Exciting News

This is one of the most exciting emails I have got to write in some time. First, I am happy to say the church is doing great and the ministries are also improving, but the really exciting news is to do with me and Grace. After a few months of planning and thinking about our future, Grace and I felt we were ready to take our relationship to the next level. I asked for my parents blessing a few months ago, and during my semester break asked Grace's father for his blessing as well for us to get married. Last night I reserved the gazebo on the 21st floor of a hotel in Manila where we had dinner and I proposed to her. It was a wonderful evening, and Grace was very surprised and I am happy to announce she said yes!

We now have the date for the wedding set for March 13th 2010 and then a reception in Canada on May 28th. Now the reception really depends on Grace being able to get a visa, so lets all pray that she will be able to get it. It may seem a bit rushed, but after evaluating our situation for the last few months we thought it would be wise for us to be practical and get married sooner then later. Grace does not have a place of her own to stay in, and for the last few months she had been staying with people in the church or on my team. She constantly travels, and we are always waiting around for her to be able to go to where she is staying. Grace has made some big sacrifices for our ministry and for me as well, and we both would like to settle down. Most of all Grace is a wonderful woman of God, and I can't imagine finding anyone more committed to serving. Our love for one another has deepened so much over the past year and a half, and I always remember when I said the first time I met her on the boat 3 years ago, that I was going to marry her. I am honored to have someone like Grace to walk beside me in the good times and in the bad times.

This makes lots of things to pray about! I started fundraising months ago for a car because I knew that I would probably be getting married in 2010, so now I want to put that higher on my priorities list because doing grocery runs on a motorcycle is only entertaining the first time, after that a real pain. I do enjoy the convenience of having a motorcycle, but now since Grace's safety is part of the picture I really would like to get a dependable car. We also have looked at our budget and will probably need to add another $500 to our monthly income. I have moved 4 times since I have been here and I am very much looking forward to settling down in one place! Please join us in prayer, and pass on any words of wisdom you may have for me and Grace.

Thank you all for your love and support!

Brett

Life Getting Back to Normal

Life is back to normal.  I am in class, we are all very busy, and again I am figuring out how to manage it all.  It is nice to have some routine again after the semester break, but I also did enjoy the time I could spend at the church.  I am very excited for this semester since I have more classes that I will be enjoying, and one class that is a huge blessing.  It is Urban Evangelism and Church Planting!  When I saw it I knew I had to take it, and after a few classes, I am really enjoying it!  I have a great teacher, and my mind is really being expanded as well as, getting so many new ideas about the city, church, evangelism and more!

Though next year is really the beginning of my Bible subjects, right now the focus is on getting the general education classes out of the way, and I am happy with my classes this semester.  It was very interesting when I got my grades back to see that almost all are in the 90's!  I then asked a foreign teacher how it was possible (since in my whole life I have never got a 90% other then in gym class), and she said the marking system is very inflated here, as well as the fact that the passing grade is 75%.  So I have basically all 90's so far (except for that thorn in my flesh, math!)

December is a very very exciting time in the Philippines, and the church is ramping up for all the parties and programs!  We have had quite a pain trying to set a date for our children's Christmas party,  because of the previous flooding, the children missed a whole week of school so they have to catch up by having Saturday classes, so we have decided not to have a early party, but to do it on the 23rd of December.  I am very excited since we are planning on having 300 children!  We are going to use a basketball court and invite all the kids in our neighborhood.  Our plan is to do a carnival-style party and share the gospel and the truth about Christmas through a puppet show.  We have gift bags packed and ready and are fixing up our carnival games and adding some new ones this year.

Some wonderful news is that having the new missionaries here is a huge blessing!  Since they arrived our youth ministry has improved so much and it has lifted a huge burden off my back.  It's so nice to have more people around to help out and, some fun roommates!

I also forgot to mention in my last update that we started a daycare in the church.  It has been something we have been wanting to do for sometime, so I said "let's just go for it" and see how it goes.  I am happy to report it has been going well, but we are seeing that there are some real needs!  Everything hinges on having a great teacher, and one of our missionaries is a teacher, but he does not speak Tagalog so it makes it very challenging.  We will continue to pursue it and work hard at getting a great program started since there is a deep need for this kind of ministry.  I am going to have to make a tough decision soon about it, but I hope and, ask you to pray as well, that we could be able to continue.  We have been able to reach out to a lot of new mothers in our community, so we really desire to continue.

Please pray with me as there is a lot of work to do this month and I need to manage a lot.  It will be an exciting time as well as a challenging one so I would deeply appreciate your commitment to prayer for what probably will be a wild time!

