New Site

YWAM Mountain Province now has a new e-address: ywammountainprovince.wordpress.com

Our new site is officially published. While this site has been useful for relaying updates of what is happening, it is not the best for providing more static information. Our new site contains more information about who we are and what we are doing in Mountain Province.

We hope that you will visit our new site and leave a comment to let us know what you think.

Be sure to copy us into your favorites: http://ywammountainprovince.wordpress.com/

SSM Parent Meeting

Saturday YWAM Mountain Province hosted a meeting for the parents of the Student Sponsorship Ministry students. They came from various barangays such as Can-eo, Sacasacan, Sadanga, Sagada, and others. It was an opportunity to share with them what is happening with the ministry and get to strengthen our partnership in the discipleship of their children.

After introductions, Gilbert lead us in worship.

The parents, students, and YWAM staff did some activities that helped to illustrate Tom's message about following Jesus and working out our discipleship as a community. Patrick translated into Ilokano.

Then the student's performed the song, Walk With Jesus.

After a delicious lunch of rice, pancit, and sardines, we watched a slideshow of pictures of the students since the last parent meeting.

YWAM SSM students and parents

(with a few extras)

Glucose Testing

Every Friday, YWAM Mountain Province is providing free glucose and blood pressure testing for people in the Bontoc area. Weekly, we serve 30 - 50 at the clinic. In addition to the actual testing, we provide counselling on diabetes and hypertension management through healthy living. Prayer and open discussions of faith point patients to the One who can heal our bodies and our spirits.


Last week, a couple of the students from our Student Sponsorship Ministry assisted the YWAM staff that coordinates this ministry. One is a nursing student and the other is majoring in science, so it was beneficial for everyone. The students gained hands-on experiences related to their fields of study while at the same time learning to serve in mercy ministry. Patients and staff enjoyed the additional help to make the testing move a little faster.

Semester Break

Semester break has finally come! Before the SSM students head home to spend time with their families, the YWAM family headed to Mainit Hot Springs. Together we enjoyed swimming, games, singing, and great food.

Bottled Up

Today we prepared for the outreach we plan to do during the street dancing at the Am-Among Festival here in Bontoc. We put the labels you see above on 200 water bottles. While people are enjoying the dancing at the festival, YWAM staff and SSM students will distribute the water bottles. We pray that this effort will create opportunities to share God's love with the people of Bontoc.

FINISHED!

Please pray with us that we will be able to speak with people about the free gift of grace that has been offered to them. Pray also that hearts will be open to this message.

Updates from Bontoc

It is exactly a month ago when we last posted on our blog. Tom and Lisa who had been diligent in updating our blog for the last couple of months are now very busy being involved more and more in the ministry here in Mountain Province. They are also working hard on a YWAM Mountain Province website (ooops did I preempt announcement?) which will be more comprehensive in informing everyone of the many facets of what we are doing here in this part of the globe. Watch out for it friends and family....

To outline the happenings for the last thirty days, here are some:

Student Sponsorship Ministry

The staff (Tom & Lisa, Noel & Mandy) took turns in speaking and sharing to the SSM students on Tuesdays, while Patrick and Walter started to introduce the One Story strategy of sharing the Word to oral learners during chapel talks on Thursdays. The Fun Nights on Fridays continue to be the favorite ocassion for the students, with lots of games, laughter and now a new addition - food. The YWAM staff decided among themselves to join the students during Friday dinners, bringing their own potluck food to share with everybody. Some of the staff (mostly Tom & Lisa, Betty) join the students during their prayer walks and devotion times early in the morning.

Seminars, Teachings, Ministries

The male staff are now fast becoming professors and seasoned teachers, even invited out of town to share. Patrick & Walter went to Buguias (3-hour ride from Bontoc) to attend a seminar as facilitators and lecturers to a group of pastors who are aspiring to be members of the Moral Recovery Program (MRP) in that place. As a result, the ministers from different denominations will be joining the movement to help reform institutions and the government offices. They also conducted a seminar for a group of parolees under the Parole and Probation Office to help them reform and go back to the mainstream of society the Godly way. Tom for his part taught for two weeks at a Bible School, commuting daily to a nearby village 30 minutes ride away from Bontoc. He also speaks to the police officers of Bontoc during MRP on Monday mornings.

Patrick, Walter, and Betty are still busy with their One Story sessions crafting Bible stories in the dialect every week from Monday to Wednesday. Lisa with her family continue to draw kids to their Kids' Club every Sunday afternoon.

Noel and Mandy, as they slowly set up their home, continue to plan and prepare for the upcoming Family DTS on January 2009. Preparing programs, invitations, communications and intercessions for the school take up most of their day to day activities.

Rudy & Bridget with family are busy in their discipleship program in Can-eo Station Church meeting elderly men & women and young people during weekdays, and holding church services on Sundays. Rudy joins Walter & Patrick from time to time during MRP activities.

Tom & Lisa became caretakers for a few days when the Fegcans, Hines, and Betty all went to Baguio for necessary purposes. Alas, they missed Alayna's birthday...

And others....

On August 23, all YWAM staff and families went to Mainit Hot Springs for staff outing. The fun started when everybody had to walk (except the drivers and their helpers) 2 kilometers because a car broke down on the one way not all weather road and blocked our rides to the village where we are headed. Everybody helped carry the food and though it was a long walk the sceneries and fresh air made it easier. When we reached the swimming pool, the water was still shallow, thanks to the strong typhoon 2 days before the outing. This, however, did not dampen the fun as adults and kids alike enjoyed "swimming" and playing on the hot water while lunch was being cooked and prepared. We had chicken barbecue, pancit noodles, sticky rice, fruits, and of course lots of rice. Everything was fun except that those who wanted to have a "full swim" were not granted their wish as the water was still 3 feet when we left the swimming pool at 4PM.

And yes, we had fun celebrating the birthdays of the YWAM Mt. Province staff girls, Annalise Maxwell on August 8, Glenice Fegcan on August 10, and Alayna Maxwell on August 29. They are all jewels... Till next post.

P.S. Sorry no photos to show all of the above happenings (our camera broke down). Will try to gather photos from the other staff for next posting.

SSM Fun Night

Tonight the staff and students of the Student Sponsorship Ministry joined together for Fun Night. It was a full evening. We spent some time together in worship. After a while, the gongs came out and it became a festival with some traditional dancing.

We also enjoyed celebrating the birthdays of Glenice and Annalise.

After dinner, cake, and ice cream, we played a game of Suspended Jenga.