A new community flows from powdered milk and rice

(SBC in Purok 4, barangay Holy Ghost)

When I took my owner-type jeep to the auto-mechanic shop for a maintenance job, my vehicle was not the only thing that got a tune-up. My ride was being worked on by the men when the owner of the shop and I got into a conversation. He and his wife who happen to be Christians started asking me questions about what occupies my time. I told them about my ministry work. The couple showed much interest in what I am doing for communities and, right then and there, they donated one sack of rice.

I divided the rice into plastic containers and distributed it to the people of Barangay Bengao, Sitio Gold River, Itogon, Barangay Holy Ghost and La Trinidad capitol site. On top of this, another donor from Manila provided three boxes of branded powdered milk for the people in these areas.

Because of news about the food distribution, I was able to meet a group of scavengers on Tuesday nights, which is the scheduled day for garbage collection in our area. I have learned that they were all ‘Igorots’—migrants from the Mountain Province. One of them, Mary, was abandoned by her husband and has their three kids to support by herself. So the day after the initial food distribution, seven of them came to my place to collect rice and powdered milk. We agreed that I would visit them in their homes and check on their situations from time to time. When I got to their place for the first visit, those whom I originally intended to meet were able to convince others to join in our meeting. Since then, we decided to have a community meeting every Saturday afternoon.

Please pray that the hearts of the people in this new community will genuinely hunger for the living Word of God and see their need for salvation. Pray that God will provide more opportunities for livelihood and provide capital for small business ventures. Pray also for God to sustain the group despite their difficult situation and will be faithful in attending our Bible discussions.

The scam that led to the Truth: the formation of the SBC in La Trinidad

Recently, some of us in the community became preys of a business scam. I met some people from La Trinidad who were also duped into the scam and I made a call for group prayers and encouragement. These prayer meetings went on until I was able to establish friendships with the attendees. Auntie Lulu, an elementary school teacher, invited me to come to her place and introduced me to her family. These visits went on until we felt led to meet often and came to a decision to come together regularly in prayer and studying the Word of God.

Auntie Lulu became bold in sharing her newfound faith to her co-teachers who were business scam victims like her. But they ostracized her because they still resented the fact that they have not yet recovered their investments. But this didn’t stop Auntie Lulu from continuing to tell others about her joy in the Lord and her being strengthened by what she derives from attending our Bible discussions. Auntie Lulu and the rest of her family are now actively participating in our weekly group meetings, which Tania and Tess have also joined.

Please pray that every member will grow in the grace and in the knowledge of God. Pray that we could recover the investments. Pray also that God will raise an SBC leader among the members of this community. Pray that God will protect them from the evil one and that God’s Word will transform their heart’s and minds.

From the bottle to the Bible: Channeling the flow of bitter beers to streams of repentant tears

SBC in Bengao)
Johnson is married and has four children with his wife. He was 36 years old when I first met him, when he used to come home late from drinking sprees. I remember always finding him drunk every time I visited his family. In one of my visits, he was in excruciating pain and his wife told me that Johnson has been in severe pain and has been vomiting for several days already. I saw that he needed medical attention and I convinced him to have his condition checked at the Baguio General Hospital. At the hospital, it was found that his blood pressure has skyrocketed way above the normal level. I realized then that had I not came to visit the family that day, Johnson might have suffered a stroke and would not have overcome the possible consequence of paralysis.

After Johnson had sufficient time to recover, I challenged him to join his family in our weekly small group meetings. His children happen to show a lot of enthusiasm in our discussions and they sing with angelic voices. One time, in the midst of a discussion and while we sang Josh Groban’s ‘He Raise Me Up’, Johnson unexpectedly burst into tears. It was that time when he came to realize that he was really blessed to be alive and well in spite of his former vices and all because of God’s intervention. These days Johnson reads the Bible, memorizes Scriptures, and initiates prayers and short Bible discussions with his children. The temptation to go back to the bottle was strong, but he didn’t give up on meeting with the rest of the community every week. In fact, he was able to join our SBC Conference held at Philrice, Muñoz, Nueva Ecija and has been encouraged lately to join the SBC leadership training with me. The community continues to meet in Johnson’s house on Saturday afternoons.

This family of new believers is still vulnerable to persecution from neighbors and friends because of their new-found faith in Christ. But it remains a privilege to see Christ at work in the hearts and souls of his followers. Please pray for the protection of this young follower of Christ and his family. Pray for God to sustain Johnson’s family through his work as a carpenter and provide other opportunities for income.

Our First Medical and Dental Mission in Itogon

Dear Friends,

It was a joy to see all the members of our Christian community team up to serve the people of Barangay Loakan, Itogon, Benguet during our January 23 mission trip.

