Work in the the US
We served our ministerial internship at Spring Hill Baptist Church. It is a requirement for our
graduation. So we were involved in many aspects of church life. Bob preached, wrote reports, worked on database, led communion, and led Bible Study. Celia also led and was involved in several Bible Studies, organized a Mission Dinner, spoke with visitors and regular attendees, and organized kitchen and Sunday School resource spaces. And what did the kids do? They read, played with O'Driscoll and Taglavore children, and watched videos. The Woods clan was generous in letting us stay in their parents' home. The church filled the refrigerator and pantry with food. Members lent furniture and appliances to make our stay nicer. It was a great time. Some people gave money or equipment for us to use in ministry. That is always appreciated.

Travels in the US
Beyond our time at Spring Hill, we had other things to do. We visited and spoke at a Chinese Christian fellowship in Charlottesville, Va. We visited and spoke at the Kempsville Care Group that meets in the Vahalas' home in Virginia Beach. We also spent time with Celia's relatives there, and visited International Christian Church. We visited Western New York and we spoke at a Mission Conference at Ivory Baptist Church (Frewsburg, NY). We also visited Bob's relatives there. Further, we attended Dr. Bot Samson's installation as pastor at Fil-Am Community Church in Midlothian, VA. Finally, we went and had a blast at Water Country USA in Williamsburg, VA.

A VERY Exciting 9 Days!!

June 2nd We flew out of Norfolk, VA to head back to the Philippines. We landed in Detroit and
transferred to a Boeing 747-400 for the LONG trip to Philippines.

June 3rd We landed briefly in Nagoya, Japan for refueling. We are always amazed at the airport there.  It always makes us bit nervous to see toilets that appear to be smarter than we are. Back in the air, and  we land in Manila around 10pm. Dan Russell went through floodwaters and bad traffic to pick us up at the airport around 11pm. Torrential rains had made the roads in parts of Manila treacherous. We took a roundabout path (avoiding flood areas and traffic jams) to go to the Russell house.

June 4th We arrive at the Russell house around 12:30 am. Dan and Michelle are International Mission Board missionaries working in Manila. Our kids and their (4) kids have been friends since the Russells lived up at Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary (Baguio City, Philippines). We slept for a few hours and got up early (jet lag). We went out to lunch at a very nice Italian Restaurant. After that, we said “Goodbye” to the Russells and our children. Our children stayed at the Russells' all week. They played video games, went swimming, used the trampoline, and went out to see movies. They had a great time. But Celia and I, we were dropped off at the airport to fly to Mactan International Airport, to attend training on the Island of Cebu. A driver was at the airport to pick us and others up. The training was done by Medical Ambassadors International. It was being taught by the Mendozas at Camp Gilead
in Carcar, Cebu. The actual class is called “Training of Trainers” (or TOT 1) and teaches the principles of Community Health Evangelism. This is a holistic approach to reaching a community with community development, spiritual discipleship, livelihood projects, and training to transform it. We arrived at Camp Gilead around 8pm. We had a light dinner and off to bed. Our cabin was spartan with two cots, a table, shelving, and a bathroom. Most importantly, it had a nice ceiling fan. Overall, it was quite comfortable.

June 5th We woke up early, had breakfast, and started training at 7:30 am. There were 12 of us trainees. Celia and I were from the USA. One was from Bangladesh, while the rest were from various parts of the Philippines. Two from India could not come due to visa problems. We had 6 sessions. It was quite profitable. The training was interesting and very relevant. It was also great speaking to people from various ministries. We met people from such groups as Medical Ambassadors International, Habitat for Humanity (Phil.), and International Needs (Phil.). We were looking forward to four more days of this training. However, around 11:00pm, Celia woke me up. She had extremely bad stomach pains and felt we needed to go to the hospital. I woke up the Mendozas, and they got the van going to transport us to the hospital.

