Continuing Compassion

Dear Prayer Team,

Family – More Pictures

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We traveled from the Philippines to the US on June 15. We were very grateful to see our family members again after our struggle to recover from Typhoon Haiyan.  We saw all 3 of our children:  Michael, Janeane, and Carrie. We also saw our 3 grandchildren:  Becca (10) Dominic (4) and Alyssa (1).  After Michael’s move to Florida, our relatives are now dispersed to the 4 corners of the United States – Washington, Connecticut, Florida, and California (Allene’s Brother and mother.)  Even our youngest grandchildren now recognize us.  We are happy to see them on Skype, but it’s so much better to hug them in person!

Continuing Compassion  –  More Pictures

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Churches in the Philippines demonstrated compassion in many ways after typhoon Haiyan.  Almost every week for 7 months after the typhoon, a new team of believers would visit the Tacloban area:

•             Some brought evangelistic teams and did children’s evangelism.
•             A group of about 50 men from another island came to repair churches.  One of them replaced the roof on a church in Burauen in only 1 day.
•             A pastor who is a good musician brought his church choir to our area.  His choir taught us very encouraging songs in the church next to our house.  We had hardly heard any singing since the typhoon.

In June, we saw a good example of the beautiful way Christians from different parts of the world can work together in partnership during a Medical Mission in Alang Alang, Leyte

•             Fil-American Baptist Church in Chicago sent their pastor and some members for a medical mission to the town of Alang Alang.  The Chicago church provided money for food, medicine, and transportation.
•             Doctors and Nurses from a Leyte Baptist Hospital came to provide medical treatment and medicine.
•             3 churches near Alang Alang provided counselors for the patients.
•             The manager of a Christian bookstore provided Bibles for the people who were counseled.

Essential Missions Components – Pictures

EMC is a training course for missionaries with ABWE.   The purpose of this one-week course is to “equip new missionaries for cross-cultural church planting, that leads to national or regional church-planting movements, that lead to international missions movements — to the glory of God.”

There were about 80 missionaries and 20 trainers that participated.  The course was very interactive, including simulating an outreach event and choosing the kind of church that would fit the area where they planned to live. The 3 couples in our discussion group are all headed for missionary service in Papua New Guinea. They are Phil and Jan Smith, Zeke and Megan Magill, and Tim and Leandra Hawes. It was a privilege to meet these sharp and godly new missionaries and share some of our experiences with them.

Leadership Training Restarted

Wednesday, August 6, we will return to the Philippines.  One of the first tasks we will have upon return is to resume training Filipino Christian leaders.  Classes were suspended after the typhoon, and we lost 2/3 of our pastoral training library.  God allowed us to begin classes again on June 12 with 12 students.  Pastor Oriel Ibañez taught June-August.  I will return to assist him and teach additional courses.  Additional leaders are needed during this time of stress and growth after Typhoon Haiyan.

Many of you have told us that you are praying for us and for the Haiyan victims in the Tacloban area. We assure you that your prayers are a big part of what God is doing there.

Praise

  • Many believers from around the world continue to demonstrate compassion to the survivors of Typhoon Haiyan.
  • Leadership Training classes began again on June 12.
  • Faithful believers like you have prayed and contributed financially to help these survivors.
  • 3 of the 24 churches we work with have experienced 50% to 100% growth after the typhoon.

 Prayer Requests

  • Livelihood Projects – Pray for us to determine which livelihood projects will contributed to the economic and spiritual growth of typhoon survivors.
  • Pray for the many who still have damaged homes.
  • Pray for New Life Baptist Mission as we seek new pastors for 2 mission churches.

If God is moving you to join our personal support team,

Carrying the Light,

Jim and Allene Latzko