Translation News:
Today we finished 1
Corinthians 15!! Right on track for this week - praise the Lord for allowing us
to complete this goal.
For the month of September, the goal is to finish up to
and including 2 Corinthians 4.
One of our sisters in Lapoc said about the Word of God
this week, "My spirit felt really sad today as we just had my uncle's
funeral yesterday, but the Word of God has strengthened me."
Please
pray for Ann-Ann as she keeps our office running in Lapoc.
Medical News:
Over the years we've had
numerous trips to Doctor's offices for things like Jubab's sinusitis and ears,
Deb's many ops for endometriosis, but other things we have tended to let slide.
So finally after years of
snuffling because of not being able to breathe through his nose, Paul is having
an operation that will hopefully improve his breathing.
Deb has put up with some
unusual aches and pains since 2008 and recently decided to get some serious
work done on it so a lot of physio ahead of her and a lot of healing needed on
her right shoulder and neck area.
Our God is faithful and
good and He is beside us through all the trials this life will hold.
Philippine Trip:
We have a trip booked for
the Philippines coming up in March! We look forward very much to the ministry
that the Lord has prepared for us to do in that time and for His will to be
accomplished!
One of the things we will
be looking to the Lord for wisdom for along with the elders, is the direction
that our ministry will take when we move back to the Philippines after the
translation of the New Testament is completed.
This will involve
discussion about what the elders feel are the needs in all the areas where we
are working and new areas where they are looking to take the Gospel into.
Weddings:
There have been two
weddings this past week of young people from Lapoc and Tumpagon. These are
young people who have grown up as believers in the Lord Jesus, who have waited for
the Lord's direction and have married partners who also love the Lord.
One of these weddings was
today and this picture is hot off of Face Book. (Yes!!!! We can stay in instant
touch with many of our dear ones over in the Cauyunan, Tumpagon and Lapoc areas
through Face Book.)
Speaking of weddings, it
was our 31st wedding anniversary this month and we look back with great
thankfulness on the gift God gave us of each other and the joy it has been to
serve Him together for all the years of our marriage.
Dad:
Deb's Dad just had a blood
transfusion last weekend as he is very anaemic at present which is affecting
his breathing. Please pray for his blood count to come up and for his breathing
to be eased.
Our Kids:
Jen our daughter is nearly
35 which is hard to believe. Jubab (little brother) turns 17 in less than 2
weeks. They don't get to see each other often as they are separated by an
ocean, but there is a bond of love between them that is so sweet.
Jen and Udi in Cauyunan
with our four grandkids are serving the church, part of the leadership team and
the way they are growing and keeping strong in the Lord is a great joy to us.
Jubab, our sweetest son,
is in the midst of many changes in his life. He turns 17 in less than 2 weeks,
goes for his driver's licence around the same time, has his last exams for
Grade 11 next week, is becoming more and more his own man (independent of Dad
and Ma - to our consternation but joy), loves his friends and his youth group,
loves basketball, is entertaining lots of plans and thoughts about possible roads
his life can take after high school.....and
he is experiencing the joy of youth talked about in Ecclesiastes 11:9.