It was interesting to note the way the team members' different gifts became evident as the team planned and prepared for the trip. Tess, Angel and Tania were good at planning, Maricar at cooking, Jackie at serving, Eric at photography, and Jenny at facilitating. Others were good at tapping resources. The Lord supplied our needs such that we were able, not only to provide medical and dental services, but also to distribute used clothes, toys, bags and shoes.

Our serving the people opened wide a door for the gospel. After the health services and a meal together with the families we served, we showed the "Jesus" film, beautifully dubbed in the Kankanaey dialect, and Jenny, one of our team members, shared her personal testimony. One of the fathers made a point of telling me how much he appreciated our showing a film in their own language, and how easily he understood it. Virtually everyone actively participated in our discussion of the Gospel, eagerly raising their hands one after the other to share how they understood the evangelistic movie.

"Do come again," they pleaded with us. So we are making plans to return this month to provide training in personal hygiene and dental care, and to follow up on their excitement about the Gospel.

Most exciting for me, however, was the response of the nursing students. Tania brought along with her several of the nursing students from the dorm in which she lives. They told us how much they enjoyed working with us to serve the needy. Our testimonies, in word and deed, did indeed spark their interest in the Gospel. In fact, six of those who volunteered have begun attending the small group Bible discussions Tania leads in their dormitory. And some of them have, in turn, brought friends along. What a thrill for me to see Tania, herself just two years old in the Lord, being used by God to reach out to others. She has been faithful in meeting with our team for spiritual nourishment and guidance, and now she is seeing the Lord use her to make the Gospel known, not only to her dorm mates, but also to her extended family.

I value your partnership in the Gospel. God bless you!

Joyfully serving, for the sake of the Gospel,


Weng

First Youth Camp in Honeymoon Road

Dearest Friends,

I’ve been delighted this summer to see my apartment full of young people who feel free to drop by and to bring friends along—with or without an invitation.

As I talked with Glen, a young man who had invited some of his friends to join him in hanging out at my place, I learned that their summers are boring. They have nowhere to go and nothing to do, said Glen. They do nothing but play computer games all day long, spending a lot of money just to kill time! So they are happy to spend time at my place instead. We play games, eat together, get to know new friends, go for walks, and discuss topics that are of interest to them—“how to spend a balanced summer vacation,” “how to study effectively,” and “how to relate to parents.” One afternoon it occurred to us that we could hold a “Mini-Youth Camp” right there in the Honeymoon Road compound where I live. The young people were excited, and their parents were happy, not only to give them permission to attend, but to partner with us in putting on the camp this past April 21-23, 2006.

Some of their parents donated cash or foodstuffs, and one of them volunteered to help cook for us. Students Diane and Jessica helped me choose a theme (“Nurturing relationships with God and with others”) and identify topics and issues affecting them as young people. Among the topics we decided on: becoming a member of God’s family, relating to parents, forgiveness versus bitterness, and making right choices when it comes to relating as brothers and sisters. We schedule timed too for “getting-to-know-you” activities, and for a film showing and discussion on “The Passion of the Christ.”

the “dorm.” Eric and Jenny Velasquez shared on "relating as brothers and sisters" and my Navstaff colleague Alma Villacarlos spoke on the importance of the Word of God. Jackie served as “chief cook,” while I oversaw the “camp” as a whole and delivered the messages on “how to become a member of God's family” and on “forgiveness versus bitterness.”

Ministering to teens is draining but exciting and challenging as well. These young men and women are hurting and need healing, but they are open…and spiritually hungry. Said Glen’s friend Dan during one of our sharing times, “ I realized that it is wrong to take advantage of girls; I have to respect them.” Another shared with tears that “I have wronged many people and I need to ask their forgiveness.” Glen himself indicated that he had become convinced the Bible reading is vital. And four of the guys and six of the girls indicated that they want to meet with me regularly to discuss the Scriptures.

This ministry to youth has become an opportunity to reach out, not only to teens, but to their parents and extended families. Joel’s grandmother had witnessed one of our youth meetings and was eager to see her grandson attend our camp. At the end of the camp, the young people attending gave flowers to their mothers and thank them for allowing them to join the camp. Diane and Stephanie’s parents were so intrigued that they began sending food to our meetings; their mother even joined our birthday fellowship. Parents text me to tell me that they are glad that their kids are happy and safe with the group. I am hopeful that these new friendships, not only with the youth, but with their parents, will enable me to organize a biblical community among families in the neighborhood before long. Please pray with me to that end!

I am grateful to the Lord who supplies ideas and energy, and to you faithful friends who back me with your prayers and gifts. God bless you!

Weng J. Amper 1 Honeymoon Road, 2600 Baguio City, Philippines Mobile: +63 9154347837 Home: 074 6379548

Email: wengarz@philnavs.org; wengartz@yahoo.com website: philnavs.org/wengamper