Good Report from Vanuatu

December 20, 2013 by

Jack Tuls and I had a miraculous time in Vanuatu. We went there with the goal of starting three new Bible Schools, one in Efate, one in Espiritu Santo, and another in Tanna Island. We started our spending the first few days in Port Vila, Efate without any fruitful contacts. After we traveled to Espiritu Santo (Holy Spirit) Island, things began to change. Through a series of events, we met a 74-year-old man who was one of the key Christian leaders in all of Vanuatu. The outstanding miracle is He was given land four days before he met us for the purpose of starting a Bible College in Espiritu Santo! It was remarkable to see the divine favor and the timing of God working in our trip.

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After we had this divine appointment, we proceeded to the very remote Tanna Island where we met with an influential Chief who was also the pastor of a Foursquare Church. He graciously had Jack preach in the church and several people were healed. Three of them had back problems instantly healed and another woman with stomach pain was healed. He said he would like to start a Bible school after we helped his missionary start a school in Efate!

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On the last day of the trip, we returned to Port Vila, Efate and met this missionary, a great man of God, from Papua New Guinea. He already planned to start a Bible school in January, but had no curriculum. He gladly accepted Jack’s curriculum and asked if we had it in French too. He has a vision and desire to start Bible schools in French-speaking New Caledonia too. Within minutes, Jack and I gave him the core of the curriculum for the schools already translated into French stored on Jack’s computer. From that meeting alone, we established a school in the capital city and we may have started more schools in another nation.

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Our Christian Brothers and Sisters in Tanna Island, Vanuatu.

Through God’s help, we were able to make miraculous contacts with the key people to start three Bible Schools in Vanuatu and possibly multiple schools in New Caledonia. Praise God!

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Bringing Truth to Vanuatu

October 4, 2013 by

VanuatuAfter I announced that Dr. Jack Tuls and I are going on a short-term remote missions trip to Vanuatu in November, the most common response is, “Where is that?” It’s obvious that few people have ever heard of Vanuatu. It is a very remote island country between Australia and Fiji.

After researching, I learned that it is a place in desperate need of Bible teaching. Many of the non-Christians there still practice sorcery and witchcraft. They are in solid need of a visitation of the healing power of the Holy Spirit to run over sickness, disease, and bring freedom in that place.

It is a country with only a 53% literacy rate and low Bible understanding. We are going to three islands to start Bible schools in each place. These schools will bring truth and foundational strength to the believers who attend them and empower them to bring change to their nation.

Of the several Bible School planting trips I’ve been on with Dr. Jack Tuls, we have seen miracles, signs, and wonders on every single one of them. I know we will make an impact in both the long and short term. Many people will have changed lives that attend these schools.

I am excited to bring change and truth to this nation. Will you please stand with us financially and in prayer to make a difference in Vanuatu? I need $2,500 in addition to our monthly support to go. Thank you in advance for your help.

 

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Powerful Worship at the Refuge

October 4, 2013 by
Awesome Worship at the Refuge Youth Center.

Powerful Worship at the Refuge Youth Center.

We have been continuing our worship nights at the Refuge Youth Center and they seem to get better each time we have them. At the most recent one last week, the praise and worship lasted for three hours straight and when the music stopped, no one wanted to leave. The people just sat there in the stillness of God’s presence. The tangible presence of God was just overwhelming.

Passionate Worship at the Refuge Youth Center.

Passionate Worship at the Refuge Youth Center.

I’ve had other ministry leaders thank me for having a place where they can be refreshed outside of their own ministry. Thank you for supporting the Refuge. We are changing lives together.

Worship at the Refuge

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Celebration in Baganga

October 4, 2013 by

Faith Tabernacle Church Before and AfterAbout two weeks ago, despite significant risk, we went to Baganga to celebrate the dedication of the new church building there.

With the radical Muslims currently in berserker mode in the island, all of the other missionaries decided not to go on this trip. We cautiously proceeded and made sure we were not seen on the way to Baganga and only showed our faces at the church and where we slept.

Praying over the people at Faith Tabernacle Baganga.

