12 Volume 16, No. 4 April-June 2016 INTERCONNECTIONS Ministry Update from Rene and Lani Quimbo - Philippines April was a very in Arena Blanco, Zamboanga City, Bongao, busy month for us Tawi-Tawi, and at the House of Hope as we prepared Ministry Center, Cagayan de Oro City. materials for 400 adults, youth and Randy Mayfield (pictured below) and Andy children expected from Central Presbyterian Church in St. to join us for VBS in Louis, Missouri, USA attended a conference 8 venues. VBS here in Cagayan de Oro City the second began the second week of April. Randy also scheduled a week of April and concert at Life Resources Foundation (LRF), concluded the first week of June. A total of 442 a missionary training school in Iligan City on adults, youth, and children participated in the April 16. He invited the Portal Christian theme “VBS Athletics” in 8 locations! Fellowship music team to join him in this ministry. It was an exciting time spent in practice, and a blessing to join Randy serving the Lord among the LRF students, alumni, and the people in the community. We are grateful to the Lord for bringing them our way---for the fellowship, encouragement, and teaching. We covered the topics of focus (Phil 3:8); discipline (Heb 12:1); endurance (Heb 12:2); team work (Heb 10:24); and confidence (2 Tim 4:7-8). The highlights of the VBS included altar call for those who wanted to commit by faith their lives A retreat for staff and volunteers at the to Christ Jesus, and those who renewed their Portal Study Center and at Hillside commitment to submit their lives to the Lordship Learning Center took place in May. We pray of Jesus Christ. In Bongao, a number of it strengthened their resolve to serve God participants gave testimonies of the impact of with greater focus, relying on God’s strength VBS on their lives. We had participants coming and wisdom, trusting God to provide and from Tausug and Sama Muslim tribes in the VBS protect, and to bless the work of their hands. Philippine address: #37 Faustino Neri St., RER Drive Phase I, Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City 9000 123 Page 2 A series of meetings were held in Center building which started in including JIL in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi June spearheaded by the June. This project is fully made possible through the support Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) supported by Midway of Central Presbyterian, St. Louis; with strong participation by the Presbyterian Church, Powder Alpad’s enrollment in Diploma in Dept. of Natural Resources, Springs, Georgia. We wanted to Ministry program through the Dept. of Social Welfare and begin working earlier but the support of Christ Enrichment Development, Commission on rainy season came early and Church, Tacoma, WA; completion Indigenous Peoples, the city of local government leaders did not of Bible Study material for women; Cagayan de Oro City Estate allow heavy transport vehicles to and discipleship classes in all Management, the barangay pass for fear of adding damage ministry centers. Thank you for chairman, and the Shell to the roads brought about by joining us in praying for all these Company concerning the the rains. We can’t thank God concerns. demolition of Bajau and other enough for this great blessing. structures situated on the water Our heartfelt thanks to all of you. close to the city pier which is God meets us where we are in under the PPA’s jurisdiction. various aspects of our life and This is a government project that ministry. We see God at work and will be implemented by feel His presence in our heart evacuating, demolishing the area through your prayers and loving and then the Shell Company will care. Thank you, friends, for build its depot in the region. It through you we receive and was decided that residents will experience God’s goodness, encouragement and provision. be resettled to permanent housing in a community away Thank you for helping us recognize from the sea. The Bajaus, used to The nearly daily rains have that our gracious God enables us to living on the sea in houses on proven helpful to the serve Him and His people with stilts, at first refused to be rubber/coffee farm that was grace. We are praying for all of evacuated. They preferred to burned down. Rubber trees that you. God bless us all! settle in other Bajau communities were not completely burned Yours in Christ, in coastal provinces. However, down started to grow shoots close to the base of the trees. this is where many of them were Rene and Lani born and have lived all their Since we planted budded or grafted rubber plants, it is lives… so they changed their Email: [email protected] minds and finally agreed. House possible the grafted scion is of Hope Ministry Center is gone, still it is much better than a among those structures that will totally dead plant. We remain be demolished. This is our 15th thankful to God. year in the area serving the Lord Our prayer goals for the coming among the Bajau people. Since quarter include: completion of there will be no space allotment the Hillside Learning Center for a ministry center in the new building repairs; construction of community, we are considering House of Hope Ministry Center building on a small property that for the Bajaus in Opol (if God we own (about 120 square will give us the opportunity); Though monthly donations fall below meters) in the adjacent town of Eugene’s enrollment in Master of budget, we try to find creative ways to Opol. We are committing this Ministry program and fund our ministries including selling plan to the Lord in prayer. distribution of Sinama, Tausug, charcoal to restaurants and fish to We are very excited about the Tagalog and Cebuano Bibles to support our hot lunch feeding repairs at the Hillside Learning the different ministry centers program. Will you consider helping us with a one-time or monthly gift? USA donations address: PMI, Covenant Theological Seminary, 12330 Conway Road, St. Louis, MO 63141 .