I reported at their consistory meeting that the 2009 RCUS Synod planned to send two ministers to the Philippines. The two ministers are Michael Voytek and Jay Fluck. Rev. Voytek has been to the Philippines a total of three times. It will be the first visit for Rev. Fluck. In the Lord's will, it will be a two-week-long visit set for January 6-21, 2010. The primary purpose is to provide in-depth instruction in Reformed polity and to brainstorm the formation of a new classis. We hope to complete what we originally set out to do at the very first Reformed conference we conducted on December 2007, in Baguio City in northern Luzon. This time the training conference will be held in the mountainous resort city of Tagaytay in the province of Batangas about 1.5 hours south of Manila. Tagaytay is nestled on a tall ridge overlooking Mt. Taal Lake. In the middle of that lake is an island named Volcano Island formed by Mt. Taal Volcano, considered the smallest active volcano in the world. It has cool weather like Baguio City.

I did not plan to go on this trip. One of the two ministers going recommended to the RCUS Foreign Ministries Committee that I join them because of my involvement as the Philippine subcommittee chairman. He has solicited financial assistance from the Western Classis for my travel expenses. I would be remiss in not mentioning that Mike McClara and his son Nick, both members of Sacramento Covenant Reformed Church (RCUS), will be joining us as observers while on their vacation in the Philippines. Mike has traveled to the Philippines on three previous occasions. This will be Nick's first time to go there. He takes some courses at City Seminary.

In addition to the Tagaytay Conference, the UCRCP has asked us to join them in team-teaching for another conference in Davao City. Some of you may recall that I joined Rev. Nap Narag last March 2009, in Davao City for their first Reformed faith conference. Approximately 50 attended, including some pastors, members of Covenant Reformed Church, and believers from other local congregations throughout this large city. This time we may expect an even better turnout with advance notice.

Finally, our entourage of six speakers expects to make a stopover in Cagayan de Oro City, in the northern province of Bukidnon, prior to returning to Manila. We want to encourage an increased number of churches in that region desiring to know more about the Reformed faith. Some of the pastors and churches are associated with Remegio Lapiz, who left the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church. Others who have departed from Pentecostalism are connected with Glen Melo. In fact, Mr. Melo's congregation has submitted "a letter of affiliation" to the UCRCP. It is presently being reviewed by the UCRCP Consistory. Pastor Melo requested for us to hold a one-day conference for them. Hopefully, we will be able to accommodate them for than one day.

Killer Typhoons

The first typhoon called "Ketsana" struck Metro Manila October 3, which was the day I departed for the US. Maricar stayed for a few more days to spend additional time with her family. In fact, my plane and crew were delayed a total of eight hours. A blackout left the airport without lights and air conditioning for most of that time. It got quite stuffy in the airport. The travelers grew restless. At one point I attempted to cancel my flight to be with my wife who at the time was staying at her brother Raul's home. Many of the roads were by that time impassable. People escaped to their rooftops for several hours, waiting to be rescued. Others were stuck in their vehicles for most of the day without food and water as they waited for the floodwaters to subside. I later learned how the flood came up to the second floor of Raul's home! Obviously, I was not going anywhere. That typhoon turned out to be the worst in 40 years to hit the metro Manila region with its population of 12 million.

Pastor Edwin Puzon emailed us on October 8th: "I am appealing for your help in behalf of our brothers and sisters affected by a fire that razed their community last night. They have gone through a harrowing experience brought about by Typhoon Ketsana's floodwaters and were barely recovering when this tragedy struck them. Out of 22 families living there, three families are recorded members of my church plus two families who were about to finish membership class. Two out of the five were severely affected, since their houses were completely burned down and they lost almost everything they had." One of the two members whose homes burned to the ground turned out to be their newly elected deacon Rudy, the very first deacon of the UCRCP.

The second typhoon "Parma" ravaged northern Luzon. The home of Elder Raffy Martinez was flooded, although not as badly as many of his neighbors. Mudslides abounded in the mountainous region to the north toward Baguio City. It is a miracle that none of the San Carlos UCRCP members suffered loss when you consider how a vast region of the Pangasinan province was submerged under water. This turns out to be the very opposite of the previous year when the homes of several church members were damaged or destroyed. You may recall how many of the RCUS churches rallied to their cause by taking up a collection for them. I have learned that the congregation in Laguna with Pastor Nap Narag was spared any harm and damage to property. The same is true overall for the church in Davao City. God..."redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies" (Psalm 103:4).

According to reliable sources, 920 souls have died throughout the Philippines since late September, with 150 from a bacterial disease called Leptosirosis. 95,000 people still live in temporary shelters from the first two storms that hit Luzon Island. The fourth and latest typhoon called "Mirinae" struck with such force that it caused 115,000 to be evacuated from Quezon province, which is adjacent to Manila. Please pray that any future typhoons would miss the populated areas.

Help from the Lord

So far, one RCUS congregation, a URCNA church, and one private Christian donor have sent financial aid for the five flood-and-fire victims of the Las Pinas UCRCP congregation. Some members and friends of our San Diego congregation have donated clothes to tile workers in a factory in Batangas province where Maricar's brother Joseph is the supervisor. Joseph was one who recently professed faith in Christ. Also, our chapel has sent some assistance to help cover hospital expenses for the wife of Rev. Remegio Lapiz who was injured in a recent fall. At first the doctors told Elizabeth that she required back surgery. Now after seven days in the ICU, she was released into a regular hospital room where she slowly recovers. They are a gracious couple who lodge strangers and wash the saints' feet that come their way.

The needs of our brethren and their unsaved neighbors around them are great. If you want to help with a love offering, please send it to the RCUS Treasurer designated "Diaconal Aid for Philippines" (Mr. Ted Griess, RCUS Treasurer, PO Box 350 Sutton, NE 68979). Also, we will need some additional financial assistance, perhaps $1,500-$2,000, for the two extra conferences in Mindanao, which were not originally anticipated by us. Please designate this gift "For UCRCP Church Growth."