The last few months God has been giving us more opportunities to connect with the communities around us here in Mindanao (and in north Luzon) by providing free heath screenings. We offer free Blood Pressures, Blood Sugars, Karada Scan (BMI, Body Fat, Muscle Mass, Body Water, Visceral Fat, Bone Mass etc), and we give health education and simple health handouts on each topic. It’s been alot of fun and a great blessing for all of us!

First we developed friendships with the community health officials and started offering services in the local health center. That lead to giving weekly services in the village near our airbase, which we continue to do. Next we were invited to offer services in a nearby community where our church’s Care Group was making friends and doing a small evangelistic series. At the same time, we and some doctor friends were invited to share weekly health services, lectures and cooking demos for the workers of some plantation owners in the region who share a passion for gardens, health, and caring for their workers and neighbors.

As of now we’re keeping very busy with health outreaches 3 days a week in 3 different places. It’s a great opportunity to make friends and share simple principles on healthy living, which can make such a difference in their lives!

   
  

    “The Savior mingled with people as one who desired their good. . .

  

He showed sympathy for them, ministered to their needs . . .

  
  

                    . . . and won their confidence. 

  

                              Then He invited them, “Follow Me.”
(Ministry of Healing p. 73.4)

Recent baptism after Care Groups’ mini evangelistic series

Siloam Valley Institute Training and Lifestyle Center (during the Dedication Program)

We have been praying for years to be able to set up missionary training centers to equip and train more young people to go out and effectively serve God in their different capacities. Up until recently God had not given us the opportunity to do this.

We have some friends, a doctor couple, that stepped out in faith a couple years ago and opened a small health food store and restaurant here in Valencia City, Mindanao. Their vision and faith did not stop here, though. Within the last year God opened doors for them to buy property about an hour from here for the purpose of establishing a training/lifestyle center. They partnered with LIGHT (a Medical Missionary Training program) and last October we flew 8 LIGHT missionary teachers here to start training.

LIGHT teachers flying to Mindanao

The training began at the beginning of the year with around 13 students and they are temporarily staying in a nearby church/school while the training center is being built. Along with Hydrotherapy, Massage, Natural Remedies, Christian Living, and Adventist Beliefs, they are also learning hands on Gardening, Vegetarian Cooking, how to put on Health Expos and much more. Some of the students are already college graduates. Many are excited to become full time missionaries as soon as they are done with this training or after they finish their education. This is such an answer to prayer for more missionary training centers that can produce more missionaries to help with the various ministry needs all around the country!

         
Training is ongoing- Hydrotherapy and cooking demos and lectures at Plant Base store/cafe

The plan was to build the training facility using container vans with a similar concept to our hanger here and they had asked us to assist them with it. As this type of construction is not common and few people know how to do it, we agreed to assist as much as possible. Things progressed rapidly when God provided 4, 40ft container vans which were put in place immediately. Someone also helped them pour the floor and foundation for one wing of the building. At that point we had to take over fully the construction work on making the containers into houses. It has been a blessing to be involved with helping to build this facility and we consider it an answer to our prayers for training more workers. We are counseled to unite in God’s work, each one filling the role that God has fitted us for. We have been fitted to build and we are grateful to be able to fill this need.

The construction team- a joint effort of many volunteers and workers

The 4 container vans will be for housing. Bathrooms are added on either end
   
Finishing the insides of the containers, which will be used for students, teachers, and patients’ housing. (And staff too for now until more housing can be built.) The main center hall (shown in the top picture with the black tarp) will be for the kitchen, dining, lectures, and cooking demos. 

Another long time prayer is being answered in Palawan! Not only is God providing a lifestyle center but, He is also providing the fresh, healthy produce to go with it!We have some friends that have helped start several organic gardens around the country, including the first one they did, just near us here in Mindanao. We invited them over the years to come help with the gardens in Palawan, and recently they were finally able to come!  A few months ago they started making plans with us and helped gather supplies in preparation for going to Palawan. We flew them down a couple months ago along with two lady missionaries who trained under them. The ladies will stay long term to help keep the gardens going. You can see the results of their labors in just a few short weeks! What a blessing from God! We are so grateful to Him and to these unselfish volunteers who are giving their time and effort for God! What a blessing this is to our many missionaries and patients in Palawan!

