February 2006: Cebu City, Philippines Great things are happening in the Philippines. A giant evangelism series took place February 3-18, and thousands of people were baptized into the family of God. Pastor Bill and Jackie Tucker, plus 60 evangelism teams (speakers, helpers, health personnel), held reaping meetings in the Philippine Islands. (Click here for more about SEEK, REAP, KEEP.)
Pastor Bill and Jackie Tucker, with Pastor Lonnie and Jeanie Melashenko, arrive in the Philippines, rested and ready for the start of the evangelistic meetings.

While this is a large undertaking in any year, they joined in an even larger effort with the Voice of Prophecy, presided over by Pastor Lonnie Melashenko, who set up a satellite video feed from Cebu City that was broadcast to hundreds of locations for individual evangelistic meetings.

In addition to the preaching, teaching, and medical/dental clinics, Pastor Joedy and Judy Melashenko, youth ministries coordinators for The Quiet Hour, took a group of youth and young adults to build a “lamb shelter,” or Christian education building, in the Cebu City area, and to do children’s evangelism. (Yes, Joedy and Lonnie Melashenko are brothers.) (Click here for more about MP3 youth mission trips.)

Team members raised their own funds to cover the expenses of an effort like this. How much does it cost for someone to go and preach the gospel? Besides the logistical, material, financial, and spiritual support provided by The Quiet Hour and its supporters, each evangelism team member provides about $2690 for travel and personal expense. In addition, the entire team provides another $2000 in direct costs (site rental, transportation, etc.). The Quiet Hour sponsors $750 of that for each team. So at each and every evangelism site, the cost is about $3940. For some, that seems like a lot of money, but those who have experienced preaching or healing or helping say that it was worth the personal sacrifice. Some people raise the money from friends or church family who believe in taking the good news of God’s saving love to the world. (Click here for more about forming an evangelism team.)

For more news about the Philippines evangelism program, read the articles and reports listed below. And of course there will be pictures and stories in the May issue of the Echoes magazine. Pray for the hundreds of people involved in this evangelism effort, and for the thousands of people who will find Jesus because of it.