a list of prayer requests prepared for our field conference at the end of 2007
Strategy and Southern Luzon:Andy, Deputy Field Director
We are thankful that David and Doris have joined us as Personnel Resources Managers. Theo continues to serve as our National Administrator. The three of them and I make up the Field Admin Leadership Team. We meet weekly if possible to update each other and to discuss field wide matters.
I also work closely with our Ministry Leaders and the teams that lack one. I am encouraged to see growth in the number of workers and the fruit we are bearing. It is also great that we as a Field continue to highly value Member Development activities of a great variety.
Prayer Requests:
- Ask God to keep leading the Admin Leadership Team as we serve the Field.
- Thank God for our Manila office staff: Leoh as executive administrator, Zeny in immigration, Imelda in finance. Pray for Shalie and Ila in their pregnancies and the changes this will mean for us all.
Ubiquitous Facilitator: Theo, National Administrator
1) Buildings: (a) There is no buyer yet for the Baguio vacation home.. The proceeds are needed for renovations of the Manila center and Southern Philippines team center (SPTC) (b) OMF Dorm-a deed of conditional sale will soon be signed. (c) Manila Center neighbors allowed us to bring 2 refrigerators through their property! Still no progress on the driveway.
2) Managers:
a) Doug and Dot will move to Singapore mid-February b) SPTC we are looking for a managers for this center as well. If we do any renovation in this center a couple to oversee this is essential.
3) Accounting:
The first month of the year is always a very busy time in the office. The closure of the books of 2007 has to happen than. Most likely it will be pushed into February because of built-in delay in reporting form Singapore.
Prayer Requests:
- Pray that all details will work out well for the sale of the OMF Dorm.
- May God be glorified through all the dealings with the Manila Center Driveway and for wisdom on how to proceed. May it be resolved soon!
- Pray for the sale of the Baguio Vacation Home.
- Pray that we can proceed with plans for the renovation of the MC and the SPTC in 2008.
- Pray for fill-in managers for the rest of 2008 for Calapan, and for a long-term replacement manager by the end of 2008. We have one prospective couple.
- Pray for a couple to come full-time for SPTC, and who is willing to oversee renovations.
- Pray for Imelda as she carries most of the extra load of the year-end closing.
Physical Well-being: Daniel and Cornelia, Field Medical Advisers
We are so thankful for our first year on the field. We are growing in our role as Medical Advisor for the Philippines and deputizing for the Seaway field. We had a good trip to Mindanao, getting to know many of the OMF-ers, visiting new places, hospitals and connecting with doctors. The Seaway field conference was also blessed with good relationships built beside a busy schedule filled with medicals and consultations. It is great to see the clinic in Welfareville (Bukang Liwayway) on Friday morning developing, we are happy there is a flexible team to facilitate this.
Prayer Requests:
1. Please pray for wisdom in our decisions and the planning of the next year, that we will be at the right time at the right place.
2. Pray for good lifestyle and health for the whole field.
Pastoral Care, Prayer and Paperwork:
David and Doris, Personnel
Praise God for a house near the OMF office, and for the experiences we have had over the past 20 years to help us in this new role after an unexpected 2 year HA. We are not only having to learn how to implement the 13 point job description for the PRM role, but how to function wisely and efficiently as a couple in one ministry, for the first time in many years. We are thankful for the 2 new workers, Katy J and Joy R, along with newly back Ben and Cheryl L, who recently attended OC.
Prayer Requests:
- We can wisely discern which candidates will fit in well into OMF Philippines, and for effective communications with their respective home sides. There are 4 couples already in the pipeline to come by the end of 2008. We are praying for more to come here as part of OMF International’s goal of 900 new workers by 2011.
- Member care is an important part of our role, but we often are overwhelmed by distances, traffic, and the busy lives of all. Pray for perseverance that we and you don’t become discouraged, but will grow in unity of mind together, building relationships. How can we best facilitate this happening?
- Another important part of our role is prayer: we are praying for all of you that you might daily experience God’s presence and love in the midst of your busy schedules. “Paperwork” and computer emails seem to take up an inordinate amount of our time-pray for diligence in the area of prayer.
Orientation and Language: Debbie, Language and Orientation Coach
Pray for the working out of a job description for my new role next term and for my preparation for that while on HA. Pray especially for my attending the Member Care conference Jan. 4-11 in Fresno, California.”
Reinforcements and Recruiting:
Peter and Sarah, with children Anna and Nathanael, Serve Asia Coordinators
Nona is the high school Tagalog teacher at faith, while her husband Tonton runs the World Team Guest House. They are also involved in the leadership at Lord of Life Christian Fellowship in Manila. Nona and Tonton have sought to reach out to family members and friends. They are growing as Christians. Tonton and Nona were first contacted in 1991 by a Serve Asia short term team from Australia who spent half a day with the team in Fairview doing door to door work. This Serve Asia team was used by God to produce lasting fruit, not only in the lives of Nona and Tonton, but also in the many lives they themselves have touched.
Short term ministry is popular. People want to experience short term mission. The Philippines is a great country to visit, the people are friendly, much can be done in English, and a short-term team can do a lot.
Prayer Requests:
- We are planning a seminar at end of January in Manila with a representative from each team we work with. Pray as we work together we would find more creative ways to use short-termers in the Philippines that will give them a great exposure to mission and also work towards the teams vision, mission, values.
- Pray for wisdom on whom to accept as Serve Asia workers, and the best places for them to serve.
- Pray for us as a family, as our schedule is often erratic and unpredictable with many guests in and out of our home as we welcome and orient them to the Philippines. Life for Anna and Nat goes on at Faith Academy regardless, and Peter still often visits our Filipino co-workers in Quezon province.
Team Work Phil. 2:1-2: If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.” Amen
