Ministry Update

We have prepared a newsletter which we will be mailing out to our many family and friends in the coming days. Many of them either do not have internet access or are unable to keep track of us through this site so this newsletter will be a recap of many of the things you read here. For those of you who do frequent us here we want to give you a sneak peak of what is to come. Keep in mind this does not excuse you from reading the real version when you receive it. So without delay here it is...

The 4 Month Recap
The Philippines is treating us well! We have had a wonderful and blessed 4 months since arriving here last October. Our family has been embraced by the missionary community here and we were taken arm in arm as we went through the necessities of setting up house and settling in. A house became available for rent a month or so before arriving so it was held for us and ready when we flew in. After a few quick days we had our appliances, beds, and closets all set up and we were quickly feeling at home. We have enjoyed living in a neighborhood where all of our neighbors are Filipino and we are building relationships with some of them. Our next door neighbor has a boy Isaiah's age named Herbert. After about 2 months of being here, it seems like a quiet observation period with many of our neighbors had ended and we have begun receiving increasingly frequent visits. Isaiah and Herbert play together for hours each afternoon these days and are best friends.

Isaiah (4) is a smart and outgoing boy. Wherever we are he is right in the middle of the older kids teaching them how to play pirates or some other game involving "getting" the bad guys. He has been going to a mom organized pre-school co-op that some of the missionaries conduct. He is learning his letters and increasing his impressive art skills. Next fall he will be in a more structured pre-school. He loves swimming, playing, drawing, and 'shooting' all the red army ants he can find.

Ian (2) is keeping up with his big brother and seems like a bigger boy each day. His blonde curly hair and big brown eyes still gain him a lot of attention when we are out. Blonde hair here is an attraction and often Ian is stopping people in their tracks to touch and hug him and even to have his picture taken. The other week Ian and I were apparently on TV while we were at the beach on vacation last January. I did not see the clip but the compliments I receive from it say we both were very handsome. Ian's vocabulary is exploding and within the year we will have a second articulate voice in the house to go along with the clamor boys can create.

Despite Ian's ability to draw attention, Elanor (6 months) is the undisputed show stopper. I'm sure its due to her still being an infant, and a gorgeous little girl at that, but the Filipino ladies absolutely must stop and pinch or kiss her cheeks whenever they see her. She has a couple dozen "ninas", which is Filipino for god-mother, from church already. She is keeping pace with Ian's early mobility as well and began crawling at 5 months. She is quick to get wherever she needs to go. Last evening we went into the room to find she had pulled herself up and was standing in her crib. I think we are in trouble.

We had a blessed holiday season in our new home. Anytime you are away from the traditions and environment you are so familiar with, the holidays will seem different as they did to us, but Christ is the same around the world and Christmas is a special celebration here. We were well taken care of by our Filipino and missionary family here. God is good!

We were treated to a visit from Mom and Dad Pape in January. They spent 2 weeks with us and did their best to spoil us and the kids as much as possible. It seemed like the only time Elanor did not have Grandma's arms around her was when she was nursing or sleeping. We spent one week at the beach on Boracay island. It was wonderful to spend 5 days soaking up the sun and tropical ocean. The swimming, boating, snorkeling, coral reefs, and dining were outstanding! We spent the next week showing them what day-to-day life is like for us here. Dad came to work with me a couple days and we showed them many of the activities and locations we frequent. We were able to visit the church in Arenda which we built last January '05. It was wonderful to see the additions and beautifications which have been added. The property and church are like a lighthouse of hope in its dark surroundings. Two weeks came to an end so quickly and now we are getting back into the swing of our daily work and ministry.

WMC-AP Ministry
My position at the World Mission Communications - Asia Pacific office is exciting and challenging. While I am involved in many of the same duties and responsibilities I have had as a designer in the States, there are so many exciting projects and needs to be developed my organization and planning skills are being stretched. First and foremost, I am providing web site consultation and development for the many Nazarene mission organizations on the Asia Pacific region. I am currently developing sites for Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary (APNTS), the Asia Pacific Regional Office (APRO), World Mission Communications - Asia Pacific (WMC-AP), Nazarene Youth International - Asia Pacific (NYI-AP), and Nazarene Mission International - Asia Pacific (NMI-AP).

