September and October 2015

Ministry in Divine Mercy, San Mateo 

Now that the rainy season is coming to an end, we have been enjoying increased attendance in our ministry in Divine Mercy, San Mateo. Juls and Pastor Francis (PCL Class of 2016) continue to share preaching, worship and Bible Study responsibilities. In September, a few of our members requested an outing to the Prayer Mountain because it was a public holiday. We had a lovely morning of worship, followed by Juls sharing a simple message from the Word of God and then the opportunity for members to go the sanctuary, prayer cells, cottages or benches to do what Gethsemane Prayer  Mountain was designed for – personal prayer, worship and Bible reading. After this, we had a pot luck lunch (‘share share’ in their words). One family, having nothing else to bring for lunch, prepared their own duck. I’m grateful that when I need meat, I can just go to the supermarket. I’m not sure I have the stomach for the old-fashioned way of preparing meat.

Kain Tayo! (Let's Eat!) 

We were looking forward to October 17^th, as it was to be the 19^th anniversary of Gethsemane Prayer Mountain, and we planned to bring many members to the combined Gethsemane Churches celebration. Unfortunately, that weekend, a typhoon came, and although it didn’t have a big effect on our area, it was enough to force our members to stay home, as they are always stranded in their homes when heavy rain makes the river in their area impassable. We brought only 2 members to the event, but we still enjoyed it.

The lady in turquoise on the bottom left is Anna, who wasvisiting us during this time. 

The construction of our church building is progressing well. We are aiming to have it completed within a few months, with the Korean sponsor’s visit and church dedication to take place in January. Juls does a great job touching base with the construction team and neighbours regularly. 

Precious Time with Family and Friends

Honestly, I have had my ups and downs emotionally for quite a while now. A combination of sadness and frustration with what I see here in the Philippines, together with general homesickness and the desire to be with my family members who are facing lots of challenges at the moment have really stretched me. I am so thankful to God, who speaks to my heart and restores my peace and hope, and to my dear husband, who is so loving and supportive. But God continues to bless me by providing me with wonderful opportunities for physical, spiritual and emotional restoration.

In September, Juls and I went to Singapore to spend a week with my sister and her family, who very generously covered most of our expenses. We thoroughly enjoyed going to Universal Studios and a River Safari with them, as well as simple things like swimming, shopping and hanging out.

In October, Anna Morse came to visit for a week. We had grand plans to show her our weekend ministry and then visit beautiful Subic, as it was school holidays. Unfortunately, Typhoon Lando disrupted our plans. We were not badly affected, but we had to cancel our church service and decided to play it safe and avoid traveling north.  We stayed in San Mateo and caught up with a few friends. Anna delighted them with her yummy cooking. Although Anna’s visit didn’t go according to my plan, I really enjoyed just sharing heart to heart conversations, hearing about Aussie friends and spending time together.

After Anna left, Juls and I decided not to let our Subic deposit go to waste, so we spent three days there for our 2^nd anniversary.  

Spending Time with Mum

Finally, at the end of October, I went to Perth to spend two weeks with Mum. In August, we found out that she had a tumour, which was removed through surgery in September. To make sure the cancer was all gone, Mum had to start chemotherapy in October. I felt really strongly to visit her for the beginning of her treatment, although due to a lack of time to get a visa and financial limitations, Juls couldn’t come with me.  While I couldn’t spend a lot of time there, I was happy just to see Mum and I’m so proud of her; she is doing well. So far, she has had two rounds of chemo (probably three by the time I manage to send this newsletter). Each time, she has had a few yucky days, but is generally feeling ok. Most of all, she feels God’s presence, comfort and peace. We are confident that after her 12 rounds, she will be completely well. It was very special to spend time with the rest of my family as well, who are the ones who can be there with her for the entire six months of treatment. 

PCL Happenings

In September, I organized two worship evenings, especially designed for new students who long to be part of the PCL Worship Team. After hearing their heart for worship and their musical skills, it was a delight to include many new students in our team for dawn watch and mid-week services.

