Journal Updates from the Philipines Team
Dave Stevenson, Ian Baublitz, Josh Lapoint and commissioning prayer - 8/10/08

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Wednesday, September 3, 2008, 9:56 AM - by Ian Baublitz, Josh LaPoint and Dave Stevenson Home from Our Trip
To all of you who have been praying for us while in the Philippines: THANK YOU!!            We returned home late Sunday, August 31. We had a great trip with extensive exposure to many aspects of missionary service, lots of contact with Christian workers, and various opportunities to serve the Lord while there.           The conduct of the three pastors' conferences (the initial reason for planning the trip) went well, and our interaction with the missionaries our church supports, Vance and Carol Johnson, was especially good.            On a Sunday morning soon we will have opportunity to share highlights of our trip with the congregation.            Again, thank you for supporting us in this effort. We are convinced your investments will bear eternal dividends.            Ian Baublitz, Josh LaPoint, Dave Stevenson ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Friday, August 29, 2008, 8:14 AM - by Dave Stevenson In Manila Again
Hi!           Sorry I haven't been in touch for the past few days. It was not convenient to get to you when in Davio, then when we got back here to the guest house the internet was out of service. So now it is about 7 p.m. Friday and I can get to the computer. I will assume this will be my last communication to you.          Our plans are still to leave here on Sunday morning and to arrive in Seattle 7:41 pm Sunday. Ian's aunt will meet us at the airport, I think we will connect with Doug Nichols while we are on the other side, then I think Jon will meet us at the ferry.  Ian will be in touch with Jon as to just when that will be.  Can't wait!          Today has been significant as we visited the ACTION birthing clinic where they average 130 births per month.  Then we went to Faith Academy, the world's largest school for MKs. Robbie Nichols, Doug's son, teaches there and gave us the grand tour.  We then went to another ministry of ACTION, "The Village" where they make paper and soap, employing Filipinos to do so, and profits go to support pastors in poverty-stricken areas.  Very impressive!           Finally we paid a brief visit to ACTION's office, then here to the guest house for supper.           Our time with the Skoropinskis was very good.  They were so gracious.  We saw some of the translation work in progress, and spent a day of R & R (which I think they needed more than we did).  We went to "Paradise Island", a beach resort. I had the new experience of snorkeling.  Bruce and I spent about an hour in the water; the boys much longer.  We relaxed, played pool, had lunch, compliments of Al and Norma.  Then got home late afternoon, cleaned up, went to a mall where the boys, after loooong deliberations bought jewelry for BriAnna and Lindsey, and finally went to supper at a very fine restaurant.  We ate both noon and evening meals on the $100 the Halls gave us, with some left over, which I gave to Bruce.  It was a great day.           Tomorrow we will visit with another missionary couple, the Ellises, and learn of their work.  We have had some great exposure to the Lord's work.  We'll see what God does with that in days to come.           Sunday we have our 10 hour layover in Taipei.  We are thinking we will leave the airport and go into the city and bum about.  Then it's back on the plane for 15(?) hours and home again.  It's been great, but extremely lonely.            Dave ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Friday, August 22, 2008, 2:31 AM - by Dave Stevenson First Friday Report
We got to Cebu yesterday after an easy 2 hour flight. Vance met us and we are staying at their place which is right on the campus of the college. The Kool aid and cheese made the trip okay. Carol says thanks. We mostly sat around talking yesterday. Lotsa names familiar to us were mentioned: the Bob Careys, Earl Millers, Dick Pixlers, Jim Phalens, Madeleine and Mildred Nelson, Keith Amundsens, Bob Steeves, Al Tunbergs. The boys were getting a kick out of the fact that I knew so many of these people.            The two of them have made some good contact with a few students at the college here. Right now it is nearly suppertime and they are off at the boys' dorm, I guess.            This morning Vance gave us a tour of the campus here. Very impressive. It all started just twenty years ago. There must be about ten buildings on campus with 300 in an elementary school and about 80 students in the theological college. This afternoon we drove up to a mountain park at an elevation of 1800 feet. Great views, but not good for photos as it was quite hazy.            Tomorrow we will assist the Johnsons as they are preparing to move to a location 22 km from here, near the church plant with which they are working.            Must go, I think supper is ready. Sunday we will attend church with them, then take them out to dinner. Monday is the pastors' conference with about 25, then Tuesday we leave for two days in Davao.            Dave ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Wednesday, August 20, 2008, 2:53 AM - by Dave Stevenson First Wednesday Report
Right now it is 5:30 p.m. Wed. and I think that makes it 2:30 a.m. Wed. there. We completed our second conference here in Manila this afternoon.  It went well, though the weather kept many men away.  There is a typhoon passing to the north of here headed for China, and it has brought torrential rains here that began about 4:45 a.m. and they continued off and on all morning causing considerable flooding and tying up traffic so many of the men could not get here.  So --- instead of about 40-50 we had nine enrollees but had good sessions just the same.  Tomorrow morning we catch a plane for Cebu.            Last night the boys and I took a walk through the neighborhood and ended up watching some kids playing basketball on an empty parking lot.  Josh finally went and played with them while Ian and I talked with those on the sidelines.  They asked us to come back this evening, which we will probably do.  Josh and I just got done shooting a few hoops here.  He wanted to sharpen his game for tonight. I am tempted to want to get out there with him, but don't think I will, unless we can talk them into a game of horse I could handle that, but not the action of an actual game.         Dave ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Monday, August 18, 2008, 5:47 AM - by Dave Stevenson First Monday Report
Yesterday we attended the God With Us International Christian Assemblies church.  It's in a third floor room of a building you would never guess houses a church.  After a rousing time of singing and several musical specials, I preached on the cleansing of Naaman the leper.  I think it went well.  The pastor closed with an invitation to which three people responded.  I was told later that all three -- a girl of about 11, a boy a bit older, and a middle-aged woman -- accepted Christ as Savior.  Praise God!          Today we visited two of the ministry sites where ACTION is involved.  First was "Second Mile", a residential training center for young men and women off the streets, where they are discipled, and taught skills in electronics, auto mechanics, woodworking, and sewing.  I was asked to speak impromptu to the nine young men in the carpentry class.  I spoke briefly about 1 Cor. 15:58.  Josh and Ian interacted with them, including some guitar time and a session on the basketball court.          Then we went to Jabez where there is a Bible camping program, an orphanage, and a school.  No school today as it is a national holiday.         I don't think the temp has gotten much over 90, but suspect that the humidity has not been much below that figure.  But my room has AC, so sleeping has been quite comfortable.  Accommodations and meals here are great, and the meeting room is all set up for tomorrow, for the first of our two conferences.  We are expecting around 50 each day.         Dave ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Thursday, August 14, 2008, 11:13 PM - by Dave Stevenson We're Here
Just want to let you know we arrived safely and pretty much on time.  We are now at the New Tribes Guest House.  It's very nice with air conditioned rooms.  Ian and Josh are sharing one, and I have one to myself.         The Philippine humidity has lived up to expectations, but I don't guess the temp is over 90.          I must go.  I talked the secretary here into letting me use her computer so can't stay on it for too long.          Dave ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