Ministering in Bontoc

Besides ministering in many of the area villages, here is a glimpse of some of the ways the visiting team ministered within the central barangays of Bontoc.

Making a presentation to the municipal government employees during the Monday morning flag ceremony

Moral Recovery Program with the Philippine National Police

 

Kids' Club in the plaza

Teaching students about discipleship 

Visiting children at the hospital

Praying for patients and assisting us at Health Clinic

Teaching Values Education at Mountain Province General Comprehensive High School

Ministering to local congregations

It Is Finished!

Today was my last Values Education with my grade 5 class. Honestly, this was a really difficult year and there were many times I felt like quitting. Yet I persevered. Throughout the school year, I have been telling them Bible stories emphasizing over and over a few things: all these stories are true, God keeps His promises, and He loves you. Again and again I told them, "It is not about trying harder and doing good things. It is all about Jesus." Often, when I would teach, it seemed few, if any, students were listening. But today, I am thankful to say, was different.

Trusting that what I shared throughout the year, along with the New Testaments I handed out to continue to speak into their hearts.

This is my friend, Angel, that blessed me each time I came to the school with her timid smiles and waves.

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Although we do not have many of the familiar sights of Christmas, (definitely not going to be a white one) it sounds like Christmas. Frequently in the evening, we can hear the joyous voices of carolers singing in our neighborhood.

Today my grade 5 Values Education class sang for me God Rest You Merry Gentlemen, Do You Hear What I Hear?, and It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.

I was thinking of my lesson about God fulfilling His promise made long before by His gift of Jesus and the beautiful music of the Christmas carols. I thought of how amazing it will sound when all of us from the east and west and north and south gather to sing in Heaven.

Looking forward to being in that choir. Hope you will be too.
Lisa

Baguio DTS Does Some Show N' Tell

The Baguio DTS team came to my Values Education class several times while they were here for their outreach. They brought songs, skits, and stories to communicate Biblical truths.

On their last visit, the team shared God's love with the students with gifts of schoolpacks.

Besides my grade 5 class, they visited one of the high school's Values Education class. This time at the high school was a continuation of their ministry to the youth of Bontoc. Most afternoons, they spent "hanging out" at the Plaza building relationships and sharing with the young people.

Lisa

From Pixels to People

Mike, Holly, Lainey, Brady, and Jake

Amidst the busyness of the past weeks, we were given the opportunity to transform some on-line friends into personal friends. Mike and Holly recently moved to the Philippine coast as missionaries. Before their trip across the ocean blue, they had found this blog. So for a quite a while now, we have been getting to know each other's families through the miracle of the internet. When their friend needed to make a trip to Bontoc, it was the perfect opportunity for us to meet each other in person.

Although we were really busy, we were all excited to meet them. After our day at the Mainit Hot Springs, we met them at their hotel (sunburned, dirty, and hair all frizzed - us, not them). We enjoyed talking together and learning more about their transition.

The next day we were a bit more presentable as we met at the restaurant downstairs for a treat of their world famous halo-halo. (Halo-halo is a Filipino desert with shaved ice, ice cream, and a varied mix of other ingredients. Florma's is known for having the best halo-halo in town.)

We really wish we could have had more time to spend together, but look forward to crossing paths in the future. You can read more about their journey at their blog: Strangers and Pilgrims.

YWAM Baguio DTS Mid-Term Part 1

One of our responsibilities here is to coordinate the ministry of outreach teams that visit YWAM Mountain Province. We enjoy the opportunity this gives us to meet people from various places around the globe. Last week a Discipleship Training School (DTS) team from Baguio came to minister in Bontoc. The students were from different places in the Philippines, though none from this region. Two staff accompanied the students, Rachel, originally from Malaysia and Bamshak from Nigeria.

We took a break from our normal school work and spent the week assisting the team and guiding them to the places they were to serve in the community.

The team: Jason, Rachel, Ruth, Jasmine, Gretchen, and Bamshak.

Monday morning they performed a drama for the flag ceremony. The drama highlighted the importance of unity and teamwork. It was very appropriate and well received by the government employees. I heard several comments as I moved around taking pictures. During the mayor's address, he talked about the value of the drama for the community.
After the flag ceremony,they joined me for the Moral Recovery Program with the Philippine National Police. After Gretchen opened the meeting with prayer, Bamshak talked about the love of God and how it affects a community.
Afterwards, they were given the opportunity to pray for Mayor Odsey. It is an honor to have the opportunity to encourage the leaders of our community to consider God as they perform their duties.

It was a busy Monday. After their time in the governmental plaza, they joined Lisa for the Values Education Program at Bontoc Central School. I enjoyed it because it was the first time that I got to tag along and see her teach the kids. She does such a great job.

The kids really enjoyed having the team there, too. The team led a couple of action songs. Then they performed a comical skit with a serious meaning - Jesus needs to be the one "driving the bus".


In the afternoon, we escorted them to the Bontoc Museum (thus the picture at the top of the post). Lisa and I were blessed there. The receptionist at the museum recognized us because each time a team comes, we take them there. Because of this, she waived our entrance fee. Even though the students on the team are Filipinos, the culture here is considerably different than their homes. So it is a valuable experience to learn more about the people of the region.

