Mission Dispatch

We regret that some mission reports during 1999, 2000 and 2001 are missing. For earlier reports, you may go to bottom of this page and click on appropriate link.

This area contains reports which are being received from Bishop Weeks while he and the team are in the mission field. As the dispatches are received via e-mail, they are posted here. To view the report for an individual date, simply click on one of the dates shown below or click on the pictures area to really see the mission in action:

[ August 8, 1998 ][ August 16, 1998 ]
[ August 27, 1998 ]
[ Pictures From This Mission ]

Mission Report for April 24--May 22 Outreach, 2004

On April 22 we drove from our Florida residence to Lynchburg, VA where June stayed with her older sister and Saturday morning, April 24 I flew from Roanoke to Nairobi via Dulles and Amsterdam, arriving in Nairobi Sunday night April 25. The next morning I took a flight on African Inland Mission’s plane to Mwanza TANZANIA (which I flew for an hour) and greeted by Archdeacon Charles Sekelwa and five of the area priests.

Prior to leaving America Dean David Upshaw of Georgia received this word from the Lord: “Someone is pursuing you and trying to set you up. They have taken money to betray you. You are like a prize because you have become prominent. If they can injure you or take you down, it will send a message to those who are looking toward the CEC. My sense of this was that it is not in the US, but in Africa. Just be vigilant, Bishop.” I am taking seriously this word and keeping a very low profile, especially after our experience last February in Rwanda when the Anglican bishop and an evangelical bishop pressured the government to send police with guns to stop our consecration of Bishop Emmanuel Ngirumpatse. I also know many in USA are covering me with prayer.

Tuesday morning April 27 I began a two-day training seminar for 23 Tanzanian clergy and six pastors observing. Bishop Chuck Jones gave a prophecy at the House of Bishops’ meeting that Tanzania was to be the next country of explosive growth, and men who come to hear about the Charismatic Episcopal Church are the start of the fulfillment of that “word.”. In this seminar we again emphasized church government, tithing, apostolic succession with apostolic anointing, convergence worship within a liturgical order, the Swahili translation of the Mid-Atlantic Province’s Eucharistic Liturgy, and ministry gifts of the Holy Spirit. Following the first day’s teaching I visited Fr. James Ngoye who had a stroke, prayed with him and his family. The stroke has paralyzed him. On Thursday we drove four hours to Shinyanga for a conference with 250 YOUTH, and a similar seminar for the six clergy of this area. A Baptist minister sat in on the teaching and wants what we offer. I am pleased to see more conformity with CEC practice, reflecting their understanding the difference as to who we are compared to the churches from which they came. Especially was I surprised when the Archdeacon handed me an envelope containing the tithe from all their churches for the Patriarch. On Sunday in a four and half hours service I baptized 14 and Confirmed 67 with an attendance exceeding 550. The last night in Mwanza I again visited Fr. Ngoye and prayed with him.

Wednesday May 5 a chartered Missionary Aviation Fellowship plane took me to Dodoma; the only way to get there. I was met by Archdeacon Daudi Chidawali who informed me that our famine relief aid since last June had saved lives, and the emergency is over. Rains have made the desert green and the rice we planted is expected to yield a ton for distribution. Like Joseph of Egypt, Archdeacon will stow part of the rice for a later time should another drought occur and affect their crops. We are blessed by the vision our Tanzanian Archdeacons have. Rice, corn, chickens and rabbits were bought with the money we sent. Through the help of many of you, we responded to this need of our Mwanza and Dodoma clergy with contributions over $12,000. We had a three-day clergy seminar with their wives, and I ordained 14 as Deacons and 15 to the Priesthood. After the Ordinations, on behalf of the congregations, I was presented the six months Tithe for the Patriarch; TOTALLY unexpected. At end of our seminar, some laity from Assembly of God, Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches said they liked what they heard and were joining us. Sunday I confirmed 6 and received 14 at King of Kings CEC in Dodoma. I rejoice that our two Archdeacons will attend CONVOCATION 2004 in Manila. This will increase their understanding and enhance their vision for CEC Tanzania. Both Archdeacons are organized leaders and on their own initiative have prepared material for parish record keeping and training. May 10, I flew to Nairobi, met Bishop Bernard Njoroge, and the next morning continued to Kigali, RWANDA. During the night the Lord awakened me and said to go incognito. With clean shaven face and non-clerical shirt I greeted Bishop and Mrs. Ngirumpatse at the Kigali airport. If here is where the above prophecy refers they are looking for a bearded man in clerical garb. I did not resemble the expected look.

In faith that our CEC MISSIONS Companion Project will succeed, I gave each man in Tanzania an envelop containing two months of what he will receive through the Companion Project. The monthly subsistence is a blessing because it amounts to more than the total monthly offerings from their churches. It is hard for our men to support their families from the offerings. We have 56 clergy in Tanzania with others wanting to join us.

Wednesday, May 12 Bishop Emmanuel and I left for Bukavu, CONGO. For security reasons we rented a heavy duty Land Cruiser rather than a car. The six hour drive took us through a fabulous forest with monkeys playing road side and miles of green tea fields. Border crossing is always an experience to teach patience, and finally we were met by Pastor Kizungu Katarama with a group from his church; a fantastic welcome. We were escorted to a guest house where he proposed we stay but the prices were beyond my budget and outrageous for what we were offered. It would not be the last surprise at the exorbitant prices in Congo. At last we decided on a place for $20 a night with Bishop Emmanuel and me sharing the room, the description of which would stagger your imagination. They included breakfast and dinner for one person per day. We had an introductory meeting with various pastors welcoming us. Confusion existed over the program; apparently e-mails were not heeded or read correctly, and whereas Pastor said last February he had 17 men the group now had increased to 40 men but the next morning when we began there were 76. Prior to the start we had a private audience with the Provincial Governor who sent two security personnel to assure our safety, who incidentally, turned away several men of whom they were suspicious. Churches are already calling themselves CEC even though they lack clear knowledge of what we are all about. That was our task for these two days. At the end we celebrated Eucharist and Confirmed 13. After two nights with unwelcome bed companions biting on my body, I chose to leave for the Rwandan border town where we spent the night and returned Saturday to Kigali.

Sunday morning, May 16 in Kigali, I officially “seated” Bishop Ngirumpatse as Bishop of Rwanda. Because his consecration took place privately in Archbishop Dale Howard’s hotel room last February, he was not officially enthroned in his cathedra. Since his consecration new churches have joined us from provinces previously untouched by CEC. On our first visit to Rwanda four years ago Bishop John Obokech of Uganda prophesied that with the consecration of Emmanuel Ngirumpatse Rwanda’s CEC will explode in growth. Currently we have 114 clergy and over 15,000 members. Cathedral of the Holy Spirit is a “show place” of Convergence worship.

On Monday we drove four hours to Goma, CONGO where two years ago a devastating volcanic eruption leveled much of the city. I was in the Philippines when Mt Pinatubo dumped tons of ash on Luzon, but Goma got showered with tons of volcanic rock, the depth of which averages ten feet. The destruction is beyond description. Houses were immediately incinerated by the lava, but rebuilding has begun on top this jagged rock. We met Father Pascal Muhigerwa who has attended our Rwandan seminars, and brought together 20 pastors to hear our introduction to CEC. Others who were to come but because of the civil war they could not travel. Several who came had been robbed by bandits en route, and some walked miles. We first met in a volcanic rock “field” greeted by over 60 joyful Christians. My heart goes out to these people. Unlike other parts of Africa, they have absolutely nothing. The conditions have inflated everything and our stay far exceeded my budget expectations both in hotel (even after bargaining with the manager to get our rooms $40 a night cheaper than posted rates) and food costs that made fasting for two meals a day necessary. We shortened our stay and crossed the border to stay in Rwanda our final night at a fraction of the cost we paid in Goma. We did the same introductory teaching here that we did last week in Bukavu. I am apprehensive about the establishment of CEC in Congo because of the civil war, the enormous size of the nation, the difficulty of travel, and the extreme poverty. They have ample food supply but no money with which to buy. They may expect more from us than we are capable of giving. It is obvious the Holy Spirit is moving among these Pentecostal pastors, and there are more throughout Congo who want our Apostolic foundation that fills the void in their tradition. Anglicans are departing their communion because of female ordination and other unacceptable revisionist changes. Are we up to the challenge?

The total cost of this outreach was $12,536.75. Of this amount $8,200 was raised from CEChurches and members, and Barnabas Ministries contributors. I paid the difference. CEC MISSIONS in church budgets is intended to support this work, without which I am unable to continue providing episcopal oversight to our international mission work in Africa.

Mission Trip February 9 - February 25, 2004

Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus who is HEAD of HIS CHURCH and will sustain it through all adversities.

ADVERSITIES marked this mission outreach, and from the moment I entered Africa I was in continual spiritual warfare. Let me begin with the short time in the Philippines. I left home February 9 on a round-the-world trip. Due to lack of money June was unable to accompany me. I went first to the Philippines where I trained Ms Brenda Mae Bustamante to take over the Barnabas Ministries' scholarship program for our remaining 12 students in Zamboanga. I met with them and reviewed their program and obtained their budgets. After lunch with Archbishop Thomas Hines on Sunday, February 15, I flew to Amsterdam and stayed overnight. The next day I flew to Nairobi and on to my first African outreach in Rwanda.

On Thursday, February 19 I drove across the border into Burundi and ordained 13 deacons and 2 priests in the northern Kirundo province. Canon Takau Melchior has opened 15 new churches since last November and these ordinations were necessary. He walks miles over mountains. A motorcycle would be a tremendous blessing for him, should the LORD lay on any reader's heart to help in providing one. He is a dedicated man of God who deserves all the help he can get. For eight months we have battled a leadership crisis in Burundi and the "legal representative" (Canon Severin Ndayizeye) had ordered me not to come to Burundi nor do ordinations. He is in total defiance to me as his Bishop, has been deceptive and dishonest over finances provided him, and now embattles those I appointed to oversee their respective jurisdictions. We had immigration problems at the Rwanda border which caused hours of delay but victory came finally, and Canon Melchior returned to Rwanda with us representing Burundi at the Consecration. Archdeacon Daudi Chidawali was our Tanzanian representative. Getting him from Dodoma to Kigali was no easy task either.

