December 2013

Christmas Celebrations at PCL

This December, PCL enjoyed celebrating the birth of our Lord and Saviour with two special events.

On Wednesday December 18^th, our regular afternoon mid-week service became a Christmas service. I had the privilege of organising a few of our favourite Christmas Carols, working with the talented worship team. We also used this opportunity to have colourful dancers and to form a small choir. It was quite a task to pull it all together, with very limited time to practice, but it was truly amazing to sing the words that have been sung by believers over so many years, stirring afresh in our hearts the hope and joy that came into the world on that night more than 2000 years ago, when Jesus was born.

That evening was the PCL Christmas Party with the theme ‘Pasko ng Pinas’, meaning ‘Christmas in the Philippines’. The students wore costumes which reflected some aspect of the Philippines, which included tribal, traditional, farming, Filipino celebrities and many more wonderful and creative ideas. I was asked (with less than 2 hours’ notice – you’ve got to expect the unexpected here) to share a word of encouragement at the party. Thankfully, God placed on my heart a message to share about Mary’s journey leading up to the birth of Jesus.  We had a time of worship, some fun performances, crazy games (including a game where you have to move a slice of jelly from your forehead to your mouth using only your face) and gift-giving. At the end of the evening, as is customary, we ate some food together. It was a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas together as a school.

PCL Christmas Mid-Week Service

PCL Christmas Party - in cultural costumes

Christmas in Quezon Province

This year, Julius and I had planned to spend Christmas with his family in the province of Samar. However, when Typhoon Yolanda hit the Philippines in November, Samar was one of the provinces affected. While Juls’ family is thankfully safe and their home has been repaired, there is still no electricity, so his family encouraged us to visit them after everything has been restored. (I would like to mention at this time that other areas of the Philippines, particularly in the province of Leyte, are still suffering greatly with lack of food, shelter, sanitary conditions and sadly, there is terrible violence. Please continue to pray for them).

Juls and I therefore had to make different arrangements for our first Christmas together. We decided to go to San Narciso, Quezon Province, a place I had visited twice before, but which Juls had never seen. We stayed with the Pasatiempo family. Ptr Danny and Ptra Susan are the local pastors who continue to send students to our school to study. They are also our Ninong and Ninang, which is a bit like God-parents to a couple when they get married. Additionally, I am Ninang to their son and daughter-in-law, who have recently had a gorgeous baby girl. Several students from PCL wished to go home to San Narciso but had no money for the travel. It was very special to be able to take them with us in our car, along with Kim, our Korean guest at Gethsemane Prayer Mountain, to this beautiful place.

We had a wonderful time in the province. We ate… and ate… and ate. Being in the province, the food was very fresh – coconut salad from the coconuts we cut down from the trees, pork adobo, barbequed pork and other pork dishes from the slaughtered pig (I’m glad I didn’t have to see that part). We had the opportunity to visit the homes of the students and also to spend time with former PCL students who had graduated in March. We went to the beach for a swim and one morning we watched the sun rise over the water. On Christmas day, Julius was the preacher for the Christmas service and I sang a special number – my favourite Christmas Carol, O Holy Night. On Christmas afternoon, we visited one of the outreach ministries and gave Christmas Day candy to the children (who were very excited). On our way home, we (along with about 30 members of the church) went to ‘Mainit Hot Springs’ where there were baptisms followed by swimming and food. We had a wonderful Christmas vacation!

Can you see the pig's head? 

Juls preaching on Christmas Day

Welcome 2014

For our New Year’s celebration, Juls and I decided to get away from the smoke, noise and craziness that was likely to happen in our street, and to stay on the Prayer Mountain. It was lovely to celebrate the New Year with Ptr Anthony, Bro Kim, some Quezonian students, and the staff on the mountain. From the mountain, we could see many fireworks displays from all across the metro Manila area. Unfortunately, my camera couldn’t capture the beautiful display. At midnight we had a time of praise and worship, followed by prayer. We were very blessed because Pastor Lee had given the GPM staff money to buy food, so we enjoyed a delicious feast to begin the New Year.

Trying to capture the many fireworks displays on my camera - but it didn't quite world

Thanks for the food budget, Pastor Lee! Yum!

Beginning the New Year with worship and prayer

Looking Ahead…

January looks to be an exciting month. On January 13, Josh and Sarah Ingrammes, and JR, Robyn and baby Eden Del Rosario from DBC will arrive to spend some time at PCL, where they will do some music tutoring, a feeding program, worship and preaching. I’m very excited about this mission trip!

January will also be the time for students to take their mid-term examinations and to begin preparations for our graduating students. 

Making our home Christmas-y with the Nativity Scene my mum knitted

Our little Christmas Tree - only about 60cm tall be we love it!