…And We’re OFF!!!

Recent weeks have been busy printing letters of invitations and applications, addressing envelopes, folding the letters and apps, stuffing the envelopes, trips to the post office, and trips to other ministries, etc. Applications have been returned. The first class began Tuesday, October 21 with sixteen pastors with a goal of twelve. I expected fifteen ladies on Thursday and Paul expected another fourteen on Friday but due to unforeseen circumstances for some of them, 9 showed up. In all, 33 pastors have been wait-listed for a session to begin in June 2009!

Before I go on with the future, allow me to share the events of a few weeks ago.

Paul and I parted ways going to different events on October the 8th. He went to meet with 40 pastors and collected applications while I went to the dedication of the brand new Dick and Helen Cadd Fine Arts Building at Faith Academy. Dick and Helen taught music to missionary children at Faith for many years as OC International missionaries and then transferred mission boards to ACTION. They were very gracious and hospitable and encouraging to these Ellis greenhorn missionaries in 1981 and 82. Dick is with the Lord, but Helen flew in to cut the ribbon and share in the dedication of the incredible building. She called to invite Paul and me to be her special guests. What an honor! I sat in the front row! It was a wonderful day for both of us.

On the following day, we arranged the living room, set up extra tables, counted chairs, carried furniture from room to room, cooked spaghetti sauce with hot dogs, baked a pan of brownies, made crazy cut jello molds, and filtered gallons of water, etc. Paul prepared the guest list for the guard at the lobby of our building, studied for his message, helped me a lot, and spent a lot of time texting pastors on his cell phone, etc. I left the kitchen at 9 PM, showered and hit the pillow.

The next morning came early at 5 AM. It was pouring rain. By 5:30 I was in the kitchen stirring up another pan of brownies, finishing up the jello molds, and filtering more water, etc. Friday was The Day! Learners from the groups last year were coming for a reunion! Paul and I sat down to breakfast at 7:30 AM and immediately received a text from the first arriver asking if she could come up – she traveled ten hours by bus to be here. They are church planting in a new area. Of course we fixed fruit for her. I finished breakfast and returned to the kitchen. Very shortly more alumni arrived. We started the noodles cooking, heated the sauce, and I sliced and buttered the Italian bread. And the rains came down. Our friends from college, long time missionaries with SIL in other countries, came to share in the day. The 10 AM start time came and went. The alumni leaders were not here. 10:30 and still no leaders. Paul held himself back from taking charge and starting. When the rains came down, the floods came up! Everyone was patient. They finally started about 11 AM.

Meanwhile, I was serving, filling water dispensers, hugging, clearing, chopping, drying dishes to put out again, straightening the dining area, mixing, putting lunch out, and drying more dishes. When the meeting finished at 4 PM, we were busy visiting and saying good-bye. At 4:45 I turned to our SIL friends and told them we would like to take them back to their guesthouse because I had to get out of the house! Chairs were helter-skelter, food was spilled, and cups were scattered. If I stayed home I would work and I was tired! I told my helper who was just washing the last few items to “leave the kitchen as it is, clean the bathrooms, sweep the floors, and GO HOME! You are as tired as I am! I will finish the kitchen and cleaning tomorrow.” And we walked out the door.

We spent the next three hours just visiting our friends. What a wonderful time we had! We shared and learned how the Lord had been working in our lives over the years. We shared God’s faithfulness, grace, restoration and victory. Our hearts were full as we drove home – a great day and a delightful evening! What more could we ask the Lord for?

We rolled out of bed at 7:10 the following Saturday morning. I was putting dishes away by 7:30, putting water on for tea, picking up the stray cups, etc from the living and dining rooms. We decided to have breakfast and then our devotions. By the time we had breakfast ready I was feeling like a very soppy rag – limp and listless from weariness. Bed was beckoning. Five minutes into our breakfast the doorbell rang. A pastor was here to submit his application for the next training session! Paul went to the elevator while I quickly pulled out left over spaghetti and bread, set a place, etc. To my shock, five pastors came into the house! I scrambled! (Oh no! I don’t have enough coffee packets!) Two and one half hours later, we said good-bye to new friends. I couldn’t believe it: I had served with energy and joy! God instantly took me from that limp “wet rag” state to fully able to meet the need of the moment. Isn’t He awesome?! I was so thankful that I had done the work before breakfast so the house was in some semblance of order. After lunch and devotions we returned the moved furniture to their places and finished the “restoration” of our home.

It is a blessing to have a home that is useful for ministry like ours. Of course the drawback is the flow of unexpected guests, especially when we do not have a helper living with us – someone to help with the load of cooking, serving, and cleaning. Fely has a family herself and comes to work five days a week. Without her we could not do ministry the way we do. She loves serving the pastors and working quietly behind the kitchen door. She is such a blessing.

The next week was very hectic with reviewing the last minute applications and preparing for three new batches of pastors. We had several days of pastors arriving at the house with applications in hand. Most of those are wait-listed. We covet your prayers as we begin. It has been with prayer that we made the selections, asking the Lord for those men and women who will apply themselves with diligence and be faithful in using the lessons in their ministries and discipling others as they have been discipled.

We are now off on our next round of pouring our lives into the lives of church leaders here in the Philippines. Thank you for praying.

Patty