This Mission Has Begun

After nearly a year of training, practicing and praying, the mission has finally begun. The first batch of our team landed yesterday and today was our first day in the field.

Today was a fully packed day for our missionaries. Interestingly, our first day began with a funeral. A "church mother" or "nanay" had gone home to the Lord and we began our day visiting the family. Our mission is about being the Salt of the earth and the Light of the world. We are here to bring people hope and share Christ and yet we begin with death. But our mission director (My dad), Virgil said this, "If you don't understand death you will never understand life". And I think that this helped a lot of our missionaries to realize how important our job is here.

After visiting with the family, we proceeded to the town of Mangaldan, which is right next to Dagupan City where we are based. We were able to share the gospel with a lot of children via beaded bracelets. It was thrilling, amazing and a bit overwhelming at times

But perhaps, the highlight of the day was reuniting with our most beloved brothers and sisters at EMC Dagupan and especially the children. Words really can't describe how the missionaries, especially us veterans who are returning to the Philippines feel.

Our mission continues tomorrow, please pray for us and for the missionaries who will arrive in the coming days! (Pictures to follow soon!)

-Melissa M
(Sorry for the short entry...it's getting late)

Meet a Missionary: JP (aka JPizzle, aka JPeso)

Sam & JP

Since my last encounter in the summer of 2010, I've been anticipating to go back and reunite with EMC Dagupan and friends ;). God has opened doors for us to go back in the summer of 2012 and we have been preparing for months now. Above all, we are preparing for Christ's return and spreading the gospel to the ends of the earth! God has called me to be a light in the darkness and salt in a bitter world. To be able to join in what God is already doing in the Philippines is a privilege and honor that demands me to bruise my knees in prayer! Besides brushing up on my tagalog, I'm excited to share with the youth, the students, the leaders, the servants, the poor, the needy, the rich, the powerful, the widows and orphans that my God is bigger than life! And as people who are redeemed through Christ's sacrifice on the cross, we have a hope... we have a purpose... we have a light.



-JP

DON'T FORGET!!!!

Hey everyone, don't forget EMC International's Gala Dinner will be held this Saturday, June 16 at 6pm. We hope it will be a night of inspiration to all who attend and participate. For those who are unable to make it, continue to pray for us and our mission. We're down to our last stretch!

-Melissa M.

Meet A Missionary: Sarah

As the mission trip draws near, I can feel anxiety, hope, and excitement beginning to set

in. There is so much to look forward to - especially in what God has planned for us - that 

I can hardly wait to set foot in the land called the Philippines. With all the hard and amazing work

and preparations that Tito Virgil has put in along with the mission team, I hope that when we

get there, we will be able to touch the hearts of the people that we reach out to. A part of me

is truly looking forward to meeting the beloved people of the Philippines that are often talked about

L: Vicky, R: Sarah

by the previous mission team and the other part of me wrestles with knowing that once I've

experienced the mission, the real struggles and the truth of the need for Christ in unreached

places of the world, I cannot stay silent nor be unknowing. But I cannot wait to meet and work

with the staff, the teams, and children. There's so much that we can learn from each other

that I only hope that I give back as much as I am give!

-Sarah

Meet A Missionary: Vicky

It's hard to conceive what being in the Philippines will be like. I've never been to the Philippines before. I've seen pictures, but seeing a place through pictures and actually having been in a place are different experiences. Yet, even though I have never been to the Philippines, I can sense the importance of the mission that we will do there. My hope for our time in the Philippines is to win souls and raise up disciples who are passionate about loving and serving the Lord and others. My hope for myself in the Philippines is to learn what it means to be the salt and light for Christ in the world.

-Vicky

EMC International's Mission Benefit Gala

Your generous support of $50 per seat (or more) is appreciated! Limited Seating Available.
Please RSVP by contacting us at missionebenezer@gmail.com or emcphilnyblog@gmail.com.


Thank you.

Meet A Missionary: Rebekah

Hi, my name is Rebekah, and for the longest time I’ve been hearing great things about the Philippines! I’ve heard inspiring stories, seen touching photos, and have felt so much excitement to experience the Philippines for myself this summer! The 2012 Philippines Mission has been long anticipated, and as the date of our flight draws nearer and nearer, I can’t help but feel eager to meet all of the amazing people I’ve heard so much about. I must be honest, at the same time I feel a bit scared, because a mission like this for me is entirely new. I still don’t know exactly what to expect, but I know it will be something unforgettable! I know that God will move in great ways, through our missionaries and through our fellow brothers & sisters in the Philippines! I hope to really make a difference during this Mission, and I have no doubt that the Philippines will greatly impact my life as well!
I can’t wait!
-Rebekah

Announcements/Updates

Hello and Sorry for a very, very very late update!

