Kensie, College Students, Cupcakes, and Missions

Kensie has never been to the Philippines yet she is making an impact over here already. In fact, she has never left the United States, but has ambition, goals and dreams that will carry her wherever she wants to go.

We honor you Kensie for your heart for missions! We were so moved by what you have recently done that we are copying the link from your blog so that others can see what people can do, if they just give it a try.

Kensie wants to improve the girl's dorm at the ACTS bible school campus and is doing so with fund raisers, her own funds and by getting others involved. What an inspiration you are!!

Check out her blog!
http://paintingherreverie.blogspot.com/

Tondo Young Person at Home- Day After Youth Camp

Matt Maddix and Travis Worthington were in the Philippines preaching the North Western Luzon Youth Camp, where they had over 200 receive the Holy Ghost for the first time. It was a legitimate blowout.
They had street marches, and all the stuff normally associated with Matt's ministry. Of course, they have been invited back, only this time they think they will be ready for him.

We all went back to Manila Friday night and so when the camps were over, that Saturday we picked up Travis and Matt from their hotel and was going to offer them a bite to eat, and another plan. A plan we were sure Matt would go for.

"We can go to eat at Chili's or California Pizza Kitchen, or something else." Matt had at first said he was hungry, but the idea of having a mysterious option seemed to intrigue him.

"What is the other plan?"

I told him that Brenda and I would like to return to one of our favorite places in the city, Tondo, near Smokey Mountain, one of the most infamous concentrations of abject poverty in all of Asia. We have found these to be some of the most engaging, industrious, and resourceful people in the country. And we are determined to help as many of them as we can.

Matt jumped at the idea of going into this area and immediately lost his appetite for food. "This is much bigger here!" I have heard people say Tondo is dangerous for people like us, but then we have also heard that the people in Tondo who may wish us harm are kept in check by the decent and moral leaders of that ragamuffin community. The real word is that in Filipino culture, a guest is to be fed, protected and entertained before the other members of the house.

We ran into this articulate, intelligent young person, who let us know that he had attended our youth camp two days ago. Someone had gone into this very depressed area and invited him and then had paid his expenses. I don't know who did it, but I pray that God blesses that generous soul beyond measure.
Listen to the song he sings, then listen to the song next to the previous blog.

Party Time at NCR Youth Camp

If you ever get a chance you have GOT to attend one of these youth camps!! Volleyball, basketball, badminton, campfires... but what everyone really comes for is to have church... and do they ever have church!

Thursday night the service began at 6:30 and the video below was taken over 4 hours later and, as you can see, they were still going strong.

Filipinos love to sing and worship. They would have done this all night except the guitar player broke 3 strings, the drummer could hardly raise his right foot, and the singers looked like they had just climbed out of a swimming pool.

I just love being in a place where there are NO excuses...

Hot? So what?

Tired? We can rest tomorrow!

Watch this little "taste" of what it was like at the Metro Manila (NCR) Youth Camp 2009.

An Example of Gratitude

Sis. Jiji, Genesis, Jirah Jean, Jesrel, and Genrev Jemina

Gratitude comes from the word "grace" and is one of the most appealing words ever. True gratitude is hard to find, in this age of entitlement.

Tears come to my eyes every time I read these letters, so I thought I would let you read them.

(A little background)

Last year sometime, Brenda and I were privileged to visit the village of Handumanan near Bacolod on the island of Negros in the Philippines.

Handumanan is a place with very little in the way of material blessings and comforts, yet it has a high concentration of gracious people. Handumanan might very well be one of the last places you would look for anything beautiful... and yet, there it is like a single rose pushing up out of a barren landscape of hopelessness. A people with boundless hope, wonderful personalities, and grace... loads of grace.

Handumanan is populated by about 20,000 people that the government relocated from the provincial hub of Bacolod because many of them were living on the streets. The roads end almost as soon as you enter the village and yet it sprawls in every direction, a densely populated city without any of the things we associate with a city. No lighted signs, no grocery stores, no stop signs, no parks, no open spaces, no sidewalks, well, no roads really, just paths... and yet, a million smiles.

Mother's Day we will be in Handumanan for their Anniversary Service and will say more about the church later.

So, back to the letters. As I said, we had been able to visit this village and our hearts were stolen by so many, but especially the pastor's four children. Brenda had given each one of them a little over $10 each. The letters they gave Brenda when she returned to their village last month were the perfect picture of gratitude. The children are from about 6 to 12 years old.

