God helps create connections
Our short time in Davao has been filled with new relationships as we’ve worked with the local churches, missionaries, and schools. God has helped plug us in early on with the right people to work with, and we’re so grateful for that. The ministry opportunities here are great, as there are many Muslims and tribes whom Jesus died for. Our goal of making disciples hasn’t changed, and we’re so humbled to work with new believers as well as experienced pastors.
Over the summer, the work with the Filipino missionaries serving in Muslim areas has been making strides. Some of the places they serve can be dangerous. Many of them have seen great success, resistance, or both, and those experiences have taught them how to do it better in another city after being kicked out of one.
One pair of missionaries was kicked out by the mayor, who gave them one hour to pack and sent his driver to pick them up. They were driven in a peculiar direction, past a notorious valley where many people had been killed. These missionaries were covered in peace even as they thought these were their last moments. Thankfully, none of them lost their lives this season, but that is always the humbling reality in the areas where they serve.
We appreciate your prayers and support, which make it possible to reach places we can never go as Americans. It’s been my prayer for years to see this work begin, and their commitment and hard work still make our hearts swell with gladness. Our part has been to pray, teach, and support from a distance. God willing, we’ll get the chance to visit some of their house churches in the safer locations soon.
The Gilpin family had the privilege of inviting a MAPS worker from our hometown church, who stayed for most of the summer. Julisha arrived just as we moved into our house here in Davao, and she navigated many of the new relationships with churches and pastors alongside us. She got to experience ministering to and feeding a local tribe who lived on the water. She was also at our first Holy Spirit Conference, which led many to experience Jehovah Rapha, who heals us and fills us with His promised Holy Spirit.
We’ve been blessed to help the local pastors with outreach, feeding, and preaching. It’s also been a great experience for our family to partner with other missionaries and help where there has been a need. Hope Scholars and Fire School have been a regular part of our weekly schedule, where we help teach, disciple, and lead people to grow stronger in their faith. Currently, my wife and I are discipling one small group each and teaching Pastoral Epistles on Fridays at a local ministry school.
We’re still in the early stages of parenthood and so grateful for our two healthy girls! We pray that they would have good friends both abroad and back home in America. That’s a struggle for missionary kids, and for missionaries too, for that matter.
We’d also appreciate prayer and support for our budget to sustain us another year, as we’re currently short 10,000 to make it through the final year of this missionary term. Thank you all for your faithful support and prayers. Together we are taking new ground for His Kingdom and making a difference that will impact eternity!
Because they haven’t heard,
Justin & Anna Gilpin
