As most of you are aware, Don & Marti Schneider are in the Philippines for an evangelistic series.  Below is the first information to come from Marti and I thought that you all would want to read this, too.  Their time zone is 13 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time.

Tomorrow, Sabbath, is going to be a very long day for them.  They will be picked up at their hotel at 6:45 A.M.

The Sabbath services begin at 8:00 a.m. and go until 4:00 p.m. Don preaches for the main church service.  Marti asks that we please pray for him as his Sabbath responsibilities are going to be very, very long.

I thought if you could envision their Sabbath you would better know how to pray.

Happy Sabbath to you all,

Janet Aldea
Secretary for Don C. Schneider

From: Marti Schneider
Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008
To: The Quiet Hour supporters
Subject: Schneider's Manila Update #1

Dear friends,

Tuesday morning early, I left Baltimore for the five-hour trip to Los Angeles. Don and I met at the LAX Gate 76 where we boarded a huge jet for the next flight of our trip, 15 hours . . . up the West Coast of the United States; over Juneau, Alaska, where Don Jr. and Dorothy live; over the top of the world; down past Beijing; finally landing in Hong Kong. A little sleep, a little reading, a little work, a couple of meals — it was a good trip. By 10 p.m. Hong Kong time we again boarded a plane for Manila, and arrived at five minutes before midnight, Wednesday, February 27.

With all luggage in hand, we made our way to the meeting place — the "S" that stands, not for Schneider, but for ShareHim. Yes, Don will be preaching the Good News about God right here in Manila. The thought has really touched Don's heart, because after accepting the appointment, for several months while he was unable to see, having surgery, and recovering, he was not sure he would be able to follow through with this commitment. But here we are! Please pray for him. The meetings begin Sunday night, March 1 and run through Saturday night, March 16. Pray for stamina for him . . . but more than that, pray for the Spirit's presence and power, that he, as Paul requested, "can speak with boldness as he ought."

Yesterday (Thursday) we went to the Central Luzon Conference Office and met the officers and workers. In addition, we met with Benny Moore and the ShareHim and Quiet Hour evangelistic teams that will be holding meetings here in Manila at the same time. The senior class from Fountainview Academy in British Columbia and their sponsors are here to preach . . . their senior class trip! Also Glenn Farinola and several from New Orleans; a couple from Salem, Oregon; and Dr. Frank Adieleuwa (whom we first met in our effort in Nigeria) and his wife, Dr. Jacquelyn, who now live in Killeen, Texas, where she practices medicine. What a wonderful reunion we had with them.

We are just getting ready to walk from our hotel, perhaps a mile or a little more, to the huge Mall of Asia. Our goal is to find a grocery store. Benny and another couple are going to walk with us.

Have a beautiful Sabbath . . . wherever you are!

Our love,
Marti (and Don)

From: Marti Schneider
Sent: Monday, March 3, 2008
To: The Quiet Hour supporters
Subject: Schneider's Manila Update #2

Dear friends,              

Sabbath was a good day, the 100-year celebration by the Central Luzon Conference of the beginning of Adventist work for Filipinos here. American Pastor and Mrs. L. V. Finster were asked to begin work among the Filipino people. They arrived by ship on December 17, 1908, without knowing the language or where they would live. Within a year they opened cottage meetings. Four young men were baptized . . . one of them being Leon Roda. Those four young men became the first Filipino workers. I wonder, is my friend Ann Roda (now pastor at the New Hope Church in Maryland) a descendent of Leon Roda?

We were picked up at 6:45 a.m. Sabbath morning by the union president, Pastor Roque, and the ministerial secretary, Dr. Frank, and their wives; and together we went to the Araneta Coliseum. It seemed early to us, even for an 8:00 a.m. opening meeting. However, the coliseum was across town and one cannot be sure of the traffic. We arrived early, but already the arena was filling with people. Because the auditorium could hold only 15,000 people, only Seventh-day Adventist members above the age of 10 years were given tickets to the event. Everything ran early!