Grace

This update topic has been a long time coming, and many times I have planned to write about it, but for a variety of reasons, I've put it on hold. So, now is the time to update you about my personal life. If you look at my Facebook page, you will know I have been 'in a relationship' since I arrived back to Manila in January. I chose not to talk about it because at the time it was not very serious and I did not know where it was going. Now I want to tell you all about how I met Grace.

Grace and I met on a boat when our team was going on a missions trip, and her Bible school was also doing a missions trip. They had some Koreans missionaries with them, because her school is run by Korean missionaries, and we noticed them reading a Bible, so started talking with them. They introduced us to the rest of their group, and then I noticed Grace and started chatting with her. We chatted for the rest of the boat ride, which was three hours and I began to connect with her. She was quiet, confident, and clearly a strong woman of God. I was very impressed. Since I was relatively new to the Philippines at that time I did not understand where her Bible school was, and I thought it was very far away. I began to think about it, and I thought it would never work because of the distance but I was wrong, and I actually can drive my motorbike there!

It was almost two years after we had first met that I finally got to see her again. I had been in another relationship during that 2 years and had learned a lot. The biggest thing I learned was that there was no chance unless she had a clear calling and will to serve God. I really began praying spcifically .that God would lead me to the woman that He has for me. I asked God that she be the daughter of a pastor, from outside the city, have a calling, share my heart in the ministry, and more. When I met Grace on the boat, she was/is all that and more. I literally checked off everything I prayed for! I was so surprised, and for whatever reason I had to wait two years, but it was well worth it. It gave me time to do more growing up!

When we finally connected again things went great! We met once a week at a mall and would spend the afternoon together and just talk. It was great that before we got serious we had four months to build a friendship. Soon however, I was back to Canada which was my last trip home from last September to January. The four months I was in Canada I called every other day and we talked and continued to develop our friendship, and our plan was that when I arrived back we would officially be dating. So when I arrived we became official, but were still only able to spend one day a week together, sometimes once in two weeks. But it was good, healthy and allowed everything to progress slowly.

When Grace finished Bible school, she moved to Manila to her sister's house. She began attending our church and slowly getting into the ministry. It was so nice to have a trained person to help out, as she could lead programs and take on significant roles and responsibility! Grace has flourished in our church since she came, and has become crucial part of our team. Since I had to commit a lot of my time to school, it was her who helped pick up the slack, and leading the mothers ministry. Right now she is vital to the church and a huge help with dealing with all the girls we have here. I really thank God for her, and the impact she has had one me and my church.
I would like to ask for your prayers, as this is a very important aspect of my life. Obviously a cross cultural relationship brings on different challenges, but when I reflect, what relationship does not? Me and Grace have made it very clear that constant communication is going to be key, and that we have to recognize that there are going to be some things that are just harder for us because of where and how we were raised. Pray for understanding and Gods clear direction for our relationship. I am very excited that for what our future holds, and what God will do with us. I remember the day well when I saw the potential for our relationship when I asked her "what will you do if we got married and God called me back to Canada? Or somewhere else?" She replied "It's ok for me, my life does not belong to me anymore." When I heard her say that, I new God had brought me straight to the right girl. For me, being a single missionaries has a lot of advantages, and a lot of disadvantages, but the truth is it's lonely, and I am thankful for a great person to walk beside me in the ministry!
Thank you all for your love and support! This Monday I am back in school, so that means I am back to a hectic schedule and a lot of work.

Exams and Challenges

I am very excited to say that this is finals week, and next week I will have two weeks off from school! With the storm and flooding that took place, our classes got extended one week, so next week I am finally free. The original excitement of starting school made it easier to overlook how busy I was becoming, but as the months pushed on I became very overwhelmed with all the responsibility. With Mackie still under disciplinary action, and going to be for quite some time, I has now become formal that I am the senior pastor. If it seems bizarre, maybe even inappropriate I would fully agree, since I am far from being "ready." It is not very exciting that the role was given to me on the terms of default, since Mackie was being groomed to take the lead, but I accepted willingly, and with the clear reality that I don't really have a choice. Even if we were to try and find and hire another pastor, that is not a process that can be rushed through, or even easy for that matter, so without any negative connotation, I am quite stuck in the role! Joshua is guiding me and walking with me through the everything so I am very much not alone, and I also keep in contact with my senior pastor at home.

The last few weeks have been really challenging to be honest. I was surprised to see my mother had sent out an email, because I should have been the one, but the morning I got up and checked my emails and saw it, I felt much better. There was a few mornings I struggled to get out of bed because of the back pain, and made class very challenging. I think part of the reason is that the title and job given to me is pretty scary and overwhelming, and I want to do my best, and put too much pressure on myself. The fact that the two people who were supposed to be leading this church fell away within a year, loads up weight even more, since after me there is no one else. Though the church is doing well and developing, the leadership is strained to the ends, and I have to either stand up and lead, or let the church fall. This is a common story, and one that God has done great things in time and time again, and my hope and trust is in Him to lead, and for me to be the hands and feet.

