Will's verse

http://philippinemission.com/images/willsverse.jpg

While packing we found this picture hung in Will's closet. He never told us about - he just drew it and hung it for his own personal viewing. I hope the words of Isaiah 6 are becoming his own.

Political unrest

A Note from Dr. Scott Nelsen, our partner in the Philippines . . .
You can pray for the Philippines, I suspect there will be significant turmoil ahead. Today, they just raised the rate of public transportation significantly (like40%) and everyone will be whacked with higher electric bills due to new taxes and rate adjustments secondary to the price of oil (much of our electricity comes from diesel powered plants). There hasn't been a raise in minimum wage for some time and unemployment is quite high. There are now some tapes being circulated which strongly point to election fraud committed by the president and many of her family members are being linked to illegal gambling operations. For the opposition, the time looks pretty ripe for making a bit of trouble. Finding willing protesters/rioters would be super easy. Things could get a bit sticky. We appreciate your prayers.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/06/11/philippines.protest.ap/index.html

Darlin' (Emily's cat)

Sometimes answers to prayers come with many tears. Tonight my residency program had its annual graduation pool party. We discussed with Doug and Tami Massey previously about adopting Emily’s cat Darlin’ and they agreed to do just that tonight. What an answer to prayer! But on our drive home, Emily realized she had only 2 weeks left with her cat and the TEARS began to flow. I mean BIG TEARS, sobbing tears, alligator tears. Ginger, of course, joined in. Even I could not keep the eyes dry at the broken heart of my daughter. There will be many more goodbyes in the next few weeks … and many more tears.

Our Testimony

It is a privilege to tell you our testimony, not because of anything that I have done but because my family and I stand as a testimony to God’s faithfulness – faithfulness to do what he has promised and to answer the prayers of His people.

Even before Ginger and I were married, we knew God desired for us to serve as missionaries sharing the gospel in other cultures. We thought at that time that I would go to seminary after paying off student loans and then go as the typical missionary church planter. As I grew as a Christian, I came to see that seminary and church planting was not what God has equipped and gifted me to do.

We settled into the American dream. I had a well paid engineering career, a wonderful wife, a new home, a baby daughter and a son on the way. Normal Rockwell could not have painted a rosier picture. For years Ginger and I lived with anticipation hidden away in our hearts that God would someday send us overseas.

IN WAYS I STILL STRUGGLE to understand today, God mixed my desire to serve Him in another culture with a desire to study medicine. It was hard for me at first to accept leaving my career in engineering and returning to school to study medicine but medicine seemed a perfect match for sharing the love and message of Christ.

Then came the HARDEST PART – to approach Ginger and tell her that I wanted to quit my job, sell our house, leave our friends and go to medical school and live for the next 4 years without and income. Her response was nothing short of miraculous - she felt the same way and was praying at that time that God would open MY heart to change

We entered medical school with this promise: Jer 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD , "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”

We made 2 commitments prior to entering medical school: (1) Ginger would not work outside the home because of our 2 young children; (2) We would not accumulate more debt than we could immediately pay.

GOD WAS FAITHFUL during our medical school years – no need went unmet. When I completed medical school, both commitments were fulfilled.

Through medical school we continued to seek Gods will and in 2001 our family went to Kijabe Kenya and served for 9 weeks at a large mission hospital. Kenya was a great medical learning experience and a time of spiritual growth for our family – it was our first mission experience together.


AFTER MEDICAL SCHOOL we moved to Greenwood, SC for me to complete my training in Family Medicine. While training in Greenwood, Ginger and I had heard of 2 physicians who also trained in Family Medicine at Self Regional Healthcare. These two physicians had joined together to create a new medical clinic just on the outskirts of metro Manila. The clinic was created to meet 3 needs: (1) to share the gospel of Christ, (2) to provide excellent primary healthcare to those who had none, and (3) to train other missionaries in basic medical care.

In a set of coincidences that could only be God’s providence, we were able to go and serve in this clinic for 6 weeks. After years of preparation and prayer, we are confident that God has prepared us to serve in the Philippines. We joined with Philippine Mission of Calvary Chapel Greenwood, the same mission organization that sent Dr Larry Holmes and his family.

Our Challenge to You!
John Pipers famous quote “Missions exist because worship does not” is true. God wants His name glorified throughout the WHOLE earth; the Philippine is where He has called us.
WHERE HAS HE CALLED YOU?
Seek God and find your part. God may want you to come along side our ministry and support us.
There are 3 ways you can help
1 Support us through prayer – this is a spiritual battle, fought and won in the heart of man. Without prayer, the physical care we can provide is useless.
2 Support us financially – If you are interested, please see our website for information on giving to this ministry. The funds we raise provide not only our expenses but also the operating expenses of the clinic. God’s people have been faithful to join with us in this mission. In just 5 months, we are almost fully supported.
3 GO! Find a mission trip with our church, or another group and see how God is working elsewhere.