   
   
   
 So thankful for these volunteers!

   

The AFM project in Palawan that we have supported for years with the helicopters always had a dream of having an airplane that could land on their short 500ft airstrip in Kamantian (which is their main mission station in the mountains where they have a clinic where Wendy used to work, and multiple schools and church plants.) With the help of former student missionaries and friends, a small Super STOL airplane was built over a number of years and was finally brought over recently. Mario, the main guy that built most of it was able to come over and do the final assembly and fine tuning of everything and make the first flight into Kemantian. What a momentous occasion!

 

           First landing into Kemantian

 

I figured it would be good to get proficient in it while Mario was around since I realized that once he left in a few weeks there would be no one to train in the next pilot. (They’re still looking for a long term pilot.) I was in Palawan around that time so I took the opportunity to fly with him a few hours. I have flown into Kamantian many times in a helicopter but it is a whole different experience in an airplane. Kemantian is located in a valley in the mountains, so it’s a more tricky approach. The stress level is much higher- as once you are committed on final approach there is no option to go around. You have to get it on the ground and stopped- there is no second chance. I got proficient in it on our airstrip and the AFM lowland base airstrip first, and then did a few takeoffs and landings into Kamantian until I felt comfortable.
(click here to see video of Mario flying in and out with kids and supplies)

  Super Stol in front of the new Lifestyle Center at our airstrip in Palawan
After my time in Palawan I had to go up to Luzon and back to Mindanao for awhile, but I was praying for an opportunity to go back and train Daniel how to fly the Super Stol also since he is always there and he already has lots of experience flying the helicopter into Kamantian. A flight request came up near Palawan and there were several other flight needs that could be tied in, so I planned the trip and flew to Palawan. After a week of training with Daniel he was proficient enough for me to leave and he could continue practicing on his own.

While I was there I also did several flights with patients, supplies, and missionaries needing to go in and out of Kemantian. The helicopter was stuck in the mountains waiting for a part to arrive, so it was good timing to have the Super Stol. It’s also much cheaper to fly than the helicopter, though it can only carry one passenger and not much stuff.

     
Carrying a patient to the hospital from Kemantian

Super Stol and PAMAS Alouette helicopter at the AFM lowland base

It’s a privilege to work together with others with the same passion to reach others for God’s Kingdom!

HOW YOU CAN HELP

1. R44 Helicopter Overhaul
This is still our biggest need! So far God has provided $100K (out of $200K total). When we get the remaining $100K then we can purchase the overhaul kit in the U.S. and ship it to the Philippines! Thank you for your prayers for this big need. Mark your donation for the “Red Helicopter Overhaul” and help us get this helicopter back in the air as soon as possible! 2. Lifestyle Center
The back porch trusses are on! Estimated cost to finish the lifestyle center is $37K. Thank you for your prayers and gifts for this exciting project!

3. Cessna 172 repair
The 172 had an incident a couple months ago while landing in a strong cross wind on a remote island off of Palawan. The estimated cost for the repair is $10K. We know that God will provide for this big need. The 172 is a very useful tool, providing emergency medical evacuations and many other services for those in need all over the Palawan region. Thanks for your prayers for it’s speedy repair!

OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP

1. Pray for us and this ministry! Pray for the Holy Spirit to be poured out on each missionary, each project, each director, Bible worker, pilot, teacher, medical missionary, mechanic, gardener etc! Pray for wisdom and protection in all areas of the ministry! Thank you! Your prayers are greatly appreciated!

2. Volunteer your time and skills! This could possibly be our biggest need– for dedicated and committed workers. Long term volunteers and those with leadership potential are especially needed.

Volunteers Needed:

• Doctors, Nurses, and EMT’s
• Medical Missionaries trained in lifestyle
• Administrator for small lifestyle center
• Teachers
• Administrator for mission schools
• Bible workers, chaplains, youth pastors
• Supervisor for Bible workers
• Pilots
• Mechanics
• Construction and Maintenance workers
• Farm workers and managers
• Accountants and Office Managers

Contact us if you’re interested! And prayerfully fill out an application:
http://www.gmivolunteers.org