Newsletter from the Blacks (March 27)

We left on January 21^st this year to return to a land of different sights, climate and language. Again we hear the honking horns, loud music, smell the roasting fish, and baking rice cakes mixed with the fumes of diesel. It is very good to be home!

For many of you this is your first newsletter from us. Thank you for giving us your addresses and for making your share support pledges to support us until we return to the states for the fall of 2008.

Somewhere in the midst of a busy life of ministry, unpacking our shipments and suitcases as they have arrived from their long boat journeys, and repairing our house, we have entered each of your names and information into our data base. It took all three of us using our spare time to get it done! We are now communicating with hundreds of more people and we are very thrilled to know that it means a lot more prayer support and we do need and appreciate that!

David has gone to the mountains to attend the graduation ceremony of Bro. Yucaddi’s son. It is a joy to be a part of the lives of these precious people.

Next Friday Christina will be giving the address for our own graduation here in the Academy. We have six beautiful children graduating from elementary level and anticipate holding our first high school graduation in March of 2008.

Last week an official from the government came to visit our school and was so impressed he is talking about giving us permission to operate all levels next year and we only asked for two years of high school at a time…. No doubt, through your prayers and ours God touched the hearts of those in authority who were threatening just days earlier (no doubt out of jealousy) to close us down.

Thank you for the faithful way you have supported this arm of the ministry here. Some of you have sent money to Bro. Monte for flooring for the school, for learning center toys and activities, special offerings for us and our teachers and more! We know you can not out give the Lord and He will bless you!

The Lord is also blessing our weekend ministries. The children and adult outstation (village) gatherings are growing and as our Filipino co-workers say “Becoming fruitful once

more”. We also are enjoying being in the churches with our brothers and sisters here and sharing the Word of God and pointing out God’s grace and love through music.

We spend some time in our home and offices too of course, in fact if you dropped in at the right time of day you might think all we ever do over here is wash dishes, cook, and do laundry. But eternal business happens inside these mission houses daily! We listen patiently to our neighbors as they communicate their hearts in faltering English and if we feel confident enough with the sentence we have chosen we answer in faltering Ilocano…just so they know that we care enough to try!

Thank you for remembering us…..we need you. ~ “The Blacks”