Info on Rammasun

We want to let you know that Rammasun is coming through the Philippines.  It will hit Lower Luzon Wednesday (July sixteenth) around 3AM our time which is one in the afternoon MST, Tuesday, July fifteenth.

It will slow down once it hits land and will only be a category one once it is south of us.  We are 250 miles from the center of the storm.  We only expect to get some light wind and rain.  

Please pray for those in Southern Luzon who will be affected by the storm.

~Beth

Photos around town

A view of Baguio City.

 

A trip to the market.

 

A ride on a Jeepney.

A hike after the youth event.

Thank you for praying for Pastor Dave and our team as they were special music and Pastor Dave preached.  

Please pray for the young pastors gathering tomorrow morning (Monday) and for safety on our sight seeing trip.  We will continue with a little more training leaving for Thailand on Friday morning.  Please pray for boldness to share the hope that is in us when we are out among the Philippino people.

~Beth

Photos from the Philippines

Our view from Doane Rest's rec room where we had LDI training every day.

On Sunday afternoon after church we went to the Botanical Gardens.

Top Left: breakfast at NTM Guest house Manila  Top Right: LDI training

Bottom Left: last Sunday lunch Bottom Right: last Sunday at church

Top Left: at Botanical Gardens Top Right: eating a Thai soup

Bottom having fun with the MKs

Top Left: our transportation once in awhile Top right: LDI training

Bottom Left: Morning view Bottom Right: Botanical Gardens

A view from Doane Rest looking out over the wall at Baguio City.

This was taken last Sunday at the Botanical Gardens.  Thank you for praying for us.~Beth

 

Sunday is the day of the week following Saturday but before Monday

1. 
   

   Sunday

   Day Of Week
2. Sunday is the day of the week following Saturday but before Monday. For most Christians, Sunday is observed as a day of worship of God and to rest, due to the belief that it is the Lord's Day, the day of Christ's resurrection. Wikipedia

   
   

It's cool this morning in Baguio City as we get ready for a big day for our team.  Today is when we start LDI training.  Please pray for us.  

Please pray that we will be teachable.  Please pray that we would allow God to penetrate the deepest parts of our hearts with the Gospel so that we would truly understand who we are in Christ.  Please pray for boldness and courage to live out the Gospel in our daily lives here and back home.  Please pray for our relationships with each other as a team.  We are all out of our comfort zone and we are tired (probably mostly the travel and the time change).  Today will be a new schedule so please pray that we are kind with each other as we transition to this new schedule.

Please praise God with us!  Praise God that He encourages His children.  (We got to meet John and Erin's friend at church yesterday.  Your notes of encouragement to Walker took him by surprise and encouraged him.)  Praise God that He is faithful!

Here's a look at yesterday.

Sunday, 7/6/2014  (A big thank you to our friend in the Philippines for the photos)

We went to church with our MFBC friend in La Trinidad which is about a 20 minute trip from Doane Rest.

We went to lunch at a Mongolian Grill back in Baguio City.

We came back and changed and then went to the Botanical Gardens.  

We returned to our home away from home and relaxed and fixed dinner.  A big shout out to Dan Ryal's cottage for the awesome job they did at dinner!  Dan, Walker, Tyler and Malachi served us a great dinner!  We are so thankful for their servant's attitude and good cooking and cleaning skills!

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. (John 13:1-5 ESV)

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:3-4 ESV)

The Road to Baguio

(It is 4:00 am on Sunday morning as I finish this blog post.  Ben was right in his FB post from yesterday, jet lag has set in, but for me it was at 2:30 am.  Here is a quick look at our day from yesterday)

Saturday, 7/5/2014

We had a great breakfast at the NTM Guest House in Manila.  Pastor Dave introduced me to a couple of people that he had met on his trip to the Philippines in Feb 2013 who were also staying there this weekend.

The view of Manila from our room on the 4th floor of the NTM Guest House in Manila.

We had a Team Meeting with Pastor Gerson who helped us out with some cultural differences here.  I really appreciated all he said, especially what he said about our non verbals when we communicate with others. 

(I also learned something that I take for granted in the USA...toilet paper.  It's not that there isn't TP here, but when we are out we need to take some.  I was reminded that TP is not an entitlement.  TP has a cost. I was reminded to be thankful of the generosity of all the public places back home that provide this.  I know, I know, one could debate who really pays for it in the USA...but what If this was just another reminder for me to be thankful?  To live a life of gratefulness? I am going to take the gratefulness path and not complain.  PS A big shout out to Kathy Geib for packing this for me!)

