Ten Years Later

Ruth (in New Hampshire) and I (in New Brunswick) keep in almost daily contact via phone as we both struggle to adjust to our “new normal.” Saturday, September 14’s conversation was energized by the realization that it was exactly ten years ago, Sept. 14, 2009, while we were in the Philippines, that we both, in our private devotions in our separate rooms, sensed God asking us to be available for a change. For me, it was through W. Glyn Evans Daily with the King Devotional “Keeping the Glow of Victory” and a passage in Isaiah 58.  That day I read “I must look beyond myself to see the ‘hungry’ and ‘afflicted’ person nearby, and then pour out myself for him (Isaiah 58:10)….I share spiritual blessings I already have.  In sharing them, God will multiple and magnify my resources beyond anything I can dream.” For Ruth, it was Luke 4:16-21 which includes a quote from Isaiah 62…“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Her heart burned even more deeply when she read Jesus’ next words “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Neither of us knew what all of this meant…until that very evening when an email arrived from northern Uganda inquiring about our availability to help make a way that children and youth in Uganda could be taught Godly Values in their school classrooms.

Ten year ago we were asked to leave our beloved Philippines. In hindsight was that a mistake? Hardly! Just a week ago, we received an amazing summary from VOICE Philippines stating that during the month of August, 2019, alone, 118 churches/faith-based groups had been trained to teach the Biblical values classes. And even more exciting, the trainings took place in all three major island groups of the Philippines—Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao! Undreamed of when we were there! The end of their summary states that due to these newly trained Christians, a possible maximum of 42,000 new students could be taught Godly family values each week!

Ten year ago, we were asked to go to Uganda. God did so much during the 5 years we were there and that ministry continues to expand as well (we’ll save the details for another blog). Now, ten years later, God is challenging us with the potential of Tanzania…no, not to go and live there, but to enlist others to pray and give with us that the ongoing translation of the VOICE curriculum into Swahili could be finished, published, and used in the seemingly wide-open door into the school classrooms of that vast nation--about 15 million more people than Uganda. SEND recently signed an agreement with Scripture Union Uganda to partner in seeing this happen.

Returning to Isaiah 58 - “As a result of giving my portion to others, God will make my light rise at noonday, guide me continually, satisfy my soul in drought, make me like a watered garden, and make me a repairer of broken people (Isaiah 58:10-12).  Join us as we trust God for Tanzania.

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A story from VOICE Philippines too good not to share! - A church in Baguio, northern Philippines (which was closed to VOICE ministry when we left the Philippines but has since opened up wide) started teaching values in their 6th school! Not only were they invited to teach the students, the school also requested them to conduct Bible Study among the faculty and staff while the children were being taught by the Values teachers!