Ebi preaches while Prescy translates
We moved our city-center church location. Before, we were paying $160 a month for using a building for a only few hours each Sunday. Now we’re paying $200 monthly in our first 24/7 location! And we definitely use it several times per week. In fact, a young man even lives in it (to guard the place).
Since the facility is smaller, we now have two services every Sunday there (in addition to the services at our two outside-the-city locations).
BTW, look at Gina’s artistic talent displayed through the Christmas décor.
A flood last month damaged this floor of some church members (the floor already needed replacing). Thanks to our generous donors, they have a new floor. We also bought a lot of furnishings for other friends whose stuff was lost or damaged in the flood.
From too much to too little water: Gina and I are entering our seventh consecutive day with either no water, or else water for half the day or less. The well servicing our subdivision is way past its prime, and the switch to city water is postponed until July next year or later. We never know in advance when the water will be shut off. So we really appreciate it when we reach for the faucet and something comes out!
EDIT: After four more days of more or less half-days of water–total of eleven–we now have water full-time again, thank God.
Parks have been closed throughout the pandamic, so we’re doing most of our loudspeaker evangelism in street markets. It’s a thrill that never gets old! Many of the merchants in these markets are Muslims, and they have never opposed us in any way.
BTW, guys commonly wear bags like that in this country, because of pickpockets, plus because motorcycle riders might have things falling out of pockets. In fact, a young man who got up at 3:00 AM a few days ago to do ministry was perhaps still a bit sleepy, and he did not secure his phone properly as he got on the bike. So it fell out and is lost. We hope to help him replace it.
We took a team to meet with Muslim leaders in Cotabato (a five hour drive from Davao City), but we got stuck in the mud on the way. It took an hour to get out! Slippery when wet.
(Sorry, I can’t publish photos of that meeting.)
This reminds me of 2 Timothy 2:2, wherein Paul mentions four generations of disciples.
We have over 20 Bible studies all over the city, and by the grace of God, they’re having a powerful impact. Recently I was thanking Jannette for allowing us to do Bible studies in her house. Here’s how she replied (English is her third language):
“We should be the one who will thank you, Sir*, for sharing the Word of God in our homes, especially with our family and neighbors. We are beyond blessed to have Bible Study here. I will tell you Sir why I together with my family is grateful: it’s because to compare now and before, all I can say is that it makes difference a lot! Before, some of my family members utters disrespectful words often, but since the time that the Bible study held in our house, my family has becoming now gentle, careful with their words. It’s like we now know how to be convicted with our words and deeds unlike before that it’s like just normal to us if we did these… Other than that, everyone is like being excited every Thursday morning, everyone initiates to clean up, set up the chairs and to invite our neighbors. Praise God for that.”
At least seven members of the family attend every Thursday, as well as some neighbors and various others. As with most of our Bible studies, we worship for about 15 minutes, then we have a time of thanksgiving and testimony, and then an hour or so of the Word being taught.
*Filipinos are very eager to respectfully address others as “Sir” or “Ma’am.”
A recent Bible study in the Yonson home.
A couple of months ago we had the worst crisis this ministry has ever endured. Our prayer and financial supporters deserve to know what happened, as well as how by his grace the Lord sustained us. But I don’t think it would be wise to talk about it in this forum. Please email me via jgapinoy@gmail.com to learn about all this. The good news is that, as far as I can tell, we did not lose one person except for the perpetrator! That’s a miracle of God’s grace!
THERE’S BEGGING, AND THEN THERE’S AGGRESSIVE BEGGING. Hopefully you’ll agree this isn’t the latter. 🙂
We at Davao City Outreach could use some help now:
–Friends have urgent medical needs.
–We would like to increase our monthly support for various Filipino missionaries to Muslims. (Or you could ask for their info in order to donate to them directly.)
–We need more drivers, so we’re trying to pay for driving lessons for a few faithful friends. (Plus, missionaries whom we send out should at least know how to ride a motorcycle.)
–We would love to buy a church motorcycle, which would be much smaller and cheaper than bikes in the USA. (Among members in all three of our church locations, there are only four vehicles. Everyone else uses public transportation.)
–We need to buy more Bibles. (They’re cheaper when we buy 100 or more.)
–We could use some big cooking equipment for feeding ministry opportunities. Some of our stuff is old and worn out.
If you aren’t able to give, that’s OK. Please pray.
Gina and I would love to talk with your fellowship group, Bible study, or church via Skype or Facebook chat. We could talk about whatever you’d like: the Philippines, our mission, our personal testimonies, or to urge folks to prayerfully consider serving the Lord in another culture. I think it would be encouraging for your group–it would certainly encourage us!–and it might inspire more prayer supporters and financial supporters for Davao City Outreach. And it would be a chance for us to “see” the US again for a while. The time factor should be easy enough to work out–in the US, your evening is our morning.
To those who give, thank you so much!
Here are the ways you can donate:
We could never repay you for your generosity to Davao City Outreach, but certainly “you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” (Luke 14:14)
Please forward this website to others who might be interested.
Please pray that God will send more laborers into his harvest field.
Please do not write to me here. Your message would get buried in the 1000s of spam messages. Please contact me via jgapinoy@gmail.com. Thank you!