' Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want
but the realization of how much you already have.'
Warm greetings from Baguio City! Yes we made it back to the Philippines last June 16 and it has taken us this long to settle and to get ourselves organized to give an update to you all!
Two days before we were scheduled to fly out from Auckland to the Philippines Brenda's Dad was admitted to ICU with a heart attack. It was a difficult decision of whether to delay our departure or to go ahead as planned..Thankfully we have a good God who guides us so well during times like these. We came home as planned and Dad was released from hospital about three days later.For those of you who prayed thank-you!
Another shock for us occurred 12 hours after we arrived in Baguio.
Our landlord called Mel over to their home and told him that he had decided to increase our rent by 50% starting this July!. It took us a few days to decide whether we should unpack or start house hunting!! Finally we decided to unpack until we could process this better with a clearer mind. After much deliberation we decided to stay here in this house until January as we have a very full schedule until then and house hunting would just add unnecessary pressure. Please pray that our landlord will change his mind about the increase.
These past two weeks have been occupied with setting up house and office again, meeting with our staff three times to plan and pray, re-registering our training schools with the University of the Nations, getting back to our church after a long absence, attending a church anniversary of a local tribal church of one of our staff and cleaning up the garden. Mel was even able to get a few panels of the car painted...Phew! It certainly feels good to sit down today and write this e-mail.
Mel is presently in Manila for the week attending to some family business, having our computers serviced, and on Wednesday he along with more than 500,000 others attended the inauguration of the Philippines new president. Our new President Nonoy Aquino is the son of former President Cory Aquino. Please pray that God will use him mightily to bring much needed change to the Philippines
Approximately 12 years ago, well before my mother passed away she gave me a cross-stitch pattern to stitch and after many years I was able to complete it. It has been hanging in our home a couple of years now and the words embroidered there are as follows.....
'Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want
but the realization of how much you already have.'
So often it is easy to look at all that you want and yet forget about that which you already have! We have much to be grateful for.....
- Time with family & friends in New Zealand over these last three months.
- Blessed with friends who opened their homes for us and being able to enjoy wonderful meals and fellowship together with them.
- Jonathan and Joanna staying with us together for several weeks at the little flat in Mt Maunganui. During that time we took turns in teaching Joanna to drive and she was able to pass her restricted drivers license.
- Joanna settled in teachers college and doing well in her studies and adjustment to NZ.
- Being able to spend time with our church family and other church connections in New Zealand.
- Brenda's Dad's recovery from his heart attack and release from the hospital.
- Happy to see that on our arrival our Family Ministries Staff Team were in good heart and gladly serving the Lord wholeheartedly.
- Thankful we were able to get extremely cheap tickets to Chiang Mai Thailand for our meetings this month.
- Happy that Joanna will stay with us for two months this coming Nov 28 and possibly Jonathan will be here for a break this September.
Please Pray for the following upcoming important events.
- July 23-25 Family Ministries International Leadership Team Meetings in Chiang Mai Thailand.
- July 30-Aug 1 YWAM Family Ministries staff gathering for those working in Asia which also will be held in Chiang Mai Thailand
- August 2-8 we will take our International Family Ministry Leaders Angela & Andreas Fresz to either Cambodia or Vietnam or both!
- August 9 Pray for our safe return to the Philippines.
- August 15 Arrival in Baguio of our new staff family (Vietnamese).
- August 23-Sept 10 Commence the three week staff training for the Family Ministries School Staff.
- September 15 is the first day of the five month Family Ministries School (FMS) and also when the Foundation for Family Life (FFL) Seminars begin. We will lead this school.and seminar.
- Please pray for more students for both of these. Presently we have 10 confirmed students with about that many more interested. Please pray for their finances as well.
- Please pray that the Lord will send the right guest speakers for this particular school.
- Finally please pray for our strength and good health
Thank you so much. We would love to pray for you too so if you have some needs please just email us and we will gladly pray!
