MATTHEW 24:14, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world as a witness to all nations. And then the end shall come." PSALM 86:9, "All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your name." REVELATION 5:9, "You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals, for You were slain and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation."
Our
IRIS Relief 1st Response Team was joined today by our FIRE
International friends and Operation Blessing as we traveled to two very
isolated villages, Barangay Baru Boon and Barangay Salvacion. We
distributed food, cooking supplies, tarps and toys for the children to
60 families in each village. Our hearts break for them all. All 120
families prayed to receive Jesus as we shared the gospel of Christ with
them. New life and restoration is springing up in the midst of
devastation.
Yesterday our
team traveled over treacherous roads along cliff faces with armed
military escorts to Barangay Kamansi where we distributed aid to 125
families. 40 children prayed to receive Jesus in that place. Over 15
sick people came to us for prayer. All of them were instantaneously
healed, including a blind woman. Then we traveled to Barangay Concepcion
where distributed aid to another 50 families. We continue to pour out
the love of Jesus to these precious people who have lost so much. Love
always looks like something. We capped off the day sharing stories of
miracles at a conservative Baptist Bible College. Love to you all!
We
don't have good internet at all here...hope this goes through. Today
our Iris Relief 1st Response Team and Operation Blessing brought food,
clothing and medical supplies to 160 families in Barangay Mangayon near
Compostela. We held a children's program as well and prayed for the
sick. There is total devastation in this area. Most trees have been
uprooted and houses are destroyed. Yet the people are so thankful for
the aid we are bringing and are hungry for Jesus as well.
We
made it to Davao City, Mindanao and have had incredible meetings with
our hosts and contacts, making preparations to bring aid into the areas
of devastation. Of course, we are anticipating the Kingdom of God coming
with great love and power. We speak at a church this morning, purchase
supplies tomorrow and then hit the road. Thanks in advance for your
prayers, especially for the precious, broken people here.
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FIRE International Church Service
God
crashed in at the FIRE International worship service this morning in
Davao City. Jesse and I preached and shared stories. Many came forward
for prayer and were in tears. People were stirred up to go love the
poor, broken and hurting. Another normal day in the life of a
missionary.
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Partnerships and Preparations
Our
Iris Relief 1st Response Team has partnered with Operation Blessing and
will be distributing food and aid with their team near Montevista,
Compostela and Monkayo, in villages where they haven't received relief
yet. We rented a car, will leave at 3:30am tomorrow morning and will be
gone for four days. What an honor to love and serve those who are
desperate for help and for hope. Love and blessings!
I arrived late
Tuesday night here in Manila. I am staying with our hosts from Iris
Philippines. Making preparations to leave for Mindanao have taken much
of my time. But I was still able to accompany the Iris Harvest School
extended outreach team to "Smokey Mountain," a garbage dump in Manila
that people live in, build their houses in and scavange in to make some
sort of livelihood. We embraced the chldren with their dirty faces and
their lack of clothing. We greeted those living in the rubbish. We
prayed for the sick. One twenty year old girl, Joanne was deaf from
birth in her left ear. As we laid hands on her and prayed for her, Jesus
did a creative miracle and her hearing was completely restored! After
our time at "Smokey Mountain," we ministered to the women who live in
the permanent housing near the dump. Iris Philippines has a wonderful
ministry among the poor here in Manila. It has been wonderful to be able
to experience firsthand what they are doing here.
.
Wednesday night
our team went to an amazing church called, "Church So Blessed," in
Manila where the Holy Spirit fell. Our team ministered to and prophesied
over many of the people there. Please continue to pray for us as our
Iris Relief 1st response team leaves for Mindanao on Saturday morning.
Also- please pray for Eric Miller from FIRE International, our host in
Mindanao, who has been in the hospital and been diagnosed with Dengue
Fever. We are believing for his complete healing so that he and his
team can run with us to the areas of devastation. The situation on the
ground in Mindanao seems pretty crazy. Here is a recent update from some
relief workers there:
.
"Pray over
those with infections, many will die soon with out God's intervention.
They also need prayer / break through on is transportation, the normally
4 hour drive is taking 7 the last trip they took with 5 rigs they had 7
flat tires 1 wheel snapped off, 2 blown radiators .... they were only
going 5 - 10 miles per hour the normal 4 hour drive took 7+.... also
prayer for safety, reports of the bigger convoys being hijacked, and
an incident of a stabbing over a 2 liter bottle of gas.... fear is
trying to keep these supplies from getting to the most impacted areas.
Pray also against any corruption in the government. As well as there
lack of value for human life. Any $'s raised will go to keeping these
areas flowing! I will end with God is FAITHFUL... they had a incident of
a baby dying in the mothers womb and 3 hours later, the team was
praying over many of the needs for the day. Dan said we need to pray for
the momma that just lost her baby, and I believe that God can resurrect
the baby (they prayed) 5 min later the nurse comes out and said we have
a heart beat!!! The baby was delivered natural (another miracle that
it wasn't c-section) ... so we know that our prayers are the most
powerful gift we can give!"
Christian to Co-Lead Iris Relief 1st Response Team
A couple of
days ago, super-typhoon Bopha ravaged the Philippines leaving over 500
dead (with death toll rising) and over a quarter million homeless and in
desperate need of food and clean water. I have been chosen to co-lead
(with missionary team mate Jesse Gellatly) a small Iris Relief 1st
response team into Mindanao, Philippines. . We will be bringing
physical and spiritual aid to those in the shelters and in the least
accessible areas. I will leave on December 11th and be gone for two
weeks. We will also be partnering with other NGOs and getting things set
up for a 2nd response team to go in after us in January. Mindanao is a
strongly Muslim area and our long-term goal is to have an Iris base
there. Iris Philippines already has been established in Manila, and we
will be assisting them in their vision for the Philippines. Please pray
for us and especially for the precious people affected by this natural
disaster! Also- If it is in your heart to help cover my costs for the
trip, you can give through the Paypal link on this missions blog. Thank
you all so much! I will write posts here as I am able to from the ground
in the Philippines.
Monkayo, Philippines
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