to give that kind of change but we’re leaving here soon and furthermore, he wanted to buy a Bible. How could we refuse!?
As I was counting out change we started asking each other – “where did Mansumintik, of all people, come up with a thousand peso bill?” Of course right off the bat we thought “illegal logging!” Where else can they get that kind of money around here?
the first edition…
Posted by Lance and Laura Ostman on Tuesday, April 21st, 2009
Jason & Shirley were the first white people the Tala Andig of that remote region had ever seen. Some of those people had never even seen a logging truck.
The Birkins moved into the jungles during the mid 80′s and have labored there faithfully ever since. Today there is a strong church who now, for the very first time, will be able to open up and read a New Testament in their language.
Pictured here is the very first bound copy of the Tala Andig New Testament. As you know from our last update, Jason & Shirley spent several days with our partners Ron & Michelle Jennings, formatting the layout of the recently completed translation.
Lance has been busy printing copies on our big printer and now that a number of copies are printed, Higaunon believers are binding the New Testaments. It has been neat to work together as a team in seeing this job accomplished.
Please pray with us for the completion of this project. We have experienced quite a number of paper jams. Ron and Lance have looked for the cause and think it’s a combination of the quality of the paper we’re using and the humidity. One thing is for certain, the enemy of our souls does NOT want this printing to happen!
Please pray that we’ll get all copies printed and bound by the deadline. That’s a month away from now so there “should be” plenty of time.
Rejoice with us and the Tala Andig church as they receive their first completed copies of the New Testament in their language!
Thank you for your partnership in this ministry!
Secure in Christ’s love,
Lance & Laura for all of us here who are working together for the furtherance of Christ’s kingdom.
Back to work after a wonderful vacation!
Posted by Lance and Laura Ostman on Saturday, April 11th, 2009
The Lord brought us safely back “home” to our village on Thursday.
We had a good time with our friends who were visiting from Hawaii, plus we got to surprise our coworkers, the Harts, when they got back into the country at the end of March!
We visited three islands that we’d never been to before and enjoyed the beauty of God’s creation anew. Thank you for praying for us over the past couple of weeks while we traveled.
Lance was able to finish up his part of the last check through the Higaunon New Testament. Our coworker Ron wasn’t able to finish up his part yet, due to a previous commitment to help a fellow missionary who is here for a few days to get his own New Testament ready for print.
We are going to do the printing of Jason & Shirley Birkin’s Tala-Andig New Testament here with our big printer, God willing! They want 100 copies initially. Upon printing the first copy this morning of the Tala-Andig New Testament Jason said, “It will be such a blessing to have the New Testament in one book for the Tala-Andig Church to study from!”
Jason & Shirley Birkin
We would appreciate prayer for this project to go smoothly, as well as the finishing up of the Higaunon Scriptures so it can get sent to the printer soon. We appreciate your part in our lives and the ministry to the Higaunon people.
Have a blessed Resurrection Day!
Secure in Christ alone,
Laura & Lance