One of my responsibilities here at PCL is to monitor our students’ testimonies, which are given during our Mid-Week services. This has become one of my most cherished duties. As I mentioned earlier, I have felt overwhelmed, frustrated and helpless because of the situation of so many people here in the Philippines. However, week after week, I hear the testimony of how God has intervened in the lives of our students. He lifted them from helplessness to hope and gave them opportunities to share this hope with others.  I have no doubt that God is moving in the lives of our students, and that He will continue to bless others through them. I am truly blessed to be part of their journeys.

We have many new members of our PCL Worship Team

Thank you for your continued prayer, encouragement and support! God bless.

July and August 2015

PCL Happenings

We are already half-way through Semester One and as usual, PCL life is eventful for students and staff. I am continuing to enjoy teaching my English Grammar class. My first-year students are doing really well, and their results in their mid-term exams were great. Our students have also had opportunities to research and present lessons themselves, with the results being informative, fun and entertaining. The data projector purchased with a donation from DBC at the beginning of 2014 has continued to be a great help in my class, other classes and our dawn-watch and mid-week services.

My English Grammar Class

There are now eight PCL students (as well as a library aide, and a handful of other children or students who are not from PCL) receiving sponsorship from Australian friends. We call them the Verzosa Scholarship students. As part of their scholarship, they spend 2 hours per week helping in the library, which is a great help to all students, as it means the library can be open in the evenings. They have commented that they enjoy their library service and that the time goes very quickly. Sadly, 30 scholarships from Korean sponsors that had been available in previous years is no longer available, and many students are really struggling with their finances. The Verzosa Scholarship students (and I) are therefore very grateful for the support from overseas.

Some of the Verzosa Scholarship Students

Scholarship Students helping in the library

 August is ‘Buwan ng Wika’, meaning ‘Month of Language’ and is basically a celebration of Filipino language and culture. In the third week of August, PCL students in PE1, Filipino 1 and Filipino 3 prepared oral recitations, debates, and traditional dances involving coconuts, floral wreaths and candles. The students were especially pleased that for the whole afternoon they were exempted from the ‘English Only’ policy of PCL. It was a wonderful day.

Ministry in San Mateo

We are continuing our ministry in Divine Mercy, San Mateo. It has not always been easy, but we have had some wonderful moments and we are excited about what God has planned for our little ministry.

One of our biggest struggles has been the weather. In this subdivision, when it rains, it’s very hard for people to move about. There is only one actual road; the rest of the ‘roads’ in the subdivision are just grass or dirt tracks. Most of the people who attend our church live beside a river with a very simple bamboo bridge. When there is heavy rain, the bridge is removed to prevent it from being swept away. I feel for the people, as they can’t cross the river to leave their homes during heavy rain. Thankfully, we haven’t had any serious floods in our area this year, but on several occasions, the rain has certainly been heavy enough to stop people from attending our services.

This bridge has to be removed during heavy rain, so our members can't go anywhere

 Last week, however, we had nice weather for the start of our service, and we realized how much we need our new church building to be ready. With no rain to stop them attending, we had people sitting on the stairs and in the doorway, and we took the children outside for a while as well. We are thankful that Sis. Leonie allows us to use her house, but we can’t wait to have more room.

It is very exciting to see the progress on our church building. We hope it will be finished by October. We see so many opportunities for spreading the Word of God and showing His love in this little community through the use of this building. 

Birthday and Fellowship

In July I celebrated my 33^rd birthday. The night before my birthday, as I was walking from my room back toward the school, the second year students surprised me in the dark with a poster filled with messages, a little cake, and of course singing. They intentionally surprised me a day early, because last year their birthday greeting was a few weeks late. Not to be outdone, the 4^th year students knocked on my door at 4:15am on my birthday, wanting to greet me before the day began. Even though they brought cake to my room, we decided to wait until the afternoon to eat it, along with a few other snacks, together at a more reasonable time.  Throughout the day, all the students and staff greeted me and made me feel special. A few days later, when I went home, I enjoyed having a few friends around to our house for another celebration. 

