Wed, Jun 3rd - 1:53PM
Philippine Trip
Dear Friends and Relatives, I've just come back from the most rewarding and fruitful mission trip I've ever been on. The trip had many physical as well as spiritual battles. Prior to leaving for the Philippines I had many physical problems: digestion, back, diabetes just to mention a few. The airlines even canceled my flight back to Kaohsiung because they were stopping flights to my city. Some people were advising not to go because there was a typhoon heading directly there. (Actually there were three rather large typhoons there.) Pastor Tito's wife had a rather excruciating painful back that was diagnosed by three people to be a slipped disk. She couldn't even get out of bed. Then the pastor had a fever and had to rest. The enemy was trying his best to discourage us. But God was the victor. First I want to thank all of your for the financial support but most of all your prayers. I believe that this mission was so successful because you prayed. Praise the Lord!
So I'll start from the beginning: 1. We spent several months preparing in English and Tagalog two manuals: Discipleship: A Way of Life (75 Copies) & Discipleship Seminar (55 Copies). A woman from Nanzhe Higher Ground Church did the translation work. Praise the Lord! Also, FCA Roger Lipe authorized me to make copies of his devotional book. We made 60 copies. (Cheaper in Taiwan)
2. Traveled to Manila and was greeted by Pastor Tito & His wife (Norma). 3. Went to the Philippine Bible Society and bought 60 Bibles. 40 in Tagalog and 20 in English. They also gave us 4 complimentary copies of the Tagalog and 2 of the English. 4. Sunday preached at a house church: approximately 10 people there. Three cell groups are being birthed out of this house church: couples, business people, and college students. 5. Pastor's wife and I went to Pampanga to visit one of my disciplees: Hayley. We went with her oldest brother to an area known as the LaHar. There was approximately 35 feet of ash from Mt. Pinitubo that erupted years ago. Hayley's family and many in the resettlement area of Pampanga were rescued from this. You can look at my picassa photos and see only roofs of buildings left. One Catholic Church is now half the size that it was due to the eruption. People climbed onto roofs of houses just to survive. Many stories of God's provision were told. Also, met with Hayley's pastor and wife. It was a pleasant time. Hayley's eldest brother took us to Subic Bay where we were in the midst of the #2 Typhoon. God placed us in the eye of the storm. Total protection by God. 6. Back in Quezon City, Norma and I went to the Philippine Navigator's Headquarters. We purchased 100 sets of Scripture Memory Cards; 100 books on Assurance; 75 sets of Design for Discipleship (7 books each set); Obedience in Action wooden plaque and some books for Christian Coaches. 7. Pastor Tito & I visited with the Philippine Football Federation President (Soccer). We presented him with a copy of Mr. Roger Lipe's devotional for coaches and athletes. We also presented him with the Navigator's Wheel illustration Plaque. He was touched. He is a very humble godly man. As a result he wants to start a Bible study with Pastor Tito as well as start another Bible Study for office personnel. He wants more devotionals for the national coaches and officials, men & women. Praise the Lord! 8. Saturday Pastor Tito, Norma, J.J. their college son, their grandchild, and I went to the island of Mindoro by boat. We took a taxi to the bus station, then a bus, to the port, a boat to the city known as Calapan across the sea (1 plus hours), a very crowded van one hour down the road to the jungle road leading to Monte Verde Mission house. We left at about 5:45 a.m. and arrived late in the afternoon. Then we took the Jeepney to the Mission House. Needless to say we rested. Norma's parents are retired pastor & wife heading up the mission house with her sister Nori (She's a Veterinarian.) The Jeepney was given new life. Thank you for the many people who donated finances for the Jeepney. A pastor gutted the vehicle and replaced all the wiring, re-painted it, and put a new engine in it, as well as some new tires even lights on the front and back. The enemy tried to discourage us with this vehicle as well. As Nori was driving down the road to get supplies the front window popped out. They held it by hand as they drove to the pastor/mechanic's place who replaced it. 9. I preached on Sunday and 21 people young and old made 100% commitments to the Lord. Praise the Lord! This shocked Pastor Tito because he felt that the older people were not willing to change. God is good. He cares about all people and all people have a place. He tried to reach them but they did not respond previously. He planted, some watering went on, but God caused the fruit to bloom. 10. We started the camp on Tuesday. Monday, though we had to transport Norma to the hospital at Calapan then on to Manila. What a procedure. The pastor had to go to the mayor and request an ambulance. Then the gurney could not go in the room. So they had to carry Norma on a blanket to the gurney since she could not move without tremendous pain. Then J.J. and the pastor, and her father and some others went the hour's drive to Calapan to the hospital there. The Neurologist said that she had a slipped disk. Tito's sister who is a doctor said the same thing. She was then transported by ambulance on a ferry accros the sea two hours and then on to Medical City hospital where her daughter is a nurse. To make a long story short, God healed her. She became our prayer warrior during the camp and we really needed her. This meant that I had to do all of the teaching at the camp since the pastor was busy with his wife. Nori and the elder pastor were my translators. Nori & I also went into town to buy items for the camp. We bought about 300kg of rice, 100 pens, 200 notebooks, 100 pencils, 20 pencil sharpeners, and 60 erasers. God gave us a tremendous discount on all the items except the rice. I was able to use my Chinese since those operating the store were Chinese. I believe that God used it in getting the discount.
