Remote Church in the City

If you know me, you know I would rather preach in a jungle church with no walls than in the most beautiful of cathedrals. While hosting Gordon and the HHTN team, I was grounded from taking long road trips due to my recovery from surgery. To my delight, we made contact with a new pastor in Davao who invited us to his church.

We drove deep into the slums of Davao City where the road became too narrow to navigate. I parked my vehicle where we boarded tricycles and took a long, winding drive until they could go no further. We then hiked through a maze of muddy trails in the darkness. Gordon, who is 70, outperformed me on the trail and jokingly called me “grandpa” as I tried to keep up with my wobbly cane.

When we reached the church, the floor was made of dirt and it was exactly the type of church where I feel most at home. When our team ministered, the Holy Spirit came in indescribable power. The pastor and his church were overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit. Even the little children were weeping the Presence of God. It was a sovereign move of God that I have only seen a handful of times in my life. All Glory to Him alone.

Beautiful Church with a dirt floor

Her Jaw Grew Out Right in Front of Me!

While driving a ministry team between cities, someone told me that a young lady in my vehicle named Lovely needed healing. She had a deformed jaw from a dentist’s mistake. Her jaw was out of place and it restricted her breathing. They explained that a normal windpipe has the passage about the size of two fingers, but hers was now about the size of a pinky finger. I started to pray for her while driving, but told her I would pray for her once we reached Davao City. About two hours later I was unloading their suitcases in front of a hotel when the Lord reminded me, pray for her now!

Throwing away all ministry protocol, I laid hands on her head in the street and began to pray. She got slain in the Holy Spirit and started to fall down in the street. I caught her and held her up for a while and realized she was really out. I had to lift her into the back of my SUV where she stayed under the power of the Holy Spirit. I sat in the front seat and continued to pray for her as the Holy Spirit did a deep work in her.  After that, She went out in the power of the Holy Spirit a second time for maybe 5 or 10 minutes.

Then she peacefully said, “Kuya (brother), I feel my jaw moving!” I then commanded the jaw to grow out and go to its normal position by the Stripes of Jesus! I watched her jaw grow and her face change right in front of me! I almost could not recognize her face after I prayed. The whole team said her face changed! She went to a doctor about a week later and he said her jaw changed and asked her what happened. She told the doctor a missionary prayed for her and God healed her! Praise God!

Formerly Crippled Boy Can Now Walk!

In my last newsletter, I reported that several people were healed while ministering in Polomolok. When I wrote my last newsletter, I did not report that during the ministry time, I prayed for a little boy named Reuben who could not walk. He was born prematurely and had not developed the ability to walk even though he was three years old. When his parents handed him to me my heart broke for him. He looked at me and cried in anguish with sad eyes because he could not play with the other children like a normal little boy.

When I prayed for him one of his feet straightened a little bit, but he did not walk well immediately. He took about seven steps and fell down. This bothered me– a lot. I left that church with a bittersweet feeling in my heart. I felt happy for all the other people who were healed, but left a piece of my heart broken there with Reuben. I continued to pray for his healing every day for almost a month. Right before I left for the Indian Ocean, and after my ordeal with the rebels, his family contacted me and sent me pictures showing he is finally standing and walking— and playing with other kids! The parents said the healing started in that service in Polomolok!
Hallelujah!

(A Lot) More Bibles for Baganga

The Bible distribution trip to Baganga opened up an incredible new partnership with Bible League Philippines. After buying 400 Bibles from them, I was able to meet with their national director. He told me that if I can gather forty churches in a town or city, they will donate 1,500 Bibles to divide equally among the churches. In one or two days I am returning with him to Baganga with 1,500 Bibles to distribute among the unified pastors. Not only does this provide much-needed Bibles to the churches, but it promotes unity among the churches. Faith Tabernacle (the church we helped rebuild after Typhoon Pablo) will host this gathering of churches and Bible distribution. It is amazing how God maps out these divine partnerships all over the Philippines. These Bibles are in the local Cebuano language which is widely used in Mindanao and is the most widely spoken dialect in this region.

