“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Cor. 15:58
The Lord does continue to encourage us as we hear good reports from the Kalanguya believers in the Philippines! They write of the outreach ministries of the church, the progress of the Old Testament translation and their summer ministries, including another very successful VBS this year! Also in the Philippines, the new school year has begun (in early June) and our CFM Center is filled to capacity with Kalanguya college students who are pursing their secular education under the discipleship of a faithful staff who work with them in their spiritual growth and development as well. We also have heard recently about the Board Meetings of both CFM (Christian Fellowship Ministries) and TCMK (Tribal Christian Ministries of the Kalanguya) where faithful men and women are meeting to diligently oversee the various ministries of the growing Kalanguya church and keep up with the paperwork needed to stay up-to-date with documentation required by the Philippine government. WE ARE SO PROUD OF THEM…..and so grateful to the Lord for raising up such men and women from among the Kalanguya believers to provide leadership, teaching and encouragement for the churches and outreach ministries! God bless them! We hope knowing these things also encourages you!
Our plans for a return to the Philippines have been uncertain. We had originally booked a flight for June 16th (yes, we would have been in the Philippines by now!!) but neither of us felt at peace with that timing even while we felt the urgency to “get on” with the final consultant checking of the last four Old Testament books that need that check. In our communication with the Kalanguya Translation Team, we expressed our concerns and uncertainty about returning this summer and got a response from them that confirmed our feeling that we should delay. They are SO busy with trying to get these last books ready for that final check (for the Kalanguya: 1 and 2 Chronicles, Psalms and Song of Solomon) along with other ministry obligations they all have. Plus we would have kept our head translator, Margie, from an opportunity to go to Thailand to mentor her sister, Sarah (also on the Kalanguya Translation Team) at a workshop for training national consultants in Asia! So it was a great RELIEF to them when we suggested we return to the Philippines early NEXT year rather than this summer! PLEASE pray for us as we prepare for and make this trip, probably leaving in late January 2016 and staying thru mid-May so that we can attend the Annual Believers Conference.
In the time between now and January, Bob especially will be very busy completing some changes to the translation of the Kalanguya ISAIAH (which was checked last time we were in the Philippines), adding footnotes where needed for further information and clarification. He’ll also be doing a preliminary check of 1 and 2 CHRONICLES so that that check with the team will go quickly and smoothly. He recently taught a series from the book of Colossians at our church here in Alabama and that study will be of good use to him as he prepares to write a commentary for Colossians for the Kalanguya churches. He’d like to do the same for the book of Philippians. Later!!
The KALANGUYA PROJECT FUND supports ongoing ministries of the Kalanguya.
- Tribal Translation Team
- CFM, the dorms and Bible Studies for college youth
- Music Ministry for the tribal churches that includes needing new musical instruments!
- Outreach ministries of the churches – including transportation needs We are asking the Lord for wisdom in allocating the resources we have. More often than not, funds from our personal support make up what the Kalanguya Fund lacks each month – so it would GREATLY help our personal support if more money was given on a regular basis to the Project Fund. You can send your gift to New Tribes Mission, 1000 E. 1st Street, Sanford, FL. Please make your check payable to “New Tribes Mission” – Include with your check a separate piece of paper stating: “For the Kalanguya Project, Philippine Field Fund”
- Thank you so much for your prayers and support for the ministry over the years. We could not have done any of this without you; your financial support, your care for us when we are at your church, your faithful prayers before the Lord on our behalf. We cannot say thank you enough. Continue to pray for our health and mental sharpness! We feel our age…..…yet know that God will supply what HE knows we need both mentally and physically to finish the task before us! Thank you and God bless you all!