Updates and ramblings

We arrived safely in Los Angeles and have been enjoying catching up with family and friends. I have also been busy doing some research for my doctoral project at the Master's College and Seminary as well as at Talbot Seminary. Please pray for a productive time during the rest of our stay here in the U.S. We will be visiting several churches, friends and supporters. We will end our trip here with a one week Missions Conference with Grace Community Church in August and then head back to Manila on the 23rd. We are hoping to raise some support as we have learned from GMI (our mission) that our incoming monthly support needs to increase substantially. We still have several supporters who did not carry over when we made the swithch from Reach Global to GMI a couple of years ago, but we trust that God is faithfully working all these things out.

It's been nice catching up on my mexican food, In-n-Out as well as other favorite foods that we have been missing. We took the kids to Sea World last week along with some family who were visiting from Kansas. The baby is 2-3 weeks away from arriving and Jessica and I have been going to weekly doctor appointments. We should be delivering at the Adventist Hospital in Glendale. My mom will arrive next week and spend several weeks with us as well in anticipation of the baby's arrival. It's been a few years since we have seen her and we all look forward to the visit.

After the baby is born we will need to get his birth certificate and passport in time to leave on the 23rd. Please pray for the baby's safe delivery, for the timely processing of his passport, and also for me, as I seem to be battling a cold and soar throat (want to be completely healthy before our newborn arrives). Also pray for our students at Greenhills Christian Fellowship, Christ Commission Fellowship and at The Church of the Triumphant Christ. We miss them all and look forward to getting back to helping further equip them. Lastly, pray for Kian as he considers where to go to college in 2011. We toured that Master's College which was great and he really liked it. The little ones (and 9 month pregnant mommy) particularly enjoyed the tram ride.

Blessings,

Addendum

A friend kindly pointed out that I neglected to mention some important details about the conference we took part in. It was organized by "Purpose and Passion", a ministry of our church, Greenhills Christian Fellowship in Ortigas Center (in the Manila area). I mentioned that in addition to Rick Holland, there were many other local pastors, missionaries and ministers who spoke. Click here to read their bios and to learn more details about the conference. Please forgive my error, no disrespect was intended and thank you to everyone who took part and made this ministry possible. To God be all the glory.