The mayon volcano has been spewing lava and ash for several days. It has erupted about 50 times in the past 400 years. It is sad that up to 50,000 people have been evacutatd and are living with relatives or in evacuation centers. This has got to be an impossible living situtation for many, hardest on the children. Please pray for the poor people who have been evacuated. 
There was another earthquake in Mindanao on Wednesday (the US is 13 hours behind the Philippines) after having three tremors over the weekend. It was estimated to be a 5.5 centered off the coast of Mindanao nearst to Davao (see map, the earthquake is one of the three blue squares to the south. For the news report of the earthquake click HERE. . 
Mindanao frequently has earthquakes off their coast. The attached map from Google Earth shows recent Earthquakes in the red squares. 
Students in Hillsdale college taught principals of free enterprise to the childern of a Philippine orphange, click HERE. This type of work is so needed in the Philippines. Because of the extreme poverty of the people, many children are abandoned by their parents, they simply cannot afford to feed and care for their children. Also, many of the men die while their children are small and when the mothers remarry there is extreme pressure on the to abandon their children from their first marriage, the new husband cannot support all the children involved. When I was in the Philippines I actually met sevearl children who had been abandoned or those who had a father die and their mother and step father could not longer care for them. A Charlotte NC church, Mecklenburg Community Church, pastored by James Emery White, is soon to purchase a safe house in the Philippines to rescue girls traped in the slave sex trade. The church is the first one in the United States to open such a place in the Philippines.
To watch the news story click here.
In a related story, a 67 year old, Donald Mathias of Davie FL, received 20 years for traveling to the Philppines to have sexual relations with two minor girls. He admitted to having made two trips to the Philippines, he was arrested on the second journey. He paid the mother who allowed him to have sex with her two daughters. For the whole news story click HERE.
It is hard to imagine a mother who would do such a thing, but the extreme poverty of the region, where starvation and malnutrion is common, will drive people to extreme measures. Thru a contact I have in the Philippines I heard of a 4 year old girl who was dumped in the street markets area with her birth certificate in hand, the family could no longer care for the little girl.
Please pray for these young women and men who are caught in the sex trade, most not by choice. They are doing the only thing they can do to survive. Unemployment and other ways to make money are just not enough to supply the basic needs. One young person was working the sex trade to pay for their sibilings educations....so the "sisters would have a better life."
Please keep these teenagers in your prayers and pray for the Charlotte Church and they do their best to help these young girls.
Important news in Mindanao about the massacre. The government is considering the use of Army facilities to house up to 700 suspects and those culpable in the massacre of 57 people almost a month ago. Even the normal functions of govenment are being looked at since several cheif executives of some towns have been arrested. For more infomration click HERE.
To Email me click HERE.
The Philippine Daily Enquirer reports that Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan was mobbed by journalists and others when he appeared in court wanted as a primary suspect in the political murder of 57 people. He is next due in court on Dec. 28, he is said to be the one who directed the killings and caches of weapons have been found on his families land. The report is found HERE.
The US ambassador to the Philippines is Kristie Kenny. She writes on her blog, HERE. that she visited the Jolo airport and along with the Philippine President dedicated a new runway. This is a triumph over the terrorism that is continuing to plague the island. The Muslim Abu Sayaf has bombed new construction of bridges and roads in an effort to stop the movement of troops.
Please continue to pray for peace in Jolo and other areas in the Muslim controled areas in South Philippines. Philippine troops have evacutated 120000 people in villages surrounding the Mayon Volcano. Its eruption could be as early as next week. It is already spewing lava. Click HERE.
Many of the Abu Sayaf, estimated to be a group of about 400, are active on the island of Jolo. 
Here is a picture of the volcano taken yesterday. 
Here is picture of the volcano taken from a previous eruption.
It seems that the MILF broke into a jail and freed 31 suspected terrorists. It was nighttime raid at a jail in Basilan. The small island south and west of Mindanao has been subject to attacks for years. For a link click HERE.
The islands location can be seen in the adjoining map.
After negoations Sunday, gunman have agreed to free all hostages. The government has agreed to disarm their rival militia. For a full report click here. 
The Abu Sayyaf kidnapped yet another victim yesterday, a college president, click HERE. The Abu Sayyaf, known as the "sword of God" is a muslim separatist group, believed to have only 400 members is the most violent group of terrorists in the Philippines. They are responsible for many kidnappings and several beheadings in the southern part of the Philippines. They are active in Mindanao, Basilan and Jolo. The US state department has officially classed them as a foreign terrorist organization, for a comprehensive list click HERE. 
Today gunman took 57 hostages in the Philippines, later releasing 17 of the childeren. They are believed to be a group of bandits who were former memembers if a militia. They have been pursued by authorities in the past few days following a gunbattle. Negotiators are talking with the group and trying to ascertain their demands, believed to be the dropping of possible charges against them. For a full report of the news story click HERE. In response to the massacre of 57 people the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has pulled out its aid for the province. However, USAID will continue to fund projects in other areas of Mindanao. The World Bank has said they will continue to fund ongoing projects of development in the area. For a story of the World Bank decision click on the link below.
