Dear friends,

The final meeting has closed! The last message preached, the last song sung, and the last prayer prayed. What a privilege and joy it has been! And how it kept Don focused! He said yesterday, “I never go to preach at the AstroDome saying, ‘Oh, well, whatever . . .’ because this evening could be the last time a person attends.”

By the way, Friday evening, Amy, our hostess, brought a barong blouse for me. A dressmaker had measured me several days before. It was beautiful and a great fit. I wore it Sabbath all day.)

Sabbath morning when I went to breakfast, someone was playing the grand piano in the bar through which I needed to pass. It was rich Sabbath music. It was one of the Fountainview Academy team members. Many of them rode the train from their hotel to worship at the AstroDome and to be present for the large baptismal service that took place in the afternoon. We enjoyed seeing the various visiting evangelists, although there was not enough time to hear their stories. That was our loss!

But during the baptism many of their candidates were also baptized. I got a picture of one young girl looking intently into the water where about 70 pastors were receiving the candidates. From one location President Mangiliman or Don would speak the pronouncement and at the right moment all 70 hands were raised above the candidates, then all 70 candidates went under the water symbolizing their trust in God to forgive them, to bury their old life and to raise them to walk fresh and new with God. So there stood the young girl evangelist, watching one of the young people from her site as he was dipped under the water. I can imagine how her heart was full to realize she had a part in his receiving Jesus.

We asked the president how many people were actually baptized. He said there were 1330 of those who had attended our site at the AstroDome. And including those who came from other sites there were 1501. However, since January to date there have been 3313. Don’t think these are just numbers, just a tally on a paper or a white board! These are real people with real struggles and real joy at what God is doing in their lives! So many were teenagers or twenty-somethings. But there were grandmothers and grandfathers, and middle-aged folks too. Some looked quite young, but you cannot judge . . . many of the Filipino children seem small for their age.

Don preached Friday evening on the power of the Holy Spirit to make life changes, and the problem if one continually refuses to heed the urging of the Holy Spirit. If I confess it, Jesus will forgive it.

Sabbath morning He spoke about Jesus’ second coming, and what the Bible says it will be like. Jesus is coming soon — everyone will see Him. And finally, on Sabbath afternoon after the baptism, he spoke about the Biblical description of heaven and the newly-created earth after sin and suffering have been wiped out. No more pain, death, or sorrow! Jesus is building my house — He’s coming to get me soon! Still others stood to their feet to receive Jesus and to request baptism.

Three individuals came for the last weekend who had a major part in equipping the members to lead the small groups in preparation for the meetings: Denzil McNeilus, Radim Passer, and Dwight Hilderbrandt. It has got to be rewarding to see real results from the work and giving being done through ASI.

As you would know, the last appreciation speeches, songs, and prayers are moving. As we stood on the platform with the others who were active in the meetings, Don grabbed my hand! I looked up and there were tears in his eyes. Then he simply closed his eyes and listened to the rest of the song — no more tears, no more pain — as the song described heaven.

Then the people came up to say goodbye and take pictures. In such a large meeting we get to know a very few besides the leaders and pastors working in the meetings. However, one family of youngsters of all ages, both sisters and brothers, had come up each evening, calling us Auntie Marti and Uncle Don — and as Don taught them, Grandpa Benny [Benny Moore from ShareHim].

We learned they were a family of 12 children; the eldest was 22 and the youngest two years old. One evening they brought their two-year-old sister, Angel, with them. They said, “She wants to give you a kiss.” I looked down and there she was, looking so imploringly, her little mouth already working, preparing for the kiss she would plant on my cheek. Don got a kiss too! When I hugged them to tell them goodbye, Ruth, the 15-year-old, began to cry. She just couldn’t let go. Then the other sisters began to cry. Their mother, who came for the first time that evening, also had tears in her eyes to see her girls sorrowing. The big brothers kept it to a handshake. The family asked for nothing more than our friendship.

Don had tried to describe to these kids that one of the evangelists was from Alaska, and that it was -70° Fahrenheit at her home when she left. They couldn’t imagine such cold.
Don: Do you own a coat?
Yes, here! [It had one layer of fabric . . . a denim-type jacket, only thinner.]
Don: Do you have a refrigerator at home?
No.
Don: You’ve had ice cubes though?
Oh, yes!
Don: Well, this is a lot like ice cubes, but much colder!

Saturday night we went with the conference and union presidents and some other officials, to the home of . . . I’m trying to remember their last name . . . a delightful couple. She is a nutritionist and teaches health, nutrition, and cooking classes to many leaders and members of churches that are not Seventh-day Adventist. They have emptied the living room of its furniture and placed round tables with nice table coverings in its place. This is where they invite people to come and learn how to live healthfully. She said they teach NEWSTART . . . Nutrition, Exercise, Water, Sunshine, Temperance (moderation of those things that are good, abstinence of things damaging to your health), Air (fresh air), Rest, and Trust in God.

We went to their home for a “fruit party.” Amy, our hostess, had provided a number of exotic fruits: dragon fruit that is very bland (red on the outside, white on the inside with black spots); radon-something (it has a red inch-long hairy covering and is white inside, almond-sized pit) that has a grape-like taste; star fruit (green cover, smooth, white, juicy flesh) that was wonderful; plus mango and watermelon. They served dumplings filled with vegetarian meat, another gluten product, and rice. We learned that they have a vegetarian food store on the street level, and, in fact, make the products themselves with his parents.

The bookmarks were a success. Brother Ben printed 10,000 bookmarks which we distributed on Friday night. One side listed all of the words-to-remember and the other was a letter from Don.

Just now, I am writing while we fly over the International Date Line, so while moments ago it was Sunday evening around 8:00 pm, suddenly it is eight o’clock Sunday morning back in Maryland. We’ve got to start thinking home, work, and plans for Monday.

We got up at 5 a.m., left the hotel at 6, and caught a 9:00 flight to Hong Kong (we enjoyed some time with Drs. Frank and Jacquelene, our friends from Nigeria and Texas, both of whom had successful evangelistic meetings), then we’re on our way to Los Angeles, then Baltimore. And we look forward to tomorrow!

Thanks for coming with us! God bless you all!

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