2nd Year students surprising me before my birthday

Eating cake and snacks with the 4th years at a more reasonable time than 4:15am 

Celebrating my birthday at home with some friends

Tagalog

Having stayed here for 3 & ½ years now, I would like to say that I’ve got a grip on the language. However, with PCL’s English only policy (not my rule, but so the students can really improve their English), my husband’s good English, and the ability of most Filipinos to communicate the basics in English, together with a busy schedule, I haven’t managed to get beyond a very basic level of Tagalog. This semester I have a less hectic schedule, and I’ve picked up the Tagalog books and started studying hard. One of the lovely 4^th year students, Sis. Marj, meets me once or twice a week to check my understanding and memory. I’m really enjoying my study and hope I can get used to how quickly Filipinos talk! 

Sis Maj, my Tagalog teacher

Prayer and Family

Sometimes it’s hard to be away from family, and I have felt that more than ever over the past month or two. Members of my family have had some health problems, and then in August, we were shocked to find that my mum had a tumor. This is a journey that she is still going through, although we are very hopeful that surgery can remove all the cancer. At this point in time, we don’t have the answers. Over the past couple of weeks I have done a lot of thinking and praying, and considered flying back to Perth. This isn’t ideal, as I don’t want to let my class down, and I really don’t want to be away from my husband who is still studying and doesn’t currently have a visa for Australia, but of course I will go if my family needs me. For now, we are hopeful that Mum will be fine and I am tentatively planning to stay in the Philippines as normal, with the option of flying to Perth if things take a turn for the worse (which we don’t expect and pray against). While I won’t pretend that it has been easy or that I haven’t been worried, I have felt the love and comfort of God as I turn to Him in prayer. One morning in Dawn Watch, He gave me the most beautiful picture that filled me with peace and hope. I didn’t hear any answers about what would happen to my mum. I didn’t receive any promises that my family would always be healthy and safe. What I received was comfort that God loves us more than we can comprehend, that He is in control, and that He isn’t limited by our human, earthly perspective. We believe that Mum will be fine, but no matter what, we know God is with us and find peace and comfort in knowing who He is and remaining in His presence.

Thankful that even though I'm far from my family, we have regular communication through Facebook

Thankful for my loving, supportive husband (with amazing bread roll abs)

Thank you for your love and support. We would really appreciate prayer for:

• Mum's surgery today (Tuesday Sep 9th - that all cancer can be removed
• Peace and comfort for my whole family
• PCL staff and students - that God would provide all their needs (spiritual, academic, emotional, financial)
• Ministry in Divine Mercy - for growth in both number and especially spiritual maturity for our attendees
• Construction of our church building

May and June 2015

New Academic Year at PCL

June 8^th was the first day of the new academic year here at PCL. The beginning of a new year is always exciting and this time was no exception.

We have 37 newly enrolled students. I’m already enjoying getting to know my new class. They have really taken to some of the Aussie words I have taught them for a bit of fun. They now enjoy asking for lollies instead of candies, or asking if I had a ‘cuppa’ with my ‘brekkie’. They love saying ‘ta’ instead of ‘thank you’, but they can’t quite get the hang of ‘arvo’, as they pronounce the ‘r’ with an American accent. Their effort to ‘speak Aussie’ really makes me smile.

Our first Mid-Week Service and Orientation was on June 9^th. It was so wonderful to worship the Lord together again. We had a special welcoming dinner fellowship the following week. Of course, the students are always very excited about a free meal!

This year, friends from DBC are sponsoring 9 PCL students, including five 4^th year students, two 3^rd year students and two 2^nd year students. It is such a blessing to be able to help these students who are so passionate about completing their studies so that they can be equipped to serve God. DBC friends are also helping to support our library staff, an extremely important part of our school.

With my Korean students now back in Korea, I am enjoying a lighter teaching load. However, things at PCL are always busy and I am looking forward to being involved in more admin, library, student support and other roles for the next few months. It should be a great year! 

Introducing staff at PCL Orientation

Our First Mid-Week Service

Preparing our Dinner Fellowship - I'm just pretending to cook!

Ministry in San Mateo

 A very exciting piece of news is that construction of our church building in San Mateo has started. It has seemed like we have been waiting for such a long time, but we strongly believe that God’s timing is perfect and good things are worth waiting for. We had a bit of a hiccup with a broken piece of machinery, but construction is starting again and we hope it will be completed within a few months.