June 6th Just after midnight we arrive at the municipal hospital emergency room in Carcar. It was a fairly rustic place. While the local doctor (public health doctors at places like that work based on donations given for service), I watched lizards climbing around the walls in the Emergency Room. I then started watching a mouse running around the nurses station. When that bored me, I looked at the various crucifixes on the walls in the place, the Mary grotto just outside the hospital, and the shrine to “Santo Nino” in the main “lobby”. Interestingly, the doctor there correctly diagnosed Celia's problem. He sent us to a larger hospital 30 minutes away. We arrived at the next hospital (South General Hospital) around 1:15am. It was so different from the other place. It was shiny, new, and modern like I had never seen in the Philippines (and had hardly seen in the US). It was almost empty that night (it had only recently been built). The empty glistening halls, so different from anything I had seen in the PI made me feel like I was in a Sci-fi story. The ER doctor thought Celia had gastritis, but we were admitted and had ultrasound set for the morning. Celia was in great pain and could not sleep until she was given some strong painkillers. The next morning she was found to have gallstones. She was given antibiotics and painkillers and we took time to evaluate what we should do.

June 7th Since the pain had eased somewhat and we did not want to be trapped on Cebu Island while our children were on Luzon Island, we planned to rejoin the training in Carcar, pick up our kids in Manila, go to Baguio, and then deal with the “gallstone issue” in August. However, a conversation with the doctor, a time of prayer, and a return of some pain, made us decide to deal with the gallstones now. We were transported by ambulance to the larger and older sibling of South General-- Cebu Doctor's University Hospital. It was also a nice hospital (it has its own gourmet coffee shop just outside the operating rooms), but was amazingly busy. Celia was x rayed and admitted around 2:30pm. Approximately 8pm she was wheeled to the operating room for laparoscopic gall bladder surgery. This is where 4 small holes are created rather than a long gash. Faster recovery time and less risky. I stayed
in the room and watched TV—suitably nervous, but unable to do much. About 11:45pm, the doctor came in to tell me that everything went smoothly and she will be out of Recovery in about an hour and a half. The gall bladder was twice normal size and edema was evidenced. A small gall stone had blocked a cystic duct. It was good that we took care of it then, for peritonitis could have become an issue if we had waited much longer.

June 8th Celia was brought back to the hospital room about 1:45am. She was in considerable pain, but probably not as bad as the first night in the hospital. Pain killers kicked in eventually and the rest of the day was a gradual mending of the body. She could not eat, so I continued to “live large” on hospital food.

June 9th We check out of the Hospital around 1pm. We got a taxi to Mactan International Airport. We tried to get an earlier flight (we had originally planned to leave about 8:30pm after the training). New tickets would be too expensive for us so we waited around until 8:30pm. Wise move. The other flight had delays and only left about 30 minutes before our flight. We arrived in Manila about 10:00pm. Celia's brother Anthony and wife Leah picked us up at the airport and took us to the Russell's home. We arrive around 11:30pm.

June 10th We woke up early, put our stuff together, say goodbyes to the Russells and left in a van (with driver) that we rented for the trip to Baguio. We left about 7am and arrived in Baguio around 2:30pm. We soon realize that we left a very important piece of luggage at the Russells' house. Ah, but why bore you with all of that. Eventually we sat down and relaxed after a busy week. In perspective, the whole thing was near perfect. “What?” you might say. But it is true. If Celia's pains started 3 or more days earlier, we might have had to have the operation done in the US. The cost would be intolerable. If it happened 2 days earlier, it would have been on the flight to the Philippines. A horrible thought. If it happened 2 days later, we would not have had time to have it done in Cebu. We also would not have had a simple way to deal with our children while we took care of the surgery. Some people see miracles in terms of big healings or amazing avoidance of disaster. I think miracles
are often more awesome in the matter of timing. God says that “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path straight.” (Prov. 3:5,6) It is not that amazing to not see a rock in the path (you don't miss what you don't see). It is more amazing to see an amazing difficulty come up and see how God works things together to make the problem go away. Even the training missed was fine. The Mendozas offered to come up to Baguio and do training with us and our ministry partners. We are back to school and are doing fine. Good things are happening in the ministry here. Will tell you more about it later.

God bless,
Bob and Celia

Medicines from Germany

We received a surprise call a few days ago.  Our friend Angie, who is very active in medical missions, told us that the doctor she works for has a lot of medicine she would like to give to our group, Dakilang Pag-Ibig DIADEM Ministries (I often call it “DP DIADEM”, for short). The doctor is devout in her Christian faith, but is not an evangelical Christian.  She had received a large box of medicines from a group in .  While she could use many of them, there was more than she could use and knew that we reach out to thousands of needy Filipinos each year with medical care.  They medicine was a large collection of many different drugs… particularly for hypertension. 

