Final Days in Manila

This is Saturday evening. I am at Pete and Tina's house. Heidi left this morning for Bangkok. She has now arrived there safely. They have a full schedule ahead for her: Preaching on Sunday in a Thai church, speaking at one of their ESL classes, and speaking at Women's Aglow. Today I spent quite a bit of time with the head coach of the UCPP project, Roy Villanueva. I also had a meeting with Val Chavez who served on the Executive Committee of the project and is also the President of Foursquare Philippines. Unfortunately he couldn't meet today as we planned so we will try for Monday. Tomorrow I will be visiting UCPP churches and on Monday I will have most of the day off. On Tuesday morning I have a UCPP office/staff meeting, lunch with Mars Rodriguez (Project Director) and a planning meeting for upcoming UCPP teams (we will be visiting a few hotels and negotiating rates). I then will catch a cab to the airport where I will meet up with Heidi before heading home.

Teambuilding -- ISI

Last night we had the "cultural festival" which included presentations of drama, dance and song. Each division (group of churches) came up with their own ideas and costumes. It was a lot of fun. I was roped into being "Magellan" in a historical reenactment of his visit to the Philippines. In the end I was killed by some hostile natives...The pastor acting as the native hit me pretty hard with his sword when he "killed" me -- it didn't require much acting. People were laughing hard! We had a ship, fake swords, good costumes, narration and a cultural song. The night was concluded with great food including skewers, fresh mango, pineapple, and two lechon (whole pigs, chopped and served).

Today's schedule included the following:

• Teaching on the Holy Spirit followed by 50 people praying to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit.


• George Butron (Foursquare Missions Regional Coordinator) teaching on the church and house churches.


• Heidi, Tina Forras and Glo -- conducting a session for women that was fun and inspiring.


• I continued my series on "Biblical Preaching" -- Today's session was almost entirely questions and answers.


• During lunch we had a Task Force meeting with the key project leaders. During this meeting we discussed ways of better supporting and coaching the project leaders, we planned the fall strategic prayer conference, the task force retreat, and next year's ISI.


• Val Chavez - President of Foursquare Philippines arrived and will be doing our final session tomorrow.


• During the afternoon we had a great time doing "team building" at the obstacle/ropes course here on the grounds.

Tomorrow we will wrap up the ISI training before making our way back to Manila. On Saturday I have two meetings scheduled with key UCPP leaders. Heidi will be travelling to Bangkok and Saturday...

Wednesday at the ISI

The workers of UCPP are having a great time at this conference. It is evident in their enthusiastic worship and the overall morale that is so strong. Each morning as soon as it is light, large numbers of them are outside playing basketball, badmitton, and walking. Then we have breakfast before morning worship and a full day of teaching sessions. Tonight we have a "party"/cultural night. I have been recruited to be "Magellan" in a re-enactment of his visit to the Philippines and his murder. Acting has never been a favorite activity of mine, but this is sure to create some laughter. Today I will be doing a preaching/hermeneutics workshop. The workers are hungry to learn as most of them have had a minimal amount of formal training. They are deeply appreciative of Eastside and the project and love this year's venue -- The grant that we received was helpful to us in meeting at this new location.

Continue to pray for that the Lord would encourage and renew vision. Heidi and I are doing well physically and feel good about the ISI. Thanks for thinking of us!

Day Two of the ISI

Thank-you for your prayers last night for the opening session of the ISI. It was the conference "kick off" and I felt like the Lord gave me a clear directions as I reviewed the core values of this project (evangelism, intentionality, intercession, holistic ministry) -- challenging the workers to catch the vision with fresh enthusiasm, renewed focus and passion, and to be encouraged and ministered to by the Lord this week. It was a great time of ministry together.

Yesterday was a long day -- 24 hours of travel followed by a full day of ministry. We also were able to see the house the Forras family is going to be renting and moving into in August. After that we arrived here and met the workers as they arrived from Metro-Manila. Some came on buses, others on tricylces, jeepneys, and cars. They are impressed by the facilities here -- most of the rooms have air condition and showers with warm water. They sleep five to a room, which is nicer than the 10+ that fit bunk style into last year's accomodations. Heidi and battled three giant cock-roaches in our room last night. The last one to survive actually flew at me before I batted him down and killed him. They were each about two inches long. Heidi handled it surprisingly well -- but I hope they repair our screened window which has a big hole for them to enter our room. The joys of missions! We are living it up...

This morning it was raining as I went out for my morning run. The pastors/leaders were at the basketball court playing until the rain became to heavy. It was only 6 a.m. Once I finished my run a joined a few of them for a little badmitton before getting ready for the day. The conference starts at 8 a.m. and is a full schedule until about 9 p.m. Keep praying for the workers -- that they would be refreshed, encouraged, and hear from the Lord. Heidi and I will be speaking at tonight's session.

Arrived in Manila

It is Monday morning -- I am at Pete and Tina's house...
We landed here at 5:30 a.m. after 14 hours in the air.