Miraculous Healings in Polomolok

I recently preached in Polomolok, South Cotobato at Destiny Church that if you are wildly obedient to God, you will see wild miracles. We saw several notable healings. On lady’s eyesight instantly cleared up as she was healed of cataracts. Another lady came to church with intense pain in her shoulders that left her as I prayed for her. The next day her daughter contacted me to thank God that the pain never came back. Praise God! These wonderful miracles are a result of your partnership with us. Thank you for your support.

Bibles for Prisoners

Through a series of incredible divine appointments and provision, I was able to take 350 Bibles to Baganga and ended up preaching a salvation message to the general population in the prison and all of them prayed with me to receive Jesus! A representative from each cell block was able to carry a stack of Bibles back to the other inmates.

Prison life is the Philippines very harsh and much more difficult than in the USA. Most of you would be shocked at their conditions. I was also able to preach to and give Bibles to hundreds of former drug users enrolled in a rehab program. When I asked them over 90% of them said it was the first Bible they have ever owned.

I drove the long road trip alone six hours each way safely, but burned out my wheel bearings again on my Ford, but it was totally worth it. Hallelujah!

I Got to Speak to 2,500 People

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Jesus Reigns is an amazing move of God sweeping the Philippines. Once a year they hold a multi-denominational prayer and worship event for the nation. This year’s event was held in 82 provinces. At the Tagum event, the governor, mayor, and vice-mayor all prayed for their nation. To my surprise, I was invited to be the main speaker for the evening worship service. I preached on repentance and the altar was flooded with hundreds of people crying out to God.

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Center of Life Feeding Program

Center of Life Feeding Program at the Refuge
Cute little girls at the Center of Life Feeding ProgramWe are now into our third month of supporting the Center of Life feeding program at the Refuge and the kids are starting to melt my heart. One Saturday when I pulled up the kids were all waiting outside for the doors to open. When I got out of my car, they all cheered and ran up to attack me with their hugs. I cannot put into words the emotions that I experience when I look into these kids eyes before giving them a big hug. I feel joy, love, compassion, and then I feel a rush of empathetic sorrow as I imagine how difficult their lives must be. At least once a week we can put them into a safe, comfortable environment, show them the love of Jesus, and feed them what might be the best meal they eat all week.

Little Guy waiting to get inside the Refuge.

Little guy eagerly waiting to be let in for children’s church.

Repentance at Kapalong College of Technology

Kapalong College of Technology

We were invited back for the second time to to speak at Kapalong College of Technology for their anniversary.  By the time, I was given the microphone to preach, they knew that we were there to bless them and the listened well.

Preaching at Kapalong College of Technology

When I gave the altar call, the Holy Spirit powerfully convicted them of their sins and EVERYONE came rushing forward to the altar call. Many tears flowed as they got their hearts right before God under a heavy atmosphere of repentance. This was not at a church. This was on a secular college campus! God is moving in the Philippines at an accelerated pace. We are thankful to be a part of it.

Altar Call at Kapalong College of Technology

Giving to Baganga

The Altar was full of people who wanted to be healed.

The Altar was full of people who wanted to be healed.

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We recently were able to return to Baganga (about a six hour drive) to take a big load of donated clothes and toys to distribute at Faith Tabernacle Church.  They also asked me to preach on Sunday morning, and in that service God instantaneously physically healed almost everyone who came to the altar for prayer.

We were able to give out over 120 toy and clothing bags to the children there, and also gave many clothes to the adults too. The children were so overjoyed to receive nice toys and clothes.

A little girl reading the Bible we just gave her.

A little girl reading the Bible we just gave her.

For those of you who don’t remember, over two years ago a category five super-typhoon named Typhoon Pablo hit Baganga and took hundreds of lives including the pastor’s wife. It nearly destroyed their town and heavily damaged this church. Through your support, we were able to rebuild the church and the parsonage and restore hope to these precious people. Although there has been much progress, many of the people of Baganga are still trying to get back on their feet. We are committed to keep helping these people, and are going back again to minister to them in December.

Elijah enjoying himself in a tricycle in Baganga.

Elijah enjoying himself in a tricycle in Baganga.

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