Well, the mission is almost upon us and the excitement among our missionaries is really palpable! Please stay tuned for posts from our missionaries and some important updates including this weekend's Gala dinner!

Thank you,
Melissa M.

A closer look: Nicole

I'd like to introduce you to one of the children of EMC Dagpuan. The beautiful child you see in the pictures is Nicole. She is 12 years old and will turn 13 this year. Nicole is one of "kids leaders" who helped out in the kid's camp at EMC Dagupan.

Nicole

Our mission team had the privilege of meeting her and her siblings during our 2010 mission to the Philippines. Nicole was actually first child I met in the Philippines. When I first met her, she was really shy but continuously smiling. As the mission trip went on, one could often see her taking care of and carrying her younger brother Matt Gabriel who's often called Kamandag. Eventually she became attached to one of our missionaries JP and he refers to her affectionately as "his daughter". And the night right before we left, she wrote some us little notes on colored paper that to this day, I still have.


With such glowing memories and a beautiful testimony of her faithfulness to Christ and the ministry, one would hope that her life outside of the ministry and the church is just as wonderful. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Sadly, Nicole has been forced to stop her schooling due to her parent's economic situation. In the Philippines, high school begins immediately after sixth grade thus at 12 years old, Nicole would've been a freshman in high school. Her sister Madison, aged 14, went through the same thing, however it her turn to go back to school. Nicole must now wait until Madison finishes high school before she can start high school as her parents are able to pay for the tuition of one child at a time. (Public high school is not free in the Philippines)

Nicole and Kamandag

Nicole is one of seven other children in her entire household. She currently spends her days helping her mother who is jobless with chores and taking care of her brother Kamandag who is also malnourished. Nicole's father works to make dentures but demand for his work is often inconsistent.  And although we are doing our best to support the Philippines, there simply just isn't enough funds to send her back to school.

Left: Kamandag, Center: Nicole Right: Sister Janel

I would like to say that this is an isolated case and that Nicole's story is a rare one. But sadly, that isn't true and in fact, it is quite the opposite. Nicole's story is one shared by many children in the Philippines. Too many children are unable to obtain a proper education. Sadly the vicious cycle of poverty, ignorance and hunger is repeated over and over. And each time innocent children lose the chance to become educated and the opportunity to better themselves.


But it doesn't have to be this way for all the children. Nicole's story doesn't have to be like others; empty, sad and unchanged. God can do great things and He can use anyone to bring hope to children like Nicole. If you are challenged to help out. Please feel free to do so and/or contact us.


Every soul is precious. Nicole is previous to Christ and therefore she is previous to us.


Thank you,
Melissa M.

Happy New Year!

It's a new day, and a new year. It's amazing what can happen in a year. Whenever a new year starts, many folks look forward with commitments and resolutions (mostly of the weight concerning kind =) ). The more I think about it, the more I realize that in times of reflection, like New Year's Day, we should look in three directions; forward, back and up.

As we begin the year, we look at back at what God has done for us and we look back with much gratefulness. We look back joyfully at our one year anniversary celebration and how we went from one EMC to five EMC churches! How we have grown in one year! And as we look back we remember those who have gone home before us to Christ-Sam and Ate Weng. We reminisce at their memories with both tears and smiles and are grateful that in Christ, we will see them again. The road that we have travelled together has been filled with many ups and downs but God has been there through it all.

And as the new year dawns on us, we look forward. We look forward to what God has in store for us and we await with excitement for what He will do in our lives. And in particular, EMC NY is gearing up for our mission to the Philippines this July 2012. As the new year begins, we continue to diligently prepare, practice and pray for the upcoming mission. I can only imagine how God will move when we return home!

And lastly, but most importantly, as the new year starts, we must look up. We look up with to God for His guidance. We look up with gratefulness for faithfulness this past year. And we lift our hands in praise to the God who holds every day in His hands. We can make plans for everything, but ultimately, we must look up to Christ for whatever comes our way.

So as we begin this new year together, let us look in all three directions. Let us trust God in everything we do.  The EMC ministry belongs to Christ and we are His children. We can do nothing without Him. God has shown that He is always faithful and always loving.

"Thus far the Lord has helped us." 1 Samuel 7:12

-Melissa M.