After their time at the museum, it was back to work. Because we were leaving the next morning to go to Can-eo for a few days, we needed to go marketing for our trip. There is no market in Can-eo, so anything we planned to eat needed to be purchased in Bontoc. The students enjoyed comparing the prices and the size of the market to those in their own home towns.

In the evening, the team led worship and presented a message for our weekly Discipleship Talk with the SSM students. The room was a bit more crowded than usual because several of the students from Bontoc Mission Church attended as well. It was a great time of worship together.

Finally, after a very busy day, the students returned to their rooms for some much needed rest. So did their (much older) host!

Grace,
Tom

More to come...

Values Education Class 2009-2010

My fair-skinned beauty, Alayna, with her classmates

A game called "Water the Camels" following the lesson on Isaac and Rebekah

Carrying items on your head is not new to a Filipino

The boys vs. girls round involved even more enthusiasm

so much that it got a bit out of control

The students' energy succeeded in soaking the classroom floor so some tidying up was needed before dismissal.

Friendship - a precious sight

This year I am teaching Values Education to grade 5 at Bontoc Central School. When I go to the school on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Alayna joins me for the lessons.

When I first started going to the class, the students were very disrespectful and disruptive. They talked while I was teaching and some even walked out of the classroom. Sometimes some of the students would fight with each other. There were many distractions that made it difficult for me.

I was very discouraged but continued to pray for the class and ask God to help me teach them His Word. After six classes like this, the teacher came in and I talked with her about the students’ behavior.(She is not in the classroom while I am teaching more than a few minutes.)She scolded the class and held them late as a discipline. At her insistence, they apologized and promised to behave better. I am so thankful that since that time, the students have been very attentive and respectful.

I continue to pray for all the students. I am emphasizing that God's Word is true, God keeps His promises, and He loves them very much. It is so important that they learn God's Word. Especially with the events at the high school recently, it is vital that they know the truth and apply this to their lives.

Lisa

Batch 2009 - Collegiate Version

Today we joined two of our Student Sponsorship Ministry students in their college graduation. Nora completed her degree in Secondary Education. Donna completed hers in Criminology. This is a significant accomplishment when you consider how many of these students are the first in their family to earn a college degree.

Rather than a lot of text, here are some pictures that summarize our day.

Nora waiting for the ceremony to begin.

Nora and her brother

Nora and her family

Annalise with SSM students, Fe and Donna

Donna with friends and family

Alexie and a friend from her Values Education class

SISTERS: Ruth graduated from high school yesterday, Nora from college today

Lunch with Donna and the other graduates from Talubin.
(They all gathered near the river after graduation before making the trip to the village.)

Celebrating at YWAM Mountain Province with Nora's family and other Student Sponsorship Ministry friends.

Beyond Words

The school year has just finished here in Bontoc and with it my time with my grade 6 Values Education class. Besides the many lessons I presented throughout the school year, they now have their very own Bible. I am so excited that they will be able to continue to learn as they read this love letter from God. Please pray for my 25 students that God will continue to reveal His great love for them. My desire is that it will not just be words and teachings, but that each student will discover life and hope through following Jesus.

Lisa

Love Letter

This week I was able to hand out a Bible to each of the sixth graders in my Values Education class. Together we read the passage in Luke about the Good Samaritan. We discussed it and then some of the students acted the story out (minus the beating and robbing). They seemed to understand when I shared that the way Jews and Samaritans felt about each other were like two tribes engaged in a tribal war or the discrimination that occurs between Highlanders and Lowlanders here in the Philippines. I told them that Jesus did not just talk about love but clearly demonstrated His love. Not just to His friends, but all people. Together we read more Bible verses to reinforce this important point. I walked around helping any who needed assistance finding the verses.

Never had the class been so eager to participate. I was so excited to share this love letter from God with them. And I believe they were just as excited to receive it. It is difficult to imagine not having a Bible, yet many here, do not. Makes me feel bad for the times I have let mine collect dust. I am challenged to keep reading my precious love letter and share it with all around.

Lisa

Hidin' It In Their Heart

Tuesdays I go to teach values education. When I first starting teaching this class of sixth graders, I would assign some homework to go along with the lesson. Some would complete it, but many would not. The regular classroom teacher shared with me that it is the same with the rest of their coursework. None of the assignments were difficult and I made sure to provide all the supplies needed to complete them. Now that you have the background, hopefully you can better understand how excited I was today to have 20 of the 25 students able to recite last week's Scripture verse.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

I look forward to what God is going to do as they learn His Word!

Lisa

Special Gift for You

Every Tuesday, Alexie and I walk to Bontoc Central School for Values Education Class. I have taught lessons on creation, Adam and Eve, and sin. Yesterday I reminded them of the consequences of sin and shared the gift Jesus offers.

Please pray for the students as they think about this lesson. I am so very thankful for this opportunity to share each week with this class of sixth graders. I am amazed that I have this freedom to teach the Word of God in the public school and I am loving it!

Lisa