From the guest house we traveled by taxi to the bus station.  We needed to take 4 taxis on this trip.  All the taxis had Tagalog speakers with them except my taxi.  I was reassured when Pastor Gerson spoke clear directions to our taxi driver in Tagalog before we left and how Pastor Dave spoke in English to our driver the whole time.  I had lost track of where we were right away.  We started going down alleys and I lost any point of reference that I had thought I had.  At one point we were stuck in traffic in an alley and I was thinking that this might be a good place to get nervous, but then I thought about the fact that God knew exactly where we were and where we needed to be.  I could rest in the fact that God is a God who sees!  And He is a God who is personally interested in each of us.  I did not need to be nervous or to worry.  I could trust Him because He loves me and He is trustworthy.

We made it to the bus station and we did not see our team (our taxi was the last to leave the guest house).  Here was another place to simply trust God.  Slowly the other taxis carrying our team mates made it to the bus station and we boarded the bus to Baguio.  

A few of our team mates and most of our luggage and supplies had gone with Ben and Sarah in their two cars.  They left from the guest house, ran a few errands and planned to meet us at Doan Rest.  

From the bus station in Baguio we took more taxis (this time only 3 and each one had a Tagalog speaker).  We made it to Doan Rest.  We found our cottages, met some more people and I got to work organizing the food for our dinners in my cottage.  When Ben and Sarah arrived the team unpacked our bags from their cars. 

The team quicky separated our personal things from what we had brought for the Hortons, the team got moved in, got in a little free time fun, prepared dinner and spent time around the tables with everyone here at our evening meal.  I turned in early because I'm not on schedule yet and I wasn't feeling very well.  No worries, it's just the traveling and the time difference.  I am confident that I'll adjust in no time.  The rest of the team went to sleep later and I hope that they can sleep in.

Here are some photos that I took with my iphone of the trip.  Sorry there isn't a lot.  I was just really enjoying the ride.  I'll try to get some others from the team later.

Enjoy!

Pastor Dave said that it takes a while to leave Manila.  Here is a view from my window as we weaved through the Manila Saturday late morning traffic.

We got out of the city and the landscape changed to a wide open sky and a land full of farms.

We are starting up the mountain pass that will take us to Baguio.

I'll post more photos soon!

Prayer Request:  Please pray that we would continue to actively trust each other and care for each other.  Please pray that we would have wisdom to care for our bodies even with the simple things as rest, food and water so that we will be healthy and so that we can help our team to be healthy.  Please pray for our time with the Christ followers here in the Philippines, that we would be mutually encouraged.  

Praises: Please thank God with us for our safe and adventurous travels. Please also thank God with us as we are becoming more unified as a team.  Please rejoice with us as we have enjoyed getting to know the believers here with whom we have joined for these next couple of weeks.

We are praying for you too!  We miss you!  We love you!  Thank you for supporting us and being part of our team! 

~Love Beth

"So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

"for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain." (Philippians 2:1-4, 13-16 ESV)

Oh, we have a long layover there!

We had a great send off from the Boise airport and made a pretty quick flight over to Seattle.

You know when you look at your ticket and see a few hours in between flights you think you have plenty of time. We found out that we had just enough time to get to our next boarding gate and take care of what we needed to board the plane at each spot.  In fact, when we met the Hortons they got there about the same time that we made it out of the maze of immigration, customs, cars, and people at the Manila Airport.

Here's a quick glance at our trip to get here!

At the Seattle Airport we took three airport shuttles (it's like a mini subway) to get to the international flights.

We landed in Japan after a 10 hour flight on July 4th.

We learned that we needed to go through another security check in Japan to take our flight to Manila and then we were on our way for about a 4 hour flight to Manila.  Here's a quick picture that we could follow the whole way if we wanted to.  Some of the guys decided that it was really discouraging to watch it the whole time so they only checked it once in a while.  Finally we were almost in Manila. 

Meanwhile, our friends were also making their way to Manila.

(photo credit: friend)

(Manila, photo credit: friend)

They picked us up at the ariport and took us to the NTM Guest House for our first night's stay.

Everyone's a bit tired.  But they all have great attitudes and are just trying to adjust to all the new sites that we've seen today along with their bodies adjusting to the traveling and time difference.

Tomorrow (July 5) after breakfast we will go to Baguio.  (Local time: about 5:30pm on July 4th)

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 ESV)

Horton's whos, on the Way to Seattle

We are on our way!

Thanks Christine Gentry for the photo!

Here are some photos from the Boise Airport!

