Philippine Trip - please pray
 

Please be praying for us during June as we prepare to go minister in the southern part of the Philippines. We are doing a pastor's conference for all of our Love & Truth guys over there. However, it is a very dangerous part of the Philippines, full of Muslim terrorist activities. This is the area where all of the kidnappings have taken place the past couple of years.

I was feeling pretty good about it until we were on the cruise last week. Two of our waiters/porters were from the Philppines. When they heard we were going to minister in Mindanao, they both asked us if we were scared. That got me to thinking a little more that maybe they know more than we do. But I know God is a BIG God, and He will take care of us. I would just love knowing that my AFF family is praying for us before we leave on our anniversary on July 1st!! We will be gone for two weeks.

Sherri, I'll be praying about your trip...I would be concerned, too.

I will be praying for God's protecting hand on you guys!

I went to the Philippines way, way back in 1975 (IYC trip).

I didn't even know that, or else I forgot it. I'm excited about it, but I really wanted to go back to Africa this year. Oh well....it will be good to meet these guys and their wives. The head pastors' wife speaks NO ENGLISH, so that will be interesting, since they are our hosts.

I just got back a month ago, but I didn't go to any of the more dangerous areas. I was there for about 2 1/2 weeks on business. I think they have more Starbucks over there than we do! lol.

Oooh, Starbucks, maybe I will survive after all. Actually, I love the smell of coffee, but I despise the taste. I always get those fattening coconut cremes or dreamsicle creams with no coffee in them. But just seeing Starbucks will make me feel more at ease. We don't see those when we're in Africa!!

You might not see them as much away from the city, but Manila seemed just as modern and big as any American city... especially the skyline... It's just a little smoggier than we are used to. As you get further away from the city in the more rural areas it will seem more like another country. I posted a bunch of pictures at http://pictures.bradandangela.com if you are interested.

I'm going to go and look at these right now. We fly into Manila, but don't get to spend any time there at all. We immediately get on a Philippines Air flight to Cagayan de Oro and that's where the conference is located. We will be there about 5-6 days. On the way home, we are spending 3 nights in Hong Kong just for fun, so that will be great!

Sherri,
I'll mark my calendar to pray for you while you're gone.

Thank you so much! I'll be counting on it.

Ok, I just looked at these great pictures. Where do you work, that you get to travel all over the world? That's awesome!

I promise to continue praying for you and Elder C...for a hedge of protection and a continued blessing of the work of your hands.

This is the time for stepping out and seeing breakthroughs, Sherri...it is happening everywhere.

I believe the closer we get to the coming of the Lord, as we see greater persecution and evil abounding, we will witness a greater outpouring of grace.

I believe this too, Barb! I'm not naturally a very risk-taking, adventurous type (I leave that to my daughter). But there is just something about the foreign mission fields that draws me; I love it! I wish I had done some of this when I was a teenager like Ashley did. I would have jumped at the chance, but didn't even know it was available.

Not all of us feel the burden or have the heartbeat for the foreign field...not many if us have what it takes. For those who do, my prayers are with you, as well as my admiration.

It excites me to hear you, Jeanie & Keith, and Felicity & TB speak of the mission field.

God bless you all is my prayer...

I work for IBM and am a technical project manager for outsourcing deals that IBM signs... some of the trips were side-trips that I do to take advantage of an existing international plane ticket... life is too short to fly straight home when you have a layover in Frankfurt (even if you are alone and exhausted... it is too much to pass up). lol.

Unfortunately, it seems that the more I travel, the more open-minded I become about other cultures and world-views, which seems to be part of the reason I am such and odd duck on these religious forums. lol.

I wonder if that just means that you are seeing things more in the way that God sees them? Perhaps OUR view is the wrong view. Perhaps God knows and understands that culture plays a huge part in who a person is, even as a Christian.

Sherri, we are praying for you and for God to protect you all. We have been several times in that area and yes it is very dangerous BUT we serve a great big God with hosts of angels...
PM me your mailing address I may have it but cannot seem to find it. Love you all much.

Of all the UPC missionaries that I've really talked to at length, they tend to start feeling this way after a while on the field. They get a whole new mindset when they are on a foreign field. They are just so glad to fellowship with ANYONE who calls themselves Christian. Suddenly the AG and Baptist guys become their friends and confidants! Amazing!!

By the way, I used to work for Xerox and YOU PEOPLE were our biggest competition!:heeheehee

PM coming!! Thanks for your prayers.