Entry into Africa was marked with spiritual warfare that came to its head with the Consecration on Saturday, February 21, of Emmanuel Ngirumpatse. Five minutes before we were to process in the police came with guns and stopped us. We later learned that the Anglican bishops had gone to the government and pressured them into blocking this Consecration. The Anglican Province of Rwanda is headed by Archbishop Kolini who is one of the heads of the Anglican Mission in America which is taking in Episcopal Churches and consecrating Episcopal priests as bishops. Last June I had dinner with the Archbishop and assured him our Church was in Rwanda to fill a void in the pentecostal, evangelical and independent churches and promised we would take no Anglican clergy into our church. The Anglican's effort to block this consecration opens the door for God's judgment that has already resulted in victories for our new bishop. We took him to the hotel and in room SEVEN consecrated him in the presence of family and selected clergy and laity. The people and priests were deprived of seeing their leader consecrated, but the next morning the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Kigali was overflowed; the clergy had remained overnight and the members had come to greet their new bishop. The police chief who the day before threatened to put me in jail if we continued with the service, came and confessed the Anglican bishop's influence and beg Bishop Ngirumpatse's forgivness.

Sunday, February 22 I flew to Bujumbura, Burundi and met with my Council for dinner. The council members had been told not to announce this meeting but someone betrayed me and informed Canon Ndayizye that we were meeting. I received a e-mail from him in the Philippines ordering me not to come and threatening to take me to court if I did. He made a defiant appearance to let me know that he was aware of this meeting. For three hours we tried to interpret the registration papers that had been filed with the government three years earlier by Canon Ndayizeye. It is written in French and somehow slipped pass IDA's scrutiny and approval. I discovered that while we are registered in Burundi, the "constitution" is not according to Canon Law of our Church which technically a true CEC does not exist. Ndayizeye had established himself as the "head" and the constitution is written with Anglican terminology making it nonconformed to Charismatic Episcopal Church government or Canon Law.

Monday, February 23 against the "orders" of Canon Ndayizeye I went to the Southeast region and ordained 13 deacons and 2 priests. We almost did not make it back to Bujumbura. We arrived at the location where the road is closed ten minutes after closing time and it took some strong pleading with the soldier to let us pass. Otherwise we would have had to stay the night in the car and I would have missed my flight the next morning. The road is closed at 4 p.m. and re-opened at 9 a.m. due to rebel activity along that stretch of highway. Ndayizeye considers himself the "head" of the CEC in Burundi and refuses to recognize the authority of my episcopate. Archbishop Howard removed him as Archdeacon last year, but in an effort to have reconciliation and harmony, I installed him as Canon to the Ordinary for Administration and appointed three additional Canons last November, broadening the leadership. I have now removed him from all ecclesiastical positions whether or not he accepts that. The Minister of Interior, with whom we file the registration papers, said the Constitution will need to be amended (more money) in light of the misrepresentation of the government of our church. My last night in Bujumbura was disturbed by two earthquake tremors, awakening me with a tremendous shaking of the bed.

I end this outreach with an attack of bronchitis that began as I flew into Bujumbura. It is good to be back home. Our daughter Gail spent one weekend with June. Father James and Nicki Wright took her for four days to their home in Palm Bay. I cannot leave her for any prolonged time again. Where over the years she has taken care of the ministry income, this time she could not accomplish e-mail to me nor make bank deposits. On Sunday, February 22 I phoned her as I was leaving Kigali, and she was confused and unaware that it was Sunday morning. Simple things she is unable to do and being left alone causes undue stress upon her. Unless funding is made available, this may have been my last mission trip.

Mission Trip May 23 - June 24, 2003

Mission Report - May 23-June 24, 2003 African Outreach

After considerable problems due to terrorist threats canceling our London to Nairobi flight on British Airways, Delta reservationist Linda Proctor of Dallas/Ft Worth office working with my travel agent, changes for our international flight were made enabling us to arrive on schedule in Kigali May 25. As the attached financial accounting reflects, the change was not without cost.

Our departure was from Orlando to Amsterdam via New York on Friday, May 23 put us in Amsterdam at 7:40 a.m. the next morning, and KLM welcomed us into their lounge where we sat out the day, sleeping in the cushioned chairs when possible, until our Kenya Air flight to Nairobi at 8:40 p.m. Sunday morning, May 25 we arrived in Nairobi at 6:10 a.m. and waited until 1:50 p.m. for our flight on to Kigali RWANDA and were met by Bishop-nominee Emmanuel Ngirumpastse and wife Esperance. Thank God the first several days were without heavy schedule, giving us opportunity to rest up from the grueling flight. We had training in CEC government, tithing and Liturgy with the clergy in each of the five provinces we worked, ordained 29 deacons to the Priesthood and Confirmed 108 souls. When I visit the areas all the priests come. We inspected some property as potential relocation of the Church of the Holy Spirit. This church is a model of Convergence worship (praise, liturgical dance, incense, bells, Eucharist every Sunday). A meeting was held with Anglican Archbishop Kolini who also heads the Anglican Mission in America with whom a number of Episcopal Churches have joined because of problems within ECUSA, and a second meeting was held with Pentecostal Pastor Katarama of Bukavu, CONGO who is anxious for us to come for training. We made tentative plans for next November that later was changed because another pastor from the same group went to Uganda and presented himself to Archbishop Howard as the chief representative of this group, and the supervision was put under Bishops Obokech and Bahamuka of Uganda.

On June 1 we transited Nairobi, staying in the home of Bishop Bernard and Hellen Njoroge and the next afternoon joined by Archbishop Howard, we flew to Mwanza, TANZANIA He met with the Mwanza area clergy on Tuesday morning, appointed Charles Sekelwa and Duidi Chidawali as Archdeacons of their respective areas, and named me as Supervising Bishop of Tanzania. I now have three nations over which I am Bishop (Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania).

The missionary's experience of a lifetime occurred our first day leaving Mwanza to go into the bush country for Confirmations. All was going great and following the first service and lunch we began our trip to Geita from where we would work for the next three days. Less than a mile from the church our truck got stuck and no effort of pushing it out of the mud solved the problem. From 3 p.m. to 9:20 p.m. every effort to free us failed. Archdeacon Sekelwa walked to the town more than five kilometers away, got a tractor to pull us out but it got stuck, so he returned to the town and got a taxi to take June and me to Sengerema where we stayed the night. What a blessing to see the Southern Cross in the sky as we walked a mile in pitch black to the car. The next morning they managed to free the truck and we continued our trip arriving hours later than schedule. In the Mwanza and Dodoma areas of Tanzania, I blessed a marriage, Baptized 9 adults, Confirmed 227, received 270, ordained 4 deacons and 1 priest in addition to clergy training seminars. I was very impressed by the inquisitiveness of the Dodoma group in aspects of new worship practices heretofore unknown to them. They expressed a keen desire for CEC to be different from other churches; to be a church that "makes visible the void."

In Dodoma we discovered the Anglican bishop is bribing the people to leave CEC in exchange for food. He is not interested in their re-joining the Anglican Church; his intention is to oust us. Drought conditions have affected the cost of maize, making it difficult for our pastors and members. We responded with a temporary measure of buying 100 kilo of maize for each of the twelve pastors attending the seminar , and made an appeal to 50 American CEChurch leaders for a special offering to buy more maize for the members, buy seed to plant millet which is unaffected by drought and grows fast, and dig some wells to provide water. One of our deacons is a skilled farmer and will direct this project. Our people can plant millet and use it as a staple food rather than corn. $25 will feed a family of five for one month. Any reader who wishes to share in this project should designate your gift as "FOOD" and mail to Barnabas Ministries.

From Tanzania we flew on Mission Aviation Fellowship's flight to Nairobi, again spending the night with Bishop and Mrs. Njoroge, and proceeded early the next morning to Bujumbura, BURUNDI. Archdeacon Severin Ndayizeye helped us through the arrival process, obtaining our visas, getting the checked luggage and drove us to Botanika Hotel, one of the best kept secrets in Bujumbura. It was my second time to venture outside Bujumbura. We have to be careful because of the tribal war going on, but this time we went to Rutana, Bururi, Mwarao-Bisoro and Kirundo where I ordained 10 deacons to the priesthood and confirmed a total of 376 for Burundi. Our trip north was the most dangerous, traveling through rebel territory. Early Sunday morning we returned to Bujumbura just minutes before fighting began outside the city in the area through which we had just traveled, and the highway closed to all traffic. Your prayers are more valuable than you may realize as we are constantly in need of angelic protection.

We are now back in America. Clergy with used clerical shirts - WE NEED THEM! Tab shirts are preferred but if you have "dog collars" please include some collar buttons. We also welcome albs, cinctures, stoles and chalice sets. We can use CEClergy for assistance in the teaching and training, and our plan is for a mid-November departure for a one-month outreach should any clergyman feel called by God to be part of the next trip.

A financial summary for this outreach follows. Anyone wishing a daily detail accounting may request through e-mail and one will be sent as an attachment.

