August 22, 2006
Dear Brothers, Greetings to you all in Christian love!!

We are happy to report:

On Local Outreach Efforts

Tangalan Aklans first local church service was held.
Brethren living near the area and friends whom we labor in the Word attended the services held last August 6 at Francisco residence in Bgy Tondog. Fifteen souls were present in partaking the blissful worship.
The church in Kalibo is involving manpower to sustain the outreach works in two localities (Batan and Tangalan towns). We believe that this exercise is truly a hands-on training program for our own men who are students of the Bible. These brothers with little motivation are not ashamed to apply what they have learned in classes.
These are the men we could count on:

• Bro Lindy Francisco; Speaker, Prayer Leader and Song Leader
• Bro Christian Paclibar; Speaker, Prayer Leader and Song Leader
• Bro Clyd Ursua; Prayer Leader, Personal Evangelist and Speaker
• Bro Donato Santiago Jr.; Prayer Leader, Secretary and Song Leader
  

As the holy apostle Paul exhorted the Corinthians. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know, that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. (1Cor. 15:58). The passage also speaks well with you my brothers.

On August PIBS-Aklan Session

A restored brother from Balasan Iloilo attended this months classes with desire to attend more PIBS coming classes. Bro Santiago Camerong was a graduate in Bachelor of Theology batch 1977 in Philippine Bible College (PBC) in Baguio City. After graduation he got married and settled in Balasan Iloilo his wifes hometown. He served as mission worker in Balasan. His preaching carrier was cut short when he begun to focused to a secular job that according to him seemingly could provide for his family their needs. But the job pulled him out from the service of the Lord. Almost thirty years Santiago was out in circulation in the brotherhood. He keeps on changing jobs from bank clerk, to clandestine dealer of mining tailings in Mindanao, to messenger of a gun-running syndicate in Negros Island, and many other questionable jobs that this brother got entangled for 29 odd years. Life was to pressing with Santiago, until he decided in 1998 to return to Balasan Iloilo his home where he left his wife and children he supported in absence for years. During this time he started to pick-up some pieces of his past like jigsaw puzzle. He opened a small grocery store; his 3 children are now all grown up adult raising their own families. They grow up in a home with little instructions on the ways of the Lord. There was a longing for Bro Camerong to return to the fold but he dont know where to start and how. The church where he used to work was dissolved to none existence. Some members of his congregation has moved to other places and others were gobbled up by the Anti-Benevolence Church located in next town. In that year Bro Merare Garovillo, also a resident of Balasan was able to contact him. And he began to attending worship with Merares family. Now both of them are pursuing talks with some church members in Balasan to reunite with them instead of going to the Antis 10 kilometers away just to worship. There are two families according to them that are agreeable with the proposal and both of them are working for these family retrieval. I think the Lord is giving Merare and Santiago the chance (the Lord has always have the second chance..) to prove their worth as preachers in the first place. What a story indeed!! Now Bro Santiago is doing all he can in sharpening his rusty Bible knowledge that he acquired long time ago at PBC. We pray that he will continue to trust God for his full restoration.

In connection with what is happening in Balasan through Merare and Santiago. We are studying how to mobilize PIBS-Aklan to Balasan (3 hours travel by motorcycle, around 200 kilometers) even for just one day. We found that it is convenient if we should do the Balasan extension class during the forthcoming preachers forum on October. With the purpose of involving church leaders in Panay, Negros, Cebu and our visitors from Metro Manila for revival campaign-solidifying forces to create effective impact. And also we could use the vehicles of these preachers for travel going there. The Anti-Influenced-Members in Balasan will be invited to attend the forum and in the evening there would be Gospel Meeting. We are planning to visit Balasan next month for the purpose of knowing the people. There are positive prospects for the revival in Balasan, this would be our mission when we get there this October. Please pray with us Brothers, and help us Lord!

On Proposed Meeting House and Christian Learning Facility

We have prepared a crude sketch plan (see attached file) and cost estimates. The semi-permanent structure could be erected in Batan. For materials cost the total amount based on the current prices is more or less 50,000 pesos, which include bamboo fencing of 500 sqm lot, electrical and hand pump materials. We estimated the labor cost for 3 weeks timetable to 25,000 pesos. We need your valued comments and suggestions concerning this matter. We have land available for use in Batan, but all things concerning this matter are still under study. Please pray with us brothers.

We appreciate your continued support and prayers in partnering with us in this ministry. Until next time, God bless you all my brothers.

In His Service,

Sammy and Janel

Photographs that accompanied this report can be seen here