Praying over the people at Faith Tabernacle Baganga.

Elijah enjoyed the trip and made new friends in the church.

Even though our alternator went out on our trip, our vehicle got us there and home to Davao City safely. Thank you for your prayers.

Elijah hugging Mommy during our ministry trip to Baganga.

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Elijah’s Favorite Mall Got Bombed

October 4, 2013 by

Gaisano Mall Bombing Police LineAbout two weeks ago, two bombs simultaneously exploded in the cinemas of  SM City Mall and Gaisano Mall here in Davao City. The blasts occurred on a Monday night and thankfully no one died and five people only suffered minor injuries.

The day before that blast, we invited several missionaries and their families to SM City Mall and celebrated a birthday there.

Elijah and I play at that mall several times a week. He runs and squeals with glee as I chase him down the aisles. It’s really one of his favorite places to be for daddy-son time, especially on rainy days.

Elijah playing at SM City Mall

Elijah playing at SM City Mall.

As a parent, when is it O.K. to go back there?  When is it O.K. to take him to see his first movie?

Those are the kind of questions you ask yourself as a missionary when things go crazy in your city.

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Elijah playing with his trucks at SM City Mall.

I’ve already been back alone to SM City Mall to buy hardware for our most recent trip to Baganga and I’m not afraid to go there.

Overall, we still feel safe and peace about being here in Davao City, but I’m not really eager to take Elijah back to the mall, at least not until things quiet down again.

Elijah got in line by himself at Krispy Kreme hoping to get a doughnut.

Elijah got in line by himself at Krispy Kreme hoping to get a doughnut.

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Civil War in Mindanao

October 4, 2013 by

Civil war in Zamboanga Mindanao PhilippinesAbout three weeks ago, a group of about 200 to 500 Radical Muslims tried to make a declaration of independence, but when they were blocked by the police, they took 200 hostages and burned down the parts of  Zamboanga City that they took by force. Zamboanga has a population of one million people. Over 118,000 of the residents are now refugees as their homes were burned down as they became part of the war zone.

Philippine Army Forces fighting Muslim rebels in Zamboanga City.

Philippine Army Forces fighting Muslim rebels in Zamboanga City.

After 20 days of civil war, 183 rebel combatants died, 18 government troops were killed and 12 civilians tragically died. Also, minor skirmishes with Muslim rebels have broken out in Cotobato.

Not to be forgotten, the communist rebels (NPA) attacked a military unit in Northern Mindanao in Balingasag killing five soldiers. I have been to Balingasag in the past when I used to travel the island by bus preaching the Gospel. Mindanao is in tumultuous disorder and we need prayer to bring peace right now.  Please pray for the evil rebels to be stopped and for the safety of Christian Believers on this island.

Just to make things clear, we live in Davao City (400 miles from the conflict) which has its own military detachment with strong leadership. We feel safe here and it would be nearly impossible for a rebel attack to have any success in this city. Nonetheless, we covet your prayers and we thank you for your support.

There are 118,000 refugees from the civil war in Zamboanga City.

There are 118,000 refugees from the civil war in Zamboanga City.

 

 

 

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Mission Accomplished!

August 24, 2013 by

Faith Tabernacle Baganga Inside truss work

We are happy to announce that we are finally finished with the roof construction project for Faith Tabernacle Church in Baganga.

For those of you who don’t normally read our newsletter, there was a giant typhoon in December that destroyed entire towns, killed thousands of people, almost destroyed this church, and sadly took the life of the pastor’s wife. In response, our ministry took on the project to rebuild this church.

We recently took two trips in the past two weeks and finally finished this seven month long construction project. Our last trip started out with an early morning six hour drive followed by an eleven hour work day of carpentry and mixing concrete. The following day was all about mixing concrete followed by a long drive back to Davao City.

 Mixing Cement in Baganga

On the way back, we stopped to ask a local a question, and his gang of thugs let some air out of our rear tire hoping to steal some of our supplies while we were changing the tire. By the grace of God, we didn’t fall for it and got out of there on a underinflated tire which slowed us down for about 45 minutes while we looked for a place with an air compressor.

