Philippines Trip - Day 1

As I sit in my hotel room in the Aloha Hotel in Manila, I am overwhelmed with thankfulness & gratitude. It's in the big things like safe travel & God's favor going through customs (the customs agent told us to have a nice mission trip & we had told him nothing). It's also in the little things, such as toilet paper (none in the public restrooms) & duct tape (the hotel shower head broke clean off). I am THANKFUL! Pastor Nic Jardin & his Worship Leader Marlix met us at the airport. It was so good to see Nic's familiar face as we stepped out into a strange land. On behalf of Marlix, I am thankful for the amazing day he had prior to our arrival. That morning he had his first meeting with his mother since he was seven. He's twenty-one now. As with many children here, he was abandoned to the streets. Not for lack of love, but simply the lack of means. He had heard that his mother was now a Christian & wanted to meet her to secure the gospel message in her life. What a day for him! We also began the paperwork process for Marlix to come to Anchorage in God's timing for the School of Worship. We are so looking forward to seeing what God has in store this week. As Fred (D'Ette & Fred Owen are with us) put it, we are waiting for divine appointments! 2 Thessalonians 3:1 1 "One more thing, friends: Pray for us. Pray that the Master's Word will simply take off and race through the country to a groundswell of response, just as it did among you."