A short visit to Saigon

When we visit Vietnam, the trip takes a much different form than many trips. It is more personal. We visit homes of friends and visit with individuals. We pray that God would touch the lives of the people we meet there! Here are a few pictures from the trip to Vietnam earlier this month:

New country for Dennis Hilman

Dennis Hilman is currently in Burma for the first time. Here is what he posted on Facebook when he arrived on May 22:

MYANMAR (BURMA) HAS JUST WELCOMED ME FOR THE FIRST TIME!! Always exciting to enter a new country - especially when you make it around the somewhat dreaded visa on entry procedures and see a familiar sign and welcoming faces in the greeting crowd. Pastor Van Cung Tum and his wife were there to meet me as well as his lead evangelist (haven't gotten around his name yet) along with a kindly driver so I did feel very much welcomed (but with very little English all round!). They took me to a comfortable, simple hotel room near their place which has both AC and WIFI, so what more could we ask for?!! Here in the capital, Yangon, there is lots of traffic and bustle - and RAIN - since it is the rainy season. Have already enjoyed a nice Chinese dinner with my hosts. Tomorrow the opportunity to serve begins. Stay close in prayer!!

These pictures are from a previous trip, just to give you a flavour of where Dennis is serving. However, we know Dennis will have more of his own pictures up as soon as he can!

Just as this blog was going to be posted, Dennis updated his Facebook with the following message:

THE JOY OF THE LORD IN MYANMAR! "Back in the saddle again!" Yesterday I was asked to begin a one week seminar series of doctrinal Bible lessons for pastors and other faithful church members here at the small Evangelical Christian Bible College in Yangon (formerly Rangoon). These are the Hakha Chin people who number about ½ million of Myanmar's total 60 million population. In fact it is this ethnic group who account for about 6% who are at least nominally Christians of this overwhelmingly Buddhist nation. It feels great to be here and encourage them.

Dean of college Dr. Van Cung Tum middle front with head turned. Note very common wrap-around skirt worn by very many of the men and boys. Also observe the avid young student "Joshua" front left in blue who always has his Bible and notepad ready for active use! 

Please keep Dennis in prayer as he continues to serve in Burma.
 

Jesus Loves the Little Children!

The trip to the Philippines this year included four different Vacation Bible Schools which were taught by Leona M and Tamasen T! It was great to spend time so much time with the kids. The first VBS in Igpit was the longest: four days. The next two were two days and the last one, due to time constraints, was just one day. 

Here are some pictures from the four different VBS' that were held. Most of the pictures are from Igpit because we were too busy at the next ones to take pictures!

VBS teachers, leaders, and translators in Igpit standing in front of artwork created by the children in response to the lessons on being salt of the earth and light of the world.

Thinking about what Jesus meant when he talked about building a house on the sand.

Exploring what yeast does in order to understand the parable of the leaven. (Put yeast, sugar, and water in a bottle with a balloon over the top and the reaction will blow up the balloon.)

Singing This Little Light of Mine with the children. In the picture we are singing "Hide it under a bushel? No! I'm going to let it shine!" It was their favourite verse!

 

Many of the 50-60 kids that attended the first VBS in Igpit posed in front of their artwork.

 Pastor Bert translating a lesson at the second VBS near Kitcharao.

Game time at the third VBS at Pastor Mosquito's church near Kitcharao.

The focus of the last VBS in Bliss, Kitcharao was that Jesus loves all the children of the world.

 The "graduates" of the last VBS holding up their certificates.

A response written to Tamasen and I from one of the VBS students.

We pray that God will continue to be with each child we taught and will help the word that was planted grow in their lives!