Beginnings

On June 21, 2008, as powerful Typhoon Fengshen was approaching Manila from the south, a new Bible study group of six young adults met at our home in Antipolo, Rizal, Philippines. We had an introduction to our Bible study and afterwards, a time of fellowship at the dinner table. Almost two months later, we decided to start meeting on Sunday afternoons for worship on a trial basis. On August 17, we started the Lord’s Day worship services that have continued to this day at the Mars Hill Study Center in Pasig City, Metro Manila.

The six who came were Albert Medina, Russel De Guzman, Maria Theresa “Mimi” Cadaoas, Jill Abarra, Joana Fe Cadaoas and Jeff San Jose (shown L to R in the picture on the left). All but Russel, who has a wife Donna and four little boys, are single. The De Guzmans have faithfully attended the services since the beginning.

Later, Janelita “Gigi” de Guzman (no relation to the first De Guzman family), an acquaintance from a different Bible study group, made it known to me her desire to have her infant daughter, Jessica Danielle, baptized. Gigi and her husband Edwardo “Egay” were catechized (Heidelberg Catechism lessons), and on November 25, Gigi successfully went through her membership examination with Rev. Napoleon Narag and Alfred Santiago, elders of the United Covenant Reformed Church in San Carlos, Pangasinan.

Thus, on Saturday, November 28, 2008, the mission church had a first profession of faith – Gigi de Guzman – followed by a first baptism – baby Danielle de Guzman – at the de Guzmans’ house in Cainta, Rizal, in the presence of all the regular attendees of the mission church. What a joyous day to witness a family initiated into the covenant community!

As Christmas was upon us, we had a Christmas fellowship at our house after the worship service on December 21. It was another joyous time of fellowship, games, singing carols, and of course, dinner, to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Continuing the Pilgrimage

Since then, Gigi’s husband Edwardo and two of her four daughters, Danielle and Julia, have also been faithfully attending the Sunday worship services.

Our Sunday afternoons consist of a worship service, usually about 75 minutes long, followed by a short time of refreshments, after which we begin a half-hour catechism class. We have finished Lord’s Day 25 out of 52 as of February 15, and we expect to finish in another couple of months. All of those who finish the class will be asked if they desire to make profession of faith, and those who do will also become members of the San Carlos church.

Visit by the RCUS…

Rev. Gil Baloy, pastor of Covenant Reformed Church in San Diego, California, and two other men from the Reformed Church in the U.S., will visit the UCRCP congregations in the Philippines next month. We are thankful that Pastor Gil agreed to lead our worship service and preach on March 15.

We will have an exchange pulpit on March 8, when I preach in San Carlos, and Rev. Edwin Puzon of Las Piñas will preach here in Pasig City.

By God’s grace, there will be a Philippine classis soon, with possible churches in San Carlos, Pangasinan; Las Piñas, Metro Manila; Calauan, Laguna; and Davao City. Lord willing, our mission church here in Pasig City will become an organized church in a year or two.

… and Mike Horton!

Dr. Michael S. Horton

Two days ago, I received a tentative approval of our invitation to Michael Horton, Professor of Apologetics and Systematic Theology at Westminster Seminary in California, to hold a Reformed conference in the Philippines. The dates are still being finalized, but will probably be in February, 2010. The conference place will be somewhere in Metro Manila. More details will follow in the next few months.

Summer Plans

We are planning a summer retreat for the group sometime in April or May. Stay tuned for more details.

Click on the pictures for larger images.

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As you can see, there’s still a bunch of needs, including:

• Printed resources: Books, journals, magazines, periodicals
• Multimedia equipment: TV, DVD player, LCD projector, and multimedia resources
• Computer equipment: Two PCs, laser printer/copier, DSL router
• Furniture: Two computer tables, bookcase, office table, chairs, whiteboard
• Appliances: coffee maker, microwave oven, split-type air-conditioner

Although it’s not fully ready yet, what we have right now is a good start. This is already quite a bit of resources that will help local pastors. And we’re very grateful to one of our United Reformed Churches for donating about a hundred books, which include many Bible commentaries and exegetical resources, and which we hope will arrive from the States in about a month.

Please spread the word to your friends who live in the area. College age and beyond are all welcome!

Because of the difficulty in commuting in the heavy rains (and floods later), only six out of 10 who were invited made it. The group consisted mainly of young professionals and college students. We plan to meet every Sunday at 3 PM starting next week at our home for these first few weeks until we find a more suitable place. Right now, we have a prospective office space in a more central location in Pasig City, Metro Manila, about 15-20 minutes from our home towards the downtown area.

If anyone of you or your friends live close enough to the Antipolo-Cainta-Taytay-Pasig areas, you’re cordially invited to our Bible study and fellowship group. You may leave a comment here or email me at: dvopilgrimatgmaildotcom.

At about 7:30 pm on February 1 (Thursday), Evelyn had one of these “unplanned events” – she stood on a chair and fell from it in our upstairs bedroom, fracturing her left femur bone very high up on her thigh. She was in extreme pain until they put her leg in traction in the ER of St. Luke’s Hospital here in Metro Manila, Philippines. Adding to her agony, the doctors told her that the surgery to insert a metal implant in her leg wouldn’t take place until the following Monday.

The doctor, one of the most prominent orthopedic surgeons in the Philippines, was concerned that falling from a chair wasn’t all that serious to break a leg, so he checked Evelyn’s bone for osteoporosis or tumor, but the tests turned out negative. In fact, he said that Evelyn has good bones. The surgery was successful, and Evelyn stayed in the hospital until Thursday afternoon.

Just over a week after surgery, she feels good moving around in crutches. Since the metal implant is not for weight-bearing, she has to wait 4-6 weeks before she could partially use her left leg, and another 4-6 weeks before she could walk without the aid of crutches or a cane. The bone is expected to fuse and heal again within these 8-12 weeks.

So we pray for a complete recovery, and for patience for Evelyn, our children, and myself in this long process.

We can only wonder and speculate why such things happen. I can blame myself (or God) for what happened till I suffer depression, but it won’t help her recovery one bit. One thing is sure: God allowed this to happen for his own purposes and for our own good. Is breaking a leg for one’s own good? Right now, from my human point of view, it sure doesn’t look like it. But Scriptures affirm that from God’s vantage point, there is no such thing as an “unforeseen and unplanned event“: “I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’” (Isaiah 46:9-10).

A few days after surgery, our thoughts began to turn to our medical/hospital expenses. Here in the Philippines, the hospital won’t release the patient until all the bills are paid. Thankfully, since our mission has a credit line with the hospital, we got released with a letter of guaranty. Our total out-of-pocket expenses is $2,660 which includes our insurance deductible. We’re thankful that we have received about a third of that amount from family and friends who have generously given us financial help.

So we praise God for comfort, peace and help in this time of great need. And we also praise Him for the outpouring of prayers, love and encouragement from family, friends and co-laborers all over the world.