This is my first report from the Philippines for this trip, having arrived without incident April 3 and spent part of April 4 scheduling for August. The newly consecrated bishop of the Philippine Episcopal Church in North Luzon refused permission for us to minister there next August. Fr Andrew Kiley, the priest responsible for my being in the Philippines and with whom we worked for more than five years in Zamboanga, is now at St Thomas in Tabuk.

He asked that I return to Tabuk. 1990 was my last ministry time there. Bp Abibico, new bishop, said "no." His reasons were correct. In 1986 we employed two dentists [husband and wife] from St Thomas who worked for Barnabas but also reflected St Thomas' outreach ministry. That church was experiencing charismatic renewal and highly criticized by other churches in the diocese.

As they provided through our funding free dental service to indigents, it emphasized their humanitarian concern. The diocese tried to take over this ministry, wanting our money given directly to the diocese, and while the dentists worked in other parts of the church, we would not concede to their demands.

We conducted a seminar in 1990, our last trip, during which time 42 people attended but we were presented the bill for 75 people eating. I yelled "foul" and refused to pay the over-charge. When talking with Fr Kiley I said "if his reason for disallowing us is because we would not approved their practice of dishonesty and stealing from the foreigner, then his reason is something he has to live with." Regretfully, we will not go to Tabuk in August.

Archbishop Thomas Hines was delighted to have those dates and we have filled the time with work in three areas of the Charismatic Episcopal Church in Cebu City, Oroquieta, and Sorsogon. Two of these areas, the present church is going through the Convergence journey and our work will be to teach aspects of the Convergence Movement enabling them along in the transition.

In the afternoon I met with Manila area students, three who received less than their budget request due to failure of their co-sponsor sending their money. Today I leave for Zamboanga and the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd. In the afternoon today I meet with all our high school students and parents.

Tomorrow I preach at their morning Mass and afterward meet all our college students and parents. I will disappoint some of these young people because sponsors did not send their money, nor reply with a reason. I wish they were the ones to inform these students and watch them cry over one more disappointment in their young lives.

Why is it Christians fail to carry out commitments they make? In this case, indigent young people who were given hope of attaining an education, will be crushed. Angry? Yes, because I have to be the bearer of bad news when I want to be an "encourager."

Monday, April 7 I go to Bacolod on Negros Occidental to meet with students, and on to Dumaguete on Negros Oriental Tuesday where our largest contingency study.

Please Pray For My Health

April 5 I arrived in Zamboanga, checked into the hotel, and proceeded to Calarian with Fr Dan Bustamante where I met parents and high school scholarship recipients. My plane was late; they had finished their Bible study and waiting for my arrival. Fr Dan meets regularly with the 36 Barnabas scholars at Good Shepherd for Bible study and monitoring of studies.

Here I bore bad news - 1 high school and 1 college student discontinued because their sponsors failed to respond to my two requests for their budget money. I preached at Good Shepherd on Sunday morning, and set plans with Fr Dan for August.

We will conduct a diocesan clergy conference, and a seminar for all Good Shepherd high school students, in addition to meeting our 180 BAHADA Child Care children. We set in motion Phase Down 2000 when in April that year I make my final trip to the Philippines. Part of the purpose of the current trip is to start "phase down" assuring transfer of programs or discontinuance in an orderly way.

Sunday following Easter in America is commonly called "low Sunday" because attendance is the lowest of the year. This was not the case at Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Calarian. Standing room only! Their attitude toward church is so refreshing. Renews one's spirit!

Any ECUSA churches with 1940 Hymnals packed away could donate them to Good Shepherd. They share 1 book to 7 people. E-mail me and I will tell you the procedure and give you the church address.

April 7, I flew to Bacolod. Philippine Air made a drastic schedule change making me two hours late for my appointment with students. They were waiting. The next morning I drove across the mountain to the other side of the island and the city of Dumaguete. Christian Fellowship Church was having its 23 Annual Convention and I was the evening preacher for two nights.

If loudness is equivalent to holiness, this pentecostal church is among the most holy. Band, amplifiers, singers, dancers, and a lively congregation! Ministering to the 300 pastors and delegates was a treat. Their theme was "Living in Revival" and the Spirit fell mightily. One feedback I had was from a lady who didn't think a "non-pentecostal" would be very interesting, but after my first message, told her friend she planned to take notes the second night.

Meeting our high school and college scholarship recipients was a normal function on this trip. To them I distributed tooth brushes and paste, vitamins, soap and analgesics. One student's mother died unexpectedly two days ago of a heart attack leaving her unsupported for summer school. Barnabas will provide the $250 for her summer subjects that would not be offered in regular semesters. Anyone who would like to share in that one-time support designated your check "Yoyen."

