Next Step

Next Step

Yesterday was May 1st today its already the middle of June, how did that happen? Our year as missionaries in the Philippines is quickly coming to its end. This week some of the students have been asking when we are leaving. They are genuinely sad when they realize how soon it is. Their sadness was touching and it makes us grateful for the two months remaining that we do have.

We return to the States July 29. A question we anticipate being asked upon returning is, “How was it?” The most encompassing response to that is, “it was an excellent experience”. We have loved the love that has been so freely extended to us, and the little kids who would make themselves comfortable in our laps. We will remember playing basketball in the rain and mud on a 8ft and a 11ft rim. We have enjoyed seeing the youth mature in a variety of ways; the outlook for the new generation looks good. And in our cooking we have learned how to make a fruit a vegetable and a vegetable a fruit.

So often the hardest times, and challenges that are faced and overcome, are looked back on as the most memorable experiences of ones life. This has already proved to be the case of our year here in the Philippines. For example, there was the bathroom experience involving the scorpion, that we can look back and laugh about. There was the language learning, including the two weeks of separation where we were in different villages. And there has been the constant late nights and long days of dealing with patients who not only struggle physically, but spiritually as well. These challenges we have faced and overcome would not have been possible without the support we have so generously received, foremost through prayer. “Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him” (Steps to Christ 93). One thing we have experienced and learned this year is the incredible power of prayer.

Now that this year is nearing its end the logical question is, “What are we going to do next?” We wanted to start our marriage on a mission minded path. Now we want to build on that foundation. We've been thinking about attending a school called ARISE. We've met several people in the last year who have attended the program and it seems like a good next step for us to continue in a mission minded path.
ARISE is a 3½ month education saturated with practical ways to share, defend, and exemplify the value of Christianity. One goal of the program is to have the students return to home churches and infuse and educate outreach ideas. This education enables students to have answers to tough questions asked by non believers. Our plan is to use this training to do bible work for at least a year and be sponsored by a church to do outreach evangelism and bible studies with the principles learned. We have had a taste of this already while in Spokane because we worked with Arise graduates off and on. Through this experience we saw people who participated in bible studies, become baptized, and go onto give bible studies themselves. Their lives have truly been changed into freedom in Christ.

Even after a year of intensive bible working we want to make outreach an everyday part of our lives. Whether it be to our neighbors, co-workers, or people we meet everyday. To have an opportunity to have education and practical experience doing this is something we place a high value on. David Assherick started the school based on a text found in Isaiah 60:1,2: “Arise shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord is upon you...” We believe that God is directing us to this next step. The lessons we have learned this year, the people we have met who have attended the program, and the direction we want our future to go, all confirm that God is pointing us to the program.

The program costs 4000 dollars each and includes room and board. Danelle and I have secured a 400 dollar scholarship and we have enough so far for one of us to attend, but $3800 is still needed to cover both of us. If you would be willing to continue to support us through prayer, and consider helping us financially it would be a huge blessing to us.
To make a tax-deductible donation towards our ARISE tuition, please send a check or money order payable to:

ARISE
PO Box 5529
Sonora, CA 95370

If you want to make a donation via credit card, please call 209.206.0915.