New Zealand Trip
After a cancelled flight and three delayed ones we finally arrived in NZ on the 12th of June. We spent the next 30 days traveling around the country meeting people and speaking in churches. It’s always enjoyable to catch up with existing friends and gain new ones. To our supporters and churches who hosted us, a massive thank you, your hospitality was awesome. Apologies if we missed you this time. Next year we will be back for an extended period which means more time to catch up. Yeh :-)
During our time in NZ we found a few days to relax. Part of our time was spent in Rotorua as Jenny was doing a locum. Thoroughly enjoyed walking through the Redwood Forrest, truly magnificent, and Joe enjoyed the luge as well as trying his hand at Clay Pigeon Shooting. He turned out to be a bit of a natural, his father, not so much :-)
I (Duane) flew back to the Philippines on the 12th of July, Jenny started work in Auckland and Joe headed to Christchurch, with the Robertson’s, (an awesome family) to attend the Arise Conference. After the conference they travelled to Wanaka to do a bit of skiing. Jenny and Joe leave New Zealand on the 29th of July and I will meet them in Singapore where we intend on relaxing for four days.
Ministry
Firstly, everything ticked along smoothly while I was away - a great credit to our leaders. Secondly, at the beginning of August we will be starting a 24 Week Bible School to improve discipleship as well as training existing and new leaders. Thirdly, looking forward to hosting a number of short term visitors over the next couple of months as well as the our youth starting the ’Fire Starters Ministry Course.’ Finally, rice has been planted on one of our smaller fields and kamote (sweet potato) on another one.
HOHFA
Jervy has the school running nicely and the kids are enjoying the improved facilities. Computer classes started this week which causes great excitement among the kids. After school clubs, e.g. movie making, lyre and drums, mathematics and science have also started and the kids are loving them. The new teachers are settling in and last month we launched our own Teacher Development Program. We had a principal accompanied by two of his teachers (from one of the top public schools in Agoo) spend a Friday afternoon with our teachers and office staff. The next training session is scheduled for August.
Hands of Hope App
For the past few months we have been working with Applaud developing the “Hands of Hope” App. Click here to view the promo video and/or click on either one of the two links to download the app, Google Play ... Apple App Store.
Why develop an App? An App enables us to send out notifications and updates directly to our supporters and others who choose to download it. These updates are sent directly to their phones and users receive notifications when new content has been added. Clayton, Joe, and the rest of the team at Applaud, were fantastic. Click here to find out more about their work.
Love and Blessings
Duane, Jenny & Joe