In our current position in history we are seeing so many dramatically exciting and yet alarming shifts in culture and technology. For better or worse, the internet is here to stay and I believe God is watching His church and inspiring them on how to use these tools of communication which are already ingrained into our cultures to communicate His love for His people. I recently saw a study which logged overall internet usage and availability and the Asia Pacific region recently passed the U.S. as the #1 part of the world for total internet usage. What makes this more remarkable is that this is taking place in a region of the world where there are still cultures with no modern infrastructure, let alone internet, so the areas here that do have and use the it are more than compensating for those who have not. The motto for the WMC-AP is, "Communicating Christ by all means possible." I think this says so well what our desire is. Whether it be through Sunday services, evangelistic crusades, home bible studies, radio broadcasts, video productions, internet chat rooms, photoblogs, podcasts, torrent feeds, or conversations over the backyard fence God is redeeming the days and redeeming His people however He can and we want to be a part of it!

In addition to the web development at WMC-AP there are many design projects which come through our production schedules. WMC-AP has partnership with many Christian and mission organizations in the Philippines and we offer our design and production services to these organizations. I have become the design coordinator for many of these projects, as designers among the video and radio production units of WMC-AP are consistently and increasingly in demand due to their talented services.

Over the coming months I will also be increasingly focusing on developing and training up additional WMC-AP staff in the areas of design and web development. The demand for these services is quickly outgrowing the ability for one volunteer to shoulder alone. We are eager to expand the capabilities of the WMC-AP as God extends our territory and increases our ministry.

As with any technology based company, both the production and creative content rely completely on technology hardware. WMC-AP has felt the growing pains of increased staff and increased production pushing the limits of the IT infrastructure in place. I have also been lending a hand to maintain and develop the production infrastructure at the WMC as needs arises.

There are so many needs and so few hours in each day but God knows them all by name and He is the Lord of the harvest. I am privileged to be involved in such a dynamic ministry as WMC-AP.

Personal Ministry
As with all of you, Melissa and I find ourselves looking for the balance between our ministry in my work, Melissa's work at home, and the daily influence on our friends and neighbors. We are convinced ministry does not stop with the punch of a time-clock but is a life style that carries into all areas of our lives. Our goal to be ministers of Jesus is at our core – it is who we are. In this, we are constantly looking for how we can be used in our daily surroundings to share Jesus.

Living in a 3rd world country there is tremendous physical need surrounding us constantly. Daily we receive visitors at our gate daily looking for food or money. Being westerners makes us a target for such visits as we are seen as people who have the means to give, which is true. There are more than enough opportunities to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and give to the poor, but we want to be strategic in how we do this just as Jesus was strategic in His ministry.

We have spent hours, days, and weeks praying that God would reveal to us how He would use us. We just don't want to miss it. Whatever it is God has for us in each day, we don't want to miss it. During a recent fast Melissa and I were on, God spoke to us both in a few exciting ways.

First and foremost, we have been in prayer seeking wisdom on our timing here in the Philippines and our ministry at WMC-AP. His answer was very clear to us. "I have you in a unique place where your talents, skills, and hearts are very needed and I will keep you here as long as I need you to be. No more, no less. When it is time to move I will tell you. Be content and settled in this place while you keep the lines of communication open and you will not miss what I need you to be doing."

Secondly, we were seeking the how, where, and when to conduct our personal ministry. God led us to Isaiah 58:6-9, "Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ " God's confirmation to us was clear. By answering the knocks at the gate and meeting each need as He inspires us we are being Jesus to those whom He sends and there is no better calling than that.

We count ourselves blessed beyond description to be in such a place of ministry as this. We only pray God would bless us more so that we may give more!

Partnership
It is because of you that we are able to be here and that we are able to be involved in this ministry. All of you who pray for us daily please know that God is blessing us and increasing our ministry beyond our dreams. We can hardly keep up, but He is sustaining and strengthening us for this work. To those of you who contribute financially each month we as so honored to report that through your giving the hungry are being fed, the naked are being clothed, the gospel is being strategically presented in new ways through technology which we never could have expected before, and our family is thriving in the blessings of day to day life. We are so humbled to be in such a place as this where our daily needs are met by your inspired giving freeing us to focus on full-time ministry. It gives us such joy to be an extension of your ministries! You are the hands and we are the fingers as Christ reaches out to the people in the Asia Pacific region.

