The Philippines has been another of First Love Christian Church's great mission fields. The Philippines is a nation that has been struck by poverty and by political conflicts throughout the years. It was hard for us to believe the living conditions of the people in the Philippines and our hearts were broken seeing children and entire families living in the dump while trying to obtain the basic things for life.

Spanish Colonialism had, from its formal inception in 1565 with the arrival of Miguel López de Legazpi, as its principal raison d'être, the conversion of the inhabitants to Christianity. When Legazpi embarked on his conversion efforts, most Filipinos were still practicing a form of polytheism, although some as far north as Manila had converted to Islam. For the majority, religion still consisted of sacrifices and incantations to spirits believed to be inhabiting field and sky, home and garden, and other dwelling places both human and natural. Malevolent spirits could bring harm in the form of illness or accident, whereas benevolent spirits, such as those of one's ancestors, could bring prosperity in the form of good weather and bountiful crops. Shamans were called upon to communicate with these spirits on behalf of village and family, and propitiation ceremonies were a common part of village life and ritual. Such beliefs continued to influence the religious practices of many upland tribal groups in the modern period.

The religious system that conquistadors and priests imported in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries was superimposed on this polytheistic base. Filipinos who converted to Catholicism did not shed their earlier beliefs but superimposed the new on the old. Saints took primacy over spirits, the Mass over propitiation ceremonies, and priests over shamans. This mixing of different religious beliefs and practices marked Philippine Catholicism from the start.

Children living by the dumpster is a typical picture of the poverty and desperation that has struck this nation. Our prayer is for God to provide us funds to build orphanages where the children can grow in a healthy environment and learn about Jesus as they prepare to face the greater challenges that this life has for them.

Pray with us and partner with us as we see this wonderful vision come to fulfillment.

The condition of the houses in the Philippines is another area where prayer is extremely needed. God has already provided ways for us to build houses in Mexico for families in desperate need, giving us favor with the authorities, and bringing partners that have commited themselves with the material needed.

Pray with us for God to open those same doors in the city of Manila, the capital of this great country. What they need the most is a touch from Jesus, a major revival that sweeps the land, bringing catholics, musilims, and Christians from all denominations to fall in love more and more with Jesus' Holy Spirit. May the Lord have mercy on us.

The last time we visited Manila, God provided for us to be able to take thousands of pounds of food into areas where the need was really great.

After the two-night revival, thousands of people gave their hearts to Jesus for the first time and, at the end, food was passed out to them.

We want to encourage you to be part of this wonderful work that God is doing.

Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." Matthew 9:37-38

And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." Mark 16:15-18