SOS Video

https://vimeo.com/channels/669778/85341890


Pastor Rey Calusay
Pastor Rey Calusay, General Superintendent, Philippines General Council of the Assemblies of God, says: "Missions has given us concepts to inspire us - like Windows and Doors. But windows only allow us to view and stare at the size of the mission field. I like doors!
"Through the command of the Lord Jesus Christ, we can leave our doors, and knock on other people's doors, and share the gospel with them. Through the preaching of the gospel, they are evangelized, and churches can be formed out of these people who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ"

Next SOS - April 2015 

 

Beautiful Feet

The International Volunteers describe their SOS experience in 3 words.
13 different people - 13 different experiences. We are learning together about SOS, about doing Bible Studies in the target town. Pastor Lew shared a word with us from Isaiah = "how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news". We are privileged to share the good news with people this week. Today we hoping to find a restaurant lunch, because Mania is closed for
Maunday Thursay and Good Friday. We live in hope! Aha, hope is rewarded .. we have found a few restaurants open nearby.

The international team from Jakarta, Sydney and Brisbane get together in Manila. By the end of the week we will join with the local Filipino church planting teams. Then we go to the Target Towns and begin the field work.

SOS Volunteers make preparations in Jakarta, Indonesia

Pastor Lew Belcourt (left) with Teddy, Deb, Venus, Juliana and Anthony.
Others are joining as well from the International English Service church in Jakarta.

Reports from the Fieldwork in 2013

Isabel Leyte  28 April
Sunday service in SOS church planting mission
35 youth & adults attended, 26 children
Most of the are ready for water baptism


Bugallon, Pangasinan 27 April
34 baptized in water


Palino Pugo, La Union
27 April
Eight (8) new believers followed Jesus Christ through Water of Baptism

22 April

Bible studies scheduled: 23
Bible Studies conducted: 22

Total attendees: 34
Received Christ as Savior: 15

Praise the Lord.

Looks Like a Church!

Aguilar - Sunday:
We invited all our contacts and their families to a fun and fellowship on Sunday. This was not a church service, but it sure looks like a church!". We played some fun games, and the Pioneer Pastor introduced himself. Then we served a lovely lunch to everyone.

After just 7 days, 56 people have prayed to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior - in the town of Aguilar alone. Many Bible Studies are underway, to disciple the new converts. This whole family has recevied Jesus, and they had fun at the fellowship event. They are so eager for the nightly Bible Studies in their home. The children are supposed to be in bed, but they never are. They love to hear a worship song played on an iPad, and hear more from the Word of God.



The team of volunteers enjoyed a few hours break oon Sunday afternoon, taking a half-hour jeepney ride to the beach.

 Pray for the team of 18 SOS Volunteers who continue the Bible Studies, as David, Trevor and jenny head back to Manila.

Saturday report from Pastor Lew + update



Today our team of 3 is scheduled to do a Bible study at 2.30pm with an old man we met Monday. His name is Hosue (Joshua). Please pray we can find his house (only a general idea where on the highway it is) and that he remembers the appointment. 

Then at 7pm we have a BS with the married couple running a restaurant, where she just finished 19 years working in Singapore and he was a political refugee from Burma who lived in Canada for 23 years. She is Christian, he is Buddhist. I've asked her to invite her brother's family (husband, wife, 3 boys) and her 16-yr old niece. We'll have worship and I will share the gospel. Please pray that her husband will understand and receive Jesus along with her family. She is 43 yrs old and wants to have a baby, so there will be special prayer for that as well.


 
A few hours later…

Praise the Lord! We found the house. The father, mother, 23 year old son named Jester and 4 younger kids from the mountain listened to the bible study. Then Jester, who heard about Jesus for the first time last year, asked about Mark 16:16 and if we needed to be baptized to be saved. I was able to explain about sin, Jesus' death on the cross, and how baptism was a step to take after you believe in Jesus. At the end of the study I asked the parents and Jester if they wanted to believe in Jesus. The father and Jester both said yes. Praise the Lord! The next step will be baptism, maybe next week. Thank you so much for your prayers.
 

Update from Aguilar - David, Trevor & Jenny


Four guys in their late teens and early twenties hang out near their houses every day. So we challenged them to have a Bible Study with us - they acepted the challenge. The leader of the group - RJ - invited everyone into his house. In the picture RJ can be seen leaning forward, taking it all in. The others' names are Loydd, Richard and Anthony. Pray that they will be open to receiving Jesus. Pray for RJ, the leader, that he will influence his friends. These guys live near gambling strongholds of the town - pray that they will not be drawn into this.




Gloria is a 75 year old grandmother caring for her 10 year old grandson AJ. Together they received Christ as Savior. Now they are continuing Bible Studies to grow in their new faith. We prayed for them and challenged AJ to study hard, and one day to become a pastor and to share the love of Jesus with others. Pray for him.

Report from Pastor Lew Belcourt - in the mountains


Thursday 18 April. Update from Palina Pugo, La Union: today our team conducted 18 Bible studies. 37 people attended. Of these 26 received Jesus as Savior during the Bible study. 2 were saved yesterday, so total salvations 28. 3 people are scheduled for water baptism tomorrow.

Living conditions are challenging--20 people in one house with one toilet, cold water with a dipper to bathe, very sporadic phone coverage. Food is basic but good and healthy. No stomach issues.

We've played basketball 3 times with local teenagers and had fun with them. Yesterday our group did a Vacation Bible Study and 38 children attended.

The people here are friendly. It's a rural area, so I walk up mountain paths, through rice paddies and river beds. There is one 2-lane highway that is the only road--everything else is a path off of the highway. About 250 houses in this area, along about 2 miles of highway.

From Livia and Venus in Bugallon

Today is our 3rd day to visit our good contacts whom we had 1st Bible Studies (BS) ysterday. There were 3 BS that I and ibu yayu conducted but these are in groups of people. The last (3rd) group, we only have 3 adults in that group yestrday but now we were able to share the message about Jesus, the Savior of the world to 9 adults..their children who were curious to see us  had caused their mothers to come out and join the 3 adults that's why we had 9. Then I was able to gather 14 children (1-12yrs.old) for a Bible story lesson and parents scheduled it @ 9:30am tomorrow. So we left the compound at 5:30pm and went to buy crayons and pencils and bond paper ready for our children BS tom. I'm so excited.  
God is working so amazingly. 
 

From Anne, Maree, Kim & Neil

DAGUPAN: The team is doing well today - Wednesday 1 7th.  

- Maree taught this morning at the mothers group.  She did a great job.  A prayer request for Maree is that her legs are very swollen and not reducing in size very much with this heat.  The new accommodation will help, but at the end of yesterday her mobility was not comfortable. 

- Kim & Neil were out with Pastor Gabby from Roxas sharing bible studies.  

- At the front of our accommodation is a little canteen and the owner Sister Tess is a Christian who has been very kind to us each day.  Today we asked if we could do some bible study with her and her husband and (Pastor) Neil led them through "Bible Based Belief".  He did a terrific job too.  He is blowing himself away.  

- Neil led devotions this morning that was so powerful and passionate!!!!  A real natural.

- Kim and I are off to bible study with the 20 mothers we met yesterday afternoon at our seminar.

FD Harrison is overwhelmed a bit.  The team already had over 100 good contacts to follow up and the teaching sessions today and tomorrow (4 more to go) will reach about 30 people each time.  This is not like any SOS they  have ever had before.  Please pray for Field Director & Assistant Field Director.  It's a great challenge to have.  We will be very busy for the next few days.