Some great news is that Canadian missionaries that I am good friends with and grew up in my area are going to be arriving November 4th. I have actually been waiting for them to arrive, which is unusual for me with missionaries since so many come and go, but these guys are coming at such a critical time, and I am so thankful. I am glad that our strong base of youth are continuing to playing such key roles in all the behind the scene aspect of the church, but since I started school the youth ministry has not been what it once was, and with these guys here to really give the attention to the youth that I am not capable giving, will really help out. They will be here 1 year which is also great because it gives them enough time to develop long lasting relationships, and allows me to hand bigger responsibilities over to them.

I have a few stories I would like to share, but for now I want to tell what happened a night a week ago or so. I was walking the youth home, and we walked past the street that the squatter area is on, and I noticed a girl sitting almost in the middle of the road, wailing, kicking her feet and crying. Their house was right there so I dropped off the youth and went over to see what was happening with the girl. At first I thought she was demon possessed because of her seemingly violent kicking and ending crying and wailing. But as I looked and observed more, I realized that this was an emotional issue, so I approached the people on the street and asked what was wrong. People started making jokes about her and saying she does it all the time, and my heart sank! Someone sitting on the dirty street crying out, and people could only makes jokes, it was frustrating but I new that they did not know any better. I had to approach this situation very carefully because I did not want to seem like I was trying to get into the gossip, but meaningfully try and see what was happening, and thankfully Toph was with.
I saw her mom, a regular attendee at our church, single mother of 4 and has a terribly hard life, sitting on the curb and laying back onto the side walk. I became totally overwhelmed as I looked at the mom laying there totally hopeless, in a culture built around "keeping face," her daughter sat in the road wailing and screaming and crying and shoeing off anyone who tried to talk to her. How embarrassing would that be if that was your child making a fool of you in front of your entire neighborhood was what I was thinking, and so I approached the mother and asked her for permission to talk to the girl. She had no problem with us talking to her, and both me and Toph were worried we were going to look like fools if she just went crazier. As she saw us approaching she started being more dramatic, and then it all became clear to me, it was a cry for love. Me and Toph squatted beside her and began talking to her. This girls father is a drunk, and makes a fool of himself in the area all the time, he beat his wife, and they have public swearing matches often, I could not imagine what was in this little girls mind. So I sat and I told her that I loved her, and that all of "Ate's(ah-tahs - big sisters)" and "Kuya's koo-ya - Big brothers)" loved her at the church. I just kept saying it over and over and over, and Toph told her how much Jesus loved her. She began to relax, and I "shhhh"ed her for a few minutes, and promised to be there for her anytime she needs us, and to just come to the church and find me or the others if you have a problem.

What makes this story special to me is that I saw the power of commitment and love. She would literally do that for hours from what the mother said, and no one else was able to quite her, except me and Toph. But the best part was at church on Sunday when I saw her, and I could see trust, and when I met her on the street the other night and she basically jumped on me and treated me like her brother. It was such a good reminder that simply showing love is the most powerful thing we can do, even if it's simple, or dealing with a full on temper tantrum! One thing that shocks me, that little girl is not so little, she is 14! I almost could not believe it when I was told after her exact age, she looks 10, and her actions well they speak for themselves. Again, I can't even begin to fathom what she has gone through to be so undeveloped emotionally, or to throw a fit in the middle of the road for literally hours. Please pray for her, her name is kathline, and I hope God has something special planned for her!

Thank you all for your prayers, I really need them in this time!

Brett

Flood Update

As most have heard Manila, and 25 provinces were rocked by massive flooding on September 26. We got a months rain in 12 hours which totally overloaded all drainage. Until now there are parts of Manila still underwater, and in a tomorrow we will be getting another super typhoon, and in another week it was said another one coming. We are all worried right now and hoping that the next storm will pass by.

I as well as everyone I am working with are fine. We had floods above my waist but thankfully that my apartment is on the second floor so their were no issues for me. We did not have electricity or water though for most of the 26th. Most of us went to the church, since there was water and it was the fifth floor. I went out with two others and bought for everyone, and we had to walk through waist deep water.

My classes were cancelled all week, as was the rest for the whole of Manila. I will start again on Monday, but thats if everything goes well during the next storm. The water receded by morning and we even did our church service but with many missing. Where I am, it is almost all back to normal, but there are parts of Manila that are seriously suffering. Please pray for those people.

