Yesterday my team and I took our typical 45 minute drive to our ministry site. We arrive in a small village greeted by Pastor Nonoy and his wife Sister Girly. They invited us into their small bamboo home and got us all chairs to sit in. After making small talk , and getting to know eachother better, the guys were off to work on putting in the cement flooring in the church. Then they told the girls that we could help clean bamboo. Well the first thing that came to my mind was cleaning it-with a rag and some water. Well I was wrong…we got to use machetes to strip bamboo stalks to make the sides of the church. It was so invigorating to hold that machete in my hand-well that lasted for about 2 hours until I realized my hands we’re getting torn up, and I had three blisters on my right hand and my left hand was cramping up…”But it’s all for Jesus”, we all told each other as we looked down at our blistered hands.
The pastor and his wife have had this vision of the church being completed by their first year anniversary of starting the church. Saturday, December 15 was the one year anniversary, and they finished the church the day before! Praise the Lord!! My team and I got the privilege to attend (and do our DRIME) their 1st year celebration of the church.
After the celebration they feed us amazing food…
The duck 2 days before.
The duck after…
Pastor Nonoy and his wife have literally laid their desires and wants down at the cross to follow Jesus. Pastor Nonoy has been offered several well paying pastoral jobs. Ones that would allow him and his family to live comfortable lives, but he continues to turn them down because he recognizes that his calling is to plant churches all around the Philippines. The Lord gave him a vision of planting 120 churches all together. He has be called to live a “simple” life for the cause of Christ. He and his wife are fully living out the vision of what the Lord has called them to; even when that means that they have to have complete faith that the Lord will provide their next meal and a place to lay their head. They have two amazing children, and Sister Girly is pregnant with her third child. Please pray for this amazing family. They need prayer and encouragement from their brothers and sisters in Christ. The biggest thing they need prayer for is finances. They pay about 5,000 Piso’s a year for both her children’s schooling. Pastor Nonoy catches fish and crabs to sell to make extra money-it doesn’t bring much in, but it’s better than nothing.