Today we are driving to Tagaytay this afternoon and the ISI starts around 6 p.m.

We are both doing well...Tonight is our opening session and I will be doing a "vision/values" session focusing on what the UCPP is all about -- reinforcing the values and encouraging the workers to embrace that vision with fresh passion and focus.

Philippines: May 19-29

Following a wedding on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. (Chris Charles and Jennifer Merkel) Heidi and I are going straight to the airport to begin a ten day mission trip.

I will be updating this blog whenever I can. Thank-you for your prayers and support while we are away.

May 19-21: Travel Days...Arrive in Manila at 5 a.m. on Monday

• May 21-25: 2007 In-Service Institute at the Development Academy of the Philippines in Tagaytay. We are expecting 250+ leaders of the Urban Church Planting project for five days of training and renewal. I will be teaching at the plenary sessions on Monday night and Tuesday night. I will be doing elective workshops on Wednesday and Thursday. Also on Thursday we will be having a Task Force meeting (key project leaders). Heidi will be travelling with me and is also teaching on Tuesday night and is doing electives on Wednesday and Thursday. The conference ends on Friday afternoon.
• Pray for the project, the leaders, the conference, safety and health for us and the workers. Pray also for our children while we are away (Alicia and Levi).
• May 26-29: Heidi will be travelling to Thailand where she will be ministering at the Good News Foursquare Church in Bangkok (with EFC missionaries Gary and Paula Hays). During these days I will remain in the Philippines and will be ministering in a UCPP church, conducting a UCPP staff meeting, making arrangements for the 2007 Manila Plunge, and meeting with project leaders.
• May 29th: Return to the U.S.

Throw Away People

This email from our missionary in Uganda really got my attention:

We drove past a garbage pile on the drive out of Kampala last week. Garbage heaps are a common sight throughout Uganda streets. This one caught my eye because a woman was sitting on top of this mountain of garbage. She looked so dignified perched atop a mound of rotting vegetables, plastic water bottles, ripped cardboard boxes. Stuck in traffic with black exhaust fumes billowing and horns honking, it took me several minutes to realize this beautiful young woman had turned grey and stiff – she was dead.
This is not the first dead person I have seen. This is not the first dead person I have seen on the side of a Ugandan road. Yet, the sight of her broke my heart. She seemed to symbolize the "throw away people" we hurry past every day. How fast do we have to go? The whole world rushing by, did no one else notice? Did anyone miss her? Did anyone care? I am still trying to sort through all my feelings.
A recent article in a Uganda newspaper wrote that for every one job opening there are over 50 Ugandans applying. 320,000 young people graduate and begin seeking employment each year in a country where unemployment is at a critical high. 60% of the staffing in the Hospitality Industry in Uganda is Kenyan, because Ugandans lack the training to work in this Westernized industry. The majority of young women living in the displaced person camps in Northern Uganda turn to prostitution for lack of any other way to provide for themselves. Domestic help, often orphaned children in a country where there are no child labor laws, are horribly abused by their employers, verging on slave trade...I fear we Americans take the sense of 'call' far too lightly...We are such a fragile creature. Perhaps seeing that young woman so casually thrown away with the other refuse was a reminder to me of how important the work we are all doing here in Uganda is; that a vocational school training Ugandans to work in an industry that is dominated by another country due to lack of training is sorely needed. I had not really considered that a little school up in the bush of Uganda could have a great impact. I am beginning to reconsider that paradigm …. And to understand that with God all things really are possible.
Maggie Josiah with African Hospitality InstituteAfrican Children's Mission, Uganda, East Africawww.tiptopwebsite.com/maggiejosiah, maggiejosiah@infocom.co.ugAddress: Cornerstone Development Uganda, Attention: Maggie Josiah PO Box 9242, Kampala, Uganda, East Africa

Human dignity and value is greatly affirmed through the actions of God who sent His Son to rescue all from a hopeless eternity. Meaning is found in doing the small things that reinforce God's love while recognizing His image in all people. All deeply valued and deeply loved. There are no "throw aways".

Mount Dickerman - April 30th, 2007

Today Levi and I headed up Mountain Loop Highway destined for Mount Dickerman.

It is a climb that I attempted once last year during the winter but was turned back by poor conditions.

Levi seemed eager for a challenge -- especially one that included snow and big mountains.

So we set out, leaving our house shortly after 6 a.m.

The weather was perfect and the challenge of this climb was right at our level. Ice axes were critical as we crossed some very steep traverses. "One careful step at a time" is always my mantra. This climb is 4 miles each way and the summit is at about 5700 feet of altitude.

The summit was lined with dramatic cornices. We had stellar views of Big Four, Glacier Peak, Mt. Forgotten and Mt. Baker. We glissaded down, and hiked out - back to the trailhead after six hours of hiking and climbing. I think Levi is hooked. Now he is eager to do 3 Fingers.