Mission Trip Accounting - May 23-June 24, 2003 Bishop Philip E. P. Weeks and June S. Weeks

RECEIVED from International Development Agency $6,750.00 from Bishop Philip Zampino $1,000.00 from Bishop Rick Painter $1,000.00

EXPENSES NOTE: Originally ticketed on British Airways but due to terrorist threats the flight to Nairobi was canceled by BA. We learned about it 5 days before scheduled departure. It was necessary to ticket on another carrier without the advance purchase discounts which increased the airfare. International Tickets $11,036.34 Orlando to Nairobi round trip In-country airline tickets $ 3,606.00 Mission Aviation Fellowship tickets $ 910.00 TOTAL AIRFARE for two $15,552.34 Refund from British Air ( 4,287.56) NET AIRFARE EXPENSES $11,264.78

IN TRANSIT $60.08 Airport Parking $213.32

RWANDA - May 25-June 1 Hotel and Meals $446.37 Car Rental $550 Miscellaneous printing and Blessing $450 Housing assistance for Bishop-nominee Ngirumpatse $450 Total Expenses for Rwanda Outreach $1,896.37

KENYA - May 25, June 1, June 16 (Transiting Nairobi) Total Expenses for Kenya $100 Visas

TANZANIA - June 2-June 16 [ADVANCED BY IDA TO TANZANIA $1,350 Seminars in Mwanza and Dodoma, partial car rental in Mwanza, printing, miscellaneous expenses as requested by Archdeacons Sekelwa and Chidawali sent via Western Union] Hotel and Meals $882.05 Car Rental $750 Miscellaneous (food assistance, seminars, etc) $1,538.50 Total Expenses for Tanzania $3,170.55

BURUNDI - June 17-23 [ADVANCED BY IDA $600 To Archdeacon Severin for travel to provinces to set up for Ordinations and Confirmation wired to bank] Hotel and Meals $580.70 Car Rental $450 Miscellaneous $110 Total Expenses for Burundi $1,740.70

TOTAL EXPENSES $19,795.80 Less Advance money ($1,950) Less IDA grant and Bishops' gifts ($8,750) GRAND TOTAL EXPENSES $9,095.80 Thanks to Barnabas Ministries supporters the difference of $9,095.80 was contributed making possible this mission trip in our efforts to "Make Visible the Void"

Mission trip February 12-March 5, 2003

BURUNDI: Utter Frustration! My feelings when meeting with my Council in Bujumbura, hearing their appeals, and unable to respond. This country is war-torn with rebels and tribal conflicts making it impossible for us to go into the countryside to do the Ordinations and Confirmations we had planned. Cost of living is so expensive that many eat one meal a day. We stayed in an efficiency hotel and purchased breakfast and lunch foods to prepare in the room because we could not afford the hotel restaurant prices. In St. Barnabas CEC June taught some ladies on making altar vestments and stoles while I reviewed with the clergy specific things about the Charismatic Episcopal Church. On Sunday I ordained one Deacon to the Priesthood before a congregation of about 100 people. The Church has a good ministry to orphan children, especially in the person of Fr. Benjamin, the newly ordained Priest. When I return I pray we will be able to go into the Provinces for Ordinations and Confirmations. This was a good opportunity to strengthen St. Barnabas and work with Archdeacon Severin Ndayizeye who is doing a good work of expanding our church in Burundi.

RWANDA: Canon Emmanuel Ngirumpatse has done an incredible work in bringing independent, evangelical, pentecostal pastors into CEC. Prior to this trip we had 84 ordained. On this visit I ordained 29 deacons and three deacons to the priesthood. There would have been more but he insisted that each man comply to our protocol and have an alb in which to be ordained. [We have ceased paying for them .] In addition I confirmed 177 people, 99% being adults in five remote areas where the ordinations and confirmations occurred, plus the Church of the Holy Spirit in Kigali.

The work is very hard! Some days there were two services ; that's not what is hard; it is the travel that tires us out. I use to joke that for me hell would be continual flying and eating airline food; now I say it is traveling African roads for eternity. Most Americans cannot comprehend what we endure:- four-hour-one-way trips causing you to wish for chiropractic adjustments afterward; washboard roads with red dust from passing vehicles blown into car; Language; African cuisine [believe me; it is different from American]; lodging that makes Motel 6 look like 5 Star; schizophrenic economy of prices not keeping with wages; $4 per gallon of gas when available; punctuality absent from their vocabulary; organization mostly unknown; but "non nobis Domine! " at the end of the trip are hundreds of people clapping, singing, and waiting for our arrival. They make it all worthwhile, and wishing YOU could be part of our blessing. Going into these remote areas from which the people cannot travel into the city, strengthens the church and encourages the Body of Christ. Their joyous welcome makes it all worthwhile!

We badly need used clergy shirts - tab collars preferred with tabs included! and EXTRA tabs! We will accept any color and size! UPS to 405 North Hawthorn Circle, Winter Springs, Florida 32708! We will also gladly receive stoles, chasubles and altar sets [used are acceptable!]

TANZANIA: Our start was marred with two unpleasant e-mails; one telling us that June's younger sister has colon cancer and given six to twelve months; the other informing us that our ten-year old Sheltie had suffered paralysis in her back legs. Upon phoning the vet I learned she had a herniated disc, spinal spurs and kidney failure, and I had to give permission to put her to sleep. She was special! Among many things about her, each morning when June and I went into our chapel for Morning Prayer, we would say "Pepper, we are going to pray" and Pepper would go to the chapel with us. The first night was not a good night, and there were none who could understand our need for comfort.

Here the CEC is under persecution from the Anglican bishops who didn't want these charismatics when they were "welcomed out" nine years ago, but now fighting their efforts to unite under the banner of CEC. People who work for Anglican employers have been terminated and others evicted from rental houses owned by Anglicans. This new breed of bishops is surely different from my 1983 and 1985 work in Tanzania with bishops who were receptive to the contemporary move of the Holy Spirit.

I ordained 17 to the diaconate; re-order six priests previously ordained in the Anglican Church, and confirmed 512. We had inquiries from various denominations and independent groups. MAF (Missionary Aviation Fellowship) flew us back to Nairobi where Bishop Njoroge met us, took us to his house for lunch and together with June and me had dinner at Connivore before taking us to International Airport for our long flight home.

Since many of you contribute to our mission work, a financial accounting is available upon requestin Word document format and Word Perfect format so you can see what these outreaches actually cost. It will be e-mailed should you request a copy.

If you have not recently contributed to Barnabas Ministries, PLEASE DO SO! Without your help we cannot continue this Macedonian Call! Barnabas is tax-exempt and your monetary assistance through Barnabas enables us to make these trips. I must have my wife accompany me on future trips which will be possible ONLY if you help us!

We are glad to be home. In 22 years of missionary travel I can undoubtedly say that this outreach has been the most difficult. Nevertheless, plans are underway for a May-June outreach to Liberia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda IF the money is available.

Mission trip November 16-December 14, 2002

So much has happened. I arrived in Kigali Nov 16 and traveled all over Rwanda with Canon Emmanuel Ngirumpatse, visiting 11 church areas, 6 preschools operated by CEC-Rwanda and confirmed 548 people, 98% being adults. Each day we drove out to areas, some 3 hours drive and returned nightly to Kigali. It appeared that the entire village turned out every place we went, and I suspect that I am the first white man (especially with white beard) many of the younger ones have seen. I thought Bishop Obokech had taken me to far-out places, but I went to areas in Rwanda that seemed to be the end-of-the-earth. I was highly impressed with how our teachings during previous seminars have been applied. The priests know the Liturgy and they have taught the people their responses. Remember, all these 84 men were from evangelical and Pentecostal churches, and they have truly immersed themselves proudly into being Charismatic Episcopal Church.

November 23 I flew to Bujumbura, Burundi to be greeted by a welcoming group headed by Archdeacon Severin Ndayizeye. Being late, I went directly to my hotel and began suffering from an amoebae apparently picked up in Kigali or reactivated from my last year's Philippines amoebae. If you have never experienced an amoebae you can't understand how every-hour-trips to the toilet can weaken you. Sunday morning we drove three hours to Rutana where I confirmed 220 people. I was so weak from the diarrhea that I had to stop several times to rest but I finished it in three hours. Sunday night was a repeat performance of the previous night, only worse because I didn't have the private facilities as I did in my Bujumbura hotel. We stayed in a "guest house" which I later learned was the ONLY facility in the town where one could stay. The $16 a night including meals might sugget to you what it was like.

Each place I emphasized that God wishes to bless us but we deprive ourselves by not giving. One night I came under demonic attack for this teaching, and the devil tried to put a guilt trip on me and make me stop. "These people have nothing; they are poor," he said, which I already knew, but God reminded me that my teaching was scripturally sound [Gen 14: 17-20; 1 Kings 17: 9-16; Malachi 3: 8-11) and for me not to continue the teaching would be to deprive them of receiving His blessings. This is a message for all of us to receive because God has given everything to us, and our giving is not because God needs from us, but because the hand that is closed is unable to receive. Read the entire four chapters of Malachi and you will understand. In Ratana I concluded the Confirmation service by receiving an offering and emphasized that we should always come prepared to give something, no matter what it was because God is a Giver of all things to us. I was blessed with a report that a child brought his ball point pen and put in the offering basket because that was all he had. "And a little child shall lead them....."

November 26 I arrived in Uganda and went with Bishop Samuel Lubogo to Jinja, the Source of the Nile Diocese. My hotel room overlooks the Nile River which originates just a short distance up from my hotel. My purpose here is to teach clergy and key lay people on Charismatic Episcopal Church particulars [tithing, consensus government and the work of the Holy Spirit].

At the end of the week in Uganda I went to Karamojo where I was to ordain 11 men to the diaconate, however, due to failure to meet some requirements, only four were ordained, but it was a GLORIOUS service. The Karamojo tribe is similar to the Maasi in other parts of Africa, and our church is evangelizing this previously untouched area. Women with colorful beadwork and "warriors" with spears were evidenced in the church and surrounding the church. The area is somewhat unstable due to warring factions and military check points were all along the way but we had no difficulty. We almost did not get there; Bp Gogo's car burned up the clutch and I had to rent a car; probably a blessing in disquise because it was a good car and I kept it to return me to Kampala where I unexpectedly showed up at Trinity Cathedral on Sunday morning. This was where I was consecrated last August.

I am definitely not a prejudiced person, but one morning as I watched some workers in front of my hotel, I thought about all the poverty I have seen in my African sojourns, and the Jesse Jacksonites in USA calling for reparation money. If they were to come here and see how their kin live, they would shut up and give the whites money in thanksgiving for their ancestors being sold into American slavery. No black American would exchange places with the people here. Unemployment is in excess of 75%; average per capita income is less than $200 annually; standard housing for the majority are mud huts; many houses have no flooring. Water is gotten from a common source and carried in 5 gallon cans, sometimes for miles. In one place I watched people drinking water from a rain barrel. AIDS has orphaned thousands of children; children come to church shoeless; many adults have only what they wear on their backs. Clothing too large for them hang off the shoulders of little girls. Just after sunrise one morning I looked out of my hotel window in Bujumbura to see two men rolled up on bags asleep on the street.

December 3 Bishop Njoroge and I flew to Mwanza, Tanzania where I received one deacon and "re-ordered" 7 priests; Bp. Njoroge "re-ordered" 7 also, marking the official beginning of our church in Tanzania. These once were Anglicans who received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and forced out over eight years ago. They heard about the Charismatic Episcopal Church and asked to join. There were several also from the Dodoma area attending as inquirers and there may be some work to develop in that part of Tanzania among some evangelicals. It was an exciting three days with an extremely lively group of over 100 souls.