No letup in loans, grants to Mindanao, says World Bank - Business - GMANews.TV - Official Website of GMA News and Public Affairs - Latest Philippine News
As a follow up to the "peace" negotiations. They representatives of the Philippine government and the MILF released a statment saying that they hoped a deal could be brokered by April. Obviousely, looking ahead of the end of the current Philippine President in May, the next Philippine President might not be as willing to work with the MILF. The Muslim population makes up only about %5 of the total population of the Philippines, the vast majority is Roman Catholic. The Roman Catholic majority is concerned about control of the land. The area of land under dispute is seen in the map in darker color. Most of the violence, kidnappings and bombings, have occured in the areas marked as "automomous" regions, particularly the Sulu archipelago.
To read more about the negotiations click HERE.
Pastors and Evangelists in fellowship with the Church of Jesus Chirst. 
A small number of the members of the Church of Jesus Christ in Cagayan De Oro. 
Our lunch party at Don Aro Beach. One of the most beautiful places in the world! 
Forty-six murdered and state of Emeregency declared in Mindanao. The Philippines are having elections in May. Early reports seem to say that members of the Mangudadatus family were murdered by the Ampatuan family, both familys are powerful clans. The Mangadadatus's were in a convoy to register for the elections, the men of the family were not in the convoy, reasoning that the women would not be harmed. However, many women were murdered, one was pregnant, and several journalists were murdered as well. It has been reported that some had their hands were tied behind there back and were shot in the head.
Click on the date above this post for a link to the NY Times report.
The US Secretary of State is visiting the Philippines and has urged that a peace deal be made between the Philippine government and the MILF. She said the be current Philippine president should be the one to make such a deal because she will be out of office in June. However, she said that it should be a legal treaty; the current president made a deal with the muslim rebels that was declared unconstitutional by the Philippine supreme court.
Please pray the will of the Lord be done in Mindanao and in the coming May elections in the Philippines.
Click on the title above and it will link you to the news article.
Good news out of the Philippines. A break-away group from the MILF released the Catholic Irish priest they had kidnapped more than a month ago. He was quoted as saying the captors treated him very well, thank the Lord for that. In contrast, to the beheading of a school teacher last week.
I took this photo in Valencia, Buikidon. It was a small community on the outside of Valeancia city proper. The road led to a mountain region where there was bannana trees and sugar cane. This is taken from the porch of Edward Suarez, he is an owner of a sugar cane field. There were many people walking down this road and traveling by motorcycle. I was an "attraction" for the young people, many had never seen a "white" except on television.
Read more...Sad news out of the Philippines, the BBC is reporting that a teacher who was abducted 3 weeks ago has been murdered.
One might think that our ministry to Philippines is over since we are back in the US.
But I am still in almost daily contact with many of the people I met there. Recently, I spoke with one of the young people and explained "speaking in tongues" and what it means to be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Many of the youth are hungry for the deeper things in God and they need a teacher.
Please pray for our need to provide teaching materials to the youth of the Philippines, they need to know about the Holy Ghost, healing and the greater works of God.
Great news from the Philippines. Flor Capilitan emailed me today with news from the Initao church of Pastor Lumbab. She also reported news about the baby with a tumor, (I posted in an earlier post) and about her nephew. Here is her email when she writes about the miracles,
"From Pastor Lumbab Church located at initao. A child was healed from the wound caused by fungus without applying medicine that through your prayer alone the child wound was healed testified by pastor lumbab. Two babies from the church pastored by pastor saluna was healed from sickness one is that having tumor at the back of her head i personally met the child and the grandmother........My nephew got healed from swelling of both feet & legs(beriberi)my mother got healed from back ache and shoulder without applying medicine praise the Lord for the instant help.We have motto" sa hirap ng panahon ngayon bawal magkasakit"(due to difficulties avoid sickness)."
Praise the Lord for these healing reports! All glory to the Lord.
This is the Church of Jesus Chirst in Cagayan De Oro. Cagayan is a city on the northern part of Mindanano. This church is in a village in the city, but there are no roads leading to this church. There is a path that you wallk inbetween the houses. This path opens up to a small lot on which that this church is being built. It is only about 10% complete but that does not prevent the saints from meeting. It is pastored by Pastor Barrero. He is pictured below standing by me in the red shirt.
The day I visited this church the Lord led me to teach the people about Shabach. Shabach is a hebrew word for "praise" that means to shout to the Lord with an "earsplitting sound." As soon as I showed the people to shout at the top of their voice and sing praises, they began to shout and praise. The Spirit fell and soon the people began to praise the Lord with zeal. The Spirit took over and I eventually lost the service to the Holy Ghost. I finally sat down and let them praise the Lord.
There is no sound system. The only music is a guitar.
I had a DVR and recorded the message, it was able to pick up most of the praise. It is inspiring to listen to the Philippino to praise the Lord with such zeal, and fire of spirit.
Below are pictures of the house church called Jesus Chirst Great God of the World church. This church is several miles farther out from the Church pastored by pastor Suluna. It is very far out in the jungle mountain area. This church is pastored by pastor Jalagat. The day we were there was very hot, but the Lord met us. We sang and worshiped the Lord together and then prayed for every person there. Pastor Jalagat had 10-15 young people there, they were very shy however none refused prayer.
After the meeting we went to another room in the hose and took our lunch. There was fish and rice and roasted bannana. And we had more the sweet coconut milk drink Fellowship was good with much singing and Love of God.
Here is the Church of Jesus Christ in the mountains near Initao. I wrote about this church in an earlier post called "the story of Pepito." There was a baby here who had a very bad tumor on the back of its head. I was told it was caused my malunutrion.
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