Sunday in Cavite

A Wonderful Day.

Today, we were privileged to visit four churches in the province of Cavite, which is south of Manila. It was quite a schedule, but we were refreshed at each new church, because God met with us in different and wonderful ways in each place.



Marycris, Cavite - Pastor Art De Leon

Pastor Art De Leon is seated next to me. He recently started this church in Marycris, Cavite.

He is also the personal body guard of the President of the Philippine Central Bank. This man he protects, is the Philippine counterpart of America's Ben Bernake, Chairman of the Federal Reserve. He is daily put in contact with the most powerful and influential people in all of Asia.

More and more God is elevating our Filipino ministry into places before unthinkable.



Anointing Pastor De Leon with oil. This young church got behind their pastor and are eager to see God move in mighty and great ways.

Marycris church presently meets in the clubhouse of a residential subdivision.

Molino, Cavite - Pastor Diamante
This is a young person in the Molino, Cavite church, Jose.

Jordan and Jose took turns playing the key board for an impromptu concert.

When we arrived at this church the young people were waiting for us. They were so excited to have visitors from America.

We asked them to sing, they laughed excitedly and got everything set up for a mini jam session. (Filipinos are always ready to sing and worship.)
They knew all the songs that we sing, yet they did not have the written music to play along.

Jordan is going back to the Molino church for a day here and there to work with these beautiful and talented people.

Of course, they were asking for "Mommy Amy." Amy Adams from Alexandria communicates with this church on a regular basis. Their relationship mean so much to the entire church.

Amy, they love you!

Anabu, Cavite - Pastor Borneo
The next church was in Anabu, Cavite. A few of the leaders met with us there and we had a wonderful time talking of the things of God and getting excited about what God is doing in the Philippines, and more specifically, Anabu. The church is looking to blow out the walls, as their present facilities are just too small to accommodate the growth. What a great problem!!

The beautiful presence of God moved into that place, and we all felt a witness and began to pray. We joined to pray for God to provide for this growing church.

We won't soon forget these wonderful people.

Anabu church with Pastor Borneo, wife and some church leaders. Pastor Borneo is the man in the white barong beside me.

Jordan and Kori with some of the Anabu young people. As with every place we visited today, the young people asked to be linked to the kids on Facebook. It is amazing how much these young people know about what is going on in Alexandria. The world is a very small place now.

Anabu Church

Imus, Cavite - Pastor Abs Gamayon
The Gamayon Family

Pastor Gamayon is the long time General Secretary of the UPC Philippines.

Pastor Gamayon surprised me after the service by asking for my shoes. He put the shoes on the altar and asked his people to bless us with an offering.

Cash is so hard to come by and I could hardly watch as I saw people put money in my shoes. I knew that, in some cases, this money was to be their eating money, or their fare for transportation.

Kori with some of the Imus church children.

The Ladies Auxiliary of the Imus Church.

More of the "Shoes Offering."

Jordan felt moved to go up into the balcony and anoint the sound man with oil.

When I finished preaching, I invited only those who wanted to step into a personal apostolic ministry. I told them that I would anoint every one of them with oil but had I known how many would come forward, I might not have said that. I was overwhelmed by the response.

Thankfully, Jordan and Brenda helped me, moving through the congregation anointing every one.

Imus church is a powerful church.

As every single child, and young person came into the church they got their names and ages. Their organization was impressive.

This child wanted to write his own name.

The store next door to the church advertised a very apostolic bottled water, "Acts 238"

The music minister and his son arrived on a motorcycle.

What smiles!

Four churches in one day. We are worn out, but feel very rewarded. 3,996 more churches to go, (give or take a few)!

Corrigedor

Corrigedor Island

When I, (Jeff) was in high school we spent time on this island. One time was a week long camping trip in which we lived in tents, and roamed the island like natives.

It was a kid's dream come true. This island has a magical and tragic past, with literally miles of caves and tunnels, old cannons, and war relics.




Many things have changed since I last visited this island, some 25 years ago. The island now has a resort hotel, paved roads, and lots of "off limits" signs that were not there before. The things that remained the same were the ghosts of wars gone by. The bombed out buildings that give testimony to the violent motions of war.

General Douglas MacArthur moved to this small island at the mouth of Manila Bay as the Imperial forces of the Japanese Army advanced on the Philippines. MacArthur loved Manila and had lived there for many years, so he declared Manila an "Open City" so as to spare it from bombings. The Japanese proved to be merciless and unimaginably cruel in spite of MacArthur's efforts to spare the city.

It was from this island that MacArthur reluctantly left the Philippines under Executive Orders to do so. This was the site of one of the most famous 3 word speeches of all time, "I shall return."

MacArthur believed that whoever controlled the Philippines archipelago controlled Asia and Corrigedor was the key to the Philippines.

Maybe that is why it is the most bombed real estate in all of WWII.

Kori shot this picture through a steel door that was full of holes from 50 mil. bullets.

The Japanese took this island from the Americans. But when the Americans took it back the Japanese refused to surrender, so the American soldiers had to hunt them down in every cave, and inside of every of every building.

This impressive, three story building, was known as "One Mile Barracks." It was actually a 3rd of a mile long, but if you ran all three floors it was a full mile.

See the caves? Today, most of these caves, and tunnels are off limits, deemed to dangerous to enter.

25 years ago they were too dangerous NOT to enter. We explored tunnels and caves for days. We found bayonettes, helmets and mortor shells.

Thousands and thousands of silver coins were thrown in the water to hide them from the Japanese and only about 25% of them were found when the Americans retook the island. Storms would wash some up on the shore from time to time.

These particular caves were used by the Japanese to launch suicide attacks at night against US war ships.

Our boat from Manila's harbor to Corrigedor Island.

While we were waiting for our boat in Manila, we were provided amusement from about 100 aerobic participants.

Manila's harbor.

Jordan and Kori up on the lighthouse. The highest point on Corrigedor Island. We were hoping to see one of the many Australian monkeys, but did see one here. Jordan spotted one later.

Another bombed out US building, with the Bataan coast line in the back ground.

You may have heard of the Bataan Death March. It began here on Corrigedor, when the US Army surrendered, and the Japanese ferried them across to that coast.

The lighthouse.

Kori and Jordan tried to imagine how it must have been manning the anti aircraft guns with hundreds of Japanese war planes bearing down on them.

This signpost shows just how far, and in what direction, certain cities are from this point.

WWII doesn't seem so long ago when you look on these bombed out ruins.

Kori standing in the middle of one of the island's famous batteries that controlled the entrance to Manila Bay.

The gun standing at Jordan's left was the last gun firing before the surrender.

Brenda sitting in a trolley car made in Japan, listening to a tour guide speaking into a mic made in Japan, riding on roads that were made with concrete from Japan. Looks like Japan didn't TOTALLY lose the war, did they?

Kori in front of one of the barracks.

Manila's skyline.

Our Condo and Friends

Our Condo.


Abigail Pestano and Kori. They are childhood friends.


Sam Go, Mischel Pestano, Kori Mallory, Abigail Pestano, Joyce Pestano, girlfriend of Michael Pestano, Michael Pestano, and Jordan Mallory at Burger King in the Mall of Asia.

Our Kitchen

Just a piece of "home'. Thank MBS & KJS!!!

Lobby of Condo

Happy Hippo on the ground floor of our Condo. The short 5 days I have beeen here these ladies have become my friends. They pick up and deliver, wash, dry, fold, and press. I've kept them busy!

Kitchen Bar

Another piece of home. I LOVE LOUISIANA!!