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Dealing with Disaster

Dealing with Disaster

It’s been nearly six months now since the most powerful typhoon ever recorded to have made landfall anywhere in the world struck the Philippines on November 8th, 2013. Here in the Philippines the storm is known by the name typhoon Yolanda and will not ever be forgotten; to the rest of the world it is […]
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A Couple of Not-So-Awesome First

A Couple of Not-So-Awesome First

  Our last update focused on a couple of awesome opportunities we had over the summer.  Unfortunately, between the two ministry opportunities mentioned in that article, we also endured a very negative first time experience which was being pick-pocketed for the first time on a crowded mass rail transit system in Manila.  Normally I try […]
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A Couple of Awesome First

A Couple of Awesome First

After ten years on the mission field in the Philippines, God continues to bless us and walk us through first time experiences.  Among the first time blessings includes a first time visit with new believers in Christ among the Cuyonen in Palawan.  Part of our ministry is to help coordinate work teams and so back […]
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FINDING JESUS!

FINDING JESUS!

  When Finding Nemo first came out in film back in 2003 we totally missed it.  As a matter of fact, I distinctly remember one of our co-workers giving Sheila Marie a stuffed fish that same year for her second birthday.  I was told the fish’s name was Nemo as evident by his ‘lucky’ fin.  […]
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Tribal Ministry in the Metropolis?

Tribal Ministry in the Metropolis?

How does one involve them-self in tribal ministry while living in a major metropolis?  The truth is it’s all a matter of mindset.  As one co-worker recently reminded us, ‘It’s kind of like watching a basketball game and watching the reaction of the crowd when one team scores a basket.  One side roars with joy […]
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Answered Prayer!

Answered Prayer!

Our three month home-assignment has come and gone and we can honestly say that this has been an answer to prayer on so many fronts.  During this time we reconnected with friends and family from coast to coast, visited with six differenct churches, had some much needed medical & dental work taken care of, recieved some […]
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Connecting With the Local Church

Connecting With the Local Church

A few years ago I took a Perspectives course on missions at the Baptist Theological Seminary of Cebu.  Just to get our brain juices flowing the question was asked, “Does missions exist because churches exist, or do churches exist because missions exist?”  That’s a  pretty profound question and while it’s true, churches would not exist […]
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“Wow, I can really see now!”

“Wow, I can really see now!”

Those were the first words out of my wife’s mouth after I saw her coming out of surgery for cataracts in her left eye.  Those words were repeated at various times throughout the week since then.  Taking care of medical needs is just part of what we were hoping to accomplish during our three month home-assignment.  Thanks […]
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Welcome Home Smith Family

Welcome Home Smith Family

This has been the greeting we have received from day one since our home-assignment began.  Whether it’s been the greeting we received from our friends who picked us up when we arrived in California, friends opening their homes to us, or the churches we have shared in, we have been extremely blessed.  One friend in […]
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