Weekend Update... this one's a good one! :)

Wow! Sooo much has happened this week! We've been going around the neighborhood doing community bible surveys. It's a good way to get a feel for interest in the gospel in the area. It's pretty simple actually. You knock on the door '*knock, knock* Tao po!' and repeat until they answer. Then you just simply explain that we are from a chuch just up the street and we are doing a short survey throughout the community. Then you ask if they have a bible, if they want one and if they would like us to come back and lead a bible study in their home. We've walked up and down all kinds of hills, up and down very steep, unequal stairs, some of them made of mud and old tires. We've seen a lot of the area and the wealth of some people on this street, and poverty of others. Anyway... back to the surveys. I wasn't sure what to expect, and as we were doing this, I wondered what kind of effect this would have in North America. Honestly... I can't even tell you how many times I've just ignored the knocking at the door if I didn't recognize the person knocking. Even if I did answer the door, I would probably just try and get whoever it was to leave as soon as possible. But anyway, back to the surveys...

So we had several homes express intrest, and have been doing some follow up the last couple days. Yesterday I went with Moses and Pastor Sam to do a follow up to the initial survey. The owner of the home is a believer along with her family, but she has two young women living there with her, I believe they also work for her, but they were not belivers, they were loosely Roman Catholic. Well, we sat down with them and Moses shared his testimony (in Tagalog to boot! He did great!) and pastor Sam was able to witness to them and walk them through some passages in the bible. From learning how we are all sinners and that that sin separates us from God, to showing them how Jesus is the free gift that God sent to free us and redeem us  to bring us back into communion with God and spending eternity in Heaven with the Lord. Well! Praise the Lord! They both accepted and are now my our new sisters in Christ! It was so exciting to be sitting there praying for Pastor Sam while he shared and these two women while they listened! God is so good! We invited them to church this morning, though they didn't come. But they asked us to come back next saturday for another bible study, which I will lead. I'm excited for this, but not sure really where to start with a new believer!

We did another follow up today with a young lady, probably about my age named Maritess. This time it was Chris and I, along with a friend of ours, Vok, who translated for us. I'll be totally honest- We had just gotten home from our church service at the second church (We have church here at the house, Balacbac, and then we go to the other church in Ambiong after... it makes for a long day), we were all pretty tired, I had a headache, and I've been fighting a cold for the last few days. The last thing I wanted to do was hike down to interior B to lead a bible study where I wasn't really sure what to say, and last minute it was decided that I would lead it because we were sure that this lady would be more comfortable talking to another female. So, down we hiked, praying all the way that she would even be home, that she would still be interested in talking with us, that she would be open to what we said, and that the words we shared would be of the Spirit and not ourselves. Well... We arrived and Maritess was there and still willing to meet with us. So... I began the study and was feeling a little frazzled, but continued on sharing with her while Chris silently interceded for us and Vok translated. Well... guess what?! Maritess seemed to actually be interested in what we had to share... and even more than that... you know what?! SHE ACCEPTED THE LORD TODAY!!! I'm sooo stoked I can't even express it!! We invited her to come to church next sunday and are really hoping that she can make it! Sunday is her only day off. It was so exciting to be involved in what the Lord was doing this weekend! 3 new sisters in 2 days! Please continue to pray for these new sisters, that they would sincerely continue on in our studies and seek out the Lord and really building relationships with Him. But also! I'm so thankful for the guys that were there with me, for Chris' interceding but also especially for Vok. Obviously, the story would have ended differently if she hadn't understood what we were saying, but also, did I mention that Vok is a new believer also?! Yeah! He only accepted the Lord 3 weeks ago!! God is doing such awesome things in Vok! He was able to share a little bit of advise to Maritess about starting a new life as a believer! Soooo cool! Wow. I'm seriously so excited! Are you?! I hope that whoever reads this silly blog of mine feels encouraged today. Encouraged in their walk, knowing that they serve an incredible God, but also encouraged to share the gospel with unbelievers! It seems so scary to have those conversations with friends and family, but man, the sacrifice that Jesus made for us NEEDS to be shared!!

*Sigh*

Wow... I'm tired! What an interesting week. Looking forward to tomorrow and my day of rest, but also looking forward to more follow up visits and bible studies with new believers! Keep on praying for us!



The team plus some of the Arcano's!



Until next time....