I concluded my trip with a visit with Bishop-elect Joshua Koyo and worked on his consecration plans for next February. I visited several churches in the Great Lake Diocese, blessed a water project, and met two days with all the clergy for additional training. I am highly impressed with this diocese because they have learned the blessing of self-support and proudly point to church buildings they have erected without money from abroad.

I am now enroute home. I thank all who have prayed and contributed financially toward this outreach.

Mission to Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Scotland, England, Spain, August 21-September 9, 2002

I want to give a brief report on our activities from August 21 through September 9.

We left Orlando the morning of August 21 enroute to Uganda. We arrived the next night WITHOUT any of our checked luggage, and one bag containing things needed for my Consecration and the ordinations that followed NEVER came. It was a real disappointment how Delta Airlines acted so irresponsibly, and violated not only the trust I have placed in them, but also the new federal regulations that luggage must accompany the passenger. Due to mechanical delays on a connection to New York, they put us on a flight out of Atlanta but refused to switch our checked luggage to our trans-Atlantic flight. The missing piece was recovered on our return via Nairobi August 30. We arrived in London August 31 without any of our checked luggage again; later arriving at 2:15 a.m. the next morning in time for our train trip to Scotland. Somehow they failed making the connection in Amsterdam. This trip was really plagued with luggage problems. What is God trying to teach me? Patience? Avoid Amsterdam? Choose another air carrier?

In spite of this disappointment, the Consecration was glorious. In a service that lasted five and a half hours, due primarily to the number of choral presentations at the end of the Consecration, I would say I was properly and completely consecrated as a Bishop in Apostolic Succession; our linage coming from Rome through the National Catholic Church of Brazil. Fifteen of my brother bishops from Kenya, Uganda, the Philippines and America laid hands on me. Our Patriarch, the Most Reverend Austin Randolph Adler was Chief Consecrator, with Archbishop Dale F. Howard [my bishop] and Bishop John Obokech of Uganda as co-consecrators. Approximately 100 clergy from Kenya, Uganda and the Philippines, and over 600 people witnessed the service. Our primary representatives from Rwanda, the Congo and Burundi were present. It was truly an "African" event. Fr. Mark Barth and his wife, Cindy of the Society of St Dismas; June and our two daughters Gail and Melanie, and Hugh Kaiser were with me. Fr. and Mrs. Barth, youth ministers and worship leaders in my former Episcopal parish in the late 70s, led the praise and worship music in Uganda and Rwanda.

Following the Consecration I went to work. With Archbishop Howard, I ordained 30 deacons to the priesthood in Rwanda; he ordained 32. In Burundi I received and "re-ordered" three priests from the Anglican Church, ordained 3 deacons as priests and ordained 14 laymen to the diaconate. It occured to me that not many non-CEC bishops get the chance to ordain this number of men in a life time, and in my first week of the episcopate I ordained 50 men. And from the looks at growth of our church in AFRICA, this is only the beginning.

Archbishop Howard has requested that I go back to Rwanda in November and with Canon Emmanuel, do visitations and Confirmation in some of the outlying areas. We will also plan a brief return to Burundi for the same ministry in areas where it is safe for us to travel. CEC priests or deacons are invited to be team members. Contact me for details. Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania may also be part of this next outreach.

From Africa June and I went to Edinburgh, Scotland to minister to one of the new Filipino congregations. On Sunday night we had Eucharist for about 18 souls plus the children, followed by dinner and much conversation. On Monday night we had an informal sharing on tithing followed by prayers. The Holy Spirit moved and some were visibly touched. Tuesday we returned to London where I ministered two nights at St Stephen CEChurch not far from London Bridge. On September 6 we flew to Barcelona, Spain for a weekend evangelism workshop with St James the Lesser CEC, another Filipino congregation. Again it was a great witness of the Holy Spirit in worship and ministry, and we were so richly blessed by this congregation. They gave me with a beautiful green cope and mitre, presented a cultural program depicting Spanish life, and showed us some of the special areas of Barcelona. My prayer is that next year we will be able to return for some other teaching purpose.

We are now home but I leave Saturday [September 14] for the Philippines. Thank you for your prayers during this wonderful outreach, and your continued financial support.

Mission to Rwanda and Burundi, May 26-June 7, 2002

Thank you for your prayers. At 1 a.m. Saturday, June 8 I arrived home after flight delays and 39 hours travel, but the outreach to Rwanda and Burundi was one of the BEST ever undertaken. I am very tired and today [Saturday] will do catch up on mail and jet-lag recovery. Finally sleeping in my own bed was a good feeling.

Sixty-two men in Rwanda were further trained and Bishop John Obokech from Uganda ordained them in a jubilant Convergence Eucharist and Ordination service. Archbishop Howard and I will go there after my consecration in August to elevate them to the priesthood.

After Rwanda we went to Bujumbura, BURUNDI expecting 25 men inquiring about the Charismatic Episcopal Church, however 35 showed. We witnessed how Consensus Government works even in an undeveloped church area when the Lord revealed to me that Archdeacon Severin needed a "Council" to assist him in determining who among the group attending were truly committed to joining CEC and who were coming for whatever they might get from America. The same witness I received had also been received by several of the men the Holy Spirit directed to be the Council. I will go back in late August and based on the recommendation of the "Council" there will be an ordination for the diaconate and several men raised to the priesthood.

Both venues were powerful teaching times and a mighty move of the Holy Spirit. The ones in Burundi were mostly Anglican lay catechists but three things they learned about the Charismatic Episcopal Church that should assist them in their decision as to joining us. 1) They must depend upon the provisions of the Lord through their own tithing and not on America; 2) they experienced twice a Convergence Eucharist compared to what they have been accustomed to in the Anglican Church; 3) Bishop John Obokech's teaching on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit concluded with a prayer ministry during which a number of the men received "tongues and prophecy" while some probably will not want this as part of their spiritual maturity. The men in Rwanda are all evangelical and pentecostal with no prior liturgical connection, but in Burundi just the opposite. Equally, the things in which they are interested are opposite.

We praise God for those who have responded to my PERSONAL LETTER expressing financial needs, but we are thousands of dollars away from replenishing the treasury on the Consecration needs. We pray that others will soon respond.

Mission to the Philippines, January 22-February 12, 2002

June and I left America on January 22 for the Philippines. On Thursday after arrival I went to our Charismatic Episocpal Church Cathedral for a final fitting of my bishop's cassock. It is superb. On Friday I took June to Pansanjan Falls, one of the beautiful sights on Luzon. Hugh Kaiser joined us for this day's trip. Saturday the 26th we flew to Dumaugete. We were suppose to stay with Alvin and Ghige Tawing, but Ghige was in labor when we arrived, and delivered a baby boy at 5:30 p.m. so we stayed for two nights in a hotel before transferring to the Tawings on Monday.

Sunday morning I preached at the Philippine Independent Catholic Cathedral and Sunday night at the Christian Fellowship Church. I met with our Negros island students on Sunday. Monday morning I had a dental cleaning appointment with Dra. Anibel Abil, the first Filipina dentist employed by Barnabas Ministries, and on Monday night I preached at the PIC Cathedral at a Christian Unity service attended by Roman Catholics, United Church of Christ, Presbyterians and several other groups. Tuesday morning I taught at the CFC Bible School and that night gave June a surprise birthday party with 20+ guests. Ghige and Anibel coordinated the party for me. A delicious buffet including a whole roasted pig, some fun games, and surprise phone calls made it an exciting evening.

On Wednesday June went to Davao to work with Bishop Gene Lilly and Mrs. Lilly on making a banner for his church. I overnighted in Cebu and the next morning flew to Zamboanga. It is not safe for June to go with me there. That's where the terrorists are and our troops stationed. For two days I met with high school and college scholarship recipients before joining June in Davao on Saturday afternoon. Sunday morning I preached at The Church of The Lord Jesus Christ Our Savior [CEC] and on Monday made three teaching tapes for Bishop Lilly's Channel of Grace TV station. One tape dealt with my International Development mission work, and two tapes on Stewardship of Giving and Tithing. See the March GLAD TIDINGS for a report on Bishop Lilly's work in Davao.

Tuesday we returned to Manila where we were suppose to be joined by Bishop Yuhanna and four clergymen from Pakistan. Archbishop Thomas Hines, Primate of the Territory of Southeast Asia CEC, agreed to host the Pakistan gathering and called in his bishops to bless and encourage these men who suffer great hardships for their Faith. Pakistan is Moslem, and these men risk death for the Faith. We were disappointed that due to time restrictions they were unable to obtain their visas, and I had to cancel the training seminar. The Primate invited me to join his bishops for the three-day business meeting which was a blessing. The Philippine CEC is on the front line in ministries to the poor and its own membership:- drug rehab, birthing center, orphanage, elderly home, deacon training, parochial school K-12, feeding programs for the poor, medical clinics, cell group ministry, church planting, and fine arts programs. After the bishops finished on Thursday morning, June and I spent the next days with nothing to do so we wandered through the Malls people watching. I was to be training the Pakistanis. Changing our return tickets would have been too expensive. On Sunday we worshiped at the Cathedral of the King in Manila, attended by more than 1,500 people. Following the Mass as I was taking off my vestments I heard people singing "Happy Birthday" outside the sacristy. I was told Monday was the Primate's birthday. The Cathedral congregation presented him with a large Mercedes car. He was so surprised that he was trembling when he showed me the key.

Monday we will probably hit the Mall again; not to buy [no money] but to have something to do other than watch TV in the hotel room. Tuesday morning at 6 a.m. we begin our return flight home.

At present we have no schedule for return to the Philippines, but I still have problems with supervising and monitoring the scholarship program in Zamboanga which most likely will necessitate my return next August.

Mission to Rwanda, England and Scotland, November 19-June 3, 2001

KIGALI, RWANDA:

A nation ravaged by tribal genocide now trying to heal itself finds part of its restoration in the fast emergance of the Charismatic Episcopal Church raised up from independent pentecostal pastors and churches coming to us through the influence and leadership of Canon Emmanuel Ngirumpatse. Last March, June taught wives how to make altar vestments while I did a three day seminar with 27 clerics followed by 24 being ordained deacons by Ugandan Bishops John Obokech and Hannington Bahemuka; four of those ordained priests in the same service.

