Hey Family,
So I've been fighting a pretty bad virus with a temp of 101 the past 4 days. I'm kinda dizzy writing this right now, but i feel I'm on the upside. This morning I got an xray. Not for my sickness, but all the missionaries going home have to get checked to see if we're bringing home a certain disease. hoorah for health.
This week we are looking forward to the PinaFrancia Festival. This is the Biggest Festival to ever hit the Bicol Region. Our week is going to be crazy. We've got Parades, Idol worshipping, and Parties to look forward to. People fly in all over the Philippines for this. Naga is going to be a packed house. This celebration is for their Idol called "Ina". Shes a golden triangle women that represents Mama Mary. She gets paraded around, and people believe if you touch her she will heal you from your sicknesses. Word on the street is she cries blood, others say its just water. But that's what people try to touch to be healed. You would think a Catholic country would follow the 10 commandments, namely number 2 Thou shalt not make unto thee any in graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God. On every Catholic church they have the 10 Commandments out front of the church, although they have removed the second commandment, and split the 10th one in half. What a perverse thing to do to. We plan on teaching a lot of 10 commandment lessons this week, and hopefully save some people from sinning.
Well, we've got SOO many progressing investigators. Maybe because we keep asking and asking, so God decided to get a dump truck and gather all the elect up and pour them out right in our pathway. About 3 weeks ago we met a man named Vicinti Ponon. When we met him on the street he was drunk. He said he had spent years searching for the true church. Gone to church at different denominations, yet said he has not yet found the true church. He was quite funny, and a had to hold in my giggles as he reenacted all his bad church experiences. We then told him we came bearing a message of truth. That this is what he has been looking for. We gave him a pamphlet, and took his name and address. He kissed the pamphlet and walked off. Well, two days later we decided to follow up on him. So we found his house, and he was rather surprised we returned for him. He had read the pamphlet and was eager to know more. The next couple days visiting with him, he vouched that he'd stop smoking and drinking. He even wrote on a big piece of paper Cigarettes, Alcohol, God. There was a big X next to the 2 vices, and then a Big Check Mark next to God. This was his promise that he would quit. He's attending church, and wants to be baptized! His long time search has finally come to an end. He's found the right pathway, and fighting to stay on it. He's such a sweet old man. He buys us Ginatan every visit, which I really really dislike. I tell him each time "next time, or I'm still full" But he tells us, "only the best for my sisters" So I still down and eat an entire bowl. Then afterward he loads us in his padjak and he peddles us to the highway. These type of experiences are priceless. I'm just soaking them all up now. Its going to be real real real hard leaving.
Love you all,
Sister Hancock
So I've been fighting a pretty bad virus with a temp of 101 the past 4 days. I'm kinda dizzy writing this right now, but i feel I'm on the upside. This morning I got an xray. Not for my sickness, but all the missionaries going home have to get checked to see if we're bringing home a certain disease. hoorah for health.
This week we are looking forward to the PinaFrancia Festival. This is the Biggest Festival to ever hit the Bicol Region. Our week is going to be crazy. We've got Parades, Idol worshipping, and Parties to look forward to. People fly in all over the Philippines for this. Naga is going to be a packed house. This celebration is for their Idol called "Ina". Shes a golden triangle women that represents Mama Mary. She gets paraded around, and people believe if you touch her she will heal you from your sicknesses. Word on the street is she cries blood, others say its just water. But that's what people try to touch to be healed. You would think a Catholic country would follow the 10 commandments, namely number 2 Thou shalt not make unto thee any in graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God. On every Catholic church they have the 10 Commandments out front of the church, although they have removed the second commandment, and split the 10th one in half. What a perverse thing to do to. We plan on teaching a lot of 10 commandment lessons this week, and hopefully save some people from sinning.
Well, we've got SOO many progressing investigators. Maybe because we keep asking and asking, so God decided to get a dump truck and gather all the elect up and pour them out right in our pathway. About 3 weeks ago we met a man named Vicinti Ponon. When we met him on the street he was drunk. He said he had spent years searching for the true church. Gone to church at different denominations, yet said he has not yet found the true church. He was quite funny, and a had to hold in my giggles as he reenacted all his bad church experiences. We then told him we came bearing a message of truth. That this is what he has been looking for. We gave him a pamphlet, and took his name and address. He kissed the pamphlet and walked off. Well, two days later we decided to follow up on him. So we found his house, and he was rather surprised we returned for him. He had read the pamphlet and was eager to know more. The next couple days visiting with him, he vouched that he'd stop smoking and drinking. He even wrote on a big piece of paper Cigarettes, Alcohol, God. There was a big X next to the 2 vices, and then a Big Check Mark next to God. This was his promise that he would quit. He's attending church, and wants to be baptized! His long time search has finally come to an end. He's found the right pathway, and fighting to stay on it. He's such a sweet old man. He buys us Ginatan every visit, which I really really dislike. I tell him each time "next time, or I'm still full" But he tells us, "only the best for my sisters" So I still down and eat an entire bowl. Then afterward he loads us in his padjak and he peddles us to the highway. These type of experiences are priceless. I'm just soaking them all up now. Its going to be real real real hard leaving.
Love you all,
Sister Hancock
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