SUNDAY SCHOOL MINISTRY

Bill is scheduled to arrive home on Monday, March 17! Pray for his safe trip home!

I arrived in Davao along with Pastor Johnny's son, Jon Mac. He is very interesting and is about to finish nurses' training. Joy had a wonderful AMERICAN lunch for us. A great tossed salad, baked potato, broccoli, fresh pineapple and mangoes - then brownies for dessert! I am so tired but will rest this afternoon.

I came back from "prayer mountain" today where three of us spent the night and prayed. It was a beautiful compound with trees and a newer building. They provided rooms for lodging and one-man cells underground for prayer. It was such a sweet experience to meet with the Lord and thank Him for all the things He has done here and at home! I already said goodbye to Eloi and those pastors, etc. and know when it comes to tomorrow night I will weep when I say goodbye to Orlan and his people here. Two women came again this morning to wash and iron all my clothes - they are so nice and I will give them a love gift at prayer meeting tonight.

I got to see all the pastors I needed to plus many new ones. I met Orlan's Korean friend Stephen and his family yesterday and had Korean dinner in their home. What a fine man of God he is!

Joy's former pastor in Davao now lives near Manila. He is picking up my big suitcases on Fri. am at the airport and taking them to his home. When I return from Davao on Sunday he will send a driver to the airport to pick me up and I will spend the night with him and his family. The driver will then deliver me to the airport early Monday morning to catch my plane home. I cannot believe how nice people are here!

Well, it is getting late and we will be having supper soon. I treated Orlan and another brother to Burger King today at lunch. It was the first one I had ever seen here and it was absolutely delicious! They had never tasted a whopper before and were delighted also.

I just cannot take in the news of so much snow! It is so tropical here and I am using a fan at night. Ministry continues to be so wonderful! We went out to a children's outreach yesterday. It was in a very poor section of the re-location area, not far from Orlan's church. About 70 children gathered to hear a Bible story, sing songs, and I treated them each to a donut and juice. (mango of course) Afterward some mothers brought their very little ones to me for prayer, most were burning up with fever. I annointed them with oil and prayed. I could hardly talk because of how such an experience touched me. Then before we left many children gathered around me and "blessed" me by lifting my hand to their foreheads. I lost it then!

I preached this morning and many made decisions for Christ or re-commitments. I will be staying in a hotel the next two nights to give Orlan and Lorie a break, but I have plans each day to continue visiting pastors, etc. Must go, this internet cafe is crowded and people are waiting.

I am at Malabon near Manila today to visit Reul Tica and the ministry here. Our church supports them. I like what I have seen and heard, and rejoice with the Bible school students here. I just said a few words of encouragement to them - what a blessing they are! I am doing okay and getting used to cold bucket baths, etc. I am really enjoying Orlan and his family. Orlan is here with me as we came in a small truck. We will be leaving soon for Laguna.

Here I am at an Internet Cafe in Manila. Orlan and I came by bus
to get a visa extension from the Immigration Agency. They now have my passport for processing. It is 10:30 a.m. and we have to wait until 1:30 p.m. to go pick it up. I really do not like the big city.

I continue to meet new pastors and enjoy hearing of the many things that God is doing! We have to travel by rented car the next couple of days. But it will be great to see the pastors we support again.

I am still doing fine and actually wore shoes today. Before it was sandals only. The Sacmans are treating me very well. You should have seen the women from church come to do my laundry yesterday-they even ironed my shirts! What a blessing they were!

I had a wonderfully busy day yesterday preaching in two churches. It was tiring but such a blessing to see God move among the people and have His strength to stand! This morning I had the honor of going to a school where they gathered the teachers together so that I could pray for them. God sends me opportunities each day to touch someone's life. To council with pastors who have problems in ministry or have to sacrifice much for the gospel. We are so spoiled in the U.S.! In all, they have touched my heart and I am bound to leave another part of it here. It will be hard to say goodbye, but I also long for home!

God always revives me when it is time for a presentation. I hope to go buy the plane tickets for Davao today.Had a good session with many pastors gathered in Eloi's church this morning. Met a Filipino

who was raised in Pomona, Calif. and lived close to where we lived. He is here studying to become a youth pastor here. What a joy to talk with him! I had a very welcome nap this afternoon and feel a lot better."

"I am now in the Laguna area and staying with Eloi and Luz. My cold has gotten worse and I felt absolutely miserable today. I bought Robitussin and got an antibiotic at a drug store. I hope to feel better tomorrow. On our travels to visit pastors today I was asked to speak to a small group at one church (it was not on my schedule and I felt I honestly could not). The pastor urged me and I prayed quickly and God gave me renewed strength to stand and speak with loving authority. Wow!

I was with Orlan for a day or so at first. He was escorting some Christian Korean men around today. What a blessing to meet them and discover that there are God's people in every place!"

"Today, I had the most wonderful experience. We traveled to a nearby village to a former drug lord's house. A beautiful, modern home with a pool, in a large compound. The man was in trouble with the authorities before and Pastor Johnny went to talk to him. The man was impressed because Johnny listened to him and then offered wise counsel. When the man decided to leave the area to "hide" in Manila, he gave the church the keys to his house and said watch over it and use it for God. Today, many children gathered for singing, a Bible story, and prayer. They were in for a great surprise. The youth brought out many
shoeboxes from Samaratan's Purse and distributed them by age and gender. I had the honor of watching the somber kids break out in smiles and laughter as they opened the boxes. One girl had wanted a Barbie doll for three years but her family was too poor to afford it. Isn't it just like God to allow her to have the very box with a beautiful Barbie doll
laying just inside? Praise Him that He cares, even for the desires of a small child's heart."

2/22/2008
Pastor Bill reports that his ministry is going well. He is keeping busy, but also able to get his needed rest each afternoon. He has met many new pastors and people. He is sharing meals with different pastors we support and interviewing them as to the status of each church, goals, etc. Pastor Erwin Esclada is coming down (12 hours drive) from the mountains to meet Bill at Pastor Alex Coronado's home.

The needs there are great. Pastor Bill will make note of special projects that we might want to be a part of. He also shared that he is very lifted by your prayers and sense God's presence with him as he makes presentations. He is grateful, filled with joy and misses all of you!

2/19/2008
We received word from Pastor Bill that he has arrived safely, but tired - only a few hours sleep for a few days. He is thanking the Lord for his safe arrival. He is staying at the home of Pastor Johnny & Eya Tomboc.