WHAT A WEEKEND!

SATURDAY, April 9, 2011
On Saturday the day dawned bright and hot. It is summertime here and today is a Philippine summer day! We were picked up by Arnold and taken to the Udaneta chapel After singing and registration with snacks, I spoke on Keeping the Church Alive through Evangelism. There were 174 people present and during the first hour, Chris took the teenagers and young people outside and taught them some singing and new songs. After the first hour and a short break, Chris would bring the second lesson on Keeping the Chris Alive with Benvolence. While he was speaking, the power went off and it started to get hot in the chapel! When Chris finished speaking we broke for lunch provided by the ladies at Urdaneta.
The Trenton church had provided the funds for the meal had they had been stolen in a breakin at the Boniels' home so we replaced it and so the meal was about $1000 US but those things happen. After the meal was completed we sang for a few minutes and then I spoke on Keeping the Church Alive through Edification. Following the lectures, the group met to focus on evangelizing the 17 towns in Pangisinan that do not have congregations in them. The discussion ran about 2 hours in Tagolg, so I didn't get much out of it....but I did hear them say say, "Dawn Walker and Chres Gerber" a couple of times so I hope we were being presented positively and feel sure we were.
After those meetings were over, Chris, Susan, Butch and a lady doctor who is a member at Urdaneta met with Jeff, the young preacher with psoriasis, to discuss how we can help him. We are going to deposit funds into an account to provide things that we are able to do here. Saturday night we returned to the cabanas to rest, very tired but very energized about a great day and looking forward to a great Lord's Day.
SUNDAY, April 10, 2011
After breakfast in the resort, I was taken by Susan and Butch to Urdaneta to preach. Chris was picked up by Celine and Benny and taken to Binalonan to preach there. I spoke on Our Almighty God. After services we thought there would be about 8 of us to go to Pao, the new church plant, for their first service. Instead, there were almost 40 who rode down there.
A highlight of the day was when we met the other cars in Asingan, they told me to get out and go to another truck to ride in. When I got in I saw Josie A. in the back seat! She and I were so happy and just fell in to each other's arm and just wept with joy at seeing each other. There are many that are special to us but she is especially dear to me and my family. Chris knew it was coming and so he had the video camera rolling! It was about like a scene out of a TV show with a surprise reunion.
When we arrived in Pao there were probably 90-100 total fed a picnic lunch that was just planned on Friday night! It was a great success and all pitched in to make it a success. As I watched Arnold's mother serve so many people their lunches, I was so reminded of watching my mother here. She would not eat until all had their lunches and then she was one of the last to be there cleaning up..and she is in her late 70's. Certainly a good example of the older women teaching the younger women.
After lunch, we went to meet by the creek under a HUGE mango tree. Every one in the barangy brought chairs and benches and we sang and had our first service with over 70 adults present and 17 children being taught in another place by 4 adults! Not a bad start, over 90 present for the meeting of a church that did not exist on Thursday morning! Chris spoke on The Church and then I taught a class on the Lord's Supper. After the lessons, 12 wanted to be baptized and since I had brought clothes to change, I was asked to do the baptizing. It was in a stream and after Arnold took their confessions, they came down the bank to be baptized. It was a beautiful day with all 23 that have been baptized on this trip present at the worship service as Irish was there also. After services we headed home and stopped to look at a piece of property that a brother in Asingan hd donated to build a building for the church to meet in. He also donated the wood to build it and now they need the material for a roof. The tin to make the roof would be about $350US so Chris and I are trying to see if we can work that out help them some way. One of our main purposes on this trip was to strengthen the congregations, and helping to provide a building would accomplish part of that.
While we were there, I called Mom and Dad at 5:45 AM in Quitman and let Josie talk to both of them. That was another highlight for me to a great day! We then stopped to visit the oldest member of the church in Asingan who is 74. Our brother was in a wheelchair and nearly deaf and blind but he has been a member of the church for over 5 decades and said his body was weak but his faith was strong. It was quite a nice visit.
Then Arnold took us to a funeral home to pay our respects to a man in the community who has family members that are members of the church. After that we headed back to Lisland and I took a shower ate a package of crackers and laid on the bed and rested. Chris and I met for about an hour to discuss the progress of the first week and then I went to sleep very satisfied with having been a part of great week when God was lifted up in this wonderful land! Please continue to pray for us, we are looking forward to a great next 10 days!