Our ministry is growing and we really need this building. We are still meeting in a nearby house, and it is quite a challenge to fit inside!

Juls gives the construction his thumbs up of approval

Last month was Juls’s birthday, and we enjoyed surprising him as a church with a birthday cake. We have also had the house dedication of one of our members who built a new house in recent weeks. Then there have been other times when we have needed to come together to support members who have been sick. These simple things are part of building a sense of community.

We are really praying that this ministry will grow, not just in number, but in every way. Most attendees are new Christians and we pray that their faith will grow. We pray that we will have unity and a sense of love for each other. We pray for our building, and especially the financial needs of the construction project. We look forward to seeing what God will do in Divine Mercy, San Mateo.

We can't fit inside the house

Boracay Adventure

In January, I gained another Korean student, Min Ji. I really enjoyed teaching her English and encouraging her in her walk with God. Min Ji really desired to visit Boracay, a beautiful island here in The Philippines, and asked if I would like to go with her. Of course, it sounded like a wonderful opportunity to spend time with her before she went back to Korea, to see more of this country and to have a refreshing break. However, I had to decline, as I simply didn’t have peace about spending so much money on such a trip. Then, God did something really amazing. He used His servant to provide the finances for not just me, but Juls as well! God made it very clear that He wanted us to go on this short, but unforgettable adventure. 

Oh, what a wonderful, beautiful, incredible time we had! We went parasailing, snorkeling, banana boating and rode the ‘flyfish’ (which I may have unintentionally come flying off). We did the ‘helmet dive’ and fed fish under the water. We ate delicious food, saw stunning sunsets, perused the markets and watched fire dancers. We were there for just three days (only one full day due to long travel) and two nights, but we had such a wonderful time. We felt so blessed to have perfect weather, despite it being the rainy season.

We are so thankful to Min Ji for inviting us, to the person who paid for us, and to Ma’am Joy, who also came and organized all the flights, accommodation and activities. We are especially thankful to God! 

A Heart for The Philippines

I have loved this Philippine Adventure that I have been on over the last three and a half years. However, as I have expressed in past newsletters and blogs, some of my experiences and the things I have witnessed have given me a lot to think about and I have been wrestling with my emotions. While God has given me the support of an amazing husband and some beautiful and much-needed breaks, I have been crying out to God to fill my heart with renewed strength and joy. Little by little, God is working in my heart, replacing those frustrations with understanding and hope. This morning as I watched the PCL students during their flag ceremony, I was reminded of the very reason I came here. God reaffirmed in my heart that in this place, He is training pastors, missionaries and teachers who will make a difference in their communities. Through their ministry in churches, schools and organizations, I believe that many lives will be transformed. I thank God for the way He encouraged me. 

PCLians helping with a construction project for community service

Goats on a wall - they make me smile

March and April

Ministry in San Mateo

We really enjoyed the community outreach programs we ran together with the 4^th year students in Divine Mercy, San Mateo in January and February. This March, we began the next step in our ministry. Together with another couple, Pastor Francis (freshly graduated from PCL) and his wife Sherryl, Juls and I have started regular ministry in the area. We have a prayer meeting every Thursday evening, 2 Bible Studies on Saturdays, and simple afternoon services on Sundays.

Julius leading one of the Bible Studies

Our attendees are new Christians and seekers. They have a lot of questions and we really pray for wisdom in discipling them. As is to be expected in a new ministry, particularly with new Christians and seekers, we have had some ups and downs.  Some weeks, we have had a very encouraging number of attendees. Other weeks, the numbers have been lower. There have been different reasons for the fluctuating attendance, but we continue to encourage and pray for them.

During our January and February outreach activities, we had been using a covered court and hiring chairs. This is not possible for our weekend activities but we do not yet have a church building. Therefore, we looked for other arrangements. For the time being, we are holding our simple services in the house of one of our new attendees. It can be hard to fit everyone inside, but we are doing our best. In March, we were able to purchase 35 chairs, using some of the money given to us by DBC. These have been a really big help.