The church service began by 9:30 and Don was preaching by 10:00 o'clock. There was a wonderful worship team and singing by a number of groups including the choir from AUP (Adventist University of the Philippines). They are a classy choral group that has won awards in singing competitions.

Don spoke about the "Unfinished Mission: The Challenge of God's Great Commission." They declared that it was easy to understand him; however, we have concerns for the folks who do not speak English . . . primarily they speak Tagalog. As we look out of our hotel windows at the people traveling past . . . on foot, by taxi, by Jeepney (the highly decorated, open-air extended Jeeps that hold perhaps 20 people), by bus, pedi-taxi, motorcycle, and the train farther away . . . we wonder, how will these people hear the Gospel? Eighty percent of the people are Catholic, yet many of them attend church only three times: for their baptism, for their wedding, and for their funeral. They must hear, Don declared, as each Adventist wins someone to Jesus, and then each one wins another one. That is exactly how we must reach North America, too.

Thank you for your prayers! Yesterday (Sunday), for the first time, we felt awake, alive, and ready to go to work. And none too soon.

Yesterday we spent studying the sermon. (Out loud three times is the recommended goal. I even went through it one time myself with Don listening in. It is do-able.) And Don was getting acquainted with the computer program that allows him to see his speaking notes while the audience is viewing different PowerPoint slides and video clips. Those of you who work in I.T. can understand the challenge! Jeremiah Weeks and his wife Jill came to the room and gave Don a "crash course" in how to run and edit the synchronizing program. They are a special young couple who work full-time for ShareHim. We appreciate, too, Benny Moore's total support.

Our hotel (a very nice, very clean, and highly secure hotel with a wonderful breakfast) is only blocks from the Cuneta Astrodome where the nightly meetings are being held. Don was a bit overwhelmed when someone mentioned that this is the auditorium in which Mark Finley and Doug Batchelor had both preached evangelistic series. Don doesn't consider himself a professional evangelist! What is he doing here? he wonders. But we had an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 people present last night. Our prayer is that every person will invite Jesus into his or her life! It is such a simple, yet profound, step . . . that brings such joy, peace, and power into one’s life! And that relationship can be begun by a simple prayer of invitation.

Don's message last night was God's predictions found in Daniel 2 of the rise and fall of four historic major world kingdoms: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. God predicted the breaking apart of Rome into the ten barbaric tribes, all history, and then, He predicted the coming of Jesus to set up His Kingdom without sin, suffering, and sorrow. If God predicted the rise and fall of nations and it came to pass, then I can believe Him when He predicts His coming Kingdom!

There are now two Freds in Don's life . . . of course, Fred Kinsey, North American Division Assistant to the President for Communication, and then there is Pastor Fred, who is Don's body guard here at the meetings. He is always available in case of a need. He particularly facilitates picture-taking before and after the meetings and protects Don during meetings from people who want to have their pictures taken with him. I guess you could call that Communication, too.

Upon arrival the first night we decided we had better get some Philippine pesos; so we found an ATM and tried to guess how much to ask for. Let's start small, was our decision. We punched in $100 . . . and didn't have enough to purchase even a bottle of pop which costs $164 each. The exchange rate is close to US$1 to PhP$40.

Friday, at the Conference Office, the president's own tailor was there to measure Don and Benny Moore for new Filipino shirts called barongs. Well, last night they were delivered. Don's shirt is a light sea green shirt, impeccably tailored, pretty embroidered decoration down the front . . . fits well. Pants were included, we discovered . . . well, they were tailored for Gabino Apao, who is obviously someone more my size. I'm wondering what he thought when he held up Don's new pants before setting one foot in.

Wish you were here! It is a wonderful experience! Don't forget to pray for us . . .

Our love,
Marti (and Don)

Manila email reports: February 29 - March 3 | March 4-5 | March 6-7 | March 9-10 | March 11-13 | March 17

Bacolod email reports: March 10-12 | March 16-17 | March 19-23 | March 30