I have just returned from a follow-up training of these deacons, of whom 15 were ordained priests on November 25 by Bishop Obokech. With them were another 49 pastors receiving initial training, anticipating a follow-up seminar next May with ordination following. The bishop confirmed 39 pastors and officially received clergy into the CEC. The openness of these new men is incredible. Canon Emmanuel had already explained many things to them about CEC which created their desire to join us; I affirmed what he had told them. The needs are many. The Christians have been left in dire poverty resulting from the years of genocide. I need money for albs and stoles, along with some CEC priests and deacons to accompany me next May as we do the preparation for these new men to be ordained. After Rwanda next year we will go to Burundi for similar training of new men coming into CEC. Men interested should contact me.

I was blessed by Canon Emmanuel's report on increased church attendance attributed to the fact that Holy Communion was served every Sunday in our churches; deacons' masses where priests are not available. Only CEC and Roman Catholic churches have weekly Communion, and the people are coming for the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Jesus which they have not before had.

UNITED KINGDOM:

From Rwanda I went to the United Kingdom. I had two teaching sessions in London, and accompanied Fr Juan Carlos Bonnin to Edinburgh, Scotland, where we met with a newly formed Filipino group. On the second night I celebrated the Eucharist; their first as part of the CEC Filipino Confederation. Fr Bonnin is well remembered, and recognizable, among Filipinos as "J.C.Bonnin," a popular movie idol over 15 years ago, making a dozen film still shown in the Philippines. His conversion was followed by a call to ministry under Archbishop Hines. He has a vision for the expansion of our church in the UK, and will next reach out to Filipino workers in Wales. On Sunday I returned to London and celebrated and preached at St Stephen, located near London Bridge, our Filipino Confederation church in England. They are blessed to rent a 200+ year old Anglican Church, closed after WW II, and re-opened when they rented it to the Filipinos. I preached from the pulpit where once John Wesley preached. The Anglicans have a Thursday afternoon Eucharist for about a dozen people; otherwise it is used by our church.

My appreciation for your prayers and financial support making possible these mission outreaches.

Mission to UGANDA and KENYA, October 8-21, 2001

June and I arrived in Uganda Tuesday, October 9 and accompanied by Bishop John Obokech, we drove the next morning to Mbale where on Thursday we met with Bishop Francis Gogo and the clergy of the new missionary district of Mt Elgon. The next day we drove two hours into bush country to visit the Karamoja tribal people. It was our first time here. We have a 15 month old church in the main town plus two other missions in Tokora and Lolachat. They reported over 250 baptisms since the church was started. The people are like the Maasi in Kenya; cattle and goat herders and many dress like the Maasi. It is a poor area, plagued by terrorists, rebels and cattle rustlers, killing the people when they steal the cows. At an Altar Call by Bishop Obokech, 12 men responded to commit themselves to training and church planting. They will undergo 2 weeks of training at the cathedral in Kampala, and be assigned to 12 different villages of this eastern area of Uganda. When they have started a church they will be ordained as deacons. Barnabas Ministries has pledged six months support [$20 a month per man] and any church or individual who would like to share in this support should send the check to Barnabas and designate it as "Uganda Church Planting".

Upon return to Kampala we visited CHARIS where one year ago 100 children were in the Center and now 395 children, most of whom are orphans and some HIV Positive. Through many of you contributing $10 a month for Charis we have given over $11,300 through Barnabas Ministries in one year for this project. In addition we have taken clothes and vitamins. Mrs. Obokech said that before the vitamin distribution a child died every month. Since we began giving the children vitamins daily no child has died. If you wish to be part of this children's ministry, send your check to Barnabas and designate it Charis. You may send more than $10 a month if you wish; all given through Barnabas goes to the Center. Because of the growth we now need to acquire larger facilities, and this will cost us about $8,000.

On Sunday October 14 I preached at the Kampala Cathedral and in the afternoon we accompanied Bishop Hannington Bahemuka to Fort Portal where June worked with the wives while I taught Convergence, Liturgy and CEC Government to the clergy. We were joined by clergy and wives from the Congo, giving us a total of 78 people for the seminar.

A critical need for our African bishops is LAPTOP COMPUTERS. If you have a good USED laptop, send it to Barnabas and we will give you an income tax credit according to your valuation. Laptops are multi-current and easier to transport than desk models.

Wednesday the 17th we flew to Nairobi and drove to Machakos where we conducted another Convergence seminar for 12 clergy in the the Machakos Diocese, Bernard Matolo, Bishop and 2 clergy from the Maasi diocese. Unfortunately Bishop Moses Ngusa, our Maasi bishop, was unable to join us. The original plan was to include all the clergy and wives from both dioceses. Six wives joined their husbands and June worked with them on sewing altar vestments. I am greatly impressed by Bp Matolo's vision for his diocese, and the agressiveness of this man in developing programs that will strengthen the church and help the people without depending upon American assistance.

The ladies joined the clergy for the final session. THE HOLY SPIRIT FELL! I taught on the "gifts" of the Spirit and concluded with all joining hands. Hardly had we formed the circle we could "feel" the strong presence of the Spirit. Two fell to the floor under the Power; several began speaking in tongues. It was a sovereign move of God empowering this group without anyone laying-on-hands or giving any kind of instruction. Bishop Matolo was plesantly surprised. This was a new experience for them. The charismatic dimension had not been part of the Anglican ethos and most of those in this diocese came from the Anglican Church.

Prior to our KLM flight back to Amsterdam Saturday evening, we joined Bishop and Mrs. Bernard Njoroge and their daughters for dinner at The Connovore. This is a popular eatery in Nairobi where unlimited amounts of wild game is served along with ordinary meats. We left Africa feeling very fulfilled in what we did and a sense of real accomplishment in both Uganda and Kenya, yet with a foreboading feeling as to our future ministry in these two nations. There is rapid growth in Rwanda with 24 ordained men already and another 54 coming from Pentecostal churches, waiting to be trained and ordained, and a call from several other African nations that may demand greater attention. While at Machakos a clergyman from the Sudan came inquiring about CEC. We returned home October 21, the occasion of our 46th wedding anniversary, celebrated aboard our Delta flight from Amsterdam to Atlanta.

Mission to the Philippines, August 6-27, 2001

June and I traveled to the Philippines August 6 where we worked in three of our Charismatic Episcopal Church dioceses. While she was in San Pablo [Laguna] I went to Zamboanga to handle the Barnabas scholarship program and contracted an amoebae. By time I got to a doctor and on medicine, it had begun to multiply. Not a fun way to lose weight. Unfortunately, the amoebae is not dead and I returned home feverish and weak. I am now under the care of my physician.

Together we were in Kalibo and Mindanao. She worked with the ladies on banner making and I taught; in Kalibo on Covenant, and in Cagayan de Oro Mindanao on CEC Convergence. This was her first time to these areas, and had a marvelous time with the ladies. This is her unique ministry.

I met some very committed young people, active in their church, in need of scholarship help. Barnabas Ministries is no longer accepting students, but if any reader wishes to help at $210 a semester [two semesters to a year], I will handle the grant for you. The ones we help will be under the supervision of the priests in these CEC places and not under Barnabas Ministries, although the funding would be given through us for your tax purposes, and the entire contribution, less bank transfer fee, will be transferred to the student's account. This contribution will not be like our previous scholarship program based on actual budget. The $210 [the $10 is the bank transfer] semester gift would be considered a contribution toward their college expense and the parents will provide any difference. Sponsors will have mail communication with the student, and accountability will be made to their priest. Students recommended by their priest or bishop will be accepted only as sponsors are obtained. If interested, please reply to be placed on a wait list.

If I am well enough, I leave September 5 for Scotland where I will work with Fr Juan Carlos Bonnin in establishing of a new Filipino CEC, and then to Kigali RWANDA to train 20 CEC men in Liturgy and Sacraments, preparing them for ordination to the priesthood on September 16 by Bishop Hannington Bahamuka from Uganda. I return home September 17.

I was blessed upon return home with wonderful response to my financial appeal. These international trips are so expensive. Going to Africa costs us three times what a trip to the Philippines cost. We receipt all contributions. Your support is always appreciated, and without those who share my Vision for Mission, I could not answer the Macedonian Call God has given me.

Mission to Indonesia
June 19 to July 14, 2001

June and I are home from our outreach with Hugh Kaiser, my long time associate, to Indonesia visiting such places as Denpesar and Kuta on BALI, Surababya and Yogyakarta on Java along with various remote areas on both islands. Indonesia consists of over 13,000 islands. We preached and taught in churches; some in English but most through translators. While the islands and people reminded us of the Philippines, the language and need for interpreters were very different. I was impressed with Hugh's command of the Indonesian language and at one seminar he had to do the teaching because the pastor-coordinator failed to provide an interpreter. We stayed in some interesting places, one being a retreat center whose construction was influenced by Koreans and throughout the campus were cubicles built in the side of the hills where one could go in to pray. My low carb-high protein diet played havoc, and some meals I fasted. They tried to accommodate me but some times what I ate simply wasn't available.

We preached in congregations numbering from as few as two dozen to as many as several hundred plus. For me the highlight was a Bible School in Sanur where we prayed with a young male Moslem convert, and a young female Hindu convert. We visited a YWAM base where Hugh teaches, along with a school started many years ago by the late Fr Ed Stube [an Episcopal USA priest] who pioneered in teaching the Baptism in the Holy Spirit throughout parts of Asia. Realizing my love for children's work, you might know I would find a church-sponsored orphanage and fall in love with the children; some abandoned by parents who couldn't feed them; others whose parents had died in genocide. We ministered in women's groups, house groups and FGBMFI. One Sunday I preached in two different churches; another Sunday three times in two different places. Hugh took us on several side sight-seeing trips so it was not all work. Overland travel can be wicked with heavy trucks and countless motorcycles, and drivers who go insane when they get behind the wheel. It seemed to take almost forever to reach destinations. Such was our experience going to Yogyakarta in Java. What was told us would be a three hour trip took twice that time.

Most of the churches were Pentecostal or Charismatic. Some of the Pentecostal churches were in name only, without much in way of manifestations of the Power or Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Ministry time in several churches resulted in healings, deliverance and other manifestations. One pastor said his church had never experienced the outpouring of the Spirit as it happened in our 3-hour ministry time, and his was one of the leading Pentecostal churches in that city. We later received a very positive report from him through another pastor.

