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Mission News Update January 2010

Dear Praying Friends and Faithful Partners,

"Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." Psalm 20:7

A New Year is upon us - one which we need not fear, because we have a God who goes before us and is faithful. I want to praise God for His hand of mercy and grace in 2009. He provided for all our needs, kept us safe from harm and danger, given us good health, and most importantly allowed us to serve Him with joy and perseverance. He has allowed us to meet the needs of the people in the islands: body, soul and spirit. He strengthened us daily and encouraged us to keep on sharing God's Word, no matter what the circumstances were. 2009 had its share of joys and sorrows, victories and defeat, challenges and successes. All of these caused us to draw all the more closer to God, enabling us to realize that apart from Him we are nothing. This dependence on God has been the key for all of us to keep on going knowing that it is He who is at work within us. And so we will continue to place our trust in our Almighty God in 2010. We expect great things from Him as we attempt great things for Him!

GUAM
We once again experienced the truth that there is nothing impossible with God. At the last minute, Selina's parents and sister from Switzerland found out that their passport was not the right one to enable them to visit Guam. They had already purchased their tickets - so there was no turning back. The Swiss Passport Agency informed them it would take a month or so before their passports would be processed - yet by faith they made all the necessary applications. Would you believe that their passports were ready within 8 days - 3 days before they had to leave for Guam! PMA Haus was full for the Holidays - Selina, her parents and sister Sarah, Simon Weibel who just arrived from his service in Yap, my sister Laureen from the Philippines. We had great times getting to know one another and enjoying the island during Christmas and New Year. Christmas and New Year's Eve services were very meaningful as we spent time with PMF church family worshiping, praising God and praying for one another. Thank you God for family!

PHILIPPINES
Malcolm Cleope reports: The Medical outreach first week of January took the team (from Prairie Lakes Church in Iowa and our own Dr. John and medical assistant Geneziel, 2 doctors and 4 dentists) to Amaga (PMA's new PMF church) and Calutcot. Both areas were at least two hours by boat from Jomalig Island. By God's grace, we were able to serve approximately 794 medical, dental and eye patients in three days. We are thankful for every inspired volunteer who made the work a joy.

BAHAY KALINGA ORPHANAGE
"We had mixed feelings when ICAB (Inter-Country Adoption Board) called to inform us that A's adoptive family would be arriving in January to pick her up," shared Estella Sacyaben, Social Worker. "She spent a week in Manila for her visa medical exams and now she is back at BK awaiting her adoptive parents. We are so happy for her, yet sad that we will have to say good-bye to her. Please pray for her that she will adjust well to her new family and new country where she will live."

PALAU
"For the month of December, we visited and sang carols at the homes of our neighbors in the Meyuns community. We thank God for the joy we brought to them. Our theme was: Jesus the Reason for Life. We celebrated with a Christmas Eve service, which was a blessing to each one with a special Cantata for the occasion - celebrating Jesus - because we are the reason He came, suffered and died - and He is our reason to Live!"

YAP, MICRONESIA
Heidi Collins asks for prayer for our PMF Church: Pray for our leadership as they seek God's guidance for the coming year - for wise and godly decisions, and preparations for preaching and teaching. Pray for our congregation that they will desire to learn and grow in their spiritual lives. That in all things, we will depend upon the Lord, not ourselves - because it is He who promised to build the church!

POHNPEI, MICRONESIA
"What if Jesus was born into the island culture we live today. Would we seek Him? Would we worship Him? Starting November, 60 youth with a few adults met to practice for our Christmas program, "Seek Him... Worship Him". The worshipful songs from the Choir touched the heart and message of seeking Him causing all of us to evaluate our own faith journey at the end of 2009. Accompanied by our youth band, teenagers eagerly came to practice singing each day. They learned much more than singing and acting. They learned to focus, to concentrate and to give the Lord their best effort. "Seek Him... Worship Him" was presented to our church on Sunday morning after Christmas day and then repeated for 3 nights thereafter. With free tickets needed to enter, each night our church was packed for the evangelistic meeting. Our prayer is that each one who came will indeed seek Him and finding Him, worship Him!" from Sylvia Kalau.

On New Year's Eve service at our PMF church, after listening to the challenge Pastor Ed Kalau gave us to dwell richly in God's Word, we all shared our praises to God for 2009. After which, we each took out a verse from a basket. And at the end sang the familiar hymn: "Pass it On". Kenny, a new believer, picked "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me." (John 14:6) During our first prayer meeting for 2010, he shared that this verse was very familiar to him, but now it gave new meaning to His life. Everyday - as he met situations - he would recite this verse in his head - and Jesus would indeed be his Way when he needed a decision to be made, or Jesus would be his Truth when doubts would come to his mind, and Jesus gave him the joy of living even during the mundane and routine things that he did during the day. At times, he was given opportunities to pass on the verse to someone who needed it. What a wonderful testimony. This encouraged me more to persevere in passing on the Word of God when given an opportunity. God is at work in the lives of the people we serve and we are thankful to be part of their lives.

Thank you for praying for us and for faithfully partnering with us. As we enter another year, we praise God for you who enable us to continue to serve Him here in the islands. God bless you!

In Him we live and move and have our being, Melinda R. Espinosa CFO/Administrator