Buying 35 chairs for the ministry

Preparing for a Sunday afternoon service in Sis. Leonie's house

The very exciting news is that our building permit has finally been approved. Juls and Francis have been making arrangements with Pastor Lee (the Korean missionary pastor who oversees the Gethsemane churches, the Prayer Mountain and the Bible College) and the water and electricity authorities. They will start building very soon and I look forward to including photos of the construction in my next newsletter.  We are praying for the budget of our building, as the budget provided by our Korean sponsor is not quite enough. We believe that God will provide for this ministry and would appreciate your prayer in this matter. 

On the lot with Ptr. Lee - construction will start very soon!

Farewell Class of 2015

Every March, we have to say goodbye to another batch of students as they finish their four years at PCL. This year, we had 29 students graduate, our highest number of graduates in our school’s short history.

At the beginning of March, we held elections for the next batch of leaders in our school.

On March 13, we had the annual Baccalaureate Service. Leadership of the school was officially passed on to the batch below, and key positions symbolised with a candle, pen, Bible, sword and key were given to the new student council members in a special ceremony.

The turnover ceremony

Finally, the big day arrived. March 23 was graduation day! For the past three years, I have been the MC, but this year, due to many commitments, I didn’t take on this role. Graduation is, of course, a very special day that students long to share with their family members. Sometimes, because of distance, health or other reasons, no family members are able to come and show their support for their student. One student, Bro. Erick, requested that I stand in as his ‘parent’, escorting him down the aisle and standing with him for his picture with his certificate. He thanked me for my support and encouragement ever since he was a first year student. I was honoured to be part of his day.

We wish our graduates all the best for the future and keep them in our prayers as they embark upon the next chapter of their journeys. I will always remember fondly their special involvement in Juls and my ministry in San Mateo for their internship. We pray that God will guide and provide for them.

We also pray for our new 4^th year students, believing that God will guide them.    

Korean Students

At the beginning of the year, I was teaching two Korean students, Yun Ju and Min Ji, who came to Gethsemane Prayer Mountain to learn English. Jin joined us in late February. In March, before Yun Ju was due to go back to Korea, Juls and I took the three Korean students, along with another Filipino friend who had been teaching them as well, to a little zoo in Montalban. At the end of April, we had another special outing to Ocean Park in Manila, as Jin was preparing to return to Korea at the beginning of May. Juls and I wanted to give them some wonderful experiences together while they were still here. Now, only Min Ji is still studying at GPM, so my schedule is not as hectic as it has been for most of this year.

I’ve really enjoyed teaching these girls. I have become fascinated with English, as I have always taken so many mind-boggling rules and patterns for granted as a native English speaker. Most of all, I have been so blessed to be part of their spiritual journey, as this has undoubtedly been one of the key reasons God sent them to a Prayer Mountain to study English, instead of a secular academy.  God has been moving in all of their lives and I have truly enjoyed our long, deep and honest conversations about God. 

New Members of the GPM Family

Three years ago, I met a little family on Panggapasan island, near Bohol. These five children were living with an elderly grandmother who was unable to look after them. They touched Pastor Lee’s heart and 2 years ago, Johnnyboy and Elaine came to stay with us on the mountain. Now, the siblings are all together again, as Ninyo, Richard and John Lloyd came to the mountain this April. We have another young child, JC, who has been adopted by one of the ‘mommies’ in the kitchen. I love that in this place, children are being given an opportunity to go to school and be provided for in a way that was not possible before. The young boys who recently joined us are so fond of Juls. Not only is he a big kid himself who loves to play, but he can speak their provincial language (Juls speaks two Filipino languages). Juls has spent a lot of time on the mountain this vacation because of my commitments to the Korean students, so that has been a big blessing to the children.

Prayer Points

·        Our ministry in San Mateo – effective discipleship of new believers

·        Finances for our church building and a smooth construction process

·        PCL students – that God will provide all of their needs: academic, emotional, spiritual and financial

·        That I may be effective in teaching, admin and encouraging the students

·        Continued development in my language and culture learning

·        My physical and emotional health 

Thank you so much for your support and encouragement.

May God bless you all.

Gemma Verzosa

gemmamedling@gmail.com