I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane

Well, maybe not a jet plane.  In fact, I'm not sure what type of plane except that it is suppose to go in the air and get me to where I want to go.  I know that my teammates are much more knowledgeable in this area.  

I'll try to post several times today.  But if not here is where we plan to be for our trip to Baguio. 

(MST times are listed)

Thursday, July 3

1:15pm Leave from Boise to Seattle. (arrive 2:50pm) (flight)

4:01pm Leave from Seattle to Tokyo, Japan. (arrive Friday, 7/4 @ 1:55am) (flight)

Friday, July 4

3:25 am Leave Tokyo to Manila, Philippines.  (arrive 7:45 am) (flight)

(stay overnight in Manila and leave for Baguio in the morning (Philippines time))

7pm (approx) Leave Manila to Baguio.  (it takes 4-6 hours to drive there)

Remember that in the Philippines we are 14 hours ahead of you!  

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15 NIV)

Philippines Team 2014 (some photos and some prayer requests)

I was asked to start this blog up again to keep the MFB church body informed on our trip to the Philippines.  I will be posting mostly pictures (since that is what you really want to see) and quotes from the team members.  Please comment back as they would love to use this as a forum to communicate and document our trip.

But it is more than that!  My hope from the start of this blog was that it would be a photo album and a reminder of how we are serving as senders here at MFBC.  I hope that you will be encouraged in your personal walk with the Lord.

Here's my heart...something that I've been thinking about since I was asked to join this team...How can I love the people of the Philippines and Thailand if I'm not loving my neighbor here in Meridian?  So, almost daily, since last November I've asked God to help me know how to love my neighbor.  And you've journeyed with me on this pursuit of "loving my neighbor".  

Here's how we've been doing this together: giving out 49 gifts at Christmas with an invitation to our Christmas services, giving out almost 100 gifts at Easter with an invitation to our Easter services, giving out over 700 water bottles to the  thirsty at the Meridian Dairy Days parade with an invitation to our Vacation Bible School while at the same time giving out over 1,000 pieces of candy with an invitation to the same VBS and to our newly starting Family Fellowships.

I know that I don't know how to love my neighbor well, but I want to. Thanks for joining me on this journey!  Let's continue to love our neighbors where ever we may be each day.

Now on to some pictures (what you really want to see!) ~Beth

Here's our team photo from our trip to Portland, OR for some initial culture awareness training.

Here's our team at the commissioning service from 6/29.

Here's a quick photo of where we will be staying for most of the time in Baguio with the weather forecast.

our prayer requests:

Tuesday, July 1: Please pray that we will continue to learn to love each other and work towards unity as we meet with our family members at a team dinner.

Wednesday, July 2: Please pray for our attitudes; that we will be kind, tenderhearted, humble and patient as we finish up our packing and spending time with our family and friends before starting this journey.

Thursday, July 3: Please pray for our journey to the Philippines.  Pray that we will see God's hand of provision as we journey through the many connections and different cities to get to our final destination.  

Friday, July 4: Please pray that as we travel that God would continue to knit our hearts together to work and be a team, an extension of the body of Christ from Meridian First Baptist.  Please pray that we would have courage to share the hope that is in us because of God's great love and saving grace in our life with those with whom we come in contact with on this journey.  Please also pray for the Hortons as they will be traveling to Manilla to meet us and a fellow family who will be spending time with us there in the Philippines.  Please pray that they will get the rest they need for their journey (driving) and that they will be able to find both the family and our team in short time and be able to navigate us to the New Tribes Guest House in Manilla.

Saturday, July 5: Please thank God with us for the hospitality shown to us by the Hortons and the ones at the New Tribes Guest House.  Please pray for us; that God would strengthen our hearts with His unconditional love as we still have a drive today to get to Baguio and set ourselves up for our time with the Hortons. We will be tired.  Please pray that we would draw our strength from God and that we would practice loving each other with patience, kindness, not envying or boasting, not in arrogance or rudeness, not rejoicing with wrongdoing, but rejoicing with each other in truth; that we would bear, believe, hope and endure all things with each other; remembering that God's love never ends. (taken from 1 Corinthians 13:1-13)

MFBC is sending a team to the Philippines!

We are so excited about the team that God is pulling together to go to the Philippines.

We are looking for some people to join our team and partner with us as we represent MFBC in Asia this summer.  If you would like to be part of this team please talk with Pastor Dave.  We'll be having a special "Sending Team" meeting soon.

Here's a post from this past Sunday's (3/2/2014) training blog.

source: B. Duron