Indonesia lists Christians as either Roman Catholic or Protestant with various groups composing the latter. I was impressed with the concept found in several of the "covenant" fellowships which was more "New Testament" than generally found among independent groups. As a sacramentalist, I found their having Holy Communion only once a month the major shortcoming of being truly "new testament." They operate closely to our CEC form of church government in a theocratic rather than democratic mode.

We had daily Morning Prayer together, and on two occasions invited our interpreters to join us; their first experience with liturgical prayer. I missed most the Body and Blood. Wine is not readily available, but in one super market I found wine hidden in the manager's office, bought a bottle and we had Eucharist in our hotel room.

Hugh has an exciting ministry in Indonesia, and this outreach will undoubtedly open new opportunities for him. We thank God for allowing us to be part of his ministry as he has been part of Barnabas Ministries for the last 17 years.

Canon Weeks+

UGANDA
OCTOBER, 2000

This is our second and final report for our two weeks outreach to Uganda. Outside Uganda I have found none who are as proud to be members of the Charismatic Episcopal Church as these men in Uganda. There is a sweet spirit about them, and an eagerness to learn.

Oct 17 was travel day and a horrendous one, over very rough unpaved roads from Mbale via Kampala with Hoima as our destination. We arrived at 7 p.m. to find only one night reserved at the hotel and we need to stay two nights. Bishop found another place with two rooms but no eating facilities. We took our meals at the original hotel and the next morning were told our rooms were available. We switched because the other place was noisy, making sleep difficult. Those who had reserved the rooms we got were coming from the Ebola infected area and the quarantine prevented their travel. Mosquitos are bad in this area, and no Air Con or Fans, so the nights are very hot. The death toll from Ebola continues to rise. We were within 75 miles of the infected area.

Oct 18 we had our seminar at Hoima with 10 clergy and 7 wives. This was a very different group; the poorest of the diocese, requiring us to teach through three translations. I would speak in English; the bishop say the same in Ugandan; a priest in a different language and still another priest in still another dialect. When I asked questions, the reply came back the same way. Because of this problem, I introduced the simple Order for Eucharist from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer [some refer to it as Rite III though it is not so titled] with an introductory teaching, then followed with the Celebration. It was precious. They rarely have Holy Communion because they have no liturgy in their own language, but they adapted to this Order like they had always known it. We photocopied the six pages from the Book of Common Prayer, and this simpler rite will be translated into the several languages so the priests can more often provide their people the Sacrament. The format followed in previous seminars was repeated here: Liturgy, CEC Government, Tithing and Stewardship program. We distributed to each man a Eucharistic set, and fitted all who needed with reading glasses; all donations from Christians in America. We also gave clothes I had collected, and each wife took home a corporal and purificator for her husband's altar.

Oct 19 Today we return to Kampala. Trinity Cathedral now has a new phone for the church. (256 - 41) 347-673. Happily I was able to connect to Compuserve for my e-mail without long distance charges, but at a surcharge from Compuserve at $25 an hour.

Oct 20 We had a two hour drive to the Court and appeared before the Magistrate regarding Criminal Trespassing charges brought against two of our clergy and two church members for using the church building for worship. Previously it was used by the Church of Uganda. The judge granted an extension for us to negotiate a reconciliation so to avoid a trial. Negotiations will take place Oct 26, and if that fails, the bishop may walk away without fighting it. We lack the money to hire an attorney, and the Complainers have the benefit of the Government's Prosecutor. Whatever is done, a precedent will be set for all remaining properties of those congregations that joined us last year.

Oct 21 Today is our 45th Wedding Anniversary. We went shopping and had dinner tonight at the Sheraton Hotel, joined by the bishop and his wife. Earlier the bishop took us to see Lake Victoria. I almost bought a Japanese re-built 4WD Praedo for our church's use [$10,500]. We need such a vehicle badly for my use when I am there as well as the Bishop. Every time we come we pay exorbitant rentals [$1,000 this trip], but no one in Uganda, except Sheraton, accepts credit cards. If you would help me buy this wagon that I can use both in Uganda and Kenya, make your check payable to Barnabas Ministries designated for VEHICLE and mail to the address below. Your help will be a blessing, and save a lot of money being wasted on rentals.

Oct 22 I preached and celebrated at Trinity Cathedral, after which we left for the western part of Uganda, arriving early evening in Kabale where we stayed the night. Much colder in this higher elevation.

Oct 23 We drove over very rough road to Kihihi for our closing seminar with 26 clergy and 20 wives, but had to leave at 4:30 p.m. to get out of the mountains before dark. Heavy rain storms caused land slides and blockage on the road, delaying us, arriving in Kabale by 8 p.m.

Oct 24 We drove back to Kampala. The Bishop's Council came for our farewell dinner at the bishop's house, and presented us with a "wedding cake" marking our annivesary being celebrated with them.

Oct 25 Early flight this morning to Nairobi where we spent some time with Bishop and Mrs. Njoroge at the airport as we connected to Johannesburg. Overnight tonight in Johannesburg and tomorrow evening we fly to Atlanta, and on to Orlando.

NEEDS: Children under 12 years of age: panties for girls, under pants for boys, plain cotton dresses, boys' short pants, T shirts. ONLY THESE PLEASE! $10 a month supports one child in the Charis Center. Mark check CHARIS. Contributors toward purchase of vehicle designate check VEHICLE.

This is my first report. June and I arrived in Uganda Oct 11 late in the night for a 2 weeks work throughout the nation. On our first day we visited the two Charis Centers operated by the Cathedral in Kampala; one at the cathedral itself and the other in a poverty area. The pre-school program at the Cathedral is typical except for the fact that many of the parents are unable to pay, but the one in the poverty area was most impressive. Nearly 100 children ranging from ages 2 to 12 are crowded into the three rooms that serve as the school. They are given 2 meals each day plus their education. Almost none is able to pay the appproximate $10 a month cost. We saw children in this Center dying from AIDS; the church's ministry being the only show of GOD's love available. The Bishop said it is reported that 1.5 million Ugandan children are HIV infected. Many cases, however, are never reported. Barnabas Ministries will assist in this work, and any reader who wish to be part of this, is invited to send your financial gift to the address below, making your check payable to Barnabas Ministries. Designate the gift "CHARIS" so we will know it is intended for this work, and everything we receive will be transferred. The Bishop's wife oversees this ministry.

Our first two-day seminar near Jinja was with 79 clergy and 64 wives who joined CEC last year. June was "wiped out" but overjoyed by the enthusiasm of the wives to make altar vestments for their husbands. These men were formerly of the Anglican Church of Uganda and needed teaching about CEC government which I did. Ours is very different from their former church. I taught on the evangelical and charismatic streams, using Salvation Bracelets made for me by the youth of Christ Episcopal Church in Huron, OH. In the context of this teaching I prayed with them to personally receive Jesus into their life, and for the release of the Holy Spirit for His empowerment.

The church in this area is under persecution. We canceled one of our seminars in order to be in Court Friday, Oct 20 with the clergy and Christians. Bishop John Obokech and I, with the clergy vested in Cassocks, and joined by the church members, will stand with two of our priests who have been jailed on charges of Criminal Trespassing. They were holding services in their church building and arrested because once that church was part of the Anglican Church of Uganda.

On Sunday I preached and Celebrated Mass with a nearby congregation of about 500 souls. Various children and youth groups sang for us, and certain dignitaries welcomed us; some with appeals. It is sad that the clergy who came from the Church of Uganda, and should know the Prayer Book service, received no training in Liturgy, and conduct very poor services. Much more training is needed from some of our American clergy.

Our next venue was Mbale District with 17 clergy and 13 wives. There is such a sense of pride in belonging to CEC expressed by these men. One priest came to the meeting although his wife was killed the night before in a traffic accident. His loyalty to the bishop and the church compelled him to attend, but we received an offering to help him, and sent him on his way to take care of the body of his wife. The seminar was successful. They want a liturgy they can learn and use. Having this would surely help in training the clergy proper conduct of worship. The Bishop has the Eucharist and Pastoral Services translated into the national language but lacks the $1,100 US needed to print 2000 copies.

Our MISSION STRATEGY calls upon the congregations to TITHE and from their offerings the bishop's office receives 10% for his support and operation. I deligently teach this. Outside Kampala the majority of the churches have no buildings to maintain, so no overhead. All should be financially well. Right? REALITY CHECK! I firmly believe tithing is the answer to the problem of poverty, but it is not the immediate cure for stablizing an infant church. Outside Kampala the average monthly need for a priest is equivalent to $13 US$, but the annual income of his people averages less than $50 US$. On Sunday I received the offering, and the basket contained some Shillings and oranges. Some people have only a few oranges picked from their tree to sell with which to buy rice. Some cut trees to make and sell charcoal. The current offerings will not provide for the foundational needs to enable the bishop to travel over the entire nation and pastor over 200 congregations. I watched him as appeals are made to him, and I saw a very burdened man with no answer to the people's needs. He has no vehicle with which to traverse the rough roads of Uganda. He must rent one everytime he goes on an episcopal visit. Providing a Land Cruiser would be a tremendous help. More bishops are needed for our Church in Uganda if the Church is going to be strengthened, and the clergy pastored and trained. More MISSION GIVING is required from our American churches if the African Church is going to survive.

Tuesday, Oct 17 is travel day and a long one as we move to the next area of the nation and our seminar on Wednesday. Then we return to Iganga for the trial of our jailed clergy and on to Kampala for next Sunday. We are very tired; the days are long and the diet is nutrionally deficient, but thank God the weather is not extremely hot, and the people are so hungry to learn that it makes all our labor worthwhile.

Mission to PHILIPPINES
August 23 to September 4, 2000

Greetings. From August 23 to September 4, I have been in the Philippines meeting with our Scholarship Coordinators, and concluded the time in a wonderful Convergence meeting in Montalban, a developing Charismatic Episcopal Church work near Manila under Archbishop Thomas Hines. Life is very tense in the Philippines with hostage taking by Islamic terrorists. While I was in Zamboanga some hostages were released, and an America captured. It is "open season" on foreigners for ransom, and terrorism has become a profitable business. A hard line of force is needed to end this foolishness, and other governments should cease meddling in the Philippine President's attempt to bring an end to this matter.

