Second Batch of 20,300 Tracts!
The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin. Proverbs 10:16
How could we (Mike and Luisa) claim the amazing events happening and unfolding right before our very eyes when we knew they were from God? How could we proceed with God-given tasks without giving glory to the One who made them happen? All the 10,000 tracts in the big box were gone in just a few months! The last tracts were given in January, 2013. Was not that wonderful? But after that, we asked God, what’s next?
As we gave our final report to our God-given benefactor,Chick Publication,regarding our tract-giving status, the in-charge, Ms. Reba Parkinson, informed us they were giving us 20,000 additional tracts! We were truly amazed that God knew our hearts. He granted our innermost desires. It was quite fearsome to be trusted with so many when we were just new to the ministry. Yet, we fully relied on the Lord to arrange everything in advance.
Finally, on the evening of February 21, 2013, Forex Cargo delivered to our door 20,300 tracts in two big boxes! We requested some more Gamay Nga Sapatos tracts and it was granted. From then on, we started communicating with different schools along the areas near our town as follows:
1.
March, 2013
We concentrated on giving tracts to the graduating students because March was the culmination of
classes for school year 2012-2013. Again,
God did these amazing things for us:
- March 20: To our surprise, the in-charge of
the graduation practice of the Cantilan National High School called us that
morning and made us report immediately to the Cantilan Catholic church as the
graduating students were practicing there.That was the only available date their schedule and ours would match for
our agreed tracts distribution.We were
quite uneasy because it meant “threading on another ground”. Yet, if it was God’s will, then we would
go. Indeed we did and amazingly, the 100+
copies of tracts distributed took only 15 minutes or a little more because the
teachers there were very helpful in the distribution.
- March 30: That afternoon, we went to the
Cantilan gymnasium to give tracts to 400+ graduating students.It should not have been an easy task doing it
had it not been for the assistance of a high-ranking faculty member leading the
practice. This catholic man was actually distributing the tracts speedily! It did not even take “us” more than an hour to
distribute the tracts. We do believe, when God works, He can use whom He likes
and at His own pace to the amusement of those whom He uses. Again, to Him be the glory!
2.
April to May, 2013
Since
it was vacation time in April and May, we did not do major tract distributions
except giving tracts just outside our house while “relaxing” at night when
there was no rain. The two Cantilan parks
were our usual destinations for giving tracts later in the afternoon after our
day’s work or other schedules. The
Cantilan beaches were not exemptions, too, when we had to go for health
reasons. We almost always brought tracts
anywhere we went be they to the market, grocery store, or wherever we liked
going. (Mike’s pockets, most of the
time, were bulging with tracts). Who
knows that in a place where we least expected, there, God would bring spiritual
change to an “unsuspecting” person.
We
were also given chance to travel more often by the Lord to Tandag, Surigao and
Cebu Cities. Often we heard stories from
people who met the people we gave tracts in our journey to places far away. They said the story touched their
hearts. This is again amazing! We really pray the story of Gamay Nga Sapatos would not only trigger
their emotional feelings (touch-the-heart, one-time, very teary-eyed
experience), but that God would truly shake their spiritual consciousness
toward salvation. Only He could do it
all. We are just vessels hoping He would
always continue to use for His glory.
On
interval, and as part of children ministry we have prayed for, we conducted a
bible class for children in our home last May 24-28. That was our only available time for May
before classes started and we were not really prepared. We just allow God to work in this new
area. It was an initial ministry that we
hope would continue every longer vacation time for as long as God would allow
us. We hoped more kids would attend although
it did not turn out that way. But, we
had very attentive children (quite a surprise knowing them very much). Most of our pupils (few of them though) were
our Catholic nephews and nieces who received Jesus already beforehand. The purpose was to “correct” their
“naughtiness” by teaching them about Jesus.
After
our culmination, the children requested us for another bible class this
December vacation because they liked it. One housemaid who accompanied them got saved! Praise God! Please, friends, pray with us that this would become a yearly endeavor
for many children not just our family. God knows whom to save.
3.
June, 2013
We
negotiated with principals and deans of the government high school and a
university in Cantilan, and an elementary and high school in Carrascal to give
tracts on mid-June and first week of July, 2013. At the university, there was a plan for bible
study yet it was not yet fixed. Friends,
we ask for your prayers in this endeavor.
- June 21: Our church pastor, Pastor Ananias accompanied us to neighboring town Carrascal to give tracts to two government schools – elementary and high school.
4.
July, 2013
We
texted Pastor Edgardo Sumayo of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur if he wanted to ask
more tracts from us. Last January 1,
2013, we gave him tracts personally when we went to a resort in Mangagoy,
Bislig, Surigao del Sur.
His answer was
again positive. We sent him 500 tracts
immediately, this time by courier, for their Baptist church ministry in Cateel,
Agusan del Sur. The ministry touched our
hearts because Cateel was a place thoroughly devastated by a very strong
typhoon last year that it was even shown as major television news in the
Philippines and abroad. We really pray
God would work tremendously in their ministry using the tracts as one of their
resources.
Sometime
in early July, we had arranged and/or negotiated with schools in Panikian, Carrascal,
a place nearer ours, to give tracts. Anytime
this week, we also are waiting for our missionary (Pastor Teotimo) to get in
touch with us for the negotiations he was assigned at a government elementary
and high school in Agsam, Lanuza, Surigao del Sur.
Friend,
please pray that God will work mightily through us these months of July, August
and onward because of the upcoming schedules with no definite dates yet. The following things were given priority:
- June 1: We went to Surigao del Sur State University in Tandag, Surigao del Sur
and negotiated with them tract distribution on August. We expect to give more than 5,500 tracts in
the campus.
- July 6: We were trying to negotiate
Madrid National High School for August as the school is busy now for major
activity in the school this end of July.
- July (3rd week): Negotiation of Pastor Teotimo at
Agsam would hopefully be successful. If
it would be God’s will that we would help in the negotiation, we would go this
week.
- July 29: We are due to give tracts at Panikian
government elementary and high schools. The elementary school principal is willing for Mike to conduct a
scheduled short bible study every first Monday of the month at their faculty
meeting Friends, please pray that God would
grant us the will to be involved in this ministry.
As
we sum up all these things amazingly happening in our lives, we can only
say: Thank You very much, Lord, for
everything. To You be the glory!
Copyright
Mike and Luisa Carey; July 16, 2013
