Baguio -- A Great Finale

It is with a lot of mixed feelings that we are nearing the end of our mission here in the Philippines.

It has been an incredible trip.  We've seen miracles, witnessed love in its purest form, and found that joy lives abundantly in a very organic form here.  We've experienced incredible power and strength, and then felt emotionally empty and drained to our core.

We've cried.  We've laughed.  We've been very quiet at times...  We've loved every minute, while feeling huge waves of homesickness wash over us out of the blue.

We don't want to leave.  But we can't wait to get home.

Our final stop on our trip was here in Baguio, the beautiful mountain city north of Manila.  What a great ending to such a great trip!

God and the Banez family met us here.  

We have discovered yet another huge center of salvation that is making incredible advances in the Kingdom.

Bro. and Sis. Banez pastor a church of almost 600 people.  

During their pastorate over the past 20 years, they have pioneered 26 daughter works in the area.  They have had a Bible School here since 1994.  It was not in session this past year due to the fact that they have embarked on an incredible expansion program at their facility.  The church is built into the side of the mountain...the only way to expand is to go up...and they are doing exactly that!  When the project is completed, the church will seat 700, there will be dorm facilities and classrooms for the Bible school, new Sunday School rooms and a parsonage area.

God met us today as we stood beside a pile of wet concrete in the middle of a torrential downpour underneath tarps that were barely holding back the water.  His Presence confirmed the fact that this area will continue to be an even greater beacon for evangelism, discipleship, and spreading the gospel to the entire region.

We were humbled to have been among that circle.