We changed our mission’s name to Filipinos Reaching Nations because we knew we would be focusing more outside our city from now on.
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A friend of ours has dedicated his life to reaching Muslims for Jesus. He asked this intrepid team to translate an English-language video into Visayan. Marc voiced the part of a Muslim who repents and follows Jesus. Icyl is the technical expert, and Bee is the director.
It’s tough work, because Marc has to talk fast. Visayan sentences tend to be significantly longer than in English, but it has to fit in the video.
“Why not do subtitles?” Good question! Many in rural Muslim areas don’t know how to read. It has to be audio.
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Every month, we are delighted to take some of our support and pass the money on to Filipino missionaries who are doing amazing work for God in other parts of Asia. Here is one of them, a man who teaches the Gospel to Muslims. (Obviously I can’t publish his name or location.)
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This is part of the walkway from the road to where some of our dear friends live. It’s too narrow for people to walk side-by-side. If folks are passing in opposite directions, they must be careful not to rub the barbed wire. I don’t know why there is barbed wire. There’s nothing valuable in that field.
Of course there’s no way to drive anything bigger than a motorcycle to all those homes.
At least the cat doesn’t mind the barbed wire. Its tail is draped over the wire. Let’s name it “Barbara.” 
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I love it! How do you prepare the worship team for Sunday? Of course you practice, but after practice, how about doing some evangelism in a mall? Team leader Gina forced 
the musicians and singers to go with her on that day. Sure enough, on the following Sunday, we had a great worship experience and some visitors!
the musicians and singers to go with her on that day. Sure enough, on the following Sunday, we had a great worship experience and some visitors!.
Ten years and one month ago, the facilitators of a five-month Pathways missions course in Mesa, AZ, stood in front to say a few closing words to the participants. Amazingly, I was ‘the boss,’ AKA the coordinator. It was one of the most challenging–and most rewarding–things I’ve ever done. It really helped prepare me for our mission, which began three months later, in August 2013.
I appreciate author and missionary Meg Crossman for twisting my arm and getting me to do this. She took a chance on me, and she guided me along the way.
If you had asked me before I accepted the challenge what were some of my weaknesses, I might have said public speaking, leadership, and administration. By running this class, the Lord helped me strengthen all those areas, and he prepared me for our mission.
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The cement slabs with holes are above drainage trenches. The slabs are supposed to be strong enough to drive on. The front tire made it past, but…
To make a long story short, a bunch of guys from across the street came. They pushed and lifted enough to get me out.
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The woman under the window, sitting next to her translator, has a doctorate. She could be making very good money. But instead she’s earning treasures in Heaven. She carries the gospel from Nepal to Vietnam.
My American friends would never have heard of her, nor the five other Filipino missionaries whom we help sponsor, if God had not sent Gina and me to the Philippines. But because we are here, these wonderful saints have some of their needs met by generous foreign donors. This is extremely important, because most Filipino churches are too poor to send and support overseas missionaries.
If you would like to learn more about the amazing ministries of any of these fearless laborers, let me know. ( jgapinoy@gmail.com ) I’d be thrilled if some of you would sponsor some of them directly.
“But John, I don’t believe in women evangelizing men.” Read John 4:28-39, please. 🙂
My American friends would never have heard of her, nor the five other Filipino missionaries whom we help sponsor, if God had not sent Gina and me to the Philippines. But because we are here, these wonderful saints have some of their needs met by generous foreign donors. This is extremely important, because most Filipino churches are too poor to send and support overseas missionaries.
If you would like to learn more about the amazing ministries of any of these fearless laborers, let me know. ( jgapinoy@gmail.com ) I’d be thrilled if some of you would sponsor some of them directly.
“But John, I don’t believe in women evangelizing men.” Read John 4:28-39, please. 🙂
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I’ll say this quickly and then get back to the mission report: Expenses have been higher for a couple of months, and monthly giving is down, possibly because we switched to a different mission sending organization. If you could help us, we’d really appreciate it. We’re certainly not panicking–God is still on his throne. But we believe you have a right to know how we’re doing.