Last March I had an inner feeling I should make this trip, although I had said last January was my final. I appointed three trustworthy Filipinos to oversee our Scholarship Program, but thought I should work with them one more time as this would be their first time to receive the reports from the students. In the 15 years we have given scholarships, I thought I had established safe guards whereby a student could not abuse the program. One of our coordinators, a law graduate, became suspicious with some receipts submitted. She phoned the school to verify a certain receipt, and discovered fraud. The mother of two students had altered grades and falsified receipts for at least three semesters. Perhaps longer! What a disappointment! Of all the parents, I would never suspected this lady would steal from the sponsors. She came and asked forgiveness, but did not satisfy me with what she did with thousands of dollars she obtained through the dishonest budget requests based upon altered receipts. I work hard for the students, and my integrity has been respected by our sponsors. I am embarrassed these sponsors have been so badly treated. Like one rotten apple spoils the whole bushel, this abuse hurts the whole scholarship program, and innocent people may be hurt when they ought not. Four of our college students definitely are dropped; possibly two others. They may have thought they could get by with their own people where they could not with me, but they got fooled. The Filipino coordinators are able to investigate more thoroughly than I. Hopefully, this will send the necessary message.

On the bright and positive side, Fr Bustamante trained the scholarship recipients at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church and they conducted the first Vacation Bible School at our St Barnabas Church in the jungle area west of Calarian. This is where we started an evangelism program five years ago, and last year left as my legacy a lovely cement church in that jungle. Over 100 children attended.

In Dumaguete Pastor Benito Pacleb of Christian Fellowship Church invited me to teach one morning in his Bible School. 21 delightful students, and I taught on the problems in today's Church regarding DISRESPECT FOR AUTHORITY and JUDGMENT of other church groups.

My trip concluded with a fabulous ministry time in Montalban's government San Jose Housing project. One of the government personnel is a member of the CEC Cathedral of the King and expressed spiritual concerns to Archbishop Hines. My trip was perfect timing, and he sent me to San Jose to teach and pave the way for the planting of a church in this project of over 4000 families and 25,000 people. With Dean Roberto Jovina, Fr. Leo Yanguas, 3 deacons, a medical-dental-healing counselors team of 28 workers, we had a two day meeting concluding with a Saturday night Mass and the start of our Charismatic Episcopal Church. We are the first church in the project to give the much needed humanitarian aid. A deacon is assigned to the area and he will have his first deacon's Mass next Saturday night. Our response indicates the start of a church with nearly 100 members, and with a regular ministry schedule, it will quickly increase. The medical-dental team treated over 300 people. On Sunday morning I worshipped at the Cathedral of the King in Manila! Three hours of exciting Convergence Worship!

Canon James Nicholas, IDA Director, asked me to make an appeal to my constituency which includes many CEC people. You will remember our appeal several months ago for a Kenyan boy to have heart surgery. Unfortunately he died in surgery. Money you gave went toward paying the hospital in Nairobi, but the family still owes US$950 to the hospital and funeral expense. Your help is needed. Mail me your check, payable to Barnabas Ministries, designated for HEART FUND. I will forward it on. The family will be most grateful.

Holy Spirit Mission to KENYA
July-August, 2000

If anything could go wrong, IT DID. With a 25 minute delay, I departed Orlando July 30, arriving at JFK, and the plane in front of us breaks its nose gear upon landing, causing us to abort our landing. We were more than an hour late getting to our gate. I ran between terminals to my connecting flight, but after leaving the gate, the traffic was so backed up it took two hours and forty-five minutes to taxi to the runway. I missed my Amsterdam connection. The DELTA agent worked to get me into Nairobi. Every effort seemed to be blocked by "full flights." She kept apologizing; I kept reassuring her of my appreciation. Finally, she confirmed me through Zurich and on to Nairobi. It had taken her 2 hours to effect my itinerary change, and she handed me the new tickets saying, "you were so patient, I put you in FIRST CLASS out of Zurich so you can sleep." Praise God! It turned out this plane had new a seating configuration, and the seat laid totally horizontal into a bed. "Thank you, Lord."

My team was really great. Our first day of orientation was a powerful beginning with prophetic utterances and Holy Spirit led ministry. On day two we said good-bye and went our separate ways. Hugh Kaiser led the team of Bishop Ricardo, Fr Wardega, and Fr Bell to Kitui, while I led the team of Bishop Paul, Fr Johnson, and Dean Danner to River Nzoia. Three hours out of Nairobi our vehicle broke down and we sat for 5 hours waiting repair. The roads are unsafe traveling at night and we reached Kisumu at 11:30 p.m. still an hour from our destination. I got rooms at a hotel and stayed the night, going on to Mbale the next morning, beginning our seminar later than scheduled.

Diocese of River Nzoia: The first day was powerful. I expected any minute fire engines to come. Why there was no evidence of FIRE on the roof amazes me. The Holy Spirit FELL on the group totally unexpected, and the second day was a repeat of power in a different way. Two successive days rain fell from the sky; the first in many months. 21 men received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The POWER of God was so overwhelming that even I prophesied for the first time in my life. We had 54 clergymen attending. On Sunday we held MASS at St. Andrew's where the CEC began in this area 3 years ago. About 20 of the seminar clergy gathered at the altar following Eucharist and prayed with many people for healing. POWERFUL!

Diocese of Great Lake: St. Anna's Retreat Center was our venue, near Lake Victoria. Bishop Benson O'Tieno, 80 years old, is a gracious saint. With him, 18 of his clergy gathered. God in a different way ministered to this group. We know we cannot duplicate what the Spirit does at another time and place. These men said they are baptized in the Spirit. I am surprised you did not hear them in USA when they prayed. We felt restrained in some of our teaching, and unsure if it were a language barrier or their tiredness from staying up very late at night praying. They said they were blessed, and we pray we planted some good seeds. We were faithful to our task!

Diocese of Kitui: This is the area hit by famine to which many of our people gave money last year. RAIN had been our "unanswered" prayer, but in our orientation I believed the Spirit wanted to demonstrate the POWER of God. I told the team to pray for rain, and the first day they took the clergy outside to command the clouds to release water, but the clouds moved away, leaving blue sky and laughing Kenyans. But God had the last laugh. The next morning it sprinkled, and by night it poured and continued to rain through the night in spite of their doubts. The clergy admitted they had received from the Lord a Word that the drought was due to their failure to be obedient in the tithe. The team not only taught about the power of the Holy Spirit, but here was clear demonstration of HIS power. There was even sacrifice of a meal by the clergy to make possible the cost of some participants who came and could not pay.

Diocese of Nairobi: Again the POWER was demonstrated with teaching, and to his own surprise, Bishop Njoroge ministered to his 34 clergymen with laying-on-of-hands, with each man unexpectantly falling to the floor, piled atop each other. A first in the bishop's life.

The team was troubled by demonic attacks at different times but never defeated in fulfilling the purpose to which we had been called. Some of these attacks were very vivid, but the NAME OF JESUS always broke the enemy's attempt, confirming to us that a spiritual breakthrough was being realized in Kenya.

There is so much more we want to report but limited by space. There is more to be done and we need ministering teams in 2001 for clergy and wives and lay leaders; teaching ministry, liturgy and evangelism. Let me know if you are available. Our need for clergy vestments continue and I welcome your shipment of any thing you can contribute in vestments and altarware. We thank all of you who supported us in prayer. One report has already come to us that God awakened a couple in the night to pray, at the precise time the stabilizing bar broke on our van. This could have been very serious had the prayers for traveling mercies not been offered on our behalf. We know many people were praying for us. "Non nobis, Domine!"

Date Dispatch Received : August 27, 1998

This is my final report on this Philippine outreach. I have one prayer request. I head home August 31 and the trip will be approximately 36 hours from the time I leave the hotel in Manila and I get to my house in Florida. I have 5 days to overcome jet lag before my wife and I leave for Europe.

From Sept 6-22 I will be ministering with Father Georg Lillemae, Dean of the European Charismatic Episcopal Church. That schedule takes me to Austria, Switzerland and two cities in Germany. Only God will be able to help me overcome the jet lag, and be refreshed for the next outreach. Your prayers are requested for that purpose.

After the Davao meeting, I went to Dumaguete for a few days and stayed in the home of a Filipino family, and then resumed schedule with Hugh Kaiser. We went to Cabuyao in the province of Laguna.

Father Oliver Senia is priest at St John the Beloved CEC with two deacon assistants - Deacon George and Deacon Ben. This congregation, since coming into the Charismatic Episcopal Church, has concentrated so heavily on not making a mistake in the Liturgy, that they have lost some of the evangelical and charismatic fire.

We encouraged them to recapture that fire lest the liturgy becomes dead. This is one problem with Filipino charismatic churches entering the Charismatic Episcopal Church. As they were formerly imbalanced by denying liturgy and overly into "charismania," they now get imbalanced in the other direction.

Daily Morning and Evening Prayer are offered at these CEC congregations, and more than just the clergy attend. As they have restored the centrality of the Eucharist to Sunday worship, they have also restored to their proper place the Daily Offices.

Our day time teaching was with the church leaders [Apostolate], and basically did a refresher course on the Convergence Movement. In the evening sessions with the congregation we related the liturgy to the fulfillment of the joy that we found in the discovery of the Holy Spirit's Power, and that one emphasis does not displace another. There must be a balance and there is a place for each of the expressions of the Christian Faith - evangelical, charismatic and liturgical/sacramental.

On the last night we had an instructive Eucharist. WOW, the Holy Spirit moved. The "charismatic" life was reawakened. There was worship in the Spirit [singing in tongues] and, we had a healing line along with the line of worshippers receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus.

Some in the healing line went down under the Power of the Spirit. The night before we saw a breakthrough beginning when we had some prayer time, and had them to pray for each other. That turned out to be a blessing to them.

Archbishop Adler, CEC Patriarch, had visited them two Sundays prior to our going, and had encouraged them in the same way we had encouraged the recapturing of the Charismatic Spirit. Privately we prayed for one young lady with a fatal heart disease. She felt a change in the heart's rhythm as we prayed for her.