It amazed us what all they were able to do with the money and we were touched by their words of grace back to us. I don't think I need to say any more, the letters speak for them selves.

(If you click on the pictures they will enlarge.)

Breakthrough Youth Camp

The Vice President of the UPC Philippines, Art Martinez, said, "This year's youth camp was a breakthrough camp!"


204 received the Holy Ghost during the last night and, for a Manila District, (NCR) that is the most ever.


Tim Rutledge was the night speaker, and he did something no one had ever done here.


He called the pastor's kids to the front at the conclusion of his message, and had the audience move toward the middle of the auditorium.


Rutledge then had the pastor's kids begin to march around the audience of young people. He told them to be silent, just like Joshua and the Children of Israel when they marched around Jericho. The first few rounds, they were able to contain themselves, but as the 4th time around came, the trembling, silent storm began to build. It was all they could do to keep silent.

When the pastor's kids rounded the 7th turn, the young people erupted in a focused voice of praise to break the chains of bondage. It was thunderous!

Pastor's kids getting in line to march.



The Filipino youth look forward to these times getting together rejoicing, and encouraging one another. They don't waste a single moment and it seems like EVERYONE comes with one main purpose, WORSHIP!!

Pastors C. Ompad and A. Martinez, invited those who had not received the Holy Ghost yet, to come to the front. Chairs were put in the altar in a very organized fashion and soon more than 200 young people were seated in these chairs.

In the very center of the altar area one girl began to act in a strange manner. Kori came to me and pointed her out to me and instantly I knew she was possessed.

Brenda and Pastor Ompad are two very stubborn people and it was a good thing because this girl had some very stubborn spirits.

The close proximity of bodies, the tropical climate and the tension, caused this to be a long 25 minutes. She was a small girl but she was incredibly strong. It took almost 10 people to hold her down so she would not hurt herself or others near her. At one point, she collided heads with Brenda, and Brenda just hung on, determined to see it through.

Pastor Ompad was talking to the spirits and he knew when one would leave. He did not stop until he saw the last one leave. He said, "That last devil was a stubborn devil." There were three of them.

These two young guys are pastor's sons, and they moved through the people in chairs like they had been doing this their whole lives.

After the service is always picture time. You have never seen so many smiles. Maybe that is one reason why Filipinos are loved in almost any culture. They just are fun to be around.

The service ended at about 11:30, they sang and danced for a solid two hours after the service was over! How they did it... I have no idea, we were worn out.

But we were loving it.

Party with the ACTS kids

When we were instructors here back in the late '90s the ACTS bible school compound was quite a lively place. It still is, but back then there were about 10, very energetic, (although well behaved) children that ran from the top of this place to the other.


Back in those days you could always hear the sound of children playing... and so we invited them back for a party, and the noises are the same, laughter, friendly competition, and just general liveliness from happy people.

To make the party even better, the Rios kids joined us. The Rios family is a major blessing to the work of God in the Philippines and has been like family to us for many years.





8 Large Pan pizzas, hot wings, a bucket of KFC with all kinds of dessert... then a Wii tournament to follow. Little David had limited experience with the Wii, but he and Brenda gave everyone a run for their money.





We need more food!! Thought I had enough... but they were hungry... typical young people.








Missing Morgan though. Wish he was here.

Jordan's thoughts

Well I never thought I would be writing in a blog. I never thought I would be living in another country. I never thought that I would get the chance to travel and just help churches and encourage them by just smiling. I never thought I could have something to say to a youth group. My whole way of thinking has been taking a beating the last 2 months. My little box of comfort has been smashed and burnt. The Philippines has given so much to me, much more than my family could ever give to them. Bro. Tim said it right at camp, “America needs Filipino missionaries!” God has chosen these people for something special in the last days.

Pastor Terry preached a message maybe 2 years ago about worship and I haven’t been able to forget it. This last week I found what he was trying to show us. About 1,300 campers worshipping God every night in a university gym with no air conditioning and focusing on God alone. Freedom filled the place and worship exploded! The last night of camp we sang for over 2 hours at the END of service. The kids didn’t want to leave, so we kept on going until almost 11:30; They would have still been singing and jumping there if we didn’t stop playing. I’m pretty sure that God was happy that night with His CHOSEN.

I love love love my friends here. They have believed in me, loved me, laughed with me/at me, and accepted me. I will always love Alexandria, LA but the Philippines will always be in my heart.

Maybe my other entries will make more sense, I hope, but that is my heart right now!