I just went out and bought food for 25 people, and it will be handed out later tonight. The youth are now packing it and they will head to the still flooded area to hand it out.

Please pray for the Philippines right now as their is a good chance we are in for some rough times. I also just found out that many parts of the city will have their electricity turned off this evening, which for most of you will be in the morning when you wake up. I will email again as soon as I can but dont worry for us here. Our church is high up as well as my apartment and we live in the business district so it will be some of the first to have water recede and power restored.

Thank you all.

Brett

Let the good times roll!!!

Something has changed! It is as if the whole atmosphere of the church and the work seem to have been turned a 180 degrees. It's not as though it's perfect, but there is a realness to it all, as if people have become much more genuine. Every service we have continues to be powerful and encouraging, and even the ministry is wonderful. Yesterday afternoon I led the bible study at a members house and after we were all eating together and it dawned on me, and I said to myself "this is the church." To see a group of people young and old laughing and sharing stories and eating together, and pursuing the call that Jesus made to us, it was beautiful. God has transformed lives, and His goodness is beginning to overflow from the lives of people He has touched. I was listening to a mother who was asking Christopher, better known as Toph here, who is the worship leader, to get a copy of the lyrics of some of the songs we have been singing. She had been singing what she new to her friends, and they were touched by the song, so she wanted to get all the lyrics. I also taught, and everyone understood! Which is a big deal for me since I can actually teach to a non english speaking group and have them walk away with something.

We also began a bible study in another persons house who was very seriously sick, and still cant make it up the five flights of stairs in the church. Toph led that bible study, and her family joined in and actually listened. That woman has quite the story since she literally died a few times in the hospital. Her heart had stopped I think around 4 times, for extended periods of time, but had been revived each time. I went and visited her many times in the hospital to pray for her, and that has really gone a long way in developing my relationship with the family and her. All of her 3 sons greet me each time they see me, and I think a seed has been planted and I hope to be able to share the gospel with them soon.

This week is the end of the time that Mackie was given to separate himself from the church and the Youth Mobilization team. I am nervous because to be honest I still have strong negative feelings about what happened.
Forgiveness is so necessary because regardless of what has been done, I am a sinner as well and need Gods grace just as much, but the reality of that has proven to be challenging. What Mackie did in the eyes of a Canadian is absolutely disgusting, and could be criminally charged. But since it's a weakness more prone to men here, people have been very forgiving and understanding. I on the other hand can't do that, and it's going to make this a very challenging process. Please pray for me in this situation.

Some not so good news is that fundraising for my car has not gone so well. I have one seriously committed donor which is great, but please pray with me as this is something I really hope to get soon.

I will send another update soon to give more details about Mackie coming back and I will note that he is not doing any ministry or has any leadership.

Please join me in prayer for the church and the fundraising for a car.

Thank you for your love and support!

Brett

Challenges and fruit

It has been a challenging time for us all here, but also very fruitful. God really challenged me to step up and put my faith in Him and lead the church, and He has continued to pour out His understanding upon me and strength to continue.

Last Sunday God made His presence known to the people. Actually, since Mackie has left the services have been totally different, and for the good. Gods presence has been overwhelming and people have really experienced healing. After I preached and as we began to worship I started to see real manifestation of the Holy Spirit, which is something I have not seen for quite some time to be honest. Anne, Joshua's wife was also in the service, and helped me in the service and prayed for people. It was a wild service from what I have become used to, and I hope the God will continue revealing Himself each week like He did.

We also started a bible study in a members house, and had two of my original youth repent last week. God has blessed me so much that I can't dwell on the weight of my responsibility! I really feel new, and as if the tanks have been filled to the very top! God has renewed me and my heart and showed me a path for the church. Right now we are going to continue focusing on our discipleship program and try and start more bible studies in the area.

What I am going to start focusing on in my support is raising money to get a car. I have been praying hard and I really feel this is the time to get a car. I have set a budget for around 3500$ as the least I would like to spend, and I am hoping and praying to get around 7000$. After doing a lot of research I think I would like to get a small car more designed for the city, and either a japanese made or korean. The church is set right now, and with the rent paid it will not require any extra help, so I have decided to take this time to focus on fundraising for the car. I am happy to say that my brother will be visiting me this November for a few months, and it would be really nice if I could have it by then. So I am setting my goal for this November. Please pray with me that God will provide all that I need. I also would like to ask all my supporters and prayer partners to join in as well if capable to give. I will be setting up a separate account for this, as it is a special item.

Thank you all for your prayers as always! Join me in praising God for His faithfulness, and even though He took me to the very tip of my understanding and capability, He still leads me through it all and now I have become even stronger because of it!

Brett