NTM

“If you are too lazy to plow in the right season, you will have no food at the harvest.” Proverbs 20:4 Sometimes it’s hard to teach these kinds of proverbs to our kids, especially if we’re not farmers!! But, Daisy and Ally are very fortunate to live right smack dab in the middle of carrot country. Last week the field right below our house was being harvested, and Daisy and Ally got to spend part of their morning learning about hard work. Not only were we grateful for the chance for them to get their hands dirty, but we were thankful for the group they got to work with. Like their Tatay (father) Carlos who worked beside them and kept them going. Or their Apu (grandma) Marisol who let them work in her field even though it would mean extra work for her. Or their Apu Asyung who, when they needed to go home, taught them a valuable lesson on how a child in this culture properly and respectfully says ‘goodbye’. Thank you, God, for the opportunities you give us (and our children) to learn and grow!! NEWS FLASH: Did you know that our co-workers and three other national families have started a new missionary work in a neighboring village?? Did you know that on their first day of the Bible teaching 50 people showed up?!! KEEP PRAYING for the Bairds and their new church planting team! Belinda, for the Moffits

After six months of listening to Bible teaching every week, about forty individuals finally heard about the death, burial and ressurection of Jesus Christ.  This was the first time they had heard about how God had sent His Son to die on the cross for their sins. 

Belinda, the girls and I were able to sit in the teaching for the last three months.  It was exciting to see these people understanding God’s word. 

There are still tens of thousands of people in this people group who have not yet had a chance to hear about salvation through Christ.  Please pray for these new believers, that many would rise up and start evangelizing their friends, neighbors and even the neighboring villages.

Lots of hours in the car equals lots of questions like:

- "Is this a town?"
- "Are we still in the middle of nowhere?"
- "How do we know if we’re out of the middle of nowhere?"
- "Do we have hours or minutes left ’til we get there?"

But, despite the agonizingly long hours in the car, we’ve had
some "American experiences" that will make great memories; seeing the pacific ocean, the redwoods, the Nevada desert, the Nebraska cornfields, the Ozarks, lots of hotels and sweltering Missouri summer days.

Thanks for keeping us in your prayers as we continue to enjoy our time in the states, and as we prepare to head back to the Philippines in September.

Belinda, for the traveling Moffits

We’ve been able to speak in 5 churches, and the
girls have even been able to squeeze in some
school days (yes, they’re in ’summer school’).

We’ve also been happy to be able to see so many
of the WONDERFUL people who support us. We were
even able to have lunch with a Filipina right here in
our little home town! How fun to get to practice our Cebuano again!

Praise God:
*For the way He’s refreshed us these last 5 weeks
*For the time with family, friends and churches

Pray:
*For our safety as we start our trip to Missouri tomorrow

Belinda, for the nomads

Happy Birthday to Josh!

With only a week left before we move, we have some partying to do. Yesterday was our first
one. Josh’s birthday. Next week is our last one, our ‘despadida’ (going away party).

Here are the stats from Josh’s party:

*3 whole roasted pigs
*40 pounds of rice
*200 sodas
*14 pounds of pork rice topping
*12 roasted chickens
*10 pounds of our favorite ‘raw fish dish’
*250 egg rolls
*6 pounds of spaghetti
*3 trays of sliced fruit
*2 cakes
*and. . . 150 very happy (and full) guests!!
Are we glad we did it? YES!! Are we glad it’s over? YES!!

Filipinos LOVE TO PARTY, and it’s so fun to watch them heaping their plates full of their favorite food (that they get to eat very seldom). And our hope is that those guests will remember ‘that white family that was nice enough to feed us all’. But more than that, they’ll see that it’s the love
of Christ that compels us!

So, one party down, one to go. Thankfully, the church will host the next one!

Please pray:
*For our last week of packing, partying and saying goodbye

Praise God with us:
*For Josh’s life
*For the opportunity to give back a little to all our Filipino friends.

Belinda, for the ‘party-ing’ missionary family,