Stealing Laundry

The other night, during the start of prayer meeting, there was large commotion about three doors down the alley (there are not streets and to call it an alley is even pushing it). I asked what was going on (understanding when everything is calm, is hard enough, when things get emotional, forget it). They said that someone had lost some of their laundry from off their line.

I guess that describes the level of poverty here that clothes hanging on the line are not safe. People steal them, sell them for quick cash and buy drugs or just food.

I think of the vast amount of clothes that are donated to Goodwill every day and then try to reconcile that to clothes being stolen off the line.

We really are not in Kansas anymore...

Recent Reading

Since this is the summer break in the school year here in the Philippines I have some time for additional time for reading and study. Currently I am reading Alister McGrath's A Passion for Truth. I am finding it very helpful and interesting at the same time. I have just started so maybe more about this another time. I just finished Dave Tomilson's Post Evangelicalism and that book I did find disturbing. I am going to need some to digest that and maybe I will need to re-read D. A. Carson's Ministering to the Emergent.

One thing I am enjoying, besides the reading, is downloading various articles and talks given by several very insteresting people. I then listen to them while driving to our church planting project. I have just recently discovered N. T. Wright. I realize that many people know about him but I did not. He helps me to hear the Post Evangelical discussion from a Biblical studies perspective.

Palm Sunday, A Very Strange Day

Today is Palm Sunday. Living in a country that is covered with coconut palms, the name somehow becomes more real. I preached today at our small, newly started body of believers. We had a great time of worship even though the neighbors turned their music up and the fact that most of the walls in the church are just grills makes that whole experience a lot more "live".

It was good to be there with the saints. One dear lady just had one cataract surgery and is waiting for the second. Just having her there was such an encouragement.

I preached on one of the traditional texts which reviewed the events of that very strange event we have called the "Triumphal Entry". This time I personally was touched with two things: the context in John which has this event following the raising of Lazarus; and the concluding paragraph of Luke where Jesus crys over Jerusalem. I find that even though preaching is done, the day is winding down, but I am still very deeply moved by what Jesus said, "because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you." (Luke 19:44b) I have decided that I am going to keep my eyes open.

The children's program went well. They had 60 or so kids. Three young ladies and one young man (junior high age in America, high school here) are coming to church. Carol is thrilled by this.

Until next time.
Vance

Graduation

It was a great weekend! Saturday, several of the men from our small church plant and I went to a small, rural community and fellowshipped with three families that have been conducting a "house church" for many years in their very simple home. They led the singing and I had the priviledge of sharing God's Word with them and then they fed us. What a humbling experience to be fed by people who do not have a lot of the world's "stuff" but are rich in grace and hospitality. I wanted to bring all of you along!

Then Saturday night was the graduation banquet for the college. We were celebrating with the eleven students who have completed their five year degree course and the nineteen who have completed their one year certificate course. The highlight of the evening was the message from Philippians 4 by one of our more recent graduates who is church planting. What he shared was so practical and powerful. I came away rejoicing in the fact that God has used this school to help mentor such a young man. The fact that Carol and I were sponsors for his wedding probably influences my thinking as well.

Sunday was graduation at the college and what a great time of rejoicing that was as well!

Today was the first Sunday School class for adults at our small church plant. We are using locally published materials. We are starting with a study of the Gospel of John. We had an excellent attendance!

I am teaching for the first quarter, actually I am going to alternate with a couple of other people but I really want this to be their "thing".

Saturday, March 25 we will be taking a small group of people from our church to visit a nearby mountain community that has a small gathering of people that represents the only group of individuals that Biblically can be called a "church". We want to encourage them and see if we can develop ways to give them some simple guidance.

This is the kind of thing we want to do for several places that we have visited recently. Please join with us in thinking how we can best glorify God and encourage these people.

We just got back from a three day break which was very helpful to us. The boys enjoyed snorkeling (Mark for the first time), swimming in the pool, watching movies (The Incredibles, Around the World in 80 Days [old,old,old], and others), and going for short walks.

Carol and I enjoyed all of the above and reading. Carol even got some time to do some organizing. Something she had wanted to do for a long time. She is so good at it that I think she should contract her services for others. I probably should be the first person to hire her.

Tomorrow is the final exam in my Hebrew class. Yes, I am still a student and still trying to figure out Biblical Hebrew. I have a great group of classmates and I wish I could utilize their abilities to take the exam but alas, that is still called "cheating" and not "collaborative" effort.

Well, I will close for now.

Vance