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I was honored to speak a few weeks ago at Hope of Salvation Church in Ilocos. My topic? Filipinos’ strategically important role in missions. To learn about that, please click ‘What is…?’ at the top of this page.
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Cathy (in baseball cap) taught the Scriptures to this family recently. Cathy has been a huge blessing to Gina and me for the eight years since she began to follow Jesus. She’s very humble yet quite gifted as a teacher, worship team member, kids’ ministry leader, and disciple-maker. She believes God will send her out as a missionary one day.
A while back, Cathy wrote her testimony of how Jesus changed her life, and she gave me permission to share it again:
“When I was in elementary and high school, I’ve heard a lot of God’s word but I’m not a Christian yet.I just listen then forget it. I had a false religion, I didn’t have relationship with Him, but even then I knew there is a GOD. I believed that Mary is god also. I prayed then, but not whole-heartedly.Then I met Kuya* John and Ate* Gina–I was working for them as a cook and cleaning for the ministry. They were doing church every Sunday in their house, and every time they worship I’m just clapping my hands. I’m so full of pride back then, self-centered…But God used them. They taught me how to pray and read the Bible, because every time I read the Bible before I felt sleepy, and I didn’t understand what’s inside the Bible.Then came the time that I decided to follow Jesus. But there were struggles. I was afraid because of my family. But God is faithful–he allows everything to happen according to his will.Now I’m so grateful, and I did not ever regret. Not even once.I love to worship God because he deserves it.I treasure the presence of God every time. There’s a lot of struggles, but I always I cry out Him.I want to be equipped and ready whatever God wants me to do. I will share the gospel.”
*Kuya means older brother, and Ate (ah-tay) means older sister)
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I was simply taking a photo of a plane flying over Manila, but I inadvertently caught a UFO in the shot! Seriously, it’s the ceiling fan in the room reflected in the window. I didn’t notice the reflection until I looked at the photo. 😄
Seriously, it’s the ceiling fan in the room reflected in the window. I didn’t notice the reflection until I looked at the photo. 😄.
“Yaya” is a babysitter. Hmm… I’m pretty sure “old sitter helper” would be one who cares for an elderly person. There are very, very few elder care facilities in the Philippines. Elders are cared for in the homes of their families.
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It’s an hour’s drive to Catalunan Pequeño in traffic, but it’s worth it to see these friends. I’m usually slated to teach the weekly Bible study there once a month or so.
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Whenever I preach in Catalunan Pequeño on Sunday mornings, afterward I always hurry back to Buhangin so I can catch the end of the service there. This is what I saw when I walked in. I think this is beautiful. God’s people preparing to give their hard-earned pesos to the Lord as Marc rallies the troops.
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We had an overflow attendance at our evangelistic parenting seminar in our Catalunan Pequeño facility a few days ago. Several first-time guests, thank God!
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Pictured: Remembering Joy, who passed away at 37.
“It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.” (Ecclesiastes 7:2)
I’ve spoken at two memorial services within the past week. Both of the dearly departed were younger than me. Our lives are fragile and transitory. There’s great insight in this prayer:
“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12)
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In the Parable of the Lost Sheep, the shepherd left the 99 and sought the one. He used all of his resources to find the lost 1%.
It seems the priority is backwards today. Most Christian resources are used to preserve the flock. Only about 1% of the Church’s resources are being used to seek the totally unreached tribes and cultures that don’t even know who Jesus is. What makes this far worse is that this 1% of church money is for reaching the 42% of the world’s population that is in that totally unreached state.
At Filipinos Reaching Nations, we are trying to be like that shepherd. We are a very small ministry, but in just the past three years, we have sent more than $10,000 in support to Filipino missionaries in unreached cultures. And we have devoted nearly ten years (and much, much more than $10,000 per year) to preparing future Filipino missionaries. And like the shepherd, we will continue to do all we can until the lost are rescued.
Jesus said he came to seek and save the lost. Let’s be like Jesus.
BTW, we think our sponsors are like Jesus! If you are interested in also supporting FRN…
Here are the ways you can donate:
We so appreciate our sponsors!
To those who give, thank you so much!
We could never repay you for your generosity to Filipinos Reaching Nations, 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!