This is something we have come to learn.  God works in ways we cannot predict.  We sometimes expect gifts from people we know who share a common vision with us.  However, instead it comes from people we have never talked to or met.  But God does more than that.  All of the medicine is in German, making use by many a challenge.  But not for us.  One of the women who works with us, Marivic, spent many years working as a nurse in .  She reads German (her husband is German) and is familiar with these medicines.  God is good!

Medical Missions How-to

Our ministry Dakilang Pag-Ibig DIADEM Ministries is beginning to become a training platform for mission outreach.  Last year, friends of ours went on a medical mission with us in Balotoc Mines.  This year they decided to use that experience to have a medical mission in their hometown of Agoo.  They did a good job in many ways but had a few problems come up, so we were able to help them do a successful mission.  Next time, they will certainly run a smooth and successful mission on their own.  School of Missions, a training school led by Pastor Justice here in Baguio, asked if I would train them in the philosophy of method of doing medical missions in the .  So I am working on a 4-hour curriculum which should happen on February 27th.  Celia and our friend Renatto will, hopefully, come with to help.  One Hope Ministries, a training and church-planting group working in the Ilocos regions of the asked us to do an all day training as well with them.  Our partner, JR Andres, will be doing that training, since he speaks Ilocano. 

Why do we seek opportunities to train? 

A.  Medical Missions is an effective outreach method (possibly the most effective method at present in the ) and more evangelical Christians should be doing this to share the Gospel and to meet physical needs of the needy.

B.  Medical Missions are often done wrong.  In some cases it is done as “an event” with little preparation and no follow-up.  Sometimes medical missions becomes tied to politics.  Sometimes they are done in such a way that they appear to be self-serving, rather than self-less giving.  Often they are poorly organized, poorly run, and give Christians a bad name. 

C.  The more people we can get involved in mission outreach, the more will become addicted (in a good way) to the thrill of serving God where God is working.   

What has Spring Hill done?

In 2004, medical missions reached out to 5000 people.  At least 1/3 of them (maybe more) were reached through funding from Spring Hill.  In 2005, another 5000 were reached with medical missions.  Over 2/3 of them were reached through funding from Spring Hill.  Another 4000 were reached by other ministries utilizing medicines coming, in part, from funding from Spring Hill.  In January of this year (2006) we did a medical mission to Kalinga where over 1000 people were reached.  This was funded by Spring Hill.  We have four more medical missions scheduled (Baguio City, Bulangao, La Trinidad, and Pozorrubio).  Two of them will be completed funded by Spring Hill, and one will probably be funded in part by Spring Hill.   Over 7000 people received medical treatment and the Gospel through funding from Spring Hill.  Thousands were added to the Kingdom of God who would not have heard if not for Spring Hill.

Is this a matter of selfish pride?  Of course not.  It should, instead, inspire.  God can make great things happen from little things, when God’s people are faithful.

What about you?  Can you do anything?  Of course!!

·        You can give your time.  You can come to the and go on one or more medical mission with us.  It is a great experience.  There may be ways you can help without leaving the as well.  Promotion, website development and other things are needed.  You can collect items for the needy in the .

·        You can give money.  You can give generally to DP DIADEM.  It will be used for medical missions, training seminars, church leader support, and community development projects.  Or you can give a designated gift.  Sponsor a medical trip ($500 will cover the cost of most medical trips we do).  You can support a pastor or a Bible school student here.  You can give money for gifts to market children or orphans.  You can give money to purchase a pair of goats as a livelihood project for a poor village.  You can pay for Bibles that can be distributed to young believers.  We will give you detailed information on the use of the gift and the results.  Money can be sent through Spring Hill or through our sister organization in California, “Dakilang Pag-Ibig Medical Evangelical Missions”.  Either way, it is tax deductible.

·        You can give resources.  Books, vitamins, medicines, training materials, clothing, and such (even canned foods) can be useful.  However, talk to us first about what would, or would not, be useful.  Such gifts may be sent through our sister organization in California if you are uncertain about transoceanic shipping.

·        You can pray and communicate.  We always need prayer (who doesn’t).  There are also students and church leaders who need prayer and a friendly word.

  Medical Missions 1st QTR Report 2006

  Medical Missions 2nd QTR Report 2006

  Medical Missions 3rd QTR Report 2006