Greetings!
We are halfway through 2019, and I am very grateful to be a part of what God is doing through Life in Jesus Church in Baguio City and Asia with People to People Ministries. Enjoy reading these testimonies.
Life Signs
"Life Signs" is the deaf ministry through Life in Jesus Church that began several years ago. On Sunday mornings, their chairs are arranged in a specific section of the church. As with any ministry, there are highs and lows; excitement peaks and dissipates and attendances drop. This has been the case with this ministry for the past few years. That section might have one or two deaf and, on several Sundays, the only ones there are the interpreters.
The amazing part of this ministry is that the church has always had members willing to learn sign language even if no one was coming. After one of the Sunday services, in the first part of the year, I felt the Lord say "gather the interpreters and pray." I asked them what they expected and why they were even there. Each shared that they believed God was doing, and would do, something in the deaf community. Our prayer was, “God, if you need to let this ministry die, if you need to do something totally different, we do not care, but we recognize this ministry is yours. SO, it is up to you to resurrect it and give it life.”
A few weeks later, one of the former attendees and her fiancé showed up in our office asking for premarital counseling. Through that session, a former relationship we had with a deaf school was reestablished. Over the past two months, 15 have accepted Jesus as their Savior and are faithful to their midweek Bible study. God is breathing life into this ministry again.
Life in Jesus baptism for the deaf at a local pool
Myanmar – Making a Difference
During a trip to Myanmar in May, TEAMS, one of the ministries of People to People, was joined by a group of students from Emmanuel College. It is always fun to be a part of someone’s first missions trip. A few are pursuing medical degrees, so being a part of a medical outreach had a significant impact on their lives. We encountered so many patients that, by the end of each day, we knew personal needs were met and lives were impacted by the love displayed.
Churches host the clinics. This is a wonderful way to not only encourage them but to also impact and strengthen the community they serve. Of course, these events attract crowds and an abundance of curious children. Since kids are on summer vacation, they will hang around all day. Other EC students used this opportunity to minister and play games with them. I know these children had an experience they will never forget, and we pray the seeds sown into their lives will flourish and influence them daily.
In one corner of the room was a very popular table, I nicknamed, “The Happy Table.” Why was this table so different? As they would go through a series of questions and offered a solution to their problem, their faces would beam. What was this joy bringer? A simple pair of over-the-counter reading glasses!
May is an extremely hot month in Myanmar and, on several days, the temperatures were around 105 degrees. In congested rooms, we would hope for fans but, with no electricity, we thought this could not happen. I have now discovered my favorite use of a car battery; tether a fan to it and gain relief. With the number of fans set up each day, I am thankful for the people I know who let us borrow their fans and batteries.
1) My favorite fan 2) Tropic of Cancer: maybe the reason it was so hot 3) Our patient patients
1) The "Happy Table" 2) Kids learning songs while clinics are held
1) TEAM Myanmar: the beginning of clinics 2) The sun setting over the bay of Bengal
Be Involved
Testimonies not only encourage us, but they also ignite the Spirit of God in us to be involved. The privilege of serving People to People Ministries, the leaders in the countries of Asia, and being sent by you is a very humbling experience. I do need your partnership in support and prayer; below is the information you need to do so. Let us all continue to testify of His goodness!