11. The focus of the camp was discipleship. The Word of God was central. We used the sixth set of videos from "That the World May Know" Series with Ray Vander Laan from Focus on the Family. We started out with 46 young people ages 11 through 22. They really caught on to the building blocks of discipleship. One 11 year old boy in 5 days memorized 20 verses, another 21, another 30, 34, 35 verses respectively. They were given prizes: Bibles, Rice, notebooks for school, pens, pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners and even money. 20 young people started a new relationship with Jesus. The rest rededicated themselves to the Lord. 40 young people were baptized. The camp was such a success that the youth are continuing what was started. Some young men went into the jungle visiting the sick and even seeing God's healing hand on the sick. They are about the business of community and helping others. Several Bible studies and prayer meetings have started up. One girl wanted to continue her education but had no money. She wanted to be back on the weekends to go to church and be in Bible Study. We have arranged it so that someone has sponsored her so that she could go to school and pay for the tuition and transportation. The mission will help with the food for her. She will be helping out with Bible Study and maybe even some gardening. (Pastor said that I preached from Sunday to Sunday 47 hours. No wonder I'm tired.)
12. Came back on the slow boat and went again to visit with the PFF president. This time I met with his wife as well. I found out that she was a very famous movie actress. She is a very godly woman as well. I had lunch with them and a couple of other leaders in the PFF. We had a wonderful time. 13. I went with Pastor Ong to visit the Antipolo Prison again. His organization is building onto the prison 4 more cell blocks and one large square room for use as a chapel, bible study room, and counseling room. The work is half completed. Right now the finances are slow. The main concrete structure is completed. They will need more money to finish the project. They need to put up walls, barbed wire. and windows with bars and tear out the walls of the adjoining structure. It will be two stories tall. Praise the Lord! The guards remembered me and some of the prisoners as well. We didn't need a stamp on our hands this time. 14. Pastor Tito and I went and visited his college that he taught at and was dean at. The people he wanted to visit were not there but God directed us to some women in the library who wanted prayer. He is going to start a bible study there once a month. Praise the Lord!!! Needless to say God is working mightily in the Philippines. Needs: People may be qualified to do work in the Philippines but the pay is extremely low. i.e. teacher salary is around $200 USD a month. So we are looking for people to place money in a special fund that will be used to help out the really poor and needy. This is why I purchased rice so that we could at least feed people. $150 USD will provide enough money for one child's tuition and transportation for one year.
Also, funds are needed to finish the prison so that God's servant, Pastor Ong could continue ministering to those in prison. About 1/3 of the prisoners are wrongfully imprisoned. This ministry is extremely needful. So far 10 inmates have joined a new church in Antipolo. This new church is doing well. If you would like to give to this ministry please e-mail me and I will tell you how to give. Praise the Lord!!! Our Global Day of Prayer 31 May 2009 in Kaohsiung was a great success. More that 15,000 people showed up for praise, worship, and prayer. It lasted about 3 hours. It went quite quick. I really wanted to continue.
Prayer items: 1. Pray that I would continue in the normal disciplines and be a good example to the believers. 2. For my health: digestion, diabetes, etc. I've really radically changed my diet. But I still need God's intervention. 3. That I could reach out to more people here in Taiwan. 4. That the MTS students will grow in their relationship with the Lord. 5. That God would give me more people to disciple. 6. We are going to have four classes of English Bible study for the next couple of months. I'm writing a workbook for the 3rd level students. I need God's wisdom on how to do this. 7. I'm preaching at my church this Sunday and at Higher Ground Church the 3rd Sunday. Pray for my interpreter for my church. 8. I can't wait for the day that I could really preach in Chinese. It is a long process but God is able. 9. Continued safety as I travel to various places in and out of Taiwan. 10. Compassion international: We are trying to get all of the needed paperwork for the mountain people in Mindoro so that people could go through Compassion International to support these young people. In the meantime we will collect money to be placed in a fund for the poor. 11. Finances for the Antipolo prison as well as bibles, clothing, toiletries, personal items, etc.
Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20 Thanks for your prayers!!! Pastor Xiao Yang
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Name: Xiao Yang Mu
