Altar or Throne?

Recently I was in So Thailand for some teaching ministry for a couple weeks. If you didn't know already, Thailand is a predominantly Buddhist nation, and Buddhism breeds and thrives on animistic belief. One look around at all the "spirit houses" and altars (shrines) erected throughout the nation makes this clear. It is difficult to preach the Gospel in Thailand and see genuine conversion.

Being in another culture different than your own helps you see things from a different perspective—one of the values of cross-cultural missions among other things. In a sense, I have two home cultures—American and Filipino. Although they are quite different from each other—one is western and the other eastern philosophically—there is a vast difference between both of them and Thai culture, which is Buddhist. Or is there?

Things I'll Miss...

Having lived and worked (ministry service) in the Philippines for fifteen years, it will always be home to Susan and I. We have a nice home in our home country (culture) and all of our children and grandchildren live nearby. We enjoy our church body and the area we live in. But there are many memories and relationships that are still an important part of our life here (Dumaguete City, Philippines).

Lots Going On...But Loving It

Last week's post was titled, "I 'heart' this." This is more or less an extension of last week's post. I just returned from So Thailand via Manila, where our little team taught through four IBS workshops, and I had the blessing of preaching in three church services last Sunday (15th). Yesterday (22nd) I spent flying from Thailand to Manila, including some time in the Kuala Lumpur Intl. Airport. Another flight today back home to Rainbow in Dumaguete where I'll be teaching a Bible College class this week. It's been a busy time, but good.

I "Heart" This

We've all seen the ubiquitous red heart in between "I" and whatever it is that someone "loves". Sometimes I'm reminded of the childish joke, "Do you really love (fill in the blank)? Why don't you marry it?" But this week I've been enjoying something I really do "heart" (love), and in someways I'm married to it, and that's equipping leaders.

A Lot With A Little

Just yesterday my wife and I visited a family who live up in the mountains. Their life is simple. Their house is simple. They're a family directly connected to our ministry of 20+ years in the Philippines (www.rainbowvm.org). They're young and have two young children. In the eyes of the world they are poor—and they are poor by most any standard. But we were amazed at how much they've done with so little.