This is the first installment of my reports from the Philippines trip. The trip to the airport was uneventful all the way to check in and security. The nice lady at security thought I posed a security risk of some kind so stamped the back of my boarding pass with bright red homeland security seal. This got me special treatment at security, having my identification double-checked and my bags hand-inspected. Since the security announcer had shouted to all of us that we did not need our identification, mine was in the x-ray machine when the officer asked to see it. Once he saw my very used passport with its several extra page inserts, and a look at my CA driver’s license, he told the other man searching my bags to “call off the press”. They then asked if I would mind repacking the bags so they could get to other passengers. No problem.

My 11.5 hour flight to Tokyo appears to be on time and according to my check-in screen, and so is the flight from Tokyo to Manila. Not sure how we know if it’s on time or not since it won’t be leaving for another 15 hours!

Our team members are on their way! The McKeys ended up taking an extra day due to be snowed in Texas of all places but have arrived safely.

I will appreciate your prayers for the meetings.

Blessings,
Mike

From: Michael Porter
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:18 PM
Subject: The Quiet Hour rePorter Philippines #2

Team,

Just a note to let you know of our safe arrival here the Philippines. We’re pretty much done with the orientation and are now setting up computers, phones, and arranging transport to the various other cities.

After a little over 24 hours I finally arrived at my hotel for some much-appreciated sleep.

Enjoy the update!

Mike

From: Michael Porter
Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 2:57 PM
Subject:The Quiet Hour rePorter Philippines #3

Team,

Here is another update from Manila. I caught up with Don and Marti Schneider last evening at the meetings and mentioned to him that Don Roth had spoken in the AstroDome just before he retired, in conjunction with a Sabbath service during a constituency session. It is a small world and one where time marches on!

I just arrived here in Bacolod, had lunch with the conference executive committee, and am now checked into my room. The rest of our groups arrive in a few hours. We’ll plan on supper at the hospital this evening and some further orientation Friday morning with the various pastors and leaders where the meetings will be held.

It has been around 17 years since I attended an ADRA water workshop here in the Philippines – in Tacloban. It is good to be back in the country.
The folk here send their greetings to Bill and Jackie.

Mike

Greetings Team,

It is early Wednesday morning here in Manila. Today is a travel day with flights leaving from 6 a.m. all the way to later this afternoon, headed for various destinations where God’s Word will be shared. Yesterday’s orientation included some of the North Pacific Union teams as well as the Arizona Conference group. As usual, we’ve got individuals who have been led (in some cases propelled) by God to embark on this venture for Him, some for whom this is their first-ever evangelistic series. The teams include some rather young speakers, brand new Adventists, and a whole range of backgrounds.

Last evening several of our group attended the Don Schneider meetings in the AstroDome not far from where we’re staying. The dome had several thousand folk, excited about what they’re hearing. Instead of hiring Bible workers and extra pastors to assist in these meetings, lay folk lead out in groups scattered throughout the astrodome. When Pastor Schneider invited individuals to stand if they had already decided to be baptized, others to stand if they intended to remember their very first Sabbath in a few days, and still others to stand if they wished to make their decision for baptism, he urged them to let their group leader know of their decision. Following the closing prayer, the entire place buzzed as the groups gathered in circles for training and prayer.

One of the teams from Oregon, a family of five, has a fascinating story to share (I’ve asked them to check their calendars for joining us at Ambassadors of Hope in November). A young Adventist videographer, a single dad with two daughters, had struggled with his first wife’s leaving their family. It was a difficult time for everyone. Two years ago, as he was doing video coverage for meetings in Brazil, a young woman “chanced” to come to the meetings. It turned out she was a well-known individual who had been married to a famous sports celebrity. During the time of his illness and finally death, she had become nationally known as they faced the difficult illness together. The young videographer was asked to meet her and cover her story in his video work. He met her, did the footage and she, being so frustrated with all the media attention, demanded to know what he planned to do with the tapes. He handed them to her and simply said, If you believe God can use these, then give them back to me and we’ll use them. If not, no problem.” She agreed they should be used. And from out of nowhere, the videographer said, “Thank you —and will you marry me?” She looked straight at him and said “Yes, I will marry you.” As they talked briefly, neither could come up with any explanation of where that had come from – why he had asked and why she had said yes. They did not even know when they would next meet since he had to be at other meeting sites. As providence would have it, two days later, a taxi pulled up to where the videographer was standing waiting for transportation and out jumped the young woman and her daughter. She had not said a word to her daughter about meeting the videographer and certainly not about their being engaged to be married! Her daughter jumped out of the taxi, looked directly at the videographer and said, “Mommy, that man is going to be my new daddy.” The young woman was so flustered that she jumped back in the taxi with her daughter and sped away. She asked her daughter how she knew that man, and her daughter told her that she had prayed that God would lead them to a family with two daughters, to a man who was not into sports and to someone who was not as good looking as her daddy had been. Later, the videographer, explaining his meeting someone very special, asked his two daughters separately about their thoughts on the possibility of his getting married again. One of them said she was praying for a new mommy who would have one daughter, but she still wanted to be the eldest in the family. The other one said she had prayed for a new mommy who would have just one daughter. The rest is history – they were married. For the past nearly two years, this couple has been in the process of blending their two cultures and two families. For this trip to the Philippines, the whole family is involved in supporting meetings – including one where the young mom will speak and another where one of the daughters will speak. The dad says he’s along to “support his women.”

We’ve had quite a variety of computer challenges with this group, but I guess we should not be too surprised since we know the devil is not pleased with what is happening. We will appreciate your continuing prayer for us that God will lead many folk to know Him and His will for their lives.

Mike

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

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