Following the final night the Apostolate shared a dinner with us and reflected on what our ministry had meant to them and done to revitalize the Spirit in their church. We were so blessed by their genuine testimonies, and humbled that God had used us in ways they needed when we had questioned whether we were making any contribution.

I enjoyed my time with the priest. Some Americans have said my ministry in retirement is mentoring younger clergy, and this was one of those times. He shared every meal with us, and took advantage of those times as well as breaks to ask questions about things pertaining to his ministry.

The month has been a spiritually profitable outreach. I had time to reflect over the 18 years I have been doing mission work. Sometimes you wonder if you have made any difference. Most often you never know. Every now and then someone comes up and says how something you said, or some prayer you offered, made a difference in their life.

About one percent of the more than 1,000 students we have helped educate come back to say "thank you." I recall Jesus experienced that also. You do what God calls you to do, and give Him the Glory. Some day we will know what difference we have made in His Kingdom.

Being at Cabuyao encouraged me. When we least expect the effectiveness of our ministry, that may be the very time the Holy Spirit is allowed to do His greatest work.

Non nobis, Domine, sed nomini tup da gloriam! [Psalm 115:1]

Date Dispatch Received : August 16, 1998

After a restful weekend Hugh Kaiser and I went to Novaliches, a suburb north of Manila, with Father Gary Thurman, newly ordained priest in the Charismatic Episcopal Church. During the weekend I finished the College Scholarship program and e-mailed back home the letters for the sponsors along with the students' budgets for second semester.

June has printed them out and they are in the mail. Previously, I printed them here, sent them by airmail in a package back home, and then mailed them out. What an electronic age in which we live.

The administrative part of Barnabas is now finished for this trip, and from this point on the outreach will be "on-hand-ministry", teaching, praying and mentoring with pastors. In Novaliches we had three full days of Convergence Teaching. This is a mission of the Cathedral of the King. On the last afternoon I did some training in healing ministry and divided the congregation into small groups.

They prayed for each other and you could see on their faces the blessings of the Lord. After this prayer, some shared testimonies of answered prayer. We concluded the three days with an Instructive Eucharist that was exhilarating. The Praise and Worship was vibrant.

It is so refreshing to be free to sing in tongues and raise your hands in the context of liturgical worship, and for it to be the norm. Young ladies dramatized the praise in liturgical dance; the song leader's enthusiasm was contagious; and, the reverence shown when receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus gave a genuine balance to exciting Convergence Worship.

During "free" times I finished a new Liturgical Booklet for IDA missions and e-mailed it back to Archbishop Howard's office in Florida. They will print it and it will be first used in Kenya next month at the consecration of new bishops. Certain parts of the Book of Common Prayer were used in this special booklet including the new consecration prayers for ordination that reflect the new line of CEC Apostolic Succession.

On Thursday, Hugh and I flew to Davao City where we joined Bishop Eugene Lilly for a weekend of Convergence teaching at RHEMA Christian Fellowship. Bishop Lilly has a number of evangelical and pentecostal pastors in churches he has planted over the past 20 years, and our task is to help them understand the Charismatic Episcopal Church should they desire to unite with us.

We were joined by Bishop Raymundo Abogatal who is the CEC Suffragan Bishop for Mindanao. I had trouble "reading" the reaction of the people. One pastor who met with us Friday morning and seemed interested, came the first night but was frightened off by others who said among other things, that we were there to "convert him."

Hugh was invited by another to preach on Sunday but then he failed to come get him. My clerical collar scared off any invitations for me. On our last night, we had an instructive Eucharist. Some of the people were former Roman Catholics and my Celebration [in vestments] brought back good and bad memories for them.

At the end I explained that the bread and wine were holy food and we do not throw it away. I asked seven men to come to the table and help me consume the leftovers. Almost before I finished my explanation, one pastor was on his feet coming toward me.

He said later how much he learned. At times during the service he was almost in tears. The host pastor said "Charismatic consecration of the bread and wine is not enough," implying he would start using some of the liturgy we had provided the people - Rite One Eucharist; Book of Common Prayer.

Bishop Abogatal has the liturgy in the local language and will send him a copy. Bishop Lilly preached on Sunday morning at their ordinary "charismatic" service, concluding with a prayer time for healing. All of those I prayed for fell under the Power of the Spirit so perhaps that authenticated me for some skeptics.

After the healing time they showered us with parting gifts. The pastor scheduled me to return next January with a team. We plant seeds and by exposure, try to get the people comfortable with us, letting them see we have no horns. Some evangelicals in the Philippines have given destructive teaching.

Most converts from the Roman Catholic Church have been brainwashed to believe that the Roman Church is evil; the Pope is the anti-Christ; and salvation is obtained only through the evangelical church. Some evangelicals prayed the Pope's plane would crash when he visited the Philippines in 1995.

Prior to our Saturday night Eucharist, a co-pastor conducted an hour service during which time his sermon condemned traditional hymns as not the kind of music that pleases Jesus. He was preaching in his dialect, but unknown to him, we understood enough to know what he was saying. Later Bishop Abogatal confirmed our discernment. We have to gain their confidence and build trust, showing them we are Christians too.

Hugh and I are off to Dumaguete for a couple of days to plan with Bishop David Ga of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente, our January outreach. We then go on to Manila to resume meetings with the CEC in Cabuyo, Laguna Province. Hugh's computer is not working and he is hopeful that during the few days before our next schedule he will be able to get it back in operation.

Thank you for your prayers! We are half way through this outreach.

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Date Dispatch Received : August 8, 1998

Greetings in the Name of Jesus! This is my first report from the mission field for this August 1998 outreach. This first week I am here alone.

July 31 - Arrived Manila on time. My seat out of Narita was 65H - next to the last row in a B747. As people were still boarding, I saw a Northwest Airline gate person coming down the isle. "Mr. Weeks, you have been upgraded to 17B - Business Class." Praise the Lord. Very unexpected and unexplainable [think the Lord had a hand in it?] since economy was not full, and my Northwest Air travel is only between Tokyo and Manila. I accept all miracles. Bed at 12:30 a.m. Aug 1.

Aug 1 - Awake at 4:30 a.m. Jet lag! Met former and current students of the Manila area, and dinner with a professor friend from University of the Philippines. Harlette Quezon [for those of you who may remember her as the student who visited USA with me in 1991] is now Mrs. Harlette Villaoscarez and 2 1/2 months in "the family way" [Filipino for pregnant]. Married last April. Husband is a seaman. Sleep by 9:40 p.m.

Aug 2 - Up at 5 a.m. Flight this morning to Bacolod; met the 5 students remaining there, and drove 4 hours across the island to Dumaguete [well, actually "flying low."] Dinner tonight with friends and three of the students. Two came by boat from Ozamis to meet me because I will not be going to their place due to cancellation of Philippine Airlines flight. They have been on strike and only partial restoration of schedule. Went to home of one student to check out a problem on her computer. A side line job - they think I can do all things! 11:30 bed.

Aug 3 - Up at 5:15 a.m. Breakfast with the Ozamis students and saw them off to their boat back to Mindanao Island. College students all day today. Met several clergy and set schedule for January - three mission churches to which team members will be assigned while I do a HOLY SPIRIT AND SACRAMENTS seminar for the Philippine Independent Catholic Church in Dumaguete, plus interviews with all our scholarship recipients. Dinner tonight with local clergy and former staff people. Airline tickets delivered to me by my Filipina travel agent who is also a former student. Bed at 10:20 p.m.

Aug 4 - Up at 5:20 a.m. Bishop Ga drove me to the pier and I took the Water Jet to Cebu and shuttle to airport for my flight to Manila. Bed by 10:15 tonight

Aug 5 - Miracle of Miracles! I didn't awake until 7 a.m. Must be over the jet lag. Ate some fruit and drank hot tea for my breakfast, packed and headed to airport. Hence began Murphy's-Law day. Flight was scheduled for 11 a.m. and I set schedule in Zamboanga accordingly. Airline changed departure to 1:30 p.m. which became 2:40 p.m. before we took off.

Five students were waiting for me when I arrived at the hotel. Met with those scheduled for today; dinner tonight with Fr. Dan Bustamante, Episcopal Priest of the Church of the Good Shepherd, and Pastor Jun Trinidad, our evangelist in the St. Barnabas mission area of western Mindanao, and Dr. Ron Pacia, M.D.

Building has not yet begun; waiting to get clear title on the land. Saw the blueprints. I am excited about seeing the finished product. We sent the money for purchase of land and construction of chapel earlier this year. Set schedule for January - EXCITING!

Will have Seminar for the 279 high school students at Good Shepherd Mission School in Calarian; a follow up VALUES Seminar for staff at Brent Hospital in Zamboanga; a Bible Seminar at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Zamboanga concluding with evening healing service plus interviews with all scholarship recipients and gift distribution to the children in our Child Care Centers.

Aug 6 - Visited and photographed the 129 children at the four BAHADA Child Care Centers; met the high school scholars at Good Shepherd Mission School and gave them some of the "goodies" I brought. Lunch with the teachers at Good Shepherd and returned to hotel to meet remaining college scholarship recipients. Dinner tonight with Fr. Bustamante and Pastor Trinidad.

Aug 7 - Early morning flight to Manila; changed planes and flew half way back south to Cebu to meet students, but not without incident. Six hour wait in Manila airport and almost a canceled flight. Students waiting for me - two hours late. The weekend is R & R before beginning a strenous schedule for the next two week in seminars with the Charismatic Episcopal Church.

This first week may sound dull with nothing but meeting scholars, getting budgets, looking at grades, photographing children, etc., but this is a very important part of Barnabas Ministries' work in the Philippines. These students could not otherwise go to school were it not for the assistance we give through the generosity of American sponsors.

The support given to these neat young people expresses in a quiet way the Love of God through people who have never met the student they support, but gladly give large bucks to make a dream come true. We are presently preparing a "Wait List" for new high school scholars to be selected in January. Cost is $150 a year. If you want a student, let me know before December 1.

Your financial support to Barnabas Ministries makes possible our continued mission work and your prayers assure me of your standing with me in this work. I thank God for the opportunity to be able to show care and love to these young people.

Now with the scholarship work finished for this trip, next week Hugh Kaiser joins me, and we start two weeks of streneous schedule teaching CONVERGENCE for the Charismatic Episcopal Church in three different areas of the country.

Philip+

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