On April 10 I quietly celebrated my birthday with visits from students, gifts of 2 dozen red roses, fruit, cards and a clerical barong [Philippine shirt], lunch with Bp Ga, and the discovery of a $7,800 error at the bank.

Last January I transferred from our ministry's savings account P200,000 to our checking account. In my QUICKEN accounting I had entered the transfer under checking but failed to substract it out of savings. I thought I had more money for students' checks than I did. Some will get post dated checks and immediately upon my return home, I will cable over the money. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PHILIP!

Hugh Kaiser joined me on Friday, April 11. Saturday morning we conducted a seminar for Philippine Independent Catholic Church youth. We taught on salvation through a personal acceptance of Jesus, and ways to build a Christian life of holiness through the Holy Spirit.

70 young people from the Diocese attended and 49 prayed to invite Jesus into their lives. Sunday morning I preach at the PIC Cathedral and in the afternoon take a boat to Cebu City from where on Monday I fly to Ozamis.

Some have called my home asking about my health. Unexplainably, I still have the cough [bronchitis] after all the anti-biotics and steroids I have taken. Other than that I am doing fine. I thank each of your for your prayers.

Since my last report, some glorious things have happened. On my visit to Ozamis I met the Philippine Independent Church priest, Fr Magtuba; the Charismatic Episcopal Church priest, Fr Piol; and the Assembly of God pastor, Mrs Elizabeth Bualat.

All three were delighted with our proposal for Hugh Kaiser and me to be with them in August. With these meetings confirmed, the August schedule is finalized. We begin the August outreach working with the Philippine Episcopal Church in Mindanao, followed by an independent church in Cebu City on its transitional journey into the Charismatic Episcopal Church, and then back to Mindanao where we will work with Fr Magtuba, Pastor Bualat and Fr Piol - all noted above.

From there we go to Sorsogon and a CEC congregation just beginning. After Fr Gene Lilly's consecration as Suffragan Bishop of the CEC - PHILIPPINES, I will go to Dumaguete and Bacolod to meet with students before my return to the USA.

In addition to meeting these clergy in Ozamis, I had the joy of dining with my students in that area. Eating in a nice restaurant is a rare treat for them, and when I am able to be with them in this way it is always a blessing for them and for me. I got a horrible sinus cold in Ozamis that knocked me out several days.

I returned to Dumaguete last Thursday for the PIC Conference on Discipleship and Stewardship with 71 men and women attending. The highlight of the day was the bishop giving testimony of his personal invitation to Jesus to come into his life in January, 1986 during our first seminar with the PIC.

He followed up his testimony by issuing a challenge to his people to stand if they wanted to invite Jesus into their lives, and then led them in a prayer of acceptance. WOW! It is rare to have a bishop make such an "altar call." Hugh Kaiser's meeting in Bacolod did not materialize and he returned to Dumaguete to be with me.

It was a blessing from the Lord because I was feeling rotten from a sinus cold, and Hugh relieved me of much of the day's teaching. After the seminar a young lady named Hazel asked if I would pray for her. She had a tumor in her left breast. Dra Anibel Antonio-Abil, our Dumaguete dentist, has been used by God many time in praying for tumors. I called for her to join us in the bishop's office.

Hugh, Anibel, three others joined me. Anibel touched the breast to determine the location of the tumor, and the girl lurched in pain. We started praying. The tumor shrunk; ALL the pain left. Anibel and Hazel went into a corner of the office to check out the breast and the tumor was no longer hard, nor as large as it had been, difficult really to locate, and no pain as they touched the breast. Hallelujah!

I preached Sunday morning at the Christian Fellowship Church and on Monday flew back to Manila, meeting some other students, and having fellowship with David Vittum, a Grace Brethern Missionary newly stationed in the Philippines, and his wife, Jean.

He had formerly been CHIEF MARS [Military Affliate Radio Service] a program I am a member of with the Navy-Marine Corp. He had been to Cambodia with some exciting reports of Buddhists getting converted to Jesus.

Some may remember an appeal for an operation of a child with a growth between his eyes made in GLAD TIDINGS with a photo of the child last October. I met with the family during my return to Manila. There have been many complications leading to delays, but the operation is scheduled this week, and the first payment for transportation from the island of Panay to Manila, pre-surgery exams and drugs have been made by Barnabas Ministries for the procedure. His name is Mark Rome. Please pray for a miracle through this surgery.

This is my final report. I am now on my way back to America, SICK. I have a horrible cold, bronchitis and fever. The 30 hour flight isn't going to be fun.

See our web page SCHEDULE for available weekends where I might minister in your church. We have posted our weekends for the first half of 1998 and ready to receive your confirmed invitation. Thank you for your prayers during this very busy time.