Our monthly ministry and living expenses are consistently $1900 and this is being met faithfully each month. As many of you are able to give at times and not able at other times please know that each gift is vital to God's work here in sustaining our family. As long as He keeps providing for us through your giving we will serve as best as we can. We only seek that each of you first and foremost keep us in your prayers. Cumulatively it is wonderful to know that our days are covered by God's hand through these prayers. In your prayers please continue to ask how God will inspire and use us. We would encourage you to share with us any insight or inspiration you receive while in prayer. If you get something you would like to share with us please visit to our website (www.sendusout.com) and send us a note. If you are inspired to give financially we thank you and thank God for using you. If you need instructions on how to give please see the included form in this newsletter or visit the partnership page on our website.

To our family and friends so far away, we miss you greatly. We are sustained in knowing that although our hearts long to be near you all, we are working in the master's vineyard and that is a wonderful place to be! We pray that God returns unto you a double portion of the blessings each of you are giving to us!

In His Service,
Daniel, Melissa, and the kids.

Fasting

Fasting is one of the things I don't quite get about following God. I'm not sure if it's more for us or for God, but in some strange way it seems to accomplish something in the heavenlies. I just don't understand how not eating makes any difference; however, in the scriptures God calls his people to fast over and over again. This past week Daniel and I felt like God was calling us to do a little fasting ourselves. Fasting definitely gets you to focus. Someone once told me that fasting without prayer is just a diet. Well, it's the worst kind of diet I could think of. Who would want to fast without praying? Even Ian's peanut butter sandwich starts to look good after a couple of missed meals. And that nagging hungry feeling is a constant reminder in whom we are dependent upon and our need to pray.

As Daniel and I began to fast, we wrote down a few points of prayer to focus on. First, a deeper relationship with Jesus. Always and forever. Second, wisdom and guidance for our leaders over the Nazarene Asia-Pacific Region as they seek how to best fulfill God's great commission. Third, prayer for the WMC and it's outreach and vision and Daniel's role there. Fourth, God's further purposes and ministries for us here in the Philippines. Fifth, help in teaching and raising our kids that they may know a God in whom all things are possible. And last, but not least, a friend of ours shared a dream with us which seemed significant and probably was the catalyst for us starting this fast in the first place.

Each night Daniel and I spent some time talking and praying and Wednesday night we went over what we felt like God was speaking to us. One of things I felt like God was saying is that we are to stay here in the Philippines, specifically that we are not to go seeking other opportunities. God seemed to confirm this to Daniel as he spent time reading the book of Acts. Over and over again Daniel noticed that as God's people remained prayerful and open to God's leading, that God showed them what he wanted them to do when he wanted them to do it. Daniel and I are both in unity that we are where God wants us to be, serving where God wants us to serve and that we are to remain here until God calls us elsewhere. At this point, that looks like it could be a few years.

I have also had a special burden for the children who show up at our gate on a weekly, if not daily basis. Some want to sweep our sidewalk for a few pesos, others come collecting our empty plastic bottles to recycle and almost all of them ask for food. My emotions swing back and forth from compassion for these kids and a desire to help to annoyance and frustration at them knocking on our gate all of the time and targeting us as the place to go to ask for things. I know that God has provided for us abundantly and given us the means to help others. I just want to be wise in how we go about it. One specific thing I have felt God asking me to do is to learn their names and ask them specific things I can pray for them. It seems like such a small start, but I know it is what God wants. Daniel and I have prayed that each time we answer the gate that God would show us how He wants us to minister to this person.

After we finished praying, I went to look up Isaiah 61. Earlier in the evening a friend sent me a text asking me what my "life verse" was. This chapter of Isaiah has been significant to me for years. As I flipped through the pages the title above chapter 58 seemed to leap out at me: Fasting that Pleases God. Mere coincidence? I think not. Once again it confirmed that God is into taking care of "the least of these" and with God there is "always enough".

-M

Isaiah 58:6-9

6 “ Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;
You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’