Jerwin
Jerwin is the young man living under Manalo Bridge that I recently wrote about. I'm took him to East Avenue Medical Center to have his eye prepared for a prostetic. That was the first surgery of a two part procedure. So far he had surgery to prepare the eye socket and next week he will have a second surgery to install the eye.
When I visited him the other day I could see that he was in a lot of pain and the bandage over his eye was pretty dirty. I’m sure it is a challenge to keep it clean living in the environment that he does. I bought him a clean one and some medicine to help with the pain. I’m confident that when it is all done he will be pleased with the results and have no regrets.
Jerwin and I had a nice time talking during our last 3 office visits. He is a junior in High School and is interested in studying electronics. His mom makes about $3.00 a day which helps to support the family. Jerwin has 5 brothers and sisters, but his mom is unable to support them all so some of them live far away with their grand parents. I helped his older brother J.R. get a job driving a pedi-cab in our neighborhood, which should help the whole family out financially.
Jerwin seems to show interest in the Lord. A couple of weeks ago I got him a book for new believers or interested non-believers. He has read half of it so far. At the book store I noticed that he liked comic books so I bought a few that teach the gospel. I'll keep you posted on Jerwin's progress.
Pastors at the bridge
At the moment it appears that it will be just one pastor working under the bridge. The other man, Robert is getting married so he won’t be joining Pastor Rick to minister under the bridge.
Pastor Rick has been impressing me over the last few months for several reasons. First, he has been showing initiative. He has taken it upon himself to go to the bridge early every Sunday to teach the adults there in addition to the afternoon bible study. Second, when it appeared that I could not afford to pay for his rent and food he said that he was willing to live under the bridge with no electricity or running water so that I could afford to support him and his ministry (a room under the bridge is a lot cheaper than in the near by area). Since then, someone has given the money to rent a room for him near the bridge; A room with electricity and water for at least the next 10 to 12 months.
The other thing that has impressed me about Pastor Rick is his insight for the needs of our friends at the bridge. Knowing that they don’t have electricity, he is helping me to get a generator for them. It will only cost $300 to $400 and he has already raised the first $100. The people are excited at the thought of having light at night and at the fact that the light will draw the mosquitoes away from them. Pastor Rick also has plans for helping them build a community bathroom and for making some stairs in the common area. These stairs should make the area safer for the whole community.
Tyler
Tyler hasn’t had a big asthma attack in a few months now. The doctor has us giving him a new medicine in the hopes that it will prevent future attacks. He was doing well till earlier this week. He is starting to have coughing fits again, but his breathing isn’t too bad. We have been using the nebulizer several times a days. I get nervous whenever he coughs a lot because I hate seeing him having a hard time and I dread having more long nights of watching his breathing or extended stays at the hospital.Chariel
Chariel is the little boy who has a whole in his heart. At his last visit with the doctor the doctor told us that it is better for Chariel to wait a year. That way his heart will be bigger and better suited for heart surgery. Another advantage to waiting is that he will only need one surgery. If he has heart surgery now, it would only be a temporary fix until his heart gets big enough for the permanent fix. Chariel’s dad Ariel is still a regular at the bible study under the bridge, however, his mom has been hit and miss.
The Master’s Academy International
With the help of friends we are trying to establish TMAI. This will be a training center that is affiliated with The Master’s Seminary and John MacArthur. Lord willing, a few other graduates from the Master’s Seminary and partners her in the Philippines will join me here to train men in expository preaching, church planting, and teaching the various “ologies.” Then we will send them out to minister throughout the country and abroad. Pray that God will work to make this happen in His perfect timing.
Currently, I am taking a group of about 15 men through hermeneutic (how to interpret the bible). After we finish hermeneutics we will proceed to expository preaching. These men may be the foundational group for the training center and I have learned of a few other interest groups who want their men trained.