Thankfully, we got home safely with the satisfaction that we finished this project. Now the people of this church can worship under a larger dry roof that is better than before, and the family can live in the expanded, nicer parsonage. Thank you for supporting us. This could not have been done without your prayers and financial help.

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The Refuge Worship Experience

August 24, 2013 by

Worship at the Refuge Youth Center Philippines

We recently had a great night of worship night at the Refuge Youth Center. It was a thick refreshing wave of God’s Glory for over two hours. We were blessed to have Josh and Brandie Wilson who are graduates of Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry to lead the worship.

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This awesome night did not come without challenges. Elijah had a fever and cried all night before the event, but got miraculously better the morning of the event after we prayed for him. Then, two key members of the three worship bands we invited got so sick they couldn’t come. It worked out amazingly though because all the bands joined together to make one unified worship team.

After that, three vehicles that were normally available to move instruments that we borrow suddenly had problems, but thankfully I was able to use our Toyota Tamaraw FX at the last minute to haul the instruments and people to the event with two trips through the rain before and after the event. I cannot express with words how thankful we are for our vehicle. I’m just in awe of how we overcame all of these challenges and had one of the best worship nights we’ve ever had.

Please pray for us to get our own sound system and instruments so we don’t have to borrow them every time we have an event.

Immediate needs are:

  • A new powered mixer for our sound system which will cost about $650 and function as both a mixer and an amplifier. We are currently using half of a dying amplifier to power our whole sound system.
  • A new drum set which will cost about $400 to 1,000 depending on the quality. The ancient drum set we have at the Refuge is broken beyond use.

Thank you for your support to keep the Refuge Youth Center going.

 

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Vanuatu on the Horizon

August 24, 2013 by

Vanuatu Map

Dr. Jack Tuls has asked me to go with him to the nation of Vanuatu in November on a two week trip to help him start new Bible schools there. Vanuatu is an island country in the South Pacific. It’s NE of Australia and is about as remote as it gets.

Jack and MeI met Dr. Jack and Grace Tuls when I was a Bible College student. I had no idea that being in their class would one day change my life. About two years after I graduated, I was a mess. I was heartbroken from many betrayals and personal disasters in my life and I was about to give up on the ministry. I could not see at that time how I would ever become a missionary. During that painful season, Jack invited me to go to Burma (Myanmar) with him and I not only went with him that time, but over the next several years joined him on mission trips all over the world and witnessed all kinds of tremendous miracles first hand. I don’t know if I would even be a missionary today if it were not for him and his wife mentoring me in missions. They are truly my spiritual parents and I’m happy to help them whenever I can. Jack and Grace have now started over 350 Bible schools worldwide.

Needless to say, I am overcome with excitement  about this trip and can’t wait to go. Please prayerfully consider helping us start new Bible schools in this remote place.

 

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Perilous Times in the Philippines

August 24, 2013 by
A powerful IED blast in Cotobato City.

A powerful IED blast in Cotobato City.

Sadly, there has been a wave of bombings on our island this month and our city is on high alert for terror activity. The police and military have set up checkpoints on the roads and doubled the security at most of the malls.

Of the recent bombings, the most shocking to me was an explosion at Limketkai Mall that claimed the lives of six people and wounded forty-six. I have personally been to this mall several times with Dr. Jack Tuls and my dad, Michael Triggs, every time we traveled to Cagayan de Oro City in the past. We currently live about 120 miles from this mall.

Another tragic bombing was a failed political assassination using an IED device in Cotobato City that killed another nine people and wounded forty about 130 miles west of us.

Tropical Storm Maring IR

Across the country to the north, there has been terrible flooding due to tropical storms specifically Typhoon Maring (Trami) passing over the island. Reports are that half of Manila is under water and several other provinces are flooding as well.

Tropical Storm Maring

Please pray for the peace of God to reign on the island of Mindanao and protection and recovery for rest of the disaster-stricken Philippines.

Please also pray for us to that we can have the wisdom and resources to help the victims as our resources and strength are exhausted from the last big disaster to hit the Philippines.

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