2008 Philippines Mission Trip There is rejoicing (Luke 15:10)   "Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Luke 15:8-10 Pastor Winnie Pastor's Unity Each time we go to the Philippines God works in the same ways and yet, in different ways.  One beautiful part of this trip was seeing the unity of the pastors in this region.  Pastor Winnie, an Assembly of God pastor, took the lead in uniting the pastors in the region who worked together so well to see God's Kingdom built up.  1 How good and pleasant it is        when brothers live together in unity!  2 It is like precious oil poured on the head,        running down on the beard,        running down on Aaron's beard,        down upon the collar of his robes.  3 It is as if the dew of Hermon        were falling on Mount Zion.        For there the LORD bestows his blessing,        even life forevermore. Psalm 133 Pastor at Calabohon Jesus Heals! The one most memorable parts of all of our missionary journey's to the Philippines is the healing that Jesus does in our meetings each evening.  This year was no different.  Each healing is very memorable to the person healed but a few stand out to me.  Katie Enevoldson prayed for a woman with a cyst that disappeared immediately.  The woman in the picture to the right had a hip problem [broken bone] that kept her from walking without a crutch.  She carried her crutch out of the meeting.  Every night people lined up to give their testimonies of healings.  I remember a lot of healed eyes as well as several goiters [tumors] that disappeared as they were prayed for. Hip healed! Healing Testimony Katie Prays Jason Prays "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." John 14:12 Joannie & Rosie Moniz 5 Member Team In the past the Lord has given us ten or more people for our team.  This year we went with only five adults and one 7 month old infant, Elvis Enevoldson.  The Lord was faithful to help make up for the lack in that we had three Americans already with the Philippine team including our own Rosie Moniz, Becky Baurer who has been with us twice before, and a new man Genaro from Hawaii.  Also, I noticed that we were able to keep up our strength during the meetings so we were able to minister to all the needs before us.   The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace. Psalm 29:11 Missionary Transportation Jason, Katie, Alison, Joan, Pastor Eric Door to Door Visitation During each trip one of the hallmarks of the River Rock team is that we arrive at each village about an hour early to go door to door visiting the local people and inviting them to the meetings in their native dialect which is called Cebuano.  Our Philippine director, Jill Boyonas has often praised our team for this as a powerful way of building a crowd.  I appreciate Jill's encouraging words but, the fact is, I do it because meeting the local people in their homes is one of the most rewarding parts of the trip for me.  I really look forward to it.  Final Numbers: Crowd      6774 Salvation  4444 Healing    2508 Bible studies  113 Local Farmers Door to door Visitation Kids Follow me on Visitation The Children These pictures were taken as Pastor Winnie and I went on house to house visitation in Ronda.  It seems like about once or twice each year the kids follow us from house to house in such great number that I feel like the Pied Piper.  Each year as I go I am reminded that although most people in the Philippines live in what we would call poverty that the people of the Philippines are the 17th happiest people in the world compared to Americans who are the 150st [see http://www.happyplanetindex.org/list.htm]  One of the memorable experiences each year is to see how money and happiness are not positively correlated.  I think that this is one reason missionaries often don't want to leave when the time comes.  "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. Matthew 6:24 Happiness Alison Prays Pastor Eric & Evangelist Jerry Sala interpreter   "